The Co Tu people protect the forest.

Báo Tài nguyên Môi trường•03/07/2023

Customary law for forest preservation

Tay Giang District has over 91,000 hectares of forest. Of this, natural forest accounts for more than 70%, with many rare and valuable timber species such as ironwood (250 ha), rhododendron (430 ha), and teak (300 ha), along with a diverse range of rare flora and fauna remaining on the Truong Son mountain range. In particular, the cluster of cypress trees, distributed over an area of nearly 500 hectares, is considered a treasure in the Tay Giang forest region. Currently, the cypress tree cluster is strictly protected by the local government and people, remaining almost intact with over 2,000 trees, including 1,146 trees recognized as Vietnamese Heritage Trees. This is considered one of the rarest and most valuable timber forests remaining in the Central Highlands region in particular and the whole country in general.

*The Thanksgiving Ceremony for the Forest of the Co Tu ethnic group in Tay Giang district.*

This is thanks to the Co Tu community's long-standing tradition of establishing their own customary laws for forest conservation. For the Co Tu people, when taking anything from the forest, they always believe they must ask permission from the forest spirits (Abhô Jàng). Whether cutting down a large or small tree, they must ask permission, offer sacrifices, and hold a village meeting for approval before being allowed to cut down and bring the tree home. Everything in the forest is common property, belonging to the entire community, and everyone has the responsibility and obligation to preserve and protect it. Anyone who violates this will be punished by the village, or in more severe cases, banned from the forest.

The Katu customary law also prohibits burning down headwater forests, because for them, the headwaters are the lifeblood of the people; if they destroy them, disease and death are likely to break out in the village. Therefore, anyone who destroys headwater forests must pay a fee to the village for a ritual offering, which must include at least: a large pig, a goat, and a bottle of rice wine.

It is from these beliefs that the Co Tu people always teach their children with profound, civilized, and insightful sayings: "The bird in the high sky needs the vast green forest / The fish in the stream needs the clear water / The Co Tu people need Mother Forest's protection / So that our villagers can thrive and flourish / So that our harvests are always abundant / So that the Co Tu people everywhere will forever endure... / Without the forest, the birds will no longer sing / Without the streams and rivers, the fish will no longer breathe / Without Mother Forest, the Co Tu people will perish."

Around the second lunar month, at the Gươl house nestled amidst the pristine forests, the Cơ Tu people hold the Year-Opening Thanksgiving Ceremony for the Forest. According to cultural researchers, this is considered the largest Thanksgiving Festival for the Forest in Vietnam. Mr. Nguyen Van Luom, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tay Giang District, said that the Year-Opening Thanksgiving Ceremony for the Forest is a beautiful tradition of the Cơ Tu people to express gratitude to Mother Nature for her protection. Since 2018, the Tay Giang district government has revived the Thanksgiving Festival for the Forest on a large scale, not only to restore and preserve the traditional culture of the Cơ Tu people but also to raise awareness about forest conservation and the culture of forest preservation among the people.

"Maintaining the Thanksgiving for the Forest ceremony is of great significance in celebrating good deeds and strongly encouraging collective efforts to preserve the natural environment, protect old-growth forests and water resources in the community," Mr. Nguyen Van Luom informed.

Tay Giang Forest is considered one of the rarest and most valuable timber forests remaining in the area.

Multiply the treasures amidst the vast wilderness.

For the Co Tu people, the forest is not simply a living environment, a source of plants and animals that sustains their lives; it is also the root of their culture, a sacred place that protects them from wild animals, enemies, and natural disasters. Therefore, in addition to protecting the forest, the Co Tu people voluntarily and enthusiastically participate in planting trees and reforestation, and even contribute their own money to build rural roads for easier travel, connecting their lives with the lowlands and reducing their dependence on the deep forest. This is also an effective way to protect the forest, potentially leading to community tourism , living off the beauty of the forest, but transforming it into a resource that serves humanity.

Ms. Zơ Râm Thị Lành, from Ganil village, Axan commune, Tay Giang district, shared: “With guidance from officials, we cleared the undergrowth, carried seedlings, and dug holes for reforestation. After planting, I regularly monitor the trees to promptly detect pests and diseases, and replant any dead or weak trees immediately to ensure they thrive and develop the forest, contributing to forest protection and preventing soil erosion and landslides in the area.”

*The forests in Tay Giang are covered in a vast expanse of green.*

Mr. Nguyen Van Sinh, Director of the Tay Giang Protective Forest Management Board, said: "The Co Tu people live in communities, and their awareness of forest protection is very high. As the unit assigned the task of protecting and developing the forest, the Management Board has gone to people's homes to encourage and educate them to actively participate in reforestation and forest protection, keeping the green of the forests covering all the villages here."

“Forest protection and management are organized systematically with close coordination between specialized forces and the local community. The Management Board regularly coordinates with village elders and heads to encourage people not to clear old-growth forests, and also regularly patrols the areas under the Management Board's management,” Mr. Sinh said.

While in many places, forests are being destroyed and disappearing day by day, in Tay Giang, only one case of deforestation has occurred in the past 7 years. This is thanks to the tradition of forest preservation passed down from their ancestors, which the local people are nurturing and passing on through many generations.

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