Practice martial arts in the jungle

The forests of Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve (referred to as the Reserve) always need protection from specialized rangers and forest protection officers against encroachment by bad elements. Therefore, the rangers here are actively practicing martial arts to make each step of patrolling the forest more steady and confident.

Forest rangers and specialized forest guards of Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve practice controlling and taking knives from opponents. Photo: D.Phu

In the first 9 months of 2025, the Reserve has filed a dossier to transfer 15 cases of forest violations to competent authorities; removed and collected hundreds of traps for wild animals of all kinds. In particular, the unit has mobilized people living in the forest and along the forest to hand over 17 homemade guns and 49 explosives. Mr. Tran Dinh Hung, Head of the Reserve Forest Protection Department, said: Conflicts between the Forest Protection Force and those who encroach on forests, wild animals, and aquatic resources of Tri An Lake are inevitable, when one side is determined to stop them, the other side is ready to fight back to escape and disperse the evidence. Therefore, the Reserve is interested in and maintains annual martial arts training classes, inviting prestigious martial artists to train to help the Forest Protection Force be more confident in performing their duties.

Practice hard

The octagonal house in the grounds of the Conservation Area headquarters (in Ma Da hamlet, Tri An commune, Dong Nai province) is no longer as quiet as usual when the unit chooses it as a martial arts training ground for the specialized KLV and BVR forces. The voice of martial arts master Ma Thanh Hien, Head of the Hong Mi Dao Nhon Ma Thanh Hien sect (Tam Hiep ward, Dong Nai province) resonates, adding excitement to each move demonstrated before the attentive eyes of the BVR people.

Martial arts training courses help forest rangers and specialized BVR in the Reserve equip themselves with self-defense skills, improve their physical strength and confidence in responding to dangerous situations, lacking support from tools and teammates while performing their duties, especially in deep forests.

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

Class leader - KLV Ha Chi Luc (from Cay Gui Forest Ranger Station, Conservation Area) said: This training course has 30 students, of which 70% are training for the first time. Because it is the first time to get acquainted with kickboxing, new students are inevitably confused, their movements are still stiff, not soft and flexible compared to students who have participated in 1-2 previous training sessions. In return, the new students are very enthusiastic and enthusiastic in practicing, not afraid of collisions and sweating on the training ground with their colleagues.

The Ma Da, Hieu Liem, and Vinh An old forests of the Reserve are beautiful but also pose many dangers through the forest patrols of the BVR people. Therefore, to ensure their safety during their forest patrols, depending on the actual situation, the Reserve organizes 1-2 martial arts training sessions, each lasting 30 days for all cadres, workers, KLV, and specialized BVR people.

Support colleagues in wearing helmets and armor when going to the training field. Photo: D.Phu.

KLV Vo An Giang , Deputy Head of the Forest Protection Department of the Reserve, said: When Mr. Dang Thanh Binh, Deputy Head of the Mobile Forest Protection Station, the Reserve had not yet retired (Mr. Binh used to be a special forces officer), the leadership of the Reserve assigned him to take charge of martial arts training. In addition, the Reserve and Mr. Binh also invited outside trainers and martial arts masters to train them in skills, fighting moves, and self-defense to increase their confidence and flexibility in responding when facing danger.

Training character

The reserve currently has 231 officers, civil servants and workers, responsible for managing over 100,000 hectares of forest and water surface. In 2020, the Mong ethnic men: Thao A Cho (forestry engineer, from Dien Bien province), Sung A Tu (college of forest resource management and protection, from the old Son La province) and Cha A Tra (intermediate level of forest resource management and protection, from the old Son La province) came to work at the reserve. On the first day of recruitment, they were assigned to the Mobile Forest Ranger Station (the main unit of the Reserve Forest Ranger Department), and up to now, they have also been trained in martial arts a few times.

The students, some knowledgeable, some less knowledgeable, or had never attended any martial arts training, had one thing in common: they were all very hard-working and practiced seriously. Many of them, after finishing their classes, returned to their units in the afternoon to support their colleagues on guard duty and were present at class on time the next morning.

Martial artist Ma Thanh Hien, Head of the Hong Mi Dao Nhan sect Ma Thanh Hien

BVR Cha A Tra said: Martial arts help him gain more confidence, improve his physical strength, and especially help him know how to respond to recklessness or sudden attacks from forest violators.

Also a child of the Mong ethnic group from the Northwest mountains and forests working at the Reserve, the specialized BVR Giang A Ho (belonging to Bu Dang Forest Ranger Station, Reserve) said: "I know a few martial arts moves of the Mong ethnic group taught by people in my hometown. Now learning kickboxing from martial arts master Ma Thanh Hien is also unfamiliar with the high combat moves, requiring flexible limbs, different from the low, solid moves of the traditional Mong ethnic martial arts I learned in my hometown. Therefore, every training session my body is covered in sweat and exhausted."

Martial arts master Ma Thanh Hien corrects a student's moves. Photo: D.Phu.

The reserve was once a sacred forest and poisonous water, famous for the battles of illegal loggers, hunters and trappers, especially threats to the BVR force for "daring" to block their livelihoods based on the forest with many prominent incidents, including 4 cases of shooting back at forest rangers, 7 cases of resisting law enforcement officers, and assaulting and injuring forest rangers.

Mr. Tran Dinh Hung added: The work of protecting aquatic resources of Tri An lake is increasingly complicated, violators have many sophisticated and reckless tricks, ready to oppose the law enforcement force. This requires the BVR force to not only have political courage and legal knowledge but also good physical strength, a strong spirit and proficient martial arts skills to protect themselves and effectively handle situations that occur in practice.

Doan Phu

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