From barren land to lush green forest.

One morning in early August, we arrived at Hamlet 2B, Bac Kan Ward. Along the clean concrete road were sturdy houses nestled among lush gardens. On the hillsides bordering the road, acacia, pine, and cinnamon trees stretched straight up, emitting the distinctive aroma of the mountains and forests. The air was fresh and peaceful.

Mr. Ly Kim Bao visited a household specializing in seedling production within the group.

Welcoming us into his spacious three-story house was Mr. Ly Kim Bao, 62 years old, Secretary of the Party Branch of Group 2B. With a radiant face and eyes shining with pride, he recounted to us the difficult years of the past.

He and his relatives moved to this area in the 1950s, when it was still a wild, undeveloped forest of bamboo and reeds. At that time, people mainly grew corn and rice on hillside fields. When the soil became barren, they would leave and move elsewhere, returning after 4-5 years to clear the land and continue farming. Therefore, the forest land was not utilized effectively. Poverty persisted, and the lives of the people were full of hardship.

In 2000, Mr. Bao was elected Party Secretary. Realizing that he couldn't let the villagers remain trapped in poverty, he proactively sought a new direction. That year, he had the opportunity to visit and learn from an effective reforestation model in Lao Cai province.

Recognizing the great potential of this model, he returned to his hometown and immediately began campaigning to encourage villagers to convert their farmland into forest plantations.

However, initially, the people were skeptical. Some households even hid the seedlings they received in the forest, or even threw them away, showing no support for his reforestation efforts. Undeterred, Mr. Bao's own family became the pioneers. He personally planted, cared for, and shared his techniques, persistently going from house to house to persuade people.

By 2008, his family began earning income from the first harvest of the tallow tree. With the money, he built a sturdy three-story house, and gradually acquired modern conveniences.

Based on those tangible results, the people began to trust and follow suit. Thus, the reforestation movement spread. Mr. Bao, along with the Party branch, developed annual resolutions and directed associations and organizations to conduct extensive propaganda campaigns.

He personally guided the villagers in choosing tree species suitable for the terrain: acacia and pine trees were planted near roads, while cinnamon trees were planted further away, as cinnamon is mainly harvested for its bark and is easier to transport.

To date, over 300 hectares of acacia, pine, and cinnamon trees have been planted on the production land of Group 2B. Thanks to reforestation, many households have been able to accumulate capital, expand production, buy motorbikes and cars, and build houses. While in 2000, out of 60 households in the group, 57 were poor and only 3 had level 4 houses, by 2024, the group had 88 households, with only 3 remaining poor, all with special circumstances.

87 households have built sturdy houses, nearly 20 households own family cars, 100% of households have motorbikes and audio-visual equipment, and children attend school regularly.

The reforestation model in Hamlet 2B has now become a destination for visits and learning for many localities inside and outside the province. Mr. Bao's story is a vivid testament to faith, dedication, responsibility, and a heart for the community; a man who has contributed to writing a new chapter for the land of Hamlet 2B today.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202508/tu-dat-trong-hoa-rung-xanh-6741cd1/