Forest development must go hand in hand with creating livelihoods for people.

(Baonghean) -Forest development and protection not only contributes to creating jobs, improving living standards, income, developing socio-economics and tourism, but also plays an extremely important role in regulating the climate and preserving the living environment. When forests are cut down indiscriminately, it will increase the extremity of weather phenomena, storms, tornadoes, rising temperatures... not to mention flash floods. Recognizing that importance, for many years, Song Hieu Agriculture and Forestry Company Limited has done a good job in developing forest capital, creating jobs and income for thousands of workers from the forest. The company also allocates its own annual budget to protect protective forests and regenerate natural forests, in order to respond to climate change.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai in Nghia Mai - Nghia Dan commune said: Previously, some areas of natural forests and protective forests were cut down and burned for farming, so every time there was heavy rain, rocks and soil from the high mountains would slide, rainwater would overflow streams, damaging roads, flooding fields and houses. For nearly ten years now, protective forests and upstream forests have been better protected. People have somewhat reduced their worries about landslides, mudslides, crop failures and penniless hands. Sugarcane and other crops can be grown in the mountainous areas to improve their lives. Mr. Hoang Van Nhuong - Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Mai - Nghia Dan commune said: Last year, the commune covered more than 700 hectares of bare hills with green land, along with the good protection of upstream forests of Nghia Dan Forestry Enterprise, creating a "green belt" in the area to protect the extremely important ecological environment. Up to now, over 300 households in hamlets 11, 13, and 18 do not have to flee from floods like before.

Following the steep winding slope, we entered the Chuot Bach protective forest protection team in Nghia Mai commune. Mr. Vo Quang Hai, head of the forest protection team, shared: Only nearly 20 km from the district center, but there is no electricity and traffic is difficult. Overcoming all difficulties, the 7 brothers have successfully completed the task of patrolling and protecting protective forests and natural forests along the Hieu River and bordering Thanh Hoa. Each forest patrol trip usually lasts 3-4 days. In addition to protecting the forest, we have the task of instructing people on techniques for planting and caring for raw material forests.

Headwater protection forest in Quy Hop

Mr. Nguyen Van Khang - Director of Nghia Dan Forestry Enterprise said: Every year, the forest enterprise focuses on intercropping protective forests on over 50 hectares and 300 hectares of raw material forests. Up to now, the forest enterprise has covered 1,702 hectares of protective forests and protected over 3,000 hectares of natural forests. The forest area of ​​the forest enterprise is located in key locations, maintaining humidity for the upstream forest, the Mong village irrigation project and the Tong stream branch bordering Nghia Dan and Thanh Hoa. The forest is well protected and developed, so the water source in the irrigation dams and streams in this area is quite stable, enough to ensure irrigation for many cultivated areas of Nghia Mai and Nghia Minh communes (Nghia Dan). Since the upstream forests have been well protected, landslides have been prevented in many places in Nghia Dan. The forest enterprise also planted over 2,000 hectares of forest, harvesting over 300 hectares every year, planting forests wherever they are harvested. Also, from planting and exploiting forests, it has created regular jobs for over 400 workers, mainly local workers.

Nghia Dan Forestry also used the forest protection support fund of 200,000 VND/ha to establish 3 forest protection teams to patrol and control key points in Nghia Mai and Nghia Yen, thereby limiting the deforestation of upstream forests.

Dong Hop Forestry Enterprise has also focused on regenerating 1,928.91 hectares of natural forest quite effectively over the past years. Mr. Ho Thanh Hung - Director of Dong Hop Forestry Enterprise said: The above area is mainly poor natural forest, mostly located in vulnerable locations, so nurturing, restoring and preserving natural forests is very urgent. The Forestry Enterprise has established 6 forest protection and management teams with 19 staff. Focusing on the task of enclosing, regenerating natural forests. However, to protect natural forests well, the problem is to improve income and improve the lives of people living around the forest.

Clearly identifying that connection, the forestry farm has assigned over 500 hectares of natural forest to local people to protect themselves and enjoy profits according to the protection period. Of the over 2,000 hectares of planted forest, 600 hectares are joint ventures with local people according to the mechanism of mutual benefit. Specifically, when harvesting, local people enjoy 49%, the forestry farm enjoys 51%. Mr. Hung explained: The forestry farm depends on the capacity and wishes of local households to coordinate, share responsibilities, jobs and profits. The forestry farm has land, invests in fertilizers, seeds, and provides technical guidance on planting and caring for the forest. People put in the effort to plant, care for and protect.

Thanks to this coordination, joint venture, and association, over the past years, the people's lives have improved significantly, and many households have even become rich. For example, Mr. Nguyen Van Loc in Dong Hop cooperated with the forestry farm to plant more than 4 hectares of raw material forest combined with livestock farming, earning over 400 million VND in revenue in 5 years... The lives of the people in the "buffer zone" have improved, and the natural forests in Dong Hop Forest Farm have become increasingly green, playing an effective role in protecting the ecological environment and combating climate change as the earth gets hotter and hotter.

Mr. Ho Dinh The - General Director of Song Hieu Agriculture and Forestry Company Limited said: In the face of climate change, in addition to forest business, the company's top priority is to increase forest coverage through good protection of protective forests and natural forests, increasing afforestation and reforestation. First of all, for 8,619.7 hectares of protective forests, mainly located in vulnerable locations (this is a public service task), the unit considers it a top priority task. According to regulations, this type of forest is supported by the State with 200,000 VND/ha for protection costs (equivalent to over 1.4 billion VND/year). However, due to budget difficulties, the State only supports 300 million VND annually.

The company has balanced itself, spending nearly 1 billion VND annually for the protection of protective forests. Specifically, nearly 30 forest protection teams have been established, stationed at key locations, to block and protect upstream forests. The protective forest area is mainly in remote areas, bordering Thanh Hoa province, but thanks to good patrolling and protection work, most of the protective forest area in the area has not been cut down. For the natural forest area of ​​19,124.3 hectares, according to regulations, the State will support 3.8 billion VND, but due to financial difficulties, the State can only support 300 million VND annually.

With internal resources and self-balancing, the company has spent 1.9 billion VND annually on natural forest protection, mainly by means of zoning and regeneration. Thanks to good management and protection of protective forests and natural forests, the water resources of streams and reservoirs in the basin are ensured to be regulated harmoniously, limiting floods and reducing erosion and landslides, protecting the ecological environment very effectively. In the 9,100 hectares planned for planting raw material forests, the company has planted 7,419 hectares, and since the beginning of 2013, it has planted 844.56 hectares, creating 2.3 million seedlings, with an investment capital of 8.2 billion VND (mainly from the company's capital).

It can be seen that, with the motto: Forest protection and development must go hand in hand with creating livelihoods for people, then the forest will develop sustainably. This is the right way, effectively contributing to the economic and social development of the locality and of the people in the forest development area; protecting the ecological environment and responding to climate change.

Article and photos: Van Truong