Ha Tinh strives to plant more than 9,300 hectares of new forest

(Baohatinh.vn) - Up to this point, localities in Ha Tinh have planted about 7,000 hectares of production, protection and special-use forests, the rest will be planted in the last months of this year.

On the green hills

People of Thach Xuan commune check seedlings in preparation for the main crop of the year.

For decades, Mr. Tran Van Nhung (village 1, Vu Quang commune) has attached his livelihood, income, and family life to 28 hectares of production forest land and promoted forest regeneration. For a hard-working person like him, this source of production materials is more precious than gold, so his family members have not hesitated day and night, rain or shine, sweating and working hard every day on each tree, on each hillside. Thanks to that, the green color is always maintained on the assigned forest area, contributing to making the mountains and hills in the border area more vibrant.

Mr. Nhung shared: “We are always attached to the forest because it brings a fresh environment, regular work, daily joy and food for the family. Therefore, after harvesting 4 hectares of 6-year-old acacia, I quickly reproduced a new cycle. Experience shows that this is the most suitable time of the year to plant seeds because the heavy rain and storms have basically ended, the soil humidity is high so the trees grow easily and are easy to care for. On the other hand, it is currently the off-season, easy to hire workers and the weather is cool so labor productivity is higher than other seasons.”

Foresters in Vu Quang commune are rushing to plant seeds to soon cover bare hills with green land.

After the eighth lunar month, according to experience, most natural disasters have passed, which is also the time when forest growers in Ha Tinh are busy starting to carry out the main forest planting season of the year. The atmosphere of emulation in production labor takes place enthusiastically and urgently on all the mountain slopes, hills, nurseries and spreads to many localities in the whole province; in which, the most prominent are the communes with many forests and forestry land in the old district: Huong Son, Huong Khe, Vu Quang, Thach Ha, Cam Xuyen, Ky Anh... Each seedling planted in the fresh, spongy forest ground carries with it the belief and expectation of green, rich forests in the future.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Tai - Deputy Head of Huong Khe Forest Protection Department said: "This year, on the forest area we manage, we plan to plant about 1,500-1,600 hectares of acacia and cajuput trees on the production forest area that has reached the exploitation cycle and up to this point, we have implemented about 60-65% of the plan. The remaining area is being rushed to plant seeds in the last months of the year. To ensure the progress of the season, techniques, quality and efficiency, in addition to monitoring forest fluctuations to urge people and control the reproduction situation, we have also closely followed the directives and orientations of the Department of Agriculture and Environment to support people."

The first green shoots on the newly exploited raw material forests.

With the goal of keeping the great forest green and ensuring a forest coverage rate of 52%, this year, the whole province plans to plant more than 9,000 hectares of production forest (mainly acacia and cajuput) to replace the entire area that is ready for harvest and 300 hectares of protective and special-use forest (with native trees such as ironwood, lat, tau, mat...) to enrich the forest. Up to this point, localities have planted about 7,000 hectares, the rest will be planted in the last months of this year. Forest owners are currently clearing the ground, repairing transport roads, leveling the ground in some places, preparing seedlings, materials, digging holes, applying base fertilizer...

"Revive" the forests

After two major storms, Kajiki and Bualoi, Mr. Le The Hung (village 1, Vu Quang commune) had more than 10 hectares of acacia trees planted for more than 1 year that were knocked down and damaged by 20-30%. To protect his property as well as keep the forest green, right after the storm, his family quickly mobilized maximum manpower and materials to "save the forest"; focusing on using stakes to keep the tree trunks upright, cutting off severely damaged branches and trees, pruning branches and leaves, using soil to mound the base, cleaning the ground, etc. Currently, the forest is recovering well, the tree trunks have begun to sprout new buds, the yellow leaves have been replaced by green, and it is expected that next spring the canopy will close and grow normally.

People of Huong Khe commune exchanged experiences and asked the border guards for support in restoring production forests affected by the storm.

Thousands of households whose forests were damaged after the storm are also rushing to "revive" the hills. Mr. Nguyen Van Nghe (My Son village, Cam Due commune) shared: "In addition to 4 hectares of 7-year-old acacia trees that were damaged by 90%, my family also has 3 hectares of acacia trees under 4 years old and 2 hectares of pine trees planted over 20 years old that were slightly damaged. Up to this point, I have basically finished harvesting the planted forest wood, and am clearing the ground cover, preparing seedlings and materials for reproduction in cleared areas and intercropping and caring for areas that are likely to recover."

After two consecutive storms, the mountains and hills of Ha Tinh have been devastated, including more than 14,000 hectares of forest belonging to organizations and more than 15,000 hectares of forest belonging to households damaged. Notably, tens of thousands of hectares were "erased" and had to be replanted. Currently, all levels, sectors and forest owners are accelerating the speed of harvesting, clearing vegetation, replanting and replacing. It is expected that in about a month, the lightly damaged forests will basically recover and by the end of the year, the "erased" forests will basically be replanted.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Lam - Director of the Southern Ha Tinh Protective Forest Management Board said: “We have 5,316 hectares of forest damaged by the big storm, of which 3,808 hectares are severely damaged. Therefore, for the areas planted by the people themselves, we have guided and encouraged people to speed up the progress of collecting forest products, reproducing the next crop associated with forest restoration in the areas that were slightly damaged. For production forests planted on protective land, the unit proactively develops a plan to collect, care for, and replant for the Department of Agriculture and Environment to approve and implement. As for protective forests, we are evaluating, reviewing, and researching to plant additional native trees suitable to the site conditions.”

People of Son Kim 1 commune and forest rangers check native tree plantations on protective forest land during the changing seasons.

Currently, based on the practical situation, the forestry sector has advised and developed documents to direct and guide localities, collective forest owners and people to remove difficulties and obstacles to plant forests effectively, in accordance with the process, and in compliance with current regulations. "To protect and develop forests, improve the efficiency of forestry land use, stabilize livelihoods, and increase income for people, the sector has proactively developed plans and solutions to restore and plant replacement forests for areas that have reached the exploitation period and have been devastated by natural disasters" - Mr. Le Huu Tuan, Head of the Forest Use and Development Department (Ha Tinh Forest Protection Department) emphasized.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/ha-tinh-phan-dau-trong-moi-hon-9300-ha-rung-post298070.html