Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development visits and surveys models in Con Cuong and Anh Son districts
(Baonghean.vn) - Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said that forests are precious assets, so protecting forests is the responsibility of the whole society.
On July 28, the working delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development led by Comrade Le Minh Hoan - Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development visited households participating in the community forest protection model in village 1, Linh Son commune, Anh Son district; surveyed the program of community livelihood development model in the buffer zone associated with forest protection activities, nature conservation and ecotourism development at Pu Mat National Park (Con Cuong).
Also attending were members of the Provincial Party Executive Committee: Nguyen Nhu Khoi - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Nguyen Van De - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Phung Thanh Vinh - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The delegation visited the community forest protection model of village 1, Linh Son commune, Anh Son district, located along National Highway 7A with a total area of over 50 hectares, of which the natural forest area is nearly 41 hectares, the rest is planted forest with acacia, mahogany and fruit trees.
Before being assigned to 27 households for management, protection and conservation in 2019, this entire forest area was bare land and bare hills. After that, these 27 households took care of it themselves. Up to now, more than 50 hectares of forest have been revived with many natural trees such as chestnuts, beech trees and some valuable fruit trees such as grapefruit, jackfruit, lemon...
Starting from 2019, Nghe An Forest Protection Department will support 48 million VND per year to carry out the following contents: Organizing forest patrols and inspections in the model area; organizing propaganda conferences, training, fire prevention and fighting, guiding forest protection techniques; setting up 50 boundary markers of the model area; building 2 propaganda signs.
According to the assessment of Nghe An Forest Protection Department, this model has really brought about effectiveness. The forests in village 1, Linh Son commune seem to be revived thanks to the positive awareness of the people in forest protection work.
The forest is well protected and developed, fire prevention and fighting work is strictly implemented, many households in the village have a stable income from growing fruit trees, combining with livestock, collecting forest products under the forest canopy. Currently, the model is being continued to be invested in and built.
Speaking to households, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan emphasized that forests are valuable assets, so protecting forests is not only the responsibility of people in Linh Son but also the responsibility of the whole society.
Therefore, to effectively implement this, Anh Son district and Nghe An Department of Agriculture need to pay more attention to supporting and improving the lives of people participating in forest protection in the community in general.
Minister Le Minh Hoan also questioned the authorities and localities about why when talking about forests, people compare forests to gold - gold but forest rangers are still poor.
And to reduce poverty, from now on the agricultural sector must have a specific plan, setting a goal of how to preserve the forest, but the forest must support the people who protect it.
According to the Minister, forest protection and preservation should not be limited to management thinking, but should be expanded into a governance method, which focuses on economic development from forests to create valuable products.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said that forest protection does not necessarily mean closing the forest by all means, but requires a harmonious, synchronous, open approach to the people, close to the community to create solidarity among the people, calling on people to join hands to preserve and develop the forest economy; promote the multi-purpose value of the forest ecosystem.
During the program, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan and the working delegation visited and surveyed tourism activities at Khe Kem waterfall in Pu Mat National Park.
Pu Mat National Park is located on the administrative boundaries of 3 districts: Anh Son, Con Cuong and Tuong Duong, the southern boundary of Pu Mat National Park runs along the Vietnam - Laos border.
Pu Mat National Park has many advantages in tourism development such as large area, high biodiversity with many species of forest animals and forest plants newly discovered in recent times with 2,500 species of plants belonging to 160 families and nearly 1,000 species of animals...
In particular, a wild natural landscape that seems untouched by human hands: the primeval forests of the upper reaches of Khe Thoi, Khe Bu, Khe Choang, Cao Veu... Khe Kem waterfall, Moc stream, Giang river, Sang Le forest... are gifts of nature bestowed upon Pu Mat National Park.
During the working program, delegates visited the booths displaying and selling OCOP products of Con Cuong district; Nua Village Community Tourism Cooperative, Yen Khe commune and directly discussed with members contracted to protect forests, members of the community forest protection group of Pu Mat National Park in coordinating participation in forest patrols.
On this occasion, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan presented trees to representatives of local communities living in the buffer zone of Pu Mat National Park to plant in residential areas./.
