Nghe An Forest Rangers promote core role in forest management and protection

(Baonghean) - After 40 years of construction and development, together with the forest rangers nationwide, Nghe An forest rangers have overcome many difficulties and obstacles, constantly innovated, improved the quality of operations, effectively contributed to the management, protection and development of forests, increasing the forest coverage of Nghe An from 42% in 2001 to 53.5% in 2012.

On May 21, 1973, the Government issued Decree 101/CP regulating the organizational system, tasks and powers of the Forest Ranger force and this day became the traditional day of the Vietnam Forest Ranger force. Nghe An Forest Ranger Sub-Department was established on February 3, 1974 under Decision No. 170/QD of the General Department of Forestry.

At the beginning of its establishment, over 90% of the staff were soldiers who had not received professional training, and they worked in conditions where the awareness of the staff and people about forest protection was limited, forest resources were large and widespread, and illegal exploitation, trading, transportation, processing of forest products and forest fires occurred everywhere. This reality posed a rather heavy responsibility, but with the direct, regular and timely guidance of the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nghe An Forest Rangers had made relatively comprehensive innovations, improving operational efficiency. In particular, the industry has coordinated to promote propaganda work so that people can clearly see that forest management and protection is the responsibility of all levels of government and each person, with Forest Rangers being the core force.

The industry's activities have also undergone many innovations in line with the situation, shifting from mainly inspection and control to sending forces to the locality to organize forest protection at the root. At the same time, proactively coordinating to advise on the development and implementation of many important policies and mechanisms to create a breakthrough in forest protection management. Notably, the effective implementation of the Forestry Land Contracting Policy under Decree 02/CP and now Decree 163 of the Government has contributed to bringing 90% of forest land from ownerless to owner; Advising on the implementation of slash-and-burn management, forest fire prevention and fighting management and participating in the implementation of many forest protection projects, afforestation to cover bare land and hills, and socio-economic development in mountainous areas, such as: PAM 2780, 4126, 4304, Program 327, EU Forestry Project, DANIDA River Basin and Forest Protection Project, Forestation Program according to Decision 661, 135, 167 of the Government and Viet Duc Forestry... truly creating a new step in the socialization of forest protection and development management, significantly limiting illegal exploitation of forest products, burning forests for farming and causing forest fires.

Units in Que Phong district signed a commitment to perform well the task of forest protection in 2013. Photo: HY

In addition, always focus on forest management and protection strategies, build special-use forests and protective forests, both ensuring the preservation of forest capital and contributing to economic and social development, biodiversity conservation, environmental protection, creating momentum for the development of ecotourism. Currently, Nghe An Forest Rangers directly build and manage 2 special-use forests: Pu Mat National Park of over 91 thousand hectares and Pu Huong Nature Reserve of nearly 50 thousand hectares, along with many important protective forests; implement more than 50 models of forest protection management and combined agricultural and forestry production in different ecological regions; contribute to the construction of the Western Nghe An Biosphere Reserve with an area of ​​over 1.1 million hectares, the largest in Southeast Asia. At the same time, pay attention to researching scientific topics, approaching and applying advanced achievements, technologies, means and techniques, such as: researching, producing and using biological products Boverin, BT, red-eyed bees... in preventing and controlling pine caterpillars; applying high-tech GIS in monitoring forest changes, managing forest resources and forestry land; applying information technology in information, synthesis, reporting, management of civil servants, financial management; updating and monitoring cases of violations of forestry laws...

In carrying out the task of enforcing the law, Nghe An Forest Rangers have deployed many active measures to prevent the exploitation, transportation, trading and storage of forest products. Over the past 40 years, nearly 166,000 cases of forestry law violations have been detected and handled, with nearly 440 cases proposed for criminal prosecution, with hundreds of defendants; confiscated more than 130,000 m3 of various types of wood, thousands of steles of firewood, thousands of tons of various types of specialty forest products, thousands of other tools and means of violation, and collected over 680 billion VND for the budget. In the 20 years of implementing the CITES Convention on the protection of wild animals alone, more than 125 tons of various types of wild animals have been seized, and many endangered and rare animals have been raised and released into the forest. Thanks to that, violations of forestry law have been decreasing. Comparing only the past 8 years (2004-2012), the average number of cases each year has decreased by 14-18% compared to the previous year. That result has contributed to re-establishing order in forest protection and management, forest product management and stabilizing social order and security in the province.

In the arduous and complicated battle to protect the forest, Nghe An Forest Rangers not only shed sweat and effort but also blood. Two rangers were killed, and 19 other rangers were left with lifelong disabilities. In recognition of their contributions and achievements, the Party and State have awarded many noble awards and titles to groups and individuals. Among them, Nghe An Forest Rangers were honored to be awarded the Third and Second Class Medals for their outstanding achievements in work and force building.

Proud of the results achieved, we can see clearly that the responsibility ahead is very heavy, especially in the trend of integration and development, with the impact of climate change and the negative side of the market mechanism, forest fires, exploitation and trade of forest products, slash-and-burn farming, illegal hunting of wild animals and the situation of resisting people on duty is very complicated. The task of forest protection is facing new challenges, requiring the Forest Ranger force to truly innovate in quality, from organization & force building to thinking and working methods; taking advantage of the direction of the Party Committee and the government, synchronously deploying the following forest protection solutions:

Firstly: Strengthening propaganda to enhance the role and responsibility of Party committees and local authorities at all levels, deeply changing the awareness of cadres and people in forest protection, building and developing forest capital. In particular, effectively implementing Directive No. 1685/CT-TTg dated September 27, 2011 and Decision No. 07/2012/QD-TTg dated February 8, 2012 of the Prime Minister promulgating a number of policies on forest protection and development, Directive 31/CT-UBND dated December 27, 2011 on inspection, raid, and seizure of illegal forest products.

Second: Improve the quality of operations through reasonable arrangement of districts and stations, do a good job of recruitment, arrange and rotate staff in conjunction with strengthening inspection, supervision, evaluation, screening, and early removal from the force of forest rangers with poor capacity, moral degradation, and failure to complete their tasks.

Third: Do a good job of inspecting and controlling forest products by strengthening forest patrol measures, detecting and strictly handling violations of forestry laws, especially illegal logging.

Fourthly: Strengthening measures to inspect and supervise the activities of Forest Rangers in the whole province, promptly detecting shortcomings and weaknesses, taking timely corrective measures, not allowing the bad situation to continue. Especially, promoting the activities of the Inspection Board against internal negativity, resolutely cleaning up the team of Forest Rangers in accordance with the spirit of Directive 3714/CT-BNN dated December 15, 2011 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on strengthening the rectification of the activities of the Forest Ranger force. In any locality where deforestation, slash-and-burn farming, illegal storage, processing, and trading of forest products occur, the Forest Rangers and Forest Ranger leaders must be jointly responsible.

Fifth: Building a close coordination relationship between the Forest Ranger force and functional departments, branches and local authorities in the management, protection and development of forest capital in a positive and effective manner on the basis of building and implementing well the coordination regulations between the Forest Ranger force and the Police force, the Provincial Military Command and the Provincial Border Guard in performing the task of forest protection.

Finally: Launch a movement for the entire population to participate in forest protection and development, mobilizing all social resources for the cause of forest protection and development. Timely commend collectives and individuals with achievements in forest protection and development, especially shining examples of courage, overcoming material temptations, resolutely fighting against illegal loggers, and excellently completing assigned tasks.

Le Cao Binh (Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Head of Nghe An Forestry Department)