Preserve the forests for future generations.

The people of the ethnic groups living around Mount Cư H'lăm never touch the forest, but instead work together to protect the sacred forest.

In a small garden nestled on a hillside in Hành Rạc 1 village (Phước Bình commune, Bác Ái district, Ninh Thuận province), Mr. Kator Kinh is meticulously tending to the grapefruit trees that have just bloomed.

"Illegal loggers"... protecting the forest

Few people know that, more than 10 years ago, Katơr Kinh was an "enemy" of the forest. Lacking arable land, Katơr Kinh and some villagers in Hành Rạc hamlet repeatedly secretly cut down trees to create fields. On one such occasion, he was discovered and paid the price with a four-year prison sentence.

"I've always felt a pang of guilt. I realize that forests are not only a source of life but also the shared home of all living things. I don't want my children to live in a devastated environment in the future, and I don't want my neighbors to stumble and fall in my footsteps," shared Katơr Kinh.

With the help of the prison guards, he worked diligently and reformed himself, receiving positive feedback from the prison authorities.

After his release from prison, Katơr Kinh returned determined to do everything he could to atone for his mistakes. In 2015, he decided to join the community forest protection team of Phước Bình commune. With his enthusiasm and energy, Katơr Kinh quickly won the hearts of the team members and the villagers. And now, the former convict is the team leader of the community forest protection team in sub-area 29A, Phước Bình National Park, with 20 members, and also the head of Hành Rạc 1 village.

"In our village, people regularly clear forests to plant corn. Due to their traditional farming practices, changing their mindset is very difficult. In many cases, they even strongly resist. But through perseverance, flexible persuasion, and the lessons I learned, my colleagues and I have gradually convinced them to abandon deforestation for slash-and-burn agriculture," said Katơr Kinh.

According to Chamaléa Năng, a member of the forest protection team, during patrols and forest protection efforts, many villagers were advised by team leader Katơr Kinh to return to their nearby fields to cultivate their land.

"Instead of continuing to clear forests to plant corn, many villagers were persuaded by the group, led by Mr. Katơr Kinh, to plant durian, pomelo, and other fruit trees and raise livestock near their homes. Thanks to this, the sub-areas under the group's protection were successfully managed. In 2023, we were entrusted by the forest management unit to manage additional forest in sub-area 29A, covering 550 hectares, which was previously a hotspot for deforestation, to encourage villagers to protect the forest together," said Mr. Chamaléa Năng enthusiastically.

Legend of the Sacred Mountain

Cư H'lăm Mountain is located in the heart of Ea Pốk town (Cư M'gar district, Đắk Lắk province), less than 15 km from Buôn Ma Thuột city. Yet, for hundreds of years, Cư H'lăm Mountain has retained its pristine, lush green beauty thanks to the awareness of the surrounding community, and is associated with a legend about a tragic love story.

According to the locals, the mountain's name is derived from the Ede language. "Cu" means mountain, and "H'lam" means immoral marriage. Legend says that in ancient times, the Ede village lived peacefully around the mountain. In the village lived two brothers, H'Hoan Nie and Y Nhai Nie, who fell in love, but their families and villagers forbade their relationship. One moonlit night, the two went up the mountain to talk and confided in each other. Afterward, the villagers learned of the incident, and according to custom, the two were punished.

Mr. Katơr Kinh (far right) and members of the community forest protection team of Phước Bình commune participate in reforestation in areas cleared for farming. Photo: CHÂU TỈNH

Y Nhái Niê protested his punishment by leaving the village, while H'Hoan went to the mountain every day to weep and pray for her lover's return. Her grief and longing for her lover caused H'Hoan Niê's body to dissolve into the water and merge with the earth. Afterward, the village gradually collapsed, creating the Cư H'lăm lake next to Cư H'lăm mountain today. Y Nhái Niê, after a long time away, returned to his homeland but found neither his lover nor the village. Day after day, he wept for his lover and eventually died on the mountain.

Later, the villagers named the mountain Cư H'lăm to remind their descendants not to bring misfortune upon themselves and their village. The villagers believe in the curse that the spirit of H'Hoan Niê still resides on the mountain, becoming the queen of the forest, and anyone who cuts down trees to build a house will sooner or later encounter misfortune. Those with grievances can go up the mountain to pray and find relief and peace.

Mr. Y Xý Niê said that because they believe in this, for many years, the people in the area have always worked together to protect the forest, never cutting down trees or hunting wild animals. The households cultivating land near the forest also never clear the nearby forest to encroach on the land. "The legend of the sacred mountain has been passed down orally for generations. The ethnic people living around Cư H'lăm mountain never touch the forest, but work together to protect the sacred forest," said Mr. Y Xý Niê.

Spanning nearly 20 hectares amidst densely populated areas, Cu H'lam Mountain remains a pristine, untouched forest. The forest canopy retains its five distinct layers: the top three layers feature large trees, some with trunks so thick that four or five people couldn't encircle them; the middle layer consists of shrubs; and the bottom layer is covered in grass. According to an official survey, Cu H'lam boasts over 100 species of trees, including many valuable timber and medicinal plants, as well as numerous animal species such as monkeys, pythons, porcupines, civets, and monitor lizards. Cu H'lam Mountain has been recognized as a provincial-level scenic site.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Van, Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cu M'gar district, said that Cu H'lam mountain has been very well managed and protected, with no land encroachment, deforestation, or forest fires occurring for many years, partly thanks to the story of the sacred forest.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/giu-rung-cho-con-chau-196250122095802837.htm