Preserving the green of Da Bac's forests.

In recent years, the forest area in Da Bac has played a particularly important role in protecting the ecological environment, regulating water resources, and developing livelihoods for people in the highlands. Facing pressure from illegal logging, the risk of forest fires during the dry season, and encroachment on forest land, the Da Bac Forest Protection Department has strengthened many comprehensive solutions to effectively manage and protect the forest area in the six communes within its jurisdiction.

Forestry officials inspect the forest in Da Bac commune.

According to statistics, the six communes (Duc Nhan, Tan Pheo, Quy Duc, Cao Son, Tien Phong, and Da Bac) under the management of the Da Bac Forest Ranger Station have a total natural area of ​​nearly 77,200 hectares; land planned for forestry covers over 59,300 hectares (accounting for approximately 77% of the natural area). Of this, natural forest covers over 28,500 hectares; planted forest covers over 20,800 hectares (including planted forests that have not yet matured); and barren land covers over 10,000 hectares.

In terms of planning, there are over 5,000 hectares of special-use forests; over 28,600 hectares of protection forests; and over 25,500 hectares of production forests. In addition, there are approximately over 1,000 hectares of forested land outside the planned areas, scattered widely and with difficult access. The forest cover rate reaches 60.84%.

To improve the effectiveness of local management, the Da Bac Forest Ranger Station has assigned officers to be in charge of each commune, regularly coordinating with local authorities, commune police, forest protection and fire prevention teams to organize patrols and inspections in areas at high risk of violations.

During the hot season, forest rangers intensify their 24/7 forest fire prevention and control efforts; proactively survey areas prone to fires, and educate people to sign commitments not to burn fields or illegally clear vegetation. They regularly conduct inspections and prevent acts of deforestation and illegal exploitation, storage, and trading of forest products.

In addition, the unit is strengthening inspections and monitoring of the area, detecting and strictly handling organizations and individuals that engage in leveling, land reclamation, excavation, and lowering of ground levels causing damage to forests without permission from competent state agencies. At the same time, it is coordinating with specialized agencies to closely monitor projects that change the purpose of forest land use, especially projects that change the purpose of natural forests; resolutely suspending and strictly handling projects that do not comply with regulations.

Officials at the Da Bac Forest Ranger Station are applying digital technology in forest management and protection.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Tuan, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cao Son commune, said: "Thanks to the close coordination with the forest rangers, forest management and protection in the locality have seen positive changes. Forest protection teams operate more systematically, and people have raised their awareness and proactively informed the authorities when they detect signs of violations."

The Da Bac Forest Ranger Station has directed local forest rangers to use tablets and satellite positioning devices to check, review, and promptly update changes in the forest status within their management area. To date, 300 change points have been updated, along with offline reports covering 1,465 plots of forest under monitoring, covering an area of ​​over 1,700 hectares. The area of ​​planted forest harvested since the beginning of the year, for which forest status has been updated, has reached over 96 hectares.

Since the beginning of the year, the Da Bac Forest Protection Department, in coordination with the People's Committees of the communes and the forest protection teams of the hamlets, has patrolled and inspected key areas and border regions with signs of violations of forestry laws along trails and open routes. Through these patrols, they have detected, prevented, and promptly handled 2 administrative violations in the forestry sector, with a total fine of 20 million VND collected and remitted to the state budget.

The unit also intensified the dissemination of forestry laws in remote villages. The content focused on the Forestry Law, responsibilities for forest protection, forest fire prevention and control, and penalties for violations. Simultaneously, they educated forest owners on the proper care and protection of planted forests, aiming for intensive cultivation of large timber, increased income, and the stabilization of the forestry economy to reduce pressure on natural forests. As a result, people's awareness of forest resource protection gradually improved, and illegal logging decreased.

In addition to protecting forests, forest rangers also coordinate with local people to develop the economy under the forest canopy, plant production forests, and care for planted forests, contributing to increased income and reducing pressure on the exploitation of natural forest resources. The allocation of land and forests to individual households has also proven effective, helping people truly become the main actors in forest management and protection.

Forest rangers, in coordination with the forest protection and fire prevention team of Sưng hamlet, Cao Sơn commune, are clearing undergrowth.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cuong, Head of the Da Bac Forest Ranger Station, stated: "The Da Bac area has a large forest area, rugged terrain, and many complex border areas. Therefore, forest management and protection are always identified as a key task for the forest rangers and local authorities. This includes leveraging the role of the people and community forest protection groups at the grassroots level to promptly detect and prevent violations from the outset."

In the coming period, the Da Bac Forest Protection Department will continue to strengthen inspections in border areas, promote the application of technology in forest management, enhance the responsibility of local forest rangers, and promote the role of the community in protecting forest resources. This will contribute to maintaining the existing forest area, protecting the ecological environment, and promoting sustainable development.

Forest management and protection efforts in Da Bac are proving effective thanks to the coordinated efforts of forest rangers, local authorities, and highland residents.

Dinh Thang

Source: https://baophutho.vn/giu-mau-xanh-nhung-canh-rung-da-bac-255139.htm