"Returning to the natural potential of Van Ho" is the theme of the professional training trip in Chieng Khoa commune, Van Ho district, Son La province organized by the Association of Journalists of Natural Resources and Environment Newspaper from November 2 to November 4, 2023. At the training session, members learned about the history and culture of the place through the stories of the elderly in the commune and the tour guide. Within the framework of the working trip, the Association of Journalists of Natural Resources and Environment Newspaper organized a seminar on Propagating environmental protection and sustainable development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas in Van Ho: "How to speak so that people can easily understand, easily do, and easily replicate". The seminar recorded many valuable opinions from state management agencies, localities, village elders, and prestigious people in Chieng Khoa commune. Natural Resources and Environment Newspaper respectfully introduces it to readers.
Mr. Le Xuan Dung - Deputy Editor-in-Chief of TN&MT Newspaper:
The press is an effective bridge to bring green development policies and strategies to the people.
As the mouthpiece of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment , the information and propaganda tasks of the TN&MT Newspaper are primarily related to the management areas of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment . These are land, environment, weather and meteorology, climate change, water resources, nature conservation and biodiversity, geology and minerals... TN&MT Newspaper has a team of young, enthusiastic reporters who always follow closely the events and hot current issues of the industry and locality, especially in the current period, the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 is coming into effect, the Draft Law on Land, the Draft Law on Water Resources are being discussed by the National Assembly, and the Draft Law on Geology and Minerals is coming soon; Environmental protection issues and climate change response are increasingly facing many challenges in practice.
Therefore, TN&MT Newspaper always focuses on fully conveying the Party's guidelines, directives, Resolutions, policies and laws of the State on environmental protection, exploitation and rational use of natural resources, and adaptation to climate change. Propagating the recognition and honoring of typical advanced examples, good models, creative practices, and valuable initiatives in natural resource and environmental management. Not only that, TN&MT Newspaper also actively and effectively participates in environmental protection and sustainable development activities in localities across the country with the desire to spread good models and practices on environmental protection and adaptation to climate change.
In order to have press works that provide quick information, accurately and truthfully reflect environmental protection and sustainable development in mountainous areas, the team of reporters stationed in the region has closely followed the area, exploited topics, produced many special topics, reports, TV talks, and modern press works such as long-form and e-magazine to reflect the breath of life, serving as an effective bridge in communication work on environmental protection and adaptation to climate change.
Accompanying the ethnic people of Chieng Khoa commune in particular and Van Ho district in general, TN&MT Newspaper is making efforts every day and every hour to bring policy closer to reality. Reporters and editors of TN&MT Newspaper will certainly be an effective bridge and extension to listen to and convey the policies of the Party, the State and the province on natural resource management and environmental protection; as well as convey information, wishes and concerns that people want to hear, see and need specific guidance to state management agencies. From there, promote environmental protection communication, contribute to improving the effectiveness of environmental protection, adapting to climate change, towards sustainable development.
Ms. Le Thi Thu Hang - Deputy Director
Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Son La province:
Firmly pursuing exploitation goals associated with management and protection of resources and environment
Son La province
In recent times, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has always focused on technology appraisal of investment projects in the province. We are determined not to issue new environmental procedures for projects using outdated technology that pose a high risk of environmental pollution. At the same time, we regularly inspect the implementation of project owners' responsibilities after the environmental impact assessment report or equivalent environmental documents are approved.
To effectively carry out propaganda and legal education on management, exploitation and protection of natural resources and environment, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment regularly innovates and diversifies propaganda methods and contents. Because only by listening to the voices of the people and talking about indigenous culture can the people easily understand and accept. The most difficult resource to exploit is human resources. Only when people listen, want to understand, want to stick with and participate in doing it, will environmental protection become a sustainable activity.
Propaganda work must be divided into target groups, choosing propaganda forms that are suitable to the customs, habits and lifestyles of the people. Propaganda content must be specific, clear, simple and easy to understand, but still ensure full transmission of policies, directives, resolutions of the Party, policies and laws of the State on environmental protection, exploitation and rational use of natural resources, and adaptation to climate change.
The forms of propaganda are rich and diverse, divided into different thematic groups, aiming to change the behavior and conduct of organizations, individuals, production, business and service establishments in environmental protection. Promote the role of village chiefs, village elders, and prestigious people to become reporters and propagandists of the village. Propaganda on mass media, editing, translating into Thai, Mong... to broadcast to the people.
In particular, Van Ho is a newly established district of Son La province, with 5 ethnic groups living together, the majority of whom are Thai, Mong... Changing people's awareness is a long-term process, requiring a plan, roadmap, and implementation time. First of all, it is necessary to change people's awareness, gradually change behavior, eliminate old and outdated habits, guide people to a new way of life, improve the quality of life, and proactively participate in environmental protection activities.
The good news is that in recent years, the awareness and sense of law compliance of businesses and people in Son La province in general and Van Ho district in particular have had many positive changes, helping people understand their rights and responsibilities in resource management and environmental protection.
Mr. Vu Thanh Hai - Vice Chairman of Van Ho District People's Committee:
Awakening Van Ho's potential associated with environmental protection
Van Ho has a natural area of nearly 98,000 hectares, 14 communes, of which 11 are extremely disadvantaged communes and 3 are in region II. Recently, the District People's Committee has advised the District Party Committee to issue action programs, including the development of green tourism associated with the protection and preservation of natural landscapes. Throughout the process of leadership, direction and implementation, Van Ho has always done a good job in planning and planning management, absolutely not affecting the natural landscape. In particular, with investors, Van Ho district leaders are very interested in and prioritize investors with potential and strengths but must properly fulfill environmental commitments.
For production and business establishments in the district, from the beginning of the year, the District People's Committee issued a Plan to inspect environmental protection work; a plan to respond to environmental incidents, focusing on environmental protection work in the upstream water source area within the water source protection corridor and the environment in residential areas; guiding communes to organize and implement criterion 17 on environment and food safety in new rural construction, criterion 15 on environmental landscape and food safety of the Advanced New Rural Criteria Set.
Currently, Van Ho district still retains almost intact the pristine natural landscape and clean environment. The secret that Van Ho aims for is to raise the awareness of each local people, the local people are the beneficiaries, and also the subjects carrying out environmental protection activities. At the same time, promoting the inherent potential and advantages of tourism of the district, Van Ho has carried out propaganda and communication to introduce the land and people of Van Ho in many different forms.
However, it must be admitted that Van Ho is still a fairly new name to many people. Part of the reason is that the communication work is not in the right direction, not reaching many people, many different subjects, but mainly because the accompanying tourism services are not really diverse, so they have not attracted tourists to stop by. Currently, Van Ho tourism mainly focuses on accommodation, check-in, dining and experience, attracting small groups of tourists to explore; there is a lack of entertainment services to meet the long-term accommodation needs of tourists.
To achieve the goal of developing tourism into a key industry, in the coming time, Van Ho district hopes that news agencies and newspapers, especially the TN&MT Newspaper, will continue to pay attention to, promote and introduce the image of the land and people of Van Ho in particular and Son La in general; have truthful and objective reflections, thereby inviting investors to join hands with the district in socio-economic development; improve people's lives; improve the quality of the living environment as well as promote the value of the land and people here.
Mr. Ha Van Ung - Vice Chairman of People's Committee of Chieng Khoa commune, Van Ho district:
Promote and spread the image of Chieng Khoa - Van Ho to attract investment
Chieng Khoa has more than 90% of the population being ethnic minorities, this is also the first commune of Van Ho to receive the title of New Rural Standard. In particular, the story of environmental protection and landscape preservation is always one of the most difficult criteria to achieve and once achieved, also the most difficult to maintain. The goal of doing a good job of environmental management and protection in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in Chieng Khoa poses significant challenges for the Party Committee, government and people of the ethnic groups here.
In the process of building new rural areas, Chieng Khoa has always received the attention and leadership of the District Party Committee, the People's Committee of Van Ho District and agencies, units and the community. In particular, we have always received the support and consensus of the people. The achievements that Chieng Khoa has achieved in environmental protection are largely due to the joint efforts of the people; the difficulties in environmental protection have also been resolved by the people. The important thing is that cadres must make people understand that environmental protection is protecting the health of the people themselves. When people do not understand or believe, they will not follow. But when people understand the benefits of environmental protection, they will certainly listen and follow. Therefore, doing a good job of environmental protection in ethnic minority and mountainous areas is both difficult and easy.
Nowadays, Chieng Khoa people are aware of the importance of environmental protection. Environmental management and inspection are strictly implemented. People do not litter, especially at tourist waterfalls. Every week, villages, youth unions, and women's unions organize cleaning and planting flowers and ornamental plants to create a green - clean - beautiful environment.
Climate is also one of the advantages of nature because the suitable climate has helped tea and orange trees grow. Currently in Chieng Khoa area, tea is the main crop, the spearhead crop in socio-economic development; some fruit trees such as orange trees have also brought high economic value, creating jobs and stable income for households.
However, due to the difficulties in the road, the promotion of the value of natural beauty such as Nang Tien waterfall, 7-storey waterfall for tourism development or the promotion of products from tea trees and orange products, especially organic oranges, has not been widely communicated. Therefore, we hope that TN&MT Newspaper and press agencies will promote more widely the potential of tourism and agriculture, especially ecological agriculture to attract more and more tourists to know about the tourist land of Chieng Khoa, at the same time, promote so that a large number of readers know about the agricultural products of Chieng Khoa.
Mr. Dinh Cong Nguyen - A prestigious person in Chieng Le village, Chieng Khoa commune:
Raise awareness of protecting resources and environment of each citizen
Chieng Khoa commune used to have 13 villages, after the merger there are now 7 villages, of which 6 are ethnic minority villages. Chieng Khoa is blessed by nature with many beautiful landscapes and constructions such as Nang Tien waterfall, 7-storey waterfall, Hoa Ban Festival, 2 hydroelectric plants Suoi Tan 1 - 2... The people are always harmonious and kind, which has motivated the cadres and people of Chieng Khoa to work together with the people to develop the economy and society.
Chieng Le is a particularly difficult village of Chieng Khoa commune, located 6km from the commune center. Having lived in Chieng Le all our lives, we always love this land and hope that the people's lives will improve day by day. To do this, we always raise awareness of protecting and preserving natural resources for sustainable development.
As the first commune to achieve the New Rural Standard, we always believe that village elders and village chiefs like us need to better promote our role as a supporting arm for leaders from the commune to the village. Village elders, village chiefs, and prestigious people are factors that strengthen the great solidarity bloc, together with the leaders of the commune and village, upholding the spirit of exemplary leadership, saying and doing. Regularly and actively participate in commune and village meetings, learn through books, newspapers, television, and other means of information to promptly grasp the Party's policies, the State's policies and laws, and the locality's policies and laws to propagate and mobilize people to implement, and how to make people understand, listen, trust, and follow.
At the same time, regularly propagate and mobilize people to join hands in building new rural areas, participate in the movement of All people unite to build new rural areas and civilized urban areas. Actively donate land, contribute efforts to build rural roads, build village cultural houses, and irrigation works. Regularly mobilize people to join environmental protection movements, collect and treat waste, create landscapes for village roads, alleys, and around residential areas... Contribute to building clean and beautiful rural areas, ensuring socio-economic development, stabilizing the political security situation in the locality, and improving the quality of life of the people.
Mr. Ngan Manh Hung - Tour guide of Nang Tien Waterfall Agriculture - Service - Tourism Cooperative, Chieng Khoa:
Need policies to retain young people in tourism
I am lucky to be born and raised in my hometown Chieng Khoa - a land with beautiful landscapes and great potential for tourism development. It is a priceless gift that nature has given us.
Tourism has opened up a new direction for Chieng Khoa with great promise for socio-economic development. Tourism has also kept me in Chieng Khoa. On occasions when I accompanied tourists, I told them interesting stories about the land, people and culture here, about the annual Ban Flower Festival, about the legend of Xen Ban Xen Muong, "Tuyet Tinh Coc" Nang Tien,... introducing tea hills and orange fields that can be used for taking check-in photos and providing products for visitors to buy as gifts after each trip.
However, at present, there are not many tourists coming to Chieng Khoa in general and to Nang Tien waterfall in particular. Tourism has not developed in a synchronous, connected and large-scale manner. Even the young people of Chieng Khoa are not enthusiastic about developing tourism services. Seeing young people working far away, I wonder why they do not stay and start a business in their own homeland. My homeland is so beautiful, with a temperate climate and beautiful scenery, which is where people can earn income from tourism development.
However, I also understand that, in order to develop tourism and keep young people in their hometowns, localities and authorities also need to have investment policies for tourism such as planning tourism areas, connecting tourism routes, developing transportation, investing in infrastructure, and expanding tourism services. In the immediate future, we will simply serve experiential tours. In the future, we can develop higher-level tourism types such as long-term stays, "sleeping at waterfalls", "healing with nature"...
Along with tourism development is the goal of preserving and promoting cultural values for tourism. Young people are the ones who have the advantage of quickly absorbing cultural activities and are capable of organizing modern forms of tourism, and are also the ones who know how to communicate through social networks. Therefore, in my opinion, in the tourism development plan of the commune, it is necessary to pay attention to young people, creating conditions for young people to start a business right in their hometown. Thus, it is both to solve the desire to develop the local economy and to take advantage of the strengths of indigenous people in transmitting and spreading cultural values associated with tourism.
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