Lessons from Cham Island

"Development in Cu Lao Cham means not developing anything, just preserving what already exists" - Photo: DO HUU TIEN

Fifteen years after being listed as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and becoming a model for biodiversity conservation, Tan Hiep commune - Cu Lao Cham (Hoi An, Quang Nam ), an island commune covering less than 15 square kilometers with a population of about ^2,500 people, has welcomed more than 200,000 tourists annually.

On average, Cu Lao Cham receives up to 500 tourists visiting and staying overnight each day. On weekends, the number of visitors to the island can reach nearly 1,000 per day.

Notably, the number of international tourists visiting Cu Lao Cham is consistently higher than that of domestic tourists.

What attracts more and more tourists to this beautiful island, even though the tourism infrastructure on Cu Lao Cham is still rudimentary and lacks amenities compared to many other places in the country?

Mr. Nguyen The Hung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoi An City and Head of the Management Board of the Cu Lao Cham World Biosphere Reserve, stated that the establishment of the Marine Protected Area in 2005 and the Cu Lao Cham World Biosphere Reserve in 2009 has motivated the government and people of the island commune to make every effort to protect the environment and conserve the natural resources of the forest and sea.

The most important thing in preserving Cham Island is that the local people are gradually becoming aware that protecting the forest and the sea means protecting their livelihoods.

Of course, from the city leaders' initial ideas to the mobilization of commune residents to participate in programs such as "Bring a basket to the market," "Say no to plastic bags," "Say no to plastic straws," "granting quotas for rock crab exploitation," and then preserving and maintaining coral reefs, conserving eggs and sea turtles... these things didn't become a reality overnight.

But through persuading the people and employing unconventional methods, Cu Lao Cham has transformed from a poor island commune lacking in infrastructure, with uncontrolled exploitation of forest and marine resources, and littered with plastic waste... into a shining example in environmental protection, nature conservation, poverty alleviation, and leading the province in income level.

Perhaps the greatest lesson we can learn from Cu Lao Cham over the past several decades is that its people have learned to live with their backs to the mountains and their faces to the sea.

Since 1998-1999, the people of Cu Lao Cham have been using honeycomb charcoal for cooking instead of cutting firewood in the forest. Border guards and commune officials have been leading the way, setting an example for the people to follow. By preserving the forest, they have been able to maintain a clean water source for the residents of the commune.

By preserving the forests, the people have unanimously agreed with the government not to exploit coral for lime production, to protect coral reefs, and not to fish using explosives that destroy the marine environment...

And when nature is protected and preserved, it has brought the people of Cu Lao Cham a healthy, prosperous life and a steady improvement in their lives.

Knowing how to rely on nature, to dialogue with nature, and not to exploit nature – "Those who live in accordance with the laws of nature will survive" – is the philosophy of life that the people of Cu Lao Cham have applied in their lives.

That is also a lesson for us in how we should treat nature.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bai-hoc-tu-cu-lao-cham-20240527081923669.htm