As spring approaches, the forests begin to sprout new leaves and blossoms, and the land of Thanh Son seems to be adorned with a vibrant new coat of color. Today, Thanh Son is covered in the lush green of acacia and eucalyptus trees... Under the forest canopy, these new green shoots are being nurtured and cared for by the people, because the forest not only provides them with a stable source of income but also serves as a "green lung" to balance the ecological environment and protect their lives.
Forest rangers in Thanh Son inspect a model for converting large timber forests.
We visited Zone 14 in Tat Thang commune – one of the areas with the largest forest cover in the commune – and learned that out of 55 households, nearly 20 live primarily from forestry, with some households having as little as 1 hectare and others as much as 10 hectares. Each year, the people in the zone plant 10-15 hectares of new forest, bringing the total existing forest area to nearly 200 hectares. The zone has established patrol teams to protect the forest, thus ensuring its quality and healthy development. Thanks to forestry, the lives of the people in the zone have changed significantly. Following the leaders of Tat Thang commune to visit the family of Mr. Dinh Van Hien, a household with a large forest area in the area, we were delighted to hear Mr. Hien share: “In 2023, my family harvested 6.2 hectares of acacia trees and sold them for over 400 million VND. After harvesting, my family carefully prepared the land, seedlings, and fertilizer and started planting trees at the beginning of 2024 on the harvested area to both green the barren land and develop the family's economy . Currently, the newly planted trees are growing well.”
It is known that Tat Thang commune has nearly 800 hectares of forest, mainly planted production forests. To effectively implement the forest development target, the commune assigns forest planting targets to each residential area annually, while also promoting awareness among people about the benefits of planting and developing forests, thereby attracting a large number of people to participate. On average, the commune plants 50-60 hectares of new forest or more each year. Along with forest development, Tat Thang commune also encourages people to open workshops for purchasing and processing timber from planted forests. Currently, the entire commune has two workshops processing timber from planted forests. These workshops help people sell their products and create jobs for about 20 local workers with stable incomes.
It can be said that forests have become a key driver in the economic development of the commune. Mr. Dinh Quoc Toan, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: "As one of the localities with a large forest area, the commune regularly directs departments, organizations, residential areas, and people to focus on forest management, protection, fire prevention and control, ensuring a sustainable forest environment. For areas where forests have been harvested, the commune continues to promote and encourage people to replant. During the planting process, emphasis is placed on selecting seedlings from reputable nurseries to ensure high productivity and quality, and applying scientific and technical advancements to help trees grow and develop well, contributing to increasing the value of planted forests."
After saying goodbye to Tat Thang, we visited Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa's forestry economic development model in Ben Dam area, Yen Son commune. Over a cup of hot tea, Mr. Hoa shared that his family's improved living conditions are thanks to forestry; the money for building a house and buying other household items also came from the forest. It is known that previously, Mr. Hoa's family was classified as a poor household in the area, and despite trying many jobs, their circumstances remained difficult. Recognizing that forestry could provide a stable economic foundation, he boldly planted acacia trees on 20 hectares. In the early years, when the acacia trees were still young, he planted short-term crops as intercrops to supplement food, while also improving soil aeration and water retention, preventing erosion, and helping the acacia trees grow quickly. After many years of dedication, planting and caring for the forest has become his main occupation, providing a stable income for his family.
Not only in Tat Thang or Yen Son communes, the tree planting and reforestation movement has spread widely throughout the communes of Thanh Son district. Every year, the people in the district plant over 2,600 hectares of new forest, raising the total existing forest area of the entire district to nearly 40,000 hectares, of which over 27,000 hectares are production forests, and the forest cover rate of the entire district reaches 50.5%.
Many localities in the district encourage households to utilize forest canopy to develop models such as free-range chicken farming, beekeeping for honey production, and medicinal plant cultivation, yielding high economic returns. Many families have applied scientific and technical methods, forming integrated economic models that generate hundreds of millions of dong in income annually. Forest product processing facilities are also gradually being established and operating effectively, consuming products from forest growers and providing employment for many surplus laborers in the area. The hill and forest economy has become a positive direction in poverty reduction for the people, especially in disadvantaged areas. It can be affirmed that forests have truly become one of the great potentials, contributing significantly to the economic development of Thanh Son district and bringing prosperity and happiness to its people.
Comrade Tran Quang Hung, Head of the District Forest Protection Department, stated: “Forest development in Thanh Son district has seen positive changes in recent years. People have proactively participated in planting, caring for, and protecting forests. Specialized agencies have also focused on training, transferring scientific and technical advancements, and supporting people in selecting suitable tree species for local soil conditions. In addition, policies such as seedling support and forest environmental service payments have been fully and promptly implemented for the people. For many years now, the district has consistently met and exceeded the targets for forest planting and development.”
To enhance the value of planted forests, people in the district are competing to plant trees and reforest, so that Thanh Son's forests become greener and develop sustainably. Walking through the spring forests, with their tender green leaves and admiring the cool, green acacia hills, the forest has truly brought prosperity and warmth to the local people.
Hoang Huong
Source: https://baophutho.vn/giu-mau-xanh-no-am-225641.htm
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