A TÚT - THE MAN WHO LIGHTED THE GREEN FLAME IN THE VAST FOREST

Along the winding mountain road, sunlight filters through the ancient forest canopy, illuminating the low-lying stilt houses with their wisps of smoke rising in the evening. Mang Ruong village in Kon Dao commune, Quang Ngai province, appears like a peaceful painting, where the green of the mountains blends with the tranquil life of the people. And amidst this picture, a sturdy man with resolute yet warm eyes stands out – Mr. A Tut, the village head of Mang Ruong, born in 1986, affectionately known by the villagers as: "The man who lights the green flame in the vast forest."

Village head A Tút and the forest rangers guide the forest protection team.

Not only is A Tút a responsible village official, but he has also joined the community in writing a miraculous story about preserving the forest, building the village, and achieving sustainable wealth from the very forests that the State entrusted to the community for management.

It all started with a promise to the forest.

Previously, when the village of Mang Ruong received nearly 300 hectares of natural forest for community management, many people were skeptical. "Our people are still poor, how can we protect the forest?" - many people asked A Tut.

But he just smiled and said, "The forest is the mother of the village; preserving the forest means preserving the livelihood and food for future generations."

That simple statement was a promise he voluntarily made with his entire life.

A Tút began mobilizing each household to sign a commitment to protect the forest, organizing village meetings to disseminate the Forestry Law, and integrating forest management and protection content into the village's customs and regulations. He, along with various committees, organizations, and respected individuals in the village, established community forest protection teams, assigning rotating patrol schedules to ensure all households participated in forest protection. Each step was taken cautiously, persistently, but with unwavering determination.

Digital technology applications - When forest rangers use smartphones

Not stopping there , A Tút constantly urged the community to innovate. Surprisingly, in a remote village like Mang Ruong, digital technology has become an invaluable tool in forest management and protection. With a diligent and eager-to-learn spirit, village head A Tut has proactively approached and applied information technology in the village's forest management and protection efforts.

When guided by forest rangers on the use of forest protection management software integrated with remote sensing imagery and forest fire warning software on smartphones, he quickly grasped how to use it, from accessing satellite maps and analyzing forest change data to detecting fire hotspots on satellite imagery. The village head's eagerness to learn and progressive spirit have helped make forest monitoring in the community more proactive, accurate, and effective, contributing to raising the awareness of forest protection among the villagers.

Village head A Tút and the forest rangers guided the development of a forest patrol and protection plan.

In particular, A Tút guided the forest protection teams to create a Zalo group for community forest protection, to announce patrol schedules, record attendance, quickly share information on violations, weather forecasts, and forest fire prevention and control... When going into the forest, A Tút instructed the villagers to mark large trees and areas of forest at risk of encroachment, and to use their phones to film and take pictures to send to the group for monitoring. Thanks to this, forest management in Măng Rương village is now both strict, modern, transparent, and saves time and costs - something that was previously thought to be only possible with professional units.

Transforming forests into livelihoods - Contributing to building new rural areas.

The results weren't immediate, but their efforts eventually paid off: the community forest area remained intact, the air was clean, and the streams began to fill with water again. Since 2022, Mang Ruong village has received regular annual payments for forest environmental services, averaging nearly 200 million VND per year.

A Tút proposed that about 30% of that money be allocated to the village fund for common purposes such as organizing the "Green Sticky Rice Cake Festival," celebrating achievements, supporting the poor, showing gratitude, visiting the community center, maintaining and repairing the community center, and providing scholarships for poor students. The remaining money would be divided equally among the households participating in forest protection during the year, with each household receiving an average of 1 to 2 million VND per year, depending on the number of days they participated in patrolling and protecting the forest.

After receiving the forest environmental service payment, the village head held a meeting with the villagers and diligently guided them on how to use the funds effectively. He encouraged households to contribute capital and jointly purchase coffee and rubber seedlings to plant on suitable hillside land, aiming to develop the family economy . Currently, Mang Ruong village has about 25 hectares of coffee and 10 hectares of rubber. In addition, the villagers actively participate in reforestation and planting scattered trees to create a scenic landscape and provide shade while also developing the economy.

Thanks to the timely guidance of the village head, the villagers were extremely enthusiastic; the handover of the community forest not only helped people increase their income but also strengthened the bond between the community and the forest. Each tree standing firm in the vast forest is not only a shade tree and a green lung, but also a source of pride and livelihood for the entire village.

The journey ahead - Keeping the forests ever green.

Now, standing atop the hill and looking down, Mang Ruong village appears like a green oasis amidst the vast forest. The laughter of children echoes through the trees, the crowing of roosters mingles with the singing of birds… All of this is vivid evidence of the harmonious symbiosis between humans and the forest.

Although the village's forest area is well-protected, the village head does not neglect his duties and always strives to maintain activities to raise awareness and encourage villagers to actively participate in forest protection. He regularly organizes village meetings, integrating forest protection content into community activities to remind and raise awareness among each household. He always concludes the village meeting with the statement: "Protecting the forest is protecting the lives of every villager." He shared: "Previously, many people thought the forest belonged to the State, but now they have changed their thinking; the forest belongs to us, to our children and grandchildren."

That change is A Tút's greatest achievement – ​​an intangible but lasting one. It has transformed every villager into an "amateur forest ranger," and every child into a "green sprout of the forest."

Thanks to the village head's perseverance and dedication, the villagers' sense of responsibility in protecting the forest has been increasingly strengthened, becoming a way of life and a shared consciousness of the entire community. When asked about the secret to his success, A Tút just smiled gently and said, "I don't have any secrets, I just love the forest, love the people, and persistently do each small thing."

But anyone who has been with him understands: To achieve what he has, it requires not only love, but also courage, vision, and the heart of a true community leader. He tirelessly patrols the forest with the villagers day and night, unafraid to learn new technologies, unafraid to debate to persuade others to agree, and unafraid to confront challenges to defend what is right. In the eyes of the people of Mang Ruong village, A Tut is both a brother, a friend, and the "leader of the green forest."

The story of A Tút and the Măng Rương village community is not loud or ostentatious, but quietly spreads like underground streams nourishing the green forest.

Amidst global challenges of climate change and resource degradation, this example serves as a powerful message: Protecting forests is not only the responsibility of the State, but also the duty and right of every citizen. The village head's journey not only helps villagers rise out of poverty and build new rural areas, but also serves as an inspiration, spreading a sense of responsibility and love for forests to many other communities.

From small villages like Mang Ruong, from resilient people like A Tut, hopefully, Vietnam's forests will remain lush and green – just as the faith and aspirations they have instilled in every tree and every leaf today.

Nguyen Thi Phuong Trang

Forest Protection Department

Source: https://snn.quangngai.gov.vn/danh-muc-cot-phai/phat-trien-nong-thon/a-tut-nguoi-thap-lua-xanh-giua-dai-ngan.html