Protecting forests – survival. Part 2

Focusing on overcoming limitations and weaknesses in forest management, protection, and development, ensuring the achievement of the goal of maintaining and improving forest cover to 43% as stipulated in the Resolution of the 14th Congress of the Binh Thuan Provincial Party Committee, term 2020-2025. Simultaneously contributing to job creation, poverty reduction, improved livelihoods, and environmental protection for sustainable development. This is one of the objectives set by the Provincial People's Committee to implement Conclusion No. 61-KL/TW and other resolutions, directives, and action programs of the Central Government in recent times.

Forest protection profession - stressful and not enough to make a living.

The Steering Committee of the People's Committee of Binh Thuan province acknowledged the shortcomings and limitations in the forestry sector during the two-year review of Resolution 05-NQ/TU dated September 10, 2021, of the Provincial Party Committee (14th term). This included addressing an unresolved bottleneck: the specialized forest protection force (BVRCT) in forest management units has been the core, frontline force, directly involved in patrolling and managing the forests. This force also confronts, combats, and suppresses violations related to logging, transporting forest products, deforestation, and encroachment on forest land. However, the reality is that forest rangers and specialized forest protection forces are increasingly resigning, quitting, or transferring to other positions. This is not a recent phenomenon but has been occurring for several years. Could the main reason be the pressure and insufficient income from their forest protection work?

Forest protection force of Le Hong Phong Forest Management Board.

To better understand the forest keepers, we visited the Le Hong Phong Forest Protection Management Board (Bac Binh). This is considered a vast, arid area with complex issues of forest land encroachment, thus increasing the burden of responsibility on those directly responsible for forest protection. Mr. Le Chau Thanh, Head of the Le Hong Phong Forest Protection Management Board, understands the hardships faced by forest protectors in the area. He shared: The Board manages over 15,300 hectares of forest, comprising 23 sub-areas. The managed area is mostly protective forest, with difficult terrain. Although there is no forest area bordering neighboring provinces, it is an area with complex issues of forest land encroachment. These border areas have many complicated characteristics, including localities bordering residential areas, people's farms, and the sea.

The BVR station was rudimentary and lacked basic facilities.

Notably, the forest protection and management force has to work almost 24/7. Each force member is responsible for 500-700 hectares of forest, so even on their days off, if deforestation is discovered the next day, they risk facing criminal liability. Meanwhile, even if no perpetrators are found, they are still held responsible and may face prosecution.

In our unfinished story, Mr. Nguyen Tien Cong – Head of the Le Hong Phong Forest Protection Station – took advantage of a brief break after a forest patrol to share more: Due to the large area and limited personnel, management is difficult. Furthermore, the support tools available to the stations are rudimentary, making it very dangerous when encountering aggressive individuals. During his work, he has encountered many cases of aggression and resistance. Mr. Cong demonstrated: More than a year ago, during a night shift, he was attacked and injured by some individuals from outside the area.

Not to mention, due to the mountainous terrain, transportation by vehicle is very difficult, and travel is mainly on foot. The living conditions of the forest protection force are also extremely lacking; the forest protection posts lack electricity, running water, and telephone signal, and the distance to buy food and medicine from the station to the remote residential area is inconvenient...

A moment of rest in the forest for the BVR forces.

Knot

Based on the practical experience of implementing forest management and protection and forest fire prevention and control in 2023 and the first months of 2024, the People's Committee of Binh Thuan province believes that: Currently, some policies on forest protection and development and investment in forestry infrastructure support issued by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 38/2016/QD-TTg dated September 14, 2016, are no longer consistent with the Vietnam Forestry Development Strategy for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, as stipulated in Decision No. 523/QD-TTg dated April 1, 2021, of the Prime Minister. For example, according to the regulations on the contracted support for forest development investment, the current unit price is 300,000 VND/ha, with each household receiving a contract for no more than 30 ha, meaning each household only receives 9 million VND per year, which does not guarantee the income of people receiving contracts for forest protection. We propose that the Government consider promptly issuing a "Decree on investment policies for forest protection and development, processing and trade of forest products" to ensure comprehensive and unified policies for forest investment and development; prioritizing the allocation of central government resources to support stakeholders involved in planting, protecting, and developing forests, especially in mountainous areas.

A corner of the forest in Binh Thuan.

According to the Provincial People's Committee, the role of the specialized forest protection force is particularly important. These individuals are directly involved in implementing plans at the grassroots level and within the forests; directly patrolling and controlling forest protection; preventing illegal forest encroachment; and proactively developing forest fire prevention and control plans. However, according to the regulations in Government Decree No. 01/2019/ND-CP dated January 1, 2019, they only receive basic salaries and lack additional support schemes that are truly appropriate to the specific nature of their work, which has significantly affected the morale and work ethic of this force. Meanwhile, the activities of illegal loggers are becoming increasingly complex. Those who encroach on forests are acting aggressively and boldly, potentially using weapons and homemade guns to resist and injure forest patrol and control forces in order to escape with their timber. Therefore, in addition to the forest protection solutions currently being implemented, we propose that the Prime Minister pay attention to directing the development of specific policies and regulations for the specialized forest protection force to ensure adequate income. This will certainly create motivation and peace of mind in their work of protecting forests, so that their efforts and sacrifices will be adequately compensated.

As assessed by the Central Party Secretariat in Conclusion No. 61-KL/TW on continuing to implement Directive No. 13-CT/TW, dated January 12, 2017, on strengthening the Party's leadership over forest management and protection: After more than six years of implementing Directive No. 13-CT/TW, the awareness and responsibility of Party committees, authorities, Party members, and the people regarding forest management, protection, and development have undergone many positive changes. However, the results of implementing the Directive are still limited. In particular, the assessment emphasizes that the policies on land and forest allocation, and support for forest protection contracts, are not in line with the legitimate interests of those allocated or contracted. The lives of forest workers and people in forested areas still face many difficulties... According to the Central Party Secretariat, the above limitations are mainly due to an incomplete understanding of the important position and role of forests and sustainable forestry development. Some Party committees, Party organizations, and government agencies have lacked decisiveness and have not focused on leading and directing the strict implementation of the Directive.

Regarding forestry policies, on May 24, 2024, the Government issued Decree No. 58/2024/ND-CP on some investment policies in forestry. Specifically, Clause 3, Article 19, concerning the contracted funding for forest protection, stipulates that the average contracted funding from the state budget for protecting special-use forests, protection forests, and production forests (natural forests) is 500,000 VND/ha/year. For forest areas in communes classified as areas II and III, the rate is 1.2 times the average, and for coastal areas, it is 1.5 times the average. Therefore, the increase from 300,000 VND/ha/year to 500,000 VND/ha/year, when applied in practice, will contribute to increasing the income of forest rangers.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the total number of assigned forest protection personnel is currently 527. Of these, 464 have been recruited and are currently active, leaving a shortfall of 63. Meanwhile, according to reports from forest management units, resignations among forest protection personnel continue, but recruitment is difficult due to a lack of applicants because of high work pressure and low income.

Lesson 1: Protecting the forest with life and death.

Lesson 3: Decisive Solutions

Lesson 4: Getting Rich from Forests

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/bao-ve-rung-su-song-con-bai-2-123470.html