Finding the meaning of life in the green forest

Phan Quoc Dung's life has always been closely connected to tropical forests - Photo: QD

There probably aren't many young people as passionate about forests as Phan Quoc Dung (29 years old). Dung holds two master's degrees from Europe, specializing in sustainable tropical forest management and forests and rural livelihoods, and has traveled to more than 20 countries, but this young man from Hanoi decided to return to Vietnam's forests.

Forests are our way of life.

While guiding visitors through the experimental forest of the University of Forestry, Dung said that every time he walks through the forest, he feels like he's coming home, so no matter where he goes, he always feels compelled to return to that familiar place.

Dũng said he was lucky to have been exposed to forests since childhood, which nurtured a beautiful dream that not every child gets to have, further motivating him to seek out lush green forests.

On the day he filled out his university application, Dung firmly chose forestry, while his friends were all opting for popular majors. Many friends even tried to dissuade him, advising him to reconsider because a more dynamic field would offer more opportunities. But he had no doubts; he was determined to find his own way to succeed.

Quoc Dung was the top-scoring student in the science stream admitted to the University of Forestry, so he was well-known among his teachers and friends. This also gave him the opportunity to expand his network and strive for academic excellence and personal development. In his third year as a university student, Dung was selected to participate in the "International Forestry Student Competition".

The experience from that first trip abroad fueled the young man's ambition to venture out into the wider world to learn about forest management and protection from developed countries. Once again graduating at the top of his class, Dung spent two years in Germany and Denmark on a full scholarship in tropical forest management.

The further he traveled, the more troubled he became to see that Vietnam was no longer a land of "golden forests and silver seas" as it once was, but rather its forest area was shrinking and being destroyed by human hands. Forests are no longer an "unlimited resource" but are very finite, so protecting them together is also protecting the surrounding environment.

It was like a compelling command for him to return to his country after completing his studies. "Going away is to return. I want to help protect, preserve, and promote the beauty of the forest, first and foremost to young people, so that they understand and love these green forests even more," Dung confided.

My teacher once said that the protectors of the forest are none other than those who live near it, so instead of thinking about ways to protect the forest, let's think about the people around us, help them increase their livelihoods and income, and they will be the protectors of the forest.

PHAN QUOC DUNG

The seeds are germinated.

Dung began his work by participating in a project to develop the value of bamboo in the two provinces of Nghe An and Thanh Hoa. Long field trips, eating, sleeping, and living alongside the local people, helped him accumulate valuable experience.

Not content with just engaging with the community and raising awareness about forests, the "project officer" found a way to help people develop sustainable livelihoods through the forest. As a result, from understanding, the people volunteered to protect the forest, which in turn protected their living environment.

Honestly, at first, when I went on a long field trip to the mountainous forest region, I was a little scared! But gradually, the genuine affection of the local people seemed to draw me in each day. Eventually, I lost all fear and lived with any family as if they were my own. I loved the people, and they naturally loved me in return, but each day I grew to love the lush green forests even more.

At the end of the project, Phan Quoc Dung accepted an offer to work at the university's international cooperation office. That place, which had been his "home to nurture his passion" during his student years, he jokingly referred to as "a desk job."

Like a seed being nurtured, the work environment gives him the opportunity to apply his practical experience, develop ideas, and propose new projects.

At the same time, these collaborative relationships will seek further opportunities to contribute to the development of Vietnam's forests, as well as projects that raise public awareness of the need to work together to preserve and protect forests.

Sharing his future plans, the young man in his 20s said he is still striving every day to pursue his passion. In particular, he is trying his best to create an impact in the community and contribute his voice to the effort of preserving and protecting forests.

"Like a forest development model, initially there will only be a few bare trees, but over time it will develop into a multi-layered, diverse forest. I am currently like a tree in the forest; my job is to provide shade for the saplings below to grow and wait for the day when the tree bears fruit that will benefit future generations," Dung reflected.

Sharing stories of the forest and writing books.

Many young people are choosing to leave the city and move to the countryside to escape the hustle and bustle and suffocation of urban life and be closer to nature. Dung, meanwhile, boasts that he's "living like a king because he can travel all year round without spending any money."

He believes that young people should go out, take risks, and give their all to their passions, which will surely lead to valuable experiences and opportunities.

On each field trip, Dung captures many beautiful images and shares interesting stories about Vietnam's forests.

On his personal Facebook page, Dung's posts have inspired many young people and others in the effort to preserve and protect forests. Besides his main job, he also pursues writing books as a "side job to satisfy his passion for writing," as he himself describes it.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tim-le-song-noi-rung-xanh-20240222094429753.htm