Community-based forest protection in Nghe An

(Baonghean) - In recent years, Tuong Duong district has implemented two community-based forest management and protection models quite well, including the sandalwood forest in Tam Dinh commune and the clove forest in Xa Luong commune.

The people of Cua Rao 2 village, Xa Luong commune (Tuong Duong district) are both caring for and protecting the forest.

The area of ​​Cua Rao 2 village, Xa Luong commune (Tuong Duong district) has had a famous clove forest since the 1980s, but it was mercilessly cut down by illegal loggers. Over time, the clove forest regenerated, and the people of Cua Rao 2 village are determined to protect it.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Trung, head of Cua Rao 2 village, said: "Since 1994, the village has held meetings and agreed to protect the clove forest through community-based measures. The village established regulations: It is strictly forbidden for villagers to enter the forest to cut wood for house construction, and all villagers have a responsibility to protect the regenerating forest. This unwritten agreement has been established and implemented by the villagers themselves for many years, so even the children who herd buffalo in Cua Rao 2 village are always conscious of protecting the forest..."

Nguyen Van Cuong, a member of the village's forest protection team, shared: "The clove forest is 35-40 years old, with many trees reaching diameters of 80-100 cm, making it inevitable that illegal loggers would covet it. From 2012 to the present, we have detected four cases of illegal loggers bringing chainsaws into the forest to steal trees. Thanks to timely information from the people, we reported it to the Tuong Duong forest rangers and coordinated efforts to drive them away."

The Săng Lẻ forest in Tương Dương. Photo: Sách Nguyễn.

We followed the mountain slopes into the forest. The deeper we went, the denser the clove forest became, with towering trees and lush foliage. According to the head of Cua Rao village, Nguyen Huu Trung, since the clove forest regeneration has been well protected, in addition to being good for the ecological environment, the water source in the stream has become stable, providing water for the villagers to cultivate their rice paddies. Especially, for many years now, the villagers haven't had to worry about landslides, and many tourists traveling on National Highway 7A stop to take pictures and admire the regenerated forest.

The second model is the Săng Lẻ forest in Quang Thịnh village, Tam Đình commune (Tương Dương district), covering over 200 hectares. This is a pristine, pure Săng Lẻ forest that has been well-protected for a long time. Previously, Mr. Vi Chính Nghĩa volunteered to protect the forest with only a small amount of support from the district budget. After his death, the people of Quang Thịnh village, in coordination with the district's Forest Protection Department, have done a good job of protecting the forest. Mr. Vi Văn Tuấn, the head of Quang Thịnh village, said: In 2015, the village established a forest protection team of 11 members, including Mr. Vi Viết Lợi and Mr. Vi Văn Vĩnh, who are permanent members of the forest protection team. They are assigned to patrol in groups every month.

Or when an incident occurs, all 11 members go together to inspect. Mr. Tuan said: "In 2015, through the forest environmental service payment, our members received an additional support of nearly 200,000 VND/hectare for forest protection. The amount is not high, not enough to cover operating costs, but with a sense of responsibility to protect the forest, we strive to do a good job of protecting it. For many consecutive years, there have been no instances of illegal logging, and when there are any suspicious issues, we promptly report them to the Tuong Duong Forest Ranger Station for handling."

Signpost for protecting the clove forest in Cua Rao 2 village.

Mr. Vo Sy Lam, Head of the Forest Protection Department of Tuong Duong District, said: In 2014, the Tuong Duong sandalwood forest was reclassified from a production forest to a special-use forest. When the special-use sandalwood forest is planned for conservation and development, it will eliminate the shortcomings in forest protection work that have existed for a long time. These include increased penalties with greater severity and deterrent effect; positive changes in the mechanisms for forest protection; and placing forest protection under particularly strict conditions... For a long time, the protection of the sandalwood forest has mainly relied on the tradition and dedication of the people of Quang Thinh village because the capital allocated for forest protection has been limited.

With the people's commitment to forest conservation and the timely attention of the State, it is hoped that the regenerated clove and sandalwood forests of Tuong Duong will enhance their natural beauty, becoming ecological symbols and attractive tourist destinations in the western region of Nghe An.

Text and photos:Van Truong