'Forest dwellers' in Bai Thao

Almost every day, Mr. Ngo Van Ba, residing in Bai Thao village, Bac An commune (Chi Linh, Hai Duong), spends his time in the mountains and forests. He is affectionately called "the forest man" by the locals.

Mr. Ngo Van Ba ​​inspects high-yield eucalyptus seedlings before planting them for a household.

Greening many mountains and hills

I returned to the mountains and forests of Chi Linh on a gloomy, drizzly day in mid-April. The journey to Mr. Ba's house was therefore difficult because his house was situated halfway up Ho Danh mountain, completely isolated from the nearby residential area. His house was surrounded by mountains and lush green forests.

Mr. Ba was busily repairing some lawnmowers in front of his house. The middle-aged man greeted me warmly, extending his rough hands to shake mine, smiling warmly like long-lost relatives. Perhaps because of his many years living in the mountains and forests, every gesture and word of Mr. Ba was simple and down-to-earth, just like nature itself.

Mr. Ba spent almost every day in the forest.

"Hearing that you were coming here, I've been eagerly waiting and just staying at home. Normally, at this time, I'd be in the forest with my colleagues. It's been raining for the past few days, so we've had to speed up the clearing and reforestation process for the villagers," Mr. Ba said.

Because he spends every day in the forest, Mr. Ba is called "the forest man" by the locals.

He recounted that he had been involved in forest planting and care for nearly 20 years. His main daily job was contracting to plant and care for forest trees for various organizations and households with production forests. In Hai Duong , he has left his mark on most of the production forests in Chi Linh and Kinh Mon districts. For Mr. Ba, this is not only a way to support his family but also a way to express his love for Mother Nature.

Mr. Ba loved the forest so much that he knew every path and trail, and could sense the distinctive scent of certain trees and wildflowers spreading throughout the forest. Therefore, if he didn't go into the forest every day, Mr. Ba felt nostalgic and restless.

In Mr. Ba's yard, there were nearly 10 lawnmowers and chainsaws, and 11 motorbikes. The number of hoes and shovels was countless. When I asked him about it, he turned and replied, "If I were working alone, I wouldn't need so many tools. I have a professional reforestation team of several dozen people, including my wife and two sons. If you want to know about their work, follow me."

Mr. Ba is in charge of a team of workers clearing vines and broken trees to prepare the ground for planting eucalyptus trees in a production forest area belonging to a household in Bac An commune.

I followed Mr. Ba to the production forest in the Mieu Ba area, Co Menh village (in the same Bac An commune), a few kilometers from his house. The road to this area was quite steep, winding, and rocky. Yet Mr. Ba walked briskly along. I followed behind, completely exhausted.

Before even arriving, the sounds of chainsaws and lawnmowers, mixed with the lively chatter and laughter of the people, assaulted my ears. Looking up from the foot of the mountain, dozens of laborers, including Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hue (Mr. Ba's wife), were busily clearing weeds and vines, preparing the ground for planting high-yield eucalyptus trees. Nearly 6 hectares of a household's production forest, destroyed by Typhoon No. 3 last September, were now being cleared and replanted by Mr. Ba's team of workers.

The forest was littered with fallen trees, not to mention the tangled vines. The work was arduous and continuous, leaving everyone drenched in sweat. Mr. Ba constantly encouraged them to persevere. "The team works professionally and quickly. They're willing to eat lunch and rest right in the forest to ensure the progress. There are still many forest areas belonging to the villagers waiting for us. It may look messy now, but in a few days, this place will be cleared, and once the heavy rain moistens the soil, we can plant the trees," Mr. Ba informed.

I asked him about his life and how he got into this profession. Mr. Ba remained silent, lit his pipe, took a deep drag, and exhaled a thick cloud of white smoke.

He recounted that since his youth, he had wandered to Dong Trieu ( Quang Ninh province ) to make a living. Initially, he worked as a cattle farmer and a hired gardener, then later became a worker for the Dong Trieu Forestry Station. Being a dynamic and hardworking person, Mr. Ba was well-liked by the forestry station's leaders, who frequently shared their experience in planting, managing, and caring for the forest. His love for his profession, his love for the forest, and his respect for nature grew steadily.

In 2009, there was a shortage of manpower for reforestation in Quang Ninh. Mr. Ba seized the opportunity and established a team specializing in reforestation. He recruited and trained nearly 40 workers from Thanh Hoa and Bac Giang provinces. In the first five years, the reforestation team led by Mr. Ba successfully planted and cared for an average of 100 hectares of forest per year. He also signed a contract with the Dong Trieu Forestry Station to maintain over 70 kilometers of firebreaks.

Mr. Ba personally supervised the forest planters.

Looking back at Bac Giang and his hometown of Hai Duong, he noticed that the movement to plant production forests was also beginning to develop. In 2013, he moved part of his team to Chi Linh City and Luc Nam District (Bac Giang) to work for organizations and individuals in need. His forest planting team worked professionally, gradually gaining the trust of many organizations and forest owners in various places.

Like every year, this year, Mr. Ba's team is contracted to plant about 50-60 hectares of production forest for local households. The team is also currently caring for 130 hectares of forest belonging to three businesses in the districts of Soc Son (Hanoi), Tien Yen, Ba Che (Quang Ninh), Kinh Mon, and Chi Linh City. With so much work, Mr. Ba is recruiting additional laborers from the highland provinces.

Dedicated and responsible

The work is hard, but Mr. Ba's team always feels comfortable because they are doing something beneficial for nature. In the photo: Mr. Thao A Lu from Lao Cai participating in Mr. Ba's reforestation team.

Our conversation was interrupted by a light rain at the end of the day. Looking up at the sky, Mr. Ba confided, "In this profession, rain is as precious as gold. Rain is essential for the plants to survive and grow well. On days without rain, we just clear the land and take care of the planted trees."

I walked with Mr. Ba through some forests that were still desolate and barren after typhoon number 3. His eyes were filled with sorrow as he exclaimed, "It's heartbreaking. It will probably take many more years for those lungs of nature to recover."

Since the end of last year, several forest fires have occurred in Bac An commune and Van Duc ward. Every time he hears about a forest fire, even at night, he mobilizes his entire team of workers and family members to help put out the flames. For Mr. Ba, this is not only a civic responsibility but also a testament to his love for nature and his desire to prevent further damage to the forest.

Along the way, Mr. Ba visited several households that were preparing to plant production forests. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Phong in Co Menh village, who was preparing to plant several hectares of high-yield eucalyptus trees, said: "Mr. Ba's team plants forests very quickly and is very dedicated. For almost 10 years now, my family has trusted and hired his team every year."

Apart from the damage caused by Typhoon No. 3, Mr. Ba is quite satisfied because his work over the years has brought much joy to families with production forests. He estimates that each hectare of forest, after 3.5 to 5 years of planting, usually brings the villagers about 150 million VND, with a profit of 100 million VND after deducting expenses. All the laborers who work with him have jobs and stable incomes to support their lives.

Mr. Ba has diligently researched and coordinated the introduction of suitable tree species to help local people cultivate productive forest areas effectively. In the photo: "Forest dweller" Ngo Van Ba ​​and his son visit, clean, and care for their family's production forest.

But to achieve these results, Mr. Ba also spent a lot of time researching and bringing back suitable plant varieties for the mountainous and forested areas of his homeland, such as high-yield eucalyptus C39, C3329, hybrid acacia from seeds, grafted acacia, etc. He also diligently researched and taught the best planting and care techniques to help the trees grow strong and resist falling during heavy rain and strong winds.

Mr. Ba emphasized: "I always prioritize safety above all else. From clearing the forest to planting, caring for, and harvesting, I supervise and instruct the workers, and educate and guide the villagers to create firebreaks. Only then can we minimize damage if a fire occurs."

Mr. Ngo Van Hung (the second son of Mr. Ba) established a business supplying forest trees and scattered trees to the market in Hai Duong and some neighboring provinces and cities.

Upon returning home, Mr. Ba and his second son, Ngo Van Hung, took me to visit their family's forest. He is currently managing 5 hectares of protective forest and 3 hectares of production forest under contract. All of them have basically survived Typhoon No. 3 and are now thriving.

Ngo Van Hung, son of Mr. Ba, said: "We always remember what our father often told us: the forest is our home, the forest is our homeland."

TIEN MANH - VAN TUAN

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/nguoi-rung-o-bai-thao-409448.html