Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board: Steps forward in forest protection and development

Pu Hoat Nature Reserve is located on the northern slope of the Truong Son range to the northwest of the province, with an altitude of 200m to 2,457m, in Que Phong district. This is truly a treasure trove of biodiversity, preserving the gene sources of many rare and endemic species of animals and plants such as: Pơ mu, Sa mu dau, cypress, orchid, gray langur, white-cheeked gibbon, striped pheasant, large-antlered muntjac, Pu Hoat muntjac; playing an extremely important role in protecting the headwaters, maintaining and providing irrigation water, regulating the climate, and protecting the environment.

Staff of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board and forces in Que Phong district patrol to protect the forest. Photo: PV

With such great natural values, great potential in scientific research and service development, ecotourism, Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board was established with the following functions: Conserving the biodiversity of 90,741.10 hectares of forest, special-use forest land and protective forest; building and developing forest capital; enhancing the protection capacity of upstream forests, scientific research and international cooperation, educating to raise environmental awareness, implementing afforestation projects, producing forestry seedlings; organizing tourism services, contributing with local Party committees and authorities to develop sustainable buffer zone economy.

Right from the first days of establishment, Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board determined that forest protection is a key and continuous task; a hinge for the development and existence of the unit, to concentrate all resources on this task. At this time, the entire unit only had 2 specialized departments, 4 QLBVR stations transferred intact from Que Phong Protective Forest Management Board, a total of 24 CC, VC, NLĐ (including 14 civil servants, 10 self-funded labor contracts), facilities, equipment and QLBVR stations were much degraded.

Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board staff help determine the coordinates of the forest area and guide people in exploiting the forest. Photo: PV

The Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve has paid close attention to the lives of its staff so that they can confidently perform their duties. On the other hand, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People's Committee of Nghe An province have been proposed to allow the establishment of a Forest Protection Unit under their management. On August 30, 2013, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Decision No. 3836/QD-UBND on the establishment of the Forest Protection Unit of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve. This is an important historical milestone, marking a major change in the Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve, and is an important legal basis for the unit to enforce the law in the work of protecting and developing forests and conserving biodiversity values.

Currently, Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board has 66 staff members. Of which, there are 12 civil servants and 21 forest rangers, 5 civil servants and 28 self-paid labor contracts. Investment has been made in building new and renovating offices, 8 forest rangers management stations, warehouse systems for storing forest products, communal dining rooms, sanitation facilities, etc.; equipped with basic specialized equipment, information, communication, cars, tools for forest fire prevention and fighting, etc.

Identifying forest patrols at the base as one of the most effective forest protection solutions, over the past 5 years, Pu Hoat forest rangers have organized 3,591 forest patrols and inspections at the base and hunted down illegal logging, gathering and transporting of forest products in the area. Of these, there were 898 long-term forest patrols and inspections, with overnight stays in the forest; 2,546 short-term periodic and ad hoc patrols and inspections by forest rangers at the Forest Protection Stations in coordination with households and organizations contracted to protect the forest; 147 inspections by Pu Hoat Forest Ranger Department in coordination with police forces, border guards, militia and district forest rangers to patrol and inspect forests in the area along the Vietnam-Laos border.

Up to now, Pu Hoat Forest Protection Department has detected and handled 195 cases; of which 191 cases were handled for administrative violations, coordinated with competent authorities to handle 4 criminal cases, confiscated more than 265 m3 of various types of wood and many other exhibits, means and tools of violation such as sampans, motorbikes, chainsaws, flintlock guns...; fined and paid to the State budget more than 3,754,000,000 VND.

Delivering seedlings to local people to plant production forests. Photo: PV

The work of disseminating and popularizing laws and environmental education in the buffer zone and core zone communes has also been paid attention to and focused on by the Conservation Area. Thereby, gradually changing the behavior and awareness of the community towards forest protection and management. Over the past 5 years, one district-level conference, 283 commune and village-level conferences have been organized; 312 propaganda sessions have been integrated into village meetings of 9 buffer zone and core zone communes of the Conservation Area, attracting over 26,000 participants. At the same time, every month, local forest rangers regularly go to villages and households to propagate the Party and State's policies and guidelines on forest protection and fire prevention to the people.

The Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve has proactively developed plans for forest fire prevention and control; organized the allocation of forest areas for management and assigned management areas to each Forest Fire Prevention and Control Station, specifically divided each sub-area, compartment, and management area for staff, employees, and workers to assign responsibility to each officer and employee. Proactively completed the establishment of the Forest Fire Prevention and Control Steering Committee and 11 Forest Fire Prevention and Control Teams of the Reserve; advised on the establishment of 9 grassroots Forest Fire Prevention and Control Teams; purchased vehicles and equipment for forest fire prevention and control before the fire season, assigned serious command and forest fire prevention and control duties, ensuring 100% of personnel during the peak dry and hot season when forest fires are likely to occur. Propagandized and mobilized the masses to actively participate in forest fire prevention and control, coordinated with district forest rangers to organize 100% of villages, People's Committees of buffer zone communes, and 15,253 households to sign a commitment to forest fire prevention and control. As a result, there have been no forest fires in the past five years.
In addition, the master plan for protection and sustainable development of special-use forests in Pu Hoat Nature Reserve for the period 2013 - 2020 has been developed and adjusted; the master plan for administrative service areas and botanical gardens on the outskirts of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve has been developed. Many programs and projects have been proposed to support investment in developing buffer zones and core zones for local people to limit excessive impacts on forests.

From 2013 to 2018, the Reserve has prepared technical design documents for forest protection contracts for 8,801 households and organizations with a total area of ​​351,448.31 hectares using various sources of capital. Supported 490,629 kg of rice for 10,384 poor households participating in forest protection. Supported 18 villages with a budget of 40 million VND/village to develop infrastructure, repair and renovate works serving community activities such as cooling systems, roads to cultural houses, cultural house yards, welcome gates, seedlings, and inter-village roads.

These specific actions have contributed to raising awareness and responsibility of people and communities towards forest protection.

Officers of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board and officers of Tri Le Border Guard Station propagate forest protection laws and policies to people of Huoi Moi 1 village. Photo: PV

The reserve also focuses on programs to investigate and research and evaluate biodiversity of forest resources. 1,248 plant species of 603 genera, 174 families belonging to 5 higher plant phyla have been identified; of which 94 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book and 45 species in the IUCN Red Book. Regarding mammals, 797 species and subspecies belonging to 147 families and 48 orders have been identified. Research results have also confirmed that Pu Hoat Nature Reserve has the distribution of 362 bird species, 82 reptile species, 77 amphibian species, 37 butterfly species, 2 moth species, etc.

Over the past time, the Reserve has connected, worked and coordinated with many research organizations and scientists at home and abroad. Thereby, the following results have been achieved: Cooperating with the Enrich Project and SNV to provide and support 45,500 green Doi seedlings for 1,315 households and organizations. Cooperating with the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center to investigate and research biodiversity. Cooperating with the Forest and Delta Project to organize biodiversity monitoring and investigation as a basis for proposing solutions to conserve animal and plant species. Developing and implementing the Que Quy planting project to preserve precious indigenous medicinal plants. Cooperating with the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment to carry out investigation, survey and compile records to recognize Vietnamese heritage trees. Cooperating with the North Central Coast Investigation Sub-Institute to survey, investigate and develop a project to plant indigenous trees and medicinal plants under the forest canopy in 3 communes of Dong Van, Thong Thu and Tien Phong...
From 2013 to 2018, Pu Hoat Nature Reserve has designed, prepared technical design documents and estimated the cost of concentrated forest planting with a total area of ​​2,888.48 ha and 1,521,872 scattered trees distributed throughout the district. Of which, special-use forest planting: 66.0 ha, protection forest planting: 491.0 ha, production forest planting: 1,827.0 ha, large timber forest planting: 504.48 ha; scattered tree planting: 1,521,872 trees. The reserve has also taken care of protective and special-use forests with a total volume of 527.4 ha (taking care of special-use forests: 66.0 ha; protection forests: 461.4 ha). Nearly 4 million seedlings of all kinds have been planted, meeting the standards and needs of the reserve and the needs of local people...

Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board staff distribute rice to support local people. Photo: PV

It can be affirmed that since its establishment, with the attention, assistance and support of all levels, sectors, agencies, units, organizations and individuals, especially the leadership and direction of the Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Committee, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, District Party Committee and People's Committee of Que Phong district; along with the synchronous implementation of solutions and the determined efforts of the staff, workers and employees, the Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve has well protected the assigned forest area and forest land, maintained the stability of the upstream forest ecosystem and forest cover.

In the management area, hotspots of illegal exploitation, trading, transportation of forest products and hunting of wild animals have been basically prevented and eliminated, and forest fires have not occurred. Forest development work has gradually changed people's awareness, socializing forestry to the people.

Guide people to plant forests. Photo: PV

Despite the encouraging results, the Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve has determined that the work of forest protection and development in the coming time will still face many difficulties and complications. Therefore, in addition to continuing to propose effective solutions for implementation, the Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve hopes to continue to receive attention, assistance and support from all levels, sectors, agencies, units, organizations and individuals, thereby, effectively implementing the work of forest protection and development; so that Pu Hoat Nature Reserve remains intact as a special-use forest rich in biodiversity, worthy of being one of the three important core areas of the Western Nghe An World Biosphere Reserve.