Kim Dien Commune: Efforts to protect forests

QTO - Previously, the mountainous commune of Kim Dien was one of the "hot spots" for forest destruction and encroachment. To protect the forest, the local Party Committee, government, functional forces and people in the commune have drastically implemented plans. Thanks to that effort, the situation of forest destruction and encroachment in the area has had many positive changes.

Kim Dien commune has nearly 20,000 hectares of natural forest. Of which, the forest owners include: Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Management Board over 8,600 hectares, Minh Hoa District Production Team (North Quang Binh Industrial Forestry Company Limited nearly 4,800 hectares, Minh Hoa Protective Forest Management Board nearly 16 hectares. The remaining area is managed by Kim Dien Commune People's Committee and local people.

With a large forest area, a high proportion of rich forests, and a thin management force, the forests in Kim Dien have become a "delicious prey" for loggers. Before 2020, deforestation and illegal transportation of forest products frequently occurred in the commune. To effectively prevent and control forest fires, the People's Committee of the commune has implemented many drastic solutions. In July 2025, the People's Committee of the commune established a Forest Resource Protection and Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting Team (PCCCR). The team's members are leaders and experts of the People's Committee of the commune, Forest Rangers, Police, and Military forces of the commune.

Kim Dien commune forest protection teams patrol the forest - Photo: XV

The team has the function and task of planning and implementing measures to manage, protect, use, develop forests and forest fire prevention and control in the area.

Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, Head of the Forest Resource Protection and Forest Protection Team of Kim Dien Commune, Dinh Anh Tuan, said: "After being established, we have coordinated with functional forces and village communities to identify key areas at risk of forest destruction and encroachment to organize regular patrols, including weekends. Particularly from October 13, 2025 to now, we have conducted 6 forest patrols and controls in the area according to plan. In addition, the team also coordinated with forest owners to propagate and mobilize people to participate in forest planting and forest protection."

Kim Dien Commune People's Committee also established 12 Forest Resource Protection and Forest Fire Prevention and Control Teams in villages and hamlets in the commune with 75 members, including: Party cell secretaries, village chiefs, heads of front work committees... The tasks of the teams are to inspect and supervise management and forest protection work in the area; proactively patrol, control, and grasp information on cases of illegal exploitation, destruction, encroachment of forest land, buying, selling, and transporting of forest products; early detection of forest fire outbreaks to mobilize forces and means for handling.

Previously, some forest owners also organized forest contracts for the community to manage, protect, and support the livelihoods of people living near the forest. Mr. Nguyen Tuyen, Village Chief, member of the Forest Protection Team of Dang Hoa Village shared: "To protect the forest, the team patrols the forest about 4-5 times a month. If we discover that the forest is being encroached upon, we will report to the forest owner, and the authorities will mobilize forces to handle it."

Before July 1, 2025, Dang Hoa village was contracted by the People's Committee of Hoa Son commune (old) to protect over 550 hectares of forest. Now the forest is no longer contracted, but many people still actively participate in the village's Forest Resource Protection and Fire Prevention and Control Team. In addition, people also contracted forest protection for a number of forest owners in the area, and received livelihood support to increasingly actively participate in forest patrols with the team and forest owners.

Mr. Tran Van Hoa, a resident of Dang Hoa village, excitedly said: “Since being informed and participating in forest protection, we have seen more and more values ​​that forests bring, so we have been more active in forest protection. Although the work is difficult and tiring, everyone in the village is happy and excited because they can contribute to protecting the forest and have more income.”

Head of Minh Hoa Forest Protection Department Nguyen Cong Chung affirmed: “In recent times, the People's Committee of Kim Dien commune, forest owners, and local people have effectively implemented management and forest protection work. Thanks to that, violations of forestry laws in the area have decreased significantly (no cases have occurred in 2025), and the protection capacity, forest cover, and awareness of forest protection among local people have been increasingly improved.”

Spring King

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202511/xa-kim-dien-no-luc-bao-ve-rung-12f1993/