Hang Kia - Pa Co: From the "scar" of the great forest to the green color of hope

An arduous but hopeful journey is being continued by people who are passionate about the land and the forest, sowing green shoots to "patch" the green color of the great forest.

Sad memories and painful "scars"

In previous years, when mentioning the area of ​​two communes Hang Kia - Pa Co (Mai Chau district, Hoa Binh province), many people imagined a complicated "hot spot" of drugs, which has pushed many families here to lose their children, fathers, and husbands.

But there is another pain, more silent and persistent, which is the destruction of forests. The forests that were once rich, the home of many rare animals, are now seriously threatened.

At the time of the establishment of Hang Kia - Pa Co Nature Reserve, the core area was already home to Mong and Thai people; since ancient times, they have had the habit of farming based on the forest, with the need to get wood to build houses, serving the livelihood of their families and the community.

Local people said that in the past, there were many precious woods in the forest such as pearl, ironwood..., but until now they have not been preserved.

Hang Kia - Pa Co: Reviving the "scar" to the green forest of hope ( Video : Doan Thuy).

Besides, when Hang Kia - Pa Co did not have villages developing community tourism or raising livestock to create livelihoods, people often went into the forest to hunt for food or to sell to increase income. Gradually, animals such as civets, porcupines or turtles also gradually disappeared.

Mr. Hoa, a Thai ethnic person here, said: "In the past, our people mainly lived off the forest and hunted. Rare animals such as civets, porcupines, and turtles are now very rare and almost non-existent."

Pointing to the stream near his house, he continued: "This stream is the water source my village uses for daily activities, washing clothes, and cooking. Now it is very dry. Deforestation has greatly affected the stream's water source. Without trees, how can we retain water in the forest?"

In addition, the Hang Kia - Pa Co Conservation Area is close to the So Lo hydroelectric reservoir, and the loss of forest will also reduce the amount of water in the dry season, affecting the plant's operating capacity. Therefore, planting and restoring upstream forests here plays an important role in regulating and ensuring a more stable water source.

Overcoming hardships - "stones still bloom"

Hang Kia - Pa Co is not willing to sleep in the sad past. A desire for change, "forest patching" has been smoldering and burning with projects to restore the green color of the Northwest wilderness such as the "Green Forest" Project initiated by the Center for People and Nature (PanNature) since 2022, with the goal of restoring 500 hectares of natural forest in the transitional area of ​​Mai Chau (Hoa Binh) and Van Ho (Son La).

But the most valuable thing is the participation of the local community. Mr. Vi Van Binh (a Thai ethnic person in Pa Co), who was initially hesitant, is now an active forest protector, saying: "In our ancestors' time, we often reclaimed the forest, causing the forest to be affected. Currently, the people here clearly feel the negative consequences of deforestation on their lives.

Deforestation affects the climate, extreme weather events such as floods and rains, directly affecting people's lives. Now, with the support of the State, local authorities and the management board of the reserve; we have more jobs to create livelihoods without affecting the forest, and people's awareness of forest protection is very high."

Mr. Sung A Vang, Deputy Head of the Hang Kia - Pa Co Nature Reserve Management Board, said: "From the beginning of the year, we have proactively developed a plan to coordinate the implementation of forest development work, prepared and worked closely with the Center for People and Nature and the Commune People's Committee early on. The work of mobilizing people to participate in planting forests to protect the environment has achieved positive results.

Fortunately, during the implementation process, the people all agreed and responded strongly. Compared to many years ago, people's awareness of the importance of afforestation and environmental protection has changed significantly."

Many hectares of forest are being "damaged" because in the past people cut down trees to build houses and make fields.

Through the policies of the Party and the State, along with extensive propaganda work on mass media, people here increasingly understand that protecting the environment is protecting their own lives.

Many people support forest development, wishing to build a clean living environment. They are aware that, to effectively protect the environment, planting and caring for forests is one of the leading solutions.

According to Mr. Vang, grassroots officials always emphasize to the people that forest development is closely linked to tourism development potential, an important orientation of the locality. A clean environment and green forest landscape are key factors to attract tourists.

The Thai and Mong people in Mai Chau have gradually changed and eliminated the old mindset of "planting forests means no land for production".

In reality, growing short-term crops on sloping land does not bring high and sustainable economic efficiency.

Instead, planting forests not only protects the land and prevents erosion, but also opens up new economic opportunities. When tourism develops thanks to forests, people will have the opportunity to introduce and sell local products such as brocade, agricultural products, and handicrafts. Thereby, improving their lives and increasing their income.

From a "hot spot", Hang Kia - Pa Co has gradually become a bright spot in efforts to restore the ecosystem associated with community development. The potential for ecotourism and community tourism is opening up, promising to bring sustainable livelihoods to the people, so that they can "live off the forest" in a legitimate way.

Today's young forests will be tomorrow's strong forests, reconnecting biodiversity corridors, bringing peace and prosperity to this land.

The journey to revive the green color in Hang Kia - Pa Co still has many challenges ahead. But with the joint efforts and consensus of the government, dedicated organizations and especially the local community, the belief in a brighter future for this land is completely well-founded.

On May 16, 3,700 trees including Acacia, Canarium, Doi, Beech, and Trai were planted on an area of ​​about 6 hectares at Hang Kia - Pa Co Nature Reserve in Dong Tan Commune, Mai Chau District within the framework of the "For a Green Earth" Campaign.

The activity took place in response to International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22), while affirming the increasingly clear role of technology businesses in environmental protection and sustainable development.

On May 24-25, PanNature continued its forest planting activities in the Song Khua Commune Forest Area, Van Ho District, Son La Province.

This year, PanNature is committed to planting 30,000 trees, contributing to the restoration of 50 hectares of natural forest in Hoa Binh and Son La.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/hang-kia-pa-co-tu-vet-seo-cua-dai-ngan-den-mau-xanh-hy-vong-20250521014045760.htm