Cam Son is greener.

Visiting Son Hai commune (Bac Ninh province) after nearly a year of implementing administrative unit reorganization, streamlining the apparatus, and organizing local government according to a suitable model to expand development space, the commune's area and scale have increased significantly.

Cam Son Lake attracts many tourists .

In the simple meeting room at the commune headquarters, the Party Secretary of the commune, Nguyen Van Hai, said that although there is still a shortage of staff, many things have progressed more positively than before. Roads are being gradually improved, people's lives are gradually getting better, and the garden-forest economy and ecotourism are opening up new hopes for the lake region.

Leaving the commune headquarters, we went down to the boat dock to Cam Son Lake, one of the largest artificial lakes in the country. The small road leading to the dock wound through hills covered with late-ripening lychee trees, their branches laden with fruit, ready for the final harvest of the season. This year wasn't particularly bountiful, but many orchards around the lake still yielded abundant fruit; the late-ripening lychees were at their peak, their flesh firm, their juice sweet, and usually fetching higher prices. The boat gently left the water's edge, the crisp sound of the engine carrying us slowly out to the middle of the lake. Mr. Ngoc Van Ninh, who has been a boat driver on the lake for almost 10 years, had a tanned complexion from the sun and wind, but his voice was soft and his smile gentle and kind. Out in the middle of the lake, the space suddenly opened up, vast and boundless, the blue sky blending with the clear water and the stretches of forest like a painting.

While everyone on the boat was engrossed in admiring the clouds and marveling at the breathtaking scenery, I suddenly remembered a trip I took on this lake more than 10 years ago. In a small, dilapidated house on the island, I sat down to eat a meal with Mr. Ha's family. Although the meal included lake fish, chicken, and garden vegetables, I knew that life for Mr. Ha's family and hundreds of other households around the lake was still very difficult. The people relied almost entirely on shrimp and fish for their livelihood. At midnight, I went out on the boat with Mr. Ha and his son to cast our nets. Mr. Ha's son, Ty, was just a dark-skinned little boy then; after finishing the nets, he fell asleep soundly in the boat's cabin.

In my conversation with Mr. Ha, the daily worries about making a living as the shrimp and fish in the lake dwindle made his voice hoarse. How could he not worry when his family's livelihood and that of hundreds of surrounding households depend almost entirely on the lake? But what's even more concerning is that many people are using destructive fishing methods like electric shock, shrimp bait, and even explosives. On many days, entire areas of the lake are murky, with dead fish washing ashore – a heartbreaking sight. I could clearly feel the heavy heart of people like Mr. Ha, watching the lake struggle day by day, draining its lifeline without finding a way out.

Recounting the past, Mr. Ninh said that the lives of Mr. Ha's family and hundreds of other households in the lake area are now much better. Most households have shifted to farming, growing lychees, and raising livestock. Many young people, after finishing high school, have gone to work as factory workers in the lowlands, no longer relying on the lake for their livelihood as before. Ten years is long enough for the children who grew up by the water to find more diverse and better ways to make a living. According to Mr. Ninh, in recent years, the number of tourists visiting the lake has increased significantly. They enjoy both sightseeing and experiencing life in the lake area, relaxing and enjoying themselves on the quiet small islands. The locals have understood that sustainable tourism requires working together to preserve the forest and keep the lake clean and green.

After a tour of the lake, we stopped at a small restaurant at the foot of the hill for lunch. In the shade of the trees, the emerald green lake unfolded before our eyes like a giant mirror, reflecting the sky and clouds of the mountainous region like a picturesque landscape painting. The meal consisted entirely of rustic dishes from the lake area: grilled fish, stir-fried shrimp, crispy fried stream fish, free-range chicken, boiled vegetables, etc. Sitting in this peaceful setting, it's hard to imagine that there was a time when the people living along the lake were constantly worried about their livelihoods due to the destructive fishing practices.

During the meal, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Son Hai Commune, Hoang Minh Phuong, enthusiastically spoke to us about preserving the forest and the lake. He said that to keep Cam Son Lake green, the most important thing is to ensure the livelihoods of the people. “If people can make a living from lychees, from the forest, from cage fish farming, and from tourism services, then they will work together to protect the lake. If we only rely on natural fishing, the pressure on the lake surface will be immense,” Mr. Phuong said jokingly. In recent years, local authorities have organized patrols, inspections, and strictly dealt with cases of using electric shock devices and explosives to catch fish, but the most important thing is still to regularly educate the people so they understand that preserving the green lake is essential for their long-term livelihood.

I still remember that morning, after a night of boating on the lake with Mr. Ha and his son. Over a warm cup of tea at the Cam Son Commune People's Committee office, the local leaders at the time expressed their deep concern about opening a training course on ecotourism for the people around the lake. Because at that time, the idea of ​​tourism in Cam Son was still very far-fetched. The people around the lake were more accustomed to casting nets and fishing than welcoming tourists. Making a living was already a struggle, and no one imagined that those small boats, originally used only for fishing, would one day carry tourists to admire the lake's scenery.

Back then, when asked if he had ever thought about getting into tourism, Mr. Ha said that everyone said the tourism potential was great, but he hadn't gained anything from it. After more than 10 years, that concern and aspiration have gradually become a reality. More beautiful and sturdy tourist boats have started appearing on the lake. Locals have learned how to provide services, transporting tourists, introducing the beautiful scenery and local products such as fish, shrimp, lychees, and forest honey. Visitors come not only to admire the scenery but also to take boat trips on the vast lake, have meals on the islands, and experience the peaceful and fresh atmosphere of the mountainous region.

Bac Ninh province's stance is to avoid developing large-scale tourism projects around the lake in order to preserve clean water for local residents. However, this does not mean Cam Son is closed to tourism. The local authorities still encourage people to develop eco-tourism and agricultural tourism models that are compatible with the natural landscape of the lake area to increase their income.

Today, Son Hai still faces many challenges, but what struck me most during this return trip was the significant change in the local people's mindset regarding forest and lake preservation. They understand that the clear blue water and pristine, peaceful landscape of Cam Son Lake are the most valuable assets for the long-term survival of this area. Bac Ninh province's stance is to avoid developing large-scale tourism projects around the lake in order to preserve the clean water source for the people's daily lives. However, this doesn't mean Cam Son is completely closed to tourism. The local authorities still encourage people to develop ecotourism and agricultural tourism models that are compatible with the natural landscape of the lake area to increase their income.

“Cam Son Lake is a precious gem of the commune and the province; preserving its green color means preserving the long-term livelihoods of the people,” Mr. Phuong said. I silently gazed at the lake before me. The waters of Cam Son Lake remained a vibrant green under the cloudy sky, and the anxieties of the past years quietly found answers in the changing lives of the people living along the lake's edge.

Tran Duc

Source: https://nhandan.vn/cam-son-xanh-hon-post965983.html