Keep the "breath" of the village

For generations, the Thai ethnic people in Tan Hiep village, Thanh Hoa commune (Nhu Xuan district) have been closely connected to the forest. The forest provides them with bamboo shoots, medicinal plants, and clean water for their daily lives. Therefore, preserving the forest is not only about protecting resources, but also about preserving the "breath" of the village, a green source of life for future generations.

Mr. Luong Van Bay, from Tan Hiep village, Thanh Hoa commune (Nhu Xuan district), during a forest patrol.

Silent commitment

Following an introduction from the Nhu Xuan District Forest Management Department, we went to Tan Hiep village to meet Mr. Luong Hong Tien, a veteran of protecting the forests of his homeland. Now over 72 years old, Mr. Tien's health has deteriorated considerably compared to a few years ago. Nevertheless, when asked about forest protection, he remains sharp-witted, speaking as if touching upon long-held memories.

Beginning the conversation, he told us about his time spent in the old forest, a place he considered an integral part of his life, a love and a part of his very being. Growing up by the forest, he still remembers helping his parents gather firewood and pick bamboo shoots. When hungry, he would see his father catch crabs and fish in the stream to grill, and gather ripe, fragrant forest fruits for them to eat. Therefore, the awareness of protecting the forest has been deeply ingrained in him, as well as in the people of Tan Hiep village, since childhood.

When the State began implementing the policy of contracting out forest protection, Mr. Tien remained steadfastly devoted to the old-growth forests that had nurtured his childhood. He recalls that when he was assigned to manage and protect over 40 hectares of natural forest in the area bordering Nghe An province, many called him "eccentric" for taking on the most difficult task. But for him, it was different: "I just thought, protecting the forest is about love and responsibility, there's nothing to be picky about."

Mr. Tien goes into the forest two or three times a month, each trip lasting two to three days. During bamboo shoot season, he usually sets up a hut and stays in the forest for a whole week. Before each trip, he has to wake up very early, before the rooster crows. The supplies he brings are simple: a small pot, rice, fish sauce, salt, peanuts, sesame seeds, and dried fish, enough for about three days in the forest... "Going into the forest isn't boring at all, especially during bamboo shoot season, people go in groups, it's very lively!" - Mr. Tien said happily.

Every time he goes on patrol, if he sees any signs of illegal logging or hunting, he immediately reports it to the authorities so they can take preventative measures. Furthermore, he always takes every opportunity to educate the local people about how to uphold their responsibility in protecting the forest and not harming it. Speaking about the dangers, Mr. Tien also frequently faces threats from "forest poachers." He shared: "They travel in groups, and when discovered, they switch to picking bamboo shoots or searching for medicinal plants. With my years of experience, I assess the situation and then inform the local forest rangers to devise a plan to stop them."

The natural forests in Thuong Xuan district are thriving and lush.

Besides illegal logging, what forest rangers like Mr. Tien fear most is the weather. During the dry season, the risk of forest fires is very high. He has to constantly stay close to the area, monitor the situation, and educate and remind people to raise their awareness of fire safety when entering the forest, thereby reducing the risk of forest fires.

Looking at his son, Mr. Tien expressed his hope: "Now that my legs are tired, I'll have to entrust the protection of the forest to this younger generation!" For Luong Van Bay, this is not only a responsibility but also a challenging task entrusted to him by his father. With a forest area of ​​over 40 hectares, he would find it difficult to handle without the experience passed down from the older generation.

More motivation to preserve forests

When asked about his motivation for protecting the forest, Mr. Bay shared: “Love, responsibility, and the support of the State for forest protectors are the driving forces that keep me committed to the forest.” Recently, he received over 16 million VND from the State's support policies for forest protection. Previously, forest protectors only received support through policies on payments for forest protection contracts and forest environmental services. Now, they have an additional source of income from Government Decree 107/2022/ND-CP dated December 28, 2022, on the pilot program for transferring emission reduction results and managing the financial aspects of greenhouse gas emission reduction payments in the North Central region (hereinafter referred to as the ERPA program). This additional income helps Mr. Bay and many other people in Tan Hiep village alleviate difficulties in their lives and motivates them to protect the forest. Besides its economic significance, the new policy also changes the community's perception of the value of forests. From providing non-timber forest products, forests now also play a role in environmental protection and climate change mitigation. This helps people better understand their role in preserving natural resources and their living environment.

Mr. Luong Van Duong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa commune, said: "The commune has 787 hectares of natural forest eligible for payment under the ERPA program. Of this, 625 hectares are managed and protected by 103 households; and 162 hectares are managed by the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa commune. On average, each hectare of forest will receive more than 130,000 VND under the ERPA program. Thus, annually, people in the commune benefit from more than 81 million VND from the ERPA program, and the People's Committee of the commune benefits from about 21 million VND."

According to Government Decree 107/2022/ND-CP dated December 28, 2022, on the pilot program for transferring emission reduction results and managing the financial aspects of emission reduction payments (ERPA) in the North Central region, Thanh Hoa is one of six provinces participating in the pilot program. The benefits derived from ERPA aim to achieve objectives such as increasing income, creating motivation and proactiveness among the people in raising awareness of forest protection and engagement; gradually changing people's perceptions of the role and benefits of forests; increasing forest cover; and improving the living environment.

Although still in the pilot phase, the ERPA program has shown positive effects in forest protection, environmental protection, and job creation, increasing income for people living and working in forest areas, especially ethnic minorities in mountainous regions. This funding will contribute to improving the quality of life and reducing poverty rates in these localities. However, the policy has only been applied to natural forests, while Thanh Hoa province has a very large carbon stock from mangrove forests and production forests.

Dinh Giang

Lesson 2: Great potential but many challenges remain

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nguon-nbsp-song-nbsp-moi-nbsp-cho-nbsp-rung-bai-1-giu-hoi-tho-cua-lang-230459.htm