Efforts to protect over 86,000 hectares of upstream protection forests in Tuong Duong

Ms. Vo Thi Nhung - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development spoke at the ceremony. Photo: Van Truong

On the afternoon of March 14, the Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Board held a ceremony to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Attending the ceremony were representatives of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Tuong Duong district, and many officers and employees of the Protective Forest Management Board.Xiangyang.

Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Board was established on March 14, 2003. Over the past 20 years, Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Board has gradually affirmed its role in the field of developing and protecting upstream forests.

The unit has 08 forest protection management stations, regularly coordinating with the Forest Protection Department, border guards, and contracted community groups to organize patrols and protect forests. It has promptly destroyed wild animal traps, hundreds of illegal camps in protective forests, prevented thousands of cases of illegal exploitation, encroachment, forest land encroachment and forest clearing for farming; Confiscated hundreds of cubic meters of wood of all kinds and handed them over to the District Police and Forest Protection Department for handling according to the law.

Delegates attending the ceremony. Photo: Van Truong

The unit also effectively implemented the policy of payment for forest environmental services, in the basins of Ban Ve Hydropower Plant, Xoong Con Hydropower Plant, Khe Bo Hydropower Plant, Chi Khe Hydropower Plant, with more than 72,451 hectares, the annual payment amount is from 7 to 10 billion VND. The policy of payment for forest environmental services has contributed to creating livelihoods, helping people have more jobs, increasing income, contributing to the construction of new rural areas, creating motivation for people to stick with the forest.

In the period 2014 - 2021, the unit has planted 101 hectares of new forest, protected 1,919 hectares of naturally regenerated forest under the JICA 2 project. Forest protection under the 30A program is assigned to poor households living in Tuong Duong district.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Vo Thi Nhung - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development praised the efforts of the Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Board in forest protection and management in the past time. In order to effectively implement forest protection and management in the coming time, the Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development requested the Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Board to effectively manage, use and develop existing forest capital, and improve the efficiency of land and forest resource use.

Protecting the Tuong Duong cajuput forest well. Photo: Archive

Closely coordinate with local authorities and relevant departments to fightprevent deforestation, illegal deforestation and hunting of wild animals; Strengthen measures such as scouting and information planting, forest patrolling at the base, to promptly detect violators, protect well and stabilize the existing forest area.

Continue training, recruiting, and developing human resources, gradually building a strong unit to meet the new requirements of forest protection and development. Implement well the policies and mechanisms on forest management, protection, and development, so that people can enjoy the benefits of the State's policies; create livelihoods and jobs, and reduce negative impacts on natural forests and forest ecosystems./.