The upland district of Mu Cang Chai has over 82,000 hectares of forested land located in four areas providing forest environmental services, including Red River, Da River, Nam Xay and Nam Tha basins. 

In recent years, forest owners in Mu Cang Chai district have averagely received 50 billion VND of environmental service fee each year.  

Nguyen Anh Phuong, vice director of the protection forest management board of Mu Cang Chai district, said the unit has over 54,000 ha of forest under contract to receive forest environmental service fee, including over 48,496 ha in  Mu Cang Chai district, over 5,568 ha in Van Chan district. 

In 2020, the unit received over 37 billion VND of environmental service fee from the Forest Protection and Development Fund of the province to pay 1,383 households, 200 communities and groups of households contracted for forest protection.

Along with other sources of revenue from forests, the environmental service fee has contributed to improving and stabilizing local people's incomes, promoting poverty reduction, gradually raising public awareness of forest management, protection and development. 

Since the Payment for Forest Environment Services (PES) Policy was implemented, there has been close coordination between forest owners, households and local authorities in managing and protecting forests. The illegal forest exploitation and forest land encroachment decreased markedly in forest areas where the environmental service fees are paid.  

According to a report of the Forest Protection and Development Fund, Yen Bai has so far over 325,977 ha of forest and forestry land that have been paid for forest environmental service fee. 

In 2021, the fund paid forest environmental service fees to 11 forest owners who are organizations and enterprises, with the total amount of 69,532 billion VND, equivalent to over 114,569 ha of forests, and to households and individuals having land use right certificates with an amount of over 3 billion VND, equivalent to nearly 9,900 ha of forests. 

The policy has proven effective, benefiting 56,332 local households and individuals.  Nearly 200,000 ha of forests have been protected through using the payment of forest environmental services.