For over 70 years, generations of officials and employees of Huong Son Forestry and Services Company Limited ( Ha Tinh province ) have remained dedicated to the green forest. Their common thread is the continuity across generations, their unwavering loyalty and commitment to the vast forest, ensuring its continued greenery.
At the headwaters of the Ngan Pho River, where the majestic mountain ranges stretch endlessly like a solid green wall, generations of officials, employees, and workers of Huong Son Forestry and Services Company Limited have dedicated 70 years to the forest. Seven decades have passed, the forest remains green, and the people here steadfastly hold onto their belief: "preserving the forest is preserving life."
Amidst the increasingly hectic pace of modern life, as urbanization spreads rapidly to every village, there are still people quietly going against the tide of time. They choose to remain with the vast forests, upholding the unwavering vows passed down from generation to generation. For them, the forest is not just a resource, not just timber or a figure representing the area managed on a map; the forest is their livelihood, their culture, their memories, their future, the very breath of their homeland.
Following Mr. Tran Duc Anh (born in 1990) - Deputy Director of Huong Son Forestry and Services Co., Ltd. - on a sunny day, we followed a trail leading into a more than 20-year-old, over 60-hectare lim tree forest in Son Kim 1 commune. The straight lim tree trunks reach towards the blue sky, their interwoven canopies forming a cool, natural canopy. Mr. Duc Anh said: “To have such a pristine forest today is the result of a long process of persistent preservation, passed down through many generations. Many families here have two, even three generations working in forestry. In my family, from my grandparents to my parents, and then to me - we have all dedicated our lives to the forest. I am the third generation continuing the work of preserving and developing the forest.”
Duc Anh's paternal grandparents both worked at the Huong Son Forestry Station (now Huong Son Forestry and Services Company Limited) from 1971 to 1981. His father also worked at the forestry station from 1977 to 2008. Born and raised near the Huong Son Forestry Station, Duc Anh's childhood was filled with the vast green landscape, the sounds of forest birds every morning, the smell of damp earth after the rain, and the stories of the forest told during family meals. His father's arduous patrol trips, his mother's hard work planting trees, and memories of ancient trees, wild animals, and the dangers of the deep forest have become an integral part of his being. For him, the forestry station is not only a workplace for generations of his family but also a large home for the entire community, where strangers meet, bond, share, and together preserve the "green lungs" of the upstream region.
After graduating from the University of Forestry in 2012, Mr. Duc Anh started working at Huong Son Forestry and Services Co., Ltd. as an employee in the Economic and Financial Department. In 2014, he transferred to become the general accountant in the Finance Department. Due to his high professional competence, from 2016 to 2024, he was appointed Deputy Head of the Economic and Financial Department, then Head of the Economic and Financial Department. Subsequently, he was appointed Deputy Director of the Company.
Sharing about his career development, Mr. Tran Duc Anh said: "Although throughout my time with the company I mainly worked in the general economics and finance field, I was very closely connected to the forest. As a crucial area for the unit's 'survival,' I and my colleagues in the department had to frequently go down to the field, trekking through forests and wading through streams to understand the current state of the forest, especially the situation regarding forest conservation, development, and exploitation of forest resources to balance revenue, propose mechanisms and strategies to mobilize resources, and ensure sustainable development. In particular, we had to go to the site to see the situation and living conditions of the staff and workers so that we could provide timely, accurate, and effective advice on policies to improve their lives and increase their income."
For Duc Anh, the forest was his first school. Summer days spent wading through streams, following forest trails, learning to distinguish different tree species, and identifying traces of wild animals... nurtured his love for nature and his awareness of forest protection from a young age. The aunts and uncles in the forestry station were not only his parents' colleagues but also silent "teachers." From seedling cultivation and planting to patrolling and preventing deforestation, everything left a deep impression on the minds of children growing up amidst the vast wilderness.
"I quickly realized that working in forestry is not simply about making a living. It's a mission to contribute to maintaining environmental balance for today and for future generations," said Duc Anh.
As an adult, choosing to return to work at Huong Son Forestry and Services Co., Ltd. was a great source of pride for him, but also a heavy responsibility. Behind it lies a 70-year tradition and the trust of previous generations.
Like Mr. Duc Anh, Ms. Pham Cam Quynh (born in 1994) - Deputy Head of the Administrative and Organizational Department, is a third-generation employee born, raised, and working at Huong Son Forestry and Services Co., Ltd. Ms. Quynh's maternal grandfather and grandmother both worked for Huong Son Forestry Farm from 1962 to 1989. Continuing the family tradition, her parents also dedicated themselves to the forestry farm from 1992 until their retirement.
For her, the forest not only provides jobs for her grandparents and parents, but also nurtures her aspiration to live and contribute amidst the vast wilderness. After graduating with a degree in land management engineering, from 2016 to 2021, Ms. Quynh worked at Huong Son Forestry and Services Co., Ltd. as a staff member in the Forestry Department. In 2020, she graduated with a Master's degree in Economic Management and transferred to the Science and Investment Cooperation Department. Thanks to her efforts in performing her professional duties, in 2025 she was entrusted with the important responsibility of Deputy Head of the Administrative and Organizational Department.
Recalling her early days working at the company as an employee of the Forestry Department, Pham Cam Quynh's main tasks included preparing and compiling forest protection and fire prevention documents, and forest enrichment planting; inspecting forest plots undergoing enrichment planting, patrolling, and forest acceptance; advising on the development and implementation of annual, medium-term, and long-term forest protection and development plans; and monitoring the forest's condition... These were all tasks that went beyond desk work, involving trips through forests, across streams, climbing slopes, facing harsh weather, treacherous terrain, and numerous potential risks.
For a young female officer, field trips deep into the jungle, braving the rain and leeches, are significant challenges, both physically and mentally. There have been times of exhaustion, but she has never once faltered, because her love for the forest, nurtured by family traditions and childhood memories, has helped her persevere and gradually establish herself in her work.
“Working in the place where I was born and raised feels very special. I work not only with my mind but also with my heart, with a deep, heartfelt love for the forest… Every sapling planted, every patch of forest preserved brings me immense joy. My understanding of every trail, every patch of forest, and the close bond with my colleagues have helped me quickly integrate and dedicate myself fully. For me, being born, raised, and working at this company is a privilege, a life journey inseparable from the call of the forest,” shared Ms. Pham Cam Quynh.
Not only is she dedicated to her professional duties, but Cam Quynh is also actively involved with the Company's Youth Union in many practical activities focused on the forest. From disseminating information about forest protection and development laws to local people, to participating in reforestation campaigns and "seed bomb" projects, her footprints and enthusiasm are evident everywhere. For her, keeping the forests green is not only a professional responsibility but also a way to continue and preserve the traditions that previous generations have painstakingly cultivated.
It's not just the families of Mr. Duc Anh and Ms. Cam Quynh; at Huong Son Forestry and Services Co., Ltd., there are dozens of families with two to three generations dedicated to the forest. Among them, eight families have had three generations continuing the profession, with many members currently holding important positions in forest management, production, and protection.
From its early, difficult days, the company has now established 17 forestry villages, with 800 households and approximately 4,000 inhabitants, including 1,600 laborers who have received long-term land and forest leases of 30-40 years. From a region of "sacred forests and poisonous waters," the western part of Huong Son has now transformed: wide roads, well-maintained villages, and increasingly prosperous lives for the people. Young men and women who met at the forestry station have married, had children, and continue to write the story of forest preservation through generations…
With over 70 years of formation and development, Huong Son Forestry and Services Company Limited has gone through many ups and downs. It was during the most difficult periods that the love for the forest and the community spirit of the entire staff and workers were tested and shone brightly.
Mr. Le Tien Cat, Director of Huong Son Forestry and Services Co., Ltd., recalled the period in 2016 when the market downturn caused some of the company's projects to fall into crisis, putting the business at a critical juncture. In that situation, many officials, employees, and workers voluntarily lent capital to the company to maintain production. Some families even mortgaged their houses and land to borrow from banks, and many actively mobilized resources from relatives and friends to support the company during its most difficult time. The loan amounts ranged from tens of millions, hundreds of millions of dong, to even 1-2 billion dong per family, helping the business overcome its most challenging period.
"Only a deep love for the place where one was born, raised, and has lived a lifetime can create such responsible and selfless acts," Mr. Le Tien Cat shared.
In 2025, the company will plant 96.12 hectares of new forest and enrich 76.60 hectares using ERPA resources. The company will maintain a model of growing medicinal plants under the forest canopy on an area of 84 hectares, contributing to improving forest quality.
Overcoming challenging times, the company proactively innovated its management thinking to meet the requirements of natural forest closure and sustainable development. Besides its core mission of protecting and developing forests, the unit has gradually diversified livelihoods: cultivating medicinal plants under the forest canopy, harvesting non-timber forest products seasonally, establishing seed forests, and regenerating thousands of hectares of forest.
Mr. Le Tien Cat, Director of the company, affirmed: "In parallel with forest conservation and enrichment efforts, the company continues to develop supporting industries such as: production of construction materials, livestock farming, and commercial services to create resources to 'nurture the forest' during difficult times. In particular, since 2012, the company has implemented forest management according to FSC standards. By 2014, 100% of the forest area had been granted FSC certification, and in 2016, it became the first unit in the country to be granted certification for forest management associated with ecosystem service conservation and carbon stock maintenance."
It is estimated that the nearly 20,000 hectares of forest managed by the company can sequester approximately 150,000 tons of carbon annually, opening up significant opportunities from the carbon credit market. This is a crucial resource for reinvesting in long-term forest protection and development. In addition to revenue from selling carbon credits, the company annually accesses voluntary payments for ecosystem services initiated by the Forest Governance Council through the completion of a 100% international digital map of existing forest areas. Simultaneously, it has completed the demarcation of forest boundaries with organizations and individuals owning adjacent forests in the area, and has been granted forest land use rights certificates by the Provincial People's Committee. This completes the legal framework and creates sustainable livelihood benefits for preserving, protecting, and developing forest resources.
At the headwaters of the Ngan Pho River, the forest remains lush and green. And beneath those trees, generations of forest workers quietly continue their work, upholding their unwavering vow to the vast forest – to preserve it for today, for tomorrow, and for generations to come.
Text and photos: Phuc Quang - Dinh Nhat
DESIGN: TRONG HUNG
Source: https://baohatinh.vn/sat-son-voi-dai-ngan-post304352.html
![OCOP during Tet season: [Part 3] Ultra-thin rice paper takes off.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvphoto.vietnam.vn%2Fthumb%2F402x226%2Fvietnam%2Fresource%2FIMAGE%2F2026%2F01%2F28%2F1769562783429_004-194121_651-081010.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
Comment (0)