Ta Tong Forest is getting greener.

Thanks to the decisive involvement of the Party committee, the government, and the local people, the forests in Ta Tong commune are being cared for, protected, and developed day by day...

Upon arriving at the villages of Ta Tong commune, the first impression is of lush green mountain slopes covered with rare and valuable timber species. This verdant color is thanks to the collective efforts of the local people – who consider the forest an inseparable part of their daily lives. The villagers proactively protect and care for the forest, promptly addressing any potential threats to it.

Giàng A Chu, a member of the Forest Protection and Fire Prevention Team in Ta Tong village, shared: “The team has 20 members, and they actively patrol, promptly detecting signs of illegal logging or slash-and-burn farming. During the dry season, the team cooperates with villagers to clear undergrowth and create firebreaks, ensuring the safety of the forest and residential areas. Whenever there is an incident or forest fire, we immediately report it to the commune authorities and the forest rangers to prevent the consequences from spreading.”

People in Ta Tong commune are clearing undergrowth and creating firebreaks.

It is known that forest protection and fire prevention and control work in the commune is implemented synchronously and effectively according to the "four on-the-spot" principle: on-the-spot command, forces, means, and logistics. To raise people's awareness and help them understand their roles and responsibilities, the commune Party committee and government regularly disseminate the Forestry Law and regulations on forest management and protection to each household. In each village, a Forest Protection and Fire Prevention and Control Team consisting of 15-20 people is established, with members conducting patrols at least once a month; during the dry season, patrols are conducted 2-3 times a month. The Forest Protection and Fire Prevention and Control Teams in each village also coordinate with the local forest rangers to conduct periodic inspections, promptly detecting acts such as illegal logging, exploitation, and transportation of forest products of unknown origin. Violations are recorded and reported to the commune government for handling, ensuring a deterrent effect.

Before each dry season, the commune mobilizes all residents to participate in building firebreaks, clearing undergrowth, and creating safe distances between forests and cultivated fields; strictly controls entry and exit from the forest; and promptly detects and prevents illegal logging and transportation of forest products of unknown origin. To effectively manage the forest area, the commune establishes regulations and customs on forest protection and development; and organizes households to sign commitments to protect the forest with the local government. Any household violating forest protection regulations will be severely punished.

In addition, villages in the commune have developed sustainable forest development plans, combining the protection of existing forests with planting new trees in barren areas. Households are guided to select suitable tree species and apply proper planting and care techniques to ensure the planted forests thrive. Since the beginning of the year, the commune has planted 30 hectares, bringing the total forest area to over 16,000 hectares.

The commune also focuses on promoting the benefits of forests to the community, helping people understand that preserving forests is not only about protecting timber and medicinal plants, but also about the important role forests play in regulating climate, protecting water sources, preventing erosion and flash floods, and creating a clean and cool living environment. As a result, awareness of forest protection is increasing; people voluntarily participate in planting, caring for, and preventing forest fires. When a forest fire occurs, each household sends at least one person to help extinguish it. Families voluntarily assign people to be on duty in key forest areas, especially during the dry season, to promptly detect the risk of fire or forest encroachment. People actively participate in training courses and forest fire prevention and control drills, learning skills to handle forest fires. Thanks to this proactive approach, damage from forest fires is significantly reduced, and acts of forest encroachment are detected promptly.

As a result, for many years, Ta Tong commune has not experienced any serious forest fires, the forest area has been well protected, contributing to raising the forest cover rate of the entire commune to 55.3%.

The commune leaders, along with the Forest Protection and Fire Prevention Team of Ta Tong village, inspected the forest area that had been allocated to them.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: “The commune is implementing forest management and protection work, combining raising public awareness with monitoring and on-site inspections of key forest areas. This includes close coordination with forest rangers and relevant organizations to promptly detect acts of forest encroachment; and developing forest fire prevention and control plans. The commune also promotes and encourages people to plant forests and develop forestry linked to the economy to create sustainable income... This contributes to improving the effectiveness of forest resource management and the community's sense of responsibility towards the environment.”

Source: https://baolaichau.vn/xa-hoi/rung-ta-tong-them-xanh-853132