The forest keepers of the Pù Mát mountain range.

(Baonghean) - Born from the forest, raised by the forest… Despite their impoverished lives, the forest protects them from all calamities and provides them with food and clothing every day. For them, protecting the national primeval forest is like protecting their own home…

Attachment to the forest

Located within the Western Nghe An Natural Biosphere Reserve, with a core area of ​​94,804 hectares and a buffer zone of 86,000 hectares, spanning three districts of Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, and Anh Son, Pu Mat National Park is home to the Thai, Mong, and Dan Lai ethnic groups for generations.

Locals and staff of Pù Mát National Park patrol and protect the forest.

We were fortunate enough to accompany officials from the Science Department of Pù Mát National Park into the core area of ​​the park for nearly a week. Our group included four park officials and six local people. Initially, seeing our surprise at having so many locals along, Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, an official from the Science Department of Pù Mát National Park, explained: “These are local people participating in forest protection. They will help carry research equipment, food, and guide us.”

The accompanying households belong to families contracted to protect the forest. Most are ethnic minorities, born and raised in close connection with the forest, so they are knowledgeable enough to guide patrol and research teams in the core area of ​​Pù Mát National Park. In addition, they are responsible for patrolling with park officials and reporting any illegal logging to the authorities. They have truly become a reliable and trustworthy support for park officials whenever they venture into the core area for patrols.

The Pù Mát National Forest is still pristine, so there are no trails. But for these indigenous people, every inch of the forest is as familiar to them as the back of their hand. They provide accurate and safe advice on travel, accommodation, and schedules for visiting groups. Furthermore, their assistance in navigating the forest during long trips requiring large quantities of food and equipment is truly invaluable.

“Previously, our trips couldn't last for many days because the amount of food and equipment we could bring was limited. But now, with the help of the locals in carrying food and equipment, our trips can last up to half a month. Furthermore, the locals' ability to predict the weather in the forest has helped our teams avoid floods and heavy rains many times,” added Nguyen Manh Hung.

During this long trek through the forest, we were treated to many traditional dishes of the forest dwellers. These included sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes, soups with elephant ear leaves, boiled bamboo shoots, young banana blossoms, and boiled wild banana flowers… Whenever the group stopped to rest and some villagers set up makeshift shelters, the forest cooks would quickly source these ingredients from the area around the shelters. These simple meals, mostly vegetables, were transformed into delicious and enjoyable meals by the skillful hands of the forest workers…

Set up temporary shelters for rest during forest patrols.

Protecting the "green home"

The people accompanying our group on this trip are all members of the Thai ethnic group living in Tam Quang commune, Tuong Duong district. Most of their families are facing difficult circumstances, with their lives mainly dependent on farming. However, these people all said that their primary purpose in participating in forest protection contracts is to protect their living environment and their livelihoods.

“Since birth, for generations, the people of my village have lived off the forest. But cutting down the forest is only a short-term solution to hunger; once the forest is gone, there will be nothing left to eat. Therefore, for a long time, we have always considered protecting the forest as protecting our own homes. Thanks to the forest, we avoid flash floods and ensure a constant supply of water for our cultivated fields. So, since 2013, when the government implemented a policy to support forest protection contracts, our family signed a contract with Pù Mát National Park to protect 15 hectares of forest. This helps the government protect the pristine forest while also providing our family with annual financial support to ensure our livelihood and for emergencies,” said Mr. Lo Van La (born in 1972, residing in Tung Huong village, Tam Quang commune, Tuong Duong district).

Although the support provided under forest protection contracts is not high, and many individuals exploit this system to entice people to participate in logging with promises of higher income, many people, guided by the spirit of "As long as the forest remains, so does our home," have resolutely refused these offers from those who engage in deforestation. Sharing his experience, Mr. Vi Van Doan (born in 1950, residing in Lien Huong village, Tam Quang commune, Tuong Duong district) said: "There have been many times when strangers have come to the village trying to lure us into cutting down trees. They even offered us advance money and rice, promising much higher daily wages than those we would receive for forest protection contracts. But with our determination to protect the forest and after the National Park officials explained the importance of the pristine forest, we people resolutely refused."

Meals enjoyed amidst the pristine rainforest of Pù Mát National Park.

According to Mr. Tran Xuan Cuong, Director of Pu Mat National Park, by 2016, 854 households living along the buffer and core zones had been contracted to protect the forest. Each household protecting 1 hectare of forest receives a subsidy of 200,000 VND/year; ethnic minority households in zones 2 and 3 receive 400,000 VND/hectare/year for forest protection contracts; and households in area 30a receive an additional 15 kg of rice per person per month.

“The practice of contracting forest protection to local people has been implemented since 2013. This contracting system has greatly assisted the National Park in protecting the forest and conducting patrols in the core zone. It has also enhanced the spirit and awareness of protecting the pristine forest among the indigenous people. Many violations and encroachments on the pristine forest have been detected early by the people and reported to the National Park officials for timely intervention and handling. Currently, there are 854 households receiving forest protection contracts, and in the future, we expect to contract over 1,000 households located in the buffer and core zones of Pù Mát National Park in Anh Sơn, Con Cuông, and Tương Dương districts,” Mr. Cường added.

Xuan Hoa