Transformation thanks to the forest.

HNN - The forests in A Lưới not only protect the villages but have now become a source of livelihood for the people. The Emission Reduction Payment Program (ERPA) in the North Central region has helped the people in the mountainous areas gain more stable income and, more importantly, changed their perspective: Protecting the forest is not just a responsibility, but also a right linked to their daily lives.

Local groups set out to patrol the forest at the beginning of the rainy season.

Sustainable livelihoods

For generations, the people of A Lưới have been closely connected to the forest. The forest provides firewood, bamboo shoots, medicinal leaves, and other resources that have sustained many generations, but this very dependence has also plagued the community, keeping them perpetually in poverty. With the implementation of the ERPA policy, the forest is no longer just a means of livelihood but has become a resource for people to improve their lives.

The family of Ms. Le Thi Thuy Dung (41 years old, La Tung village, A Luoi 4 commune) is one example. Previously, she regularly went into the forest to collect firewood and dig up bamboo shoots to sell. Their limited finances made it difficult for the whole family to provide for their food. For the past two years, thanks to participating in ERPA, Ms. Dung has had a regular income.

“The money isn't much, but it's been a regular income that has helped our family worry less about running out of rice, buy medicine, and send our children to school. More importantly, we understand that the forest provides us with water, clean air, and the future of our children. Preserving the forest now isn't just about making money; it's about preserving life,” Ms. Dung shared.

According to her, since the ERPA was established, the entire village has undergone a significant change in awareness: "Before, forest patrolling was the responsibility of just a few people, but now the whole village is ready to participate. Every time we have a village meeting, we remind each other: Protecting the forest is protecting our own livelihood."

Currently, La Tung village is entrusted with managing over 140 hectares of forest. The community is divided into groups that take turns patrolling, ensuring that the forest area is not encroached upon. In 2024, the village received over 42 million VND in payments along with 50 million VND in livelihood support; in 2025, the first installment of over 28 million VND was received as an advance. Although the amount is not large, it has become a driving force for the villagers to remain committed, resulting in no encroachment or illegal logging for many years.

Not only in La Tung, but many other communities have also transformed thanks to the forest. The community forest protection group in Hamlet 2, A Luoi 2 Commune, is entrusted with managing over 70 hectares of natural forest. The group has 14 members, divided into two patrol teams. "The group receives over 60 million VND annually from forest environmental services. This income is distributed equally among the members, helping everyone feel secure in their livelihoods," said Tran Van Hieu, the group leader.

According to the A Lưới Protective Forest Management Board, the locality was allocated over 4.2 billion VND in 2025 alone. To date, 15 village communities have been contracted to manage nearly 1,800 hectares of forest, receiving over 1 billion VND in payments. In addition, there is 750 million VND for livelihood support and nearly 2 billion VND for forestry measures. These expenditures, while not large, are an important foundation for the people to feel secure and committed to the forest.

Awareness

Alongside community efforts, the forest management system in A Lưới has also been strengthened. Following the implementation of a two-tiered local government model, the A Lưới Regional Forest Protection Unit was established, replacing the former district-level unit. This unit is currently working closely with the authorities of five mountainous communes to enhance forest fire forecasting, disseminate information to every village, and implement numerous forest restoration projects.

Mr. Ho Van Sao, Head of the A Luoi Area Forest Protection Unit, said: To date, more than 20,200 hectares of natural forest have been handed over to 39 communities, 191 household groups, and 26 individual households for management. “After the forest handover, forest encroachment has significantly decreased. The household groups have all developed patrol plans and cooperate well with the forest rangers. The better the community manages the forest, the higher the people's awareness becomes,” Mr. Sao emphasized.

Across the city, the impact of ERPA is becoming increasingly evident. Forest cover currently stands at 57.18%. More than 205,500 hectares of natural forest have been included in the emission reduction payment scheme, with a total budget of over 135 billion VND for the 2023-2025 period.

Mr. Nguyen Tat Tung, Director of the Hue City Forest Protection and Development Fund, affirmed: “ERPA not only creates income for people, but also serves as a new financial mechanism, transforming carbon sequestration into concrete benefits. Thanks to this, forest owners have more funds to sign contracts with communities and implement forestry activities such as enclosure, regeneration, and forest enrichment. Payments through banks, e-wallets, or public postal services also ensure transparency and convenience.”

According to statistics, in 2024 alone, Hue City disbursed nearly 43 billion VND, reaching 98% of the plan. By July 2025, the payment rate also reached 95% of the plan. After 3 years, the total amount disbursed reached 123 billion VND, including over 15 billion VND for communities, household groups and individual households; over 5 billion VND for commune People's Committees and organizations; and over 102 billion VND for 11 forest owners who are organizations. Nearly 31,000 hectares of forest handed over to communities have been effectively protected.

The important thing is that people's awareness has changed. They no longer see forest conservation as just a duty, but as an essential part of life: preserving forests to have food, preserving forests to have water sources and a clean environment for future generations. This is a long-term journey that Hue City is persistently pursuing, so that each forest serves as both a green shield for the environment and a solid foundation for the livelihoods of thousands of mountainous households.

Text and photos: BACH CHAU

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/doi-thay-nho-rung-158502.html