Practicing martial arts in the middle of the jungle.

The forests within the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve (referred to as the Reserve) always need the protection and safeguarding of forest rangers and specialized forest protection officers against encroachment by malicious individuals. Therefore, the forest protection officers here are actively practicing martial arts to make their patrols more secure and confident.

Forest rangers and specialized forest protectors of the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve practice techniques to disarm opponents of knives. Photo: D. Phu

In the first nine months of 2025, the Conservation Area compiled and submitted 15 cases of forest violations to the competent authorities for handling; dismantled and collected hundreds of traps for wild animals of various types. Notably, the unit successfully persuaded people living in and around the forest to surrender 17 homemade guns and 49 explosives. Mr. Tran Dinh Hung, Head of the Forest Ranger Unit of the Conservation Area, stated: Conflicts between the forest protection force and those who harm the forest, wild animals, and aquatic resources of Tri An Lake are unavoidable, when one side is determined to prevent the crime, and the other is ready to resist to escape and dispose of evidence. Therefore, the Conservation Area pays attention to and maintains annual martial arts training courses, inviting reputable martial arts masters to train the forest protection force to be more confident in performing their duties.

Practice diligently

The octagonal house within the conservation area's headquarters (located in Ma Da hamlet, Tri An commune, Dong Nai province) is no longer as quiet as usual, as the unit has chosen it as a martial arts training ground for its specialized forest rangers and forest protection officers. The voice of martial arts master Ma Thanh Hien, head of the Hong Mi Dao Nhon Ma Thanh Hien school (Tam Hiep ward, Dong Nai province), resonates, adding excitement to each move demonstrated before the focused eyes of the forest protection officers.

Martial arts training courses help forest rangers and forest protection officers in the protected area equip themselves with self-defense skills, improve their physical fitness, and confidently respond to dangerous situations, especially when lacking support tools and teammates during the performance of their duties, particularly in deep forests.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hao, Director of the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve

The class leader, Forest Ranger Ha Chi Luc (from Cay Gui Forest Ranger Station, Conservation Area), said: "This training course has 30 trainees, 70% of whom are first-time participants. Because it's their first time learning kickboxing, the new trainees are inevitably a bit hesitant; their movements are still stiff and not as fluid and flexible as those who have participated in 1-2 training sessions before. However, the new trainees are very enthusiastic and dedicated to training, not afraid of contact and sweating profusely on the training ground with their colleagues."

The old-growth forests of Ma Da, Hieu Liem, and Vinh An, located within the Conservation Area, are beautiful but also harbor many dangers for the forest rangers patrolling the area. Therefore, to ensure their safety during patrols, depending on the actual situation, the Conservation Area organizes 1-2 martial arts training sessions, each lasting 30 days, for all staff, workers, forest rangers, and dedicated forest rangers.

Helping a colleague put on helmets and protective gear before going out to practice. Photo: D. Phu.

According to KLV Vo An Giang , Deputy Head of the Forest Ranger Unit of the Conservation Area: When Mr. Dang Thanh Binh, Deputy Head of the Mobile Forest Ranger Station of the Conservation Area, was still in his retirement (Mr. Binh was a former special forces officer), the Conservation Area leadership assigned him the responsibility of martial arts training. In addition, the Conservation Area and Mr. Binh also invited external trainers and martial arts masters to further improve skills, combat techniques, and self-defense abilities to increase confidence and flexibility in responding to danger.

Developing resilience

The reserve currently has 231 staff members, responsible for managing over 100,000 hectares of forest and water. In 2020, several young men from the Mong ethnic group – Thào A Cho (a forestry engineer from Điện Biên province), Sùng A Tú (a college graduate in forest resource management and protection from the former Sơn La province), and Chà A Trá (a vocational school graduate in forest resource management and protection from the former Sơn La province) – came to work at the reserve. Initially, they were assigned to the Mobile Forest Ranger Station (the main unit of the Reserve's Forest Ranger District), and since then they have received martial arts training a couple of times.

The trainees, some with extensive knowledge, others with little, or who had never undergone any martial arts training, shared one thing in common: they were all very diligent and serious about their training. Many, after finishing their classes, would return to their units in the afternoon to assist their colleagues on guard duty and arrive at class on time the next morning.

Martial arts master Ma Thanh Hien, Head of the Hong Mi Dao Nhon Ma Thanh Hien school.

BVR (Forest Protection and Development) specialist Chà A Trá expressed: Martial arts has helped him gain more confidence, improve his physical fitness, and especially learn how to respond to aggressive behavior or unexpected attacks from those who violate forest regulations.

Giàng A Hờ, a member of the Mong ethnic minority from the Northwest mountains who works at the Conservation Area, said: “I know a few martial arts techniques of the Mong people from my hometown. Now, learning kickboxing under martial arts instructor Mã Thanh Hiền is unfamiliar with the high-level combat techniques that require agility, unlike the low, solid moves of the traditional Mong martial arts I learned back home. Therefore, every training session leaves me drenched in sweat and exhausted.”

Martial arts master Ma Thanh Hien corrects the techniques of his students. Photo: D. Phu.

The reserve was once a sacred and dangerous forest, notorious for the rampant aggression of illegal loggers and poachers, especially for threatening forest rangers who dared to obstruct their livelihoods based on the forest. This included numerous prominent incidents, such as four cases of shooting at forest rangers and seven cases of resisting arrest and assaulting forest rangers, resulting in injuries.

Mr. Tran Dinh Hung further shared: The work of protecting the ecosystem and aquatic resources of Tri An Lake is becoming increasingly complex. Violators employ sophisticated and aggressive tactics, and are ready to resist law enforcement. This requires the ecosystem protection force to not only possess political acumen and legal knowledge but also good physical fitness, unwavering spirit, and proficient martial arts skills to protect themselves and effectively handle situations that arise in practice.

Doan Phu

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202510/luyen-vo-giua-rung-gia-7872936/