Forest protection

“Golden forests, silver seas”. Determining forest protection is a strategy, the survival of the country and the nation. Losing forests means losing everything. Forests are a great resource, a source of the country, an important means of production, capable of regeneration, an important factor of the ecological environment, and biodiversity conservation. Thereby, contributing to natural disaster mitigation, climate change adaptation, ensuring water security, national defense and security.

Forest protection and development are both the rights, obligations and responsibilities of the entire political system and society. In recent years, the Party, the Government and localities across the country have issued resolutions, directives, action programs... related to forest management and protection. In particular, they emphasize solutions for developing the forestry economy, having mechanisms and policies to ensure necessary conditions for the activities of forest rangers, specialized forest protection forces, and specific policies to attract and retain workers in the forestry sector... Forest protection, forest development and livelihoods from forests in Binh Thuan are a reality.

Lesson 1: Live or die to protect the forest

Protect and sustainably develop the province's existing forest area. At the same time, effectively implement solutions to promptly prevent and strictly handle acts of encroachment on forest resources, encroachment on forest land... That is one of the main tasks and solutions set forth by the Executive Committee of the Binh Thuan Provincial Party Committee (term XIV) in Resolution No. 05-NQ/TU dated September 10, 2021 on developing a modern, sustainable, high-value-added agricultural sector. Strictly implementing drastic instructions from the Central to local levels, those who directly protect the forest, with responsibility and love for the forest, have not been afraid of difficulties and dangers, living and dying to protect their homeland's forest...

*BVR 143 force, under Duc Linh Forest Protection Department, patrols to protect the forest.*

Forest clinging in the border area

We were in the land that is considered to be the place where "the rooster crows and can be heard in 3 provinces". That is the forest in sub-area 418, Da Kai commune, belonging to the Duc Linh Forest Protection Management Board (FPB). This place borders Lam Dong province, so I can easily feel the cool, fresh air and the lush green color of the natural "golden" forest. I sat behind the old motorbike of Mr. Nguyen Truong Bay - Head of Forest Protection Station (FPS) 143, belonging to the Duc Linh FPB, a bit worried because the road to the forest is steep and high. Mr. Bay reassured me and shared the daily work of the brothers in the station: Due to the characteristics of the climate and evergreen forest, the soil under the forest canopy here still retains more moisture than other forest areas, limiting the risk of fire due to dryness. However, there are also many mixed forests of bamboo, leaves, and ground cover, so the FPB force has to regularly clear it, which is very difficult. Mr. Bay said that this forest area is located in Hamlet 11, Da Kai Commune. The station is assigned to manage and protect over 1,000 hectares, including about 3 km of forest bordering Lam Dong province, so the management work must be tightened and more difficult. Currently, in addition to the station's 3 employees, there are 15 households under contract, which somewhat reduces the work pressure. Each person gets 2 days off each week in rotation.

Also present at the appointed forest location, Mr. Dinh Hoang - Head of Duc Linh Forest Protection Management Board pointed to the forest area ahead and shared: The unit is assigned to manage the forest area and forestry land with over 6,000 hectares, including 14 sub-areas, distributed in 3 communes of Me Pu, Sung Nhon and Da Kai. With the characteristic of bordering Dap Loa commune, Ha Lam commune - Da Huoai district of Lam Dong province. On the other hand, the terrain is mostly located on rugged hills and mountains, traffic is difficult, many areas do not have phone signal, communication to coordinate forest protection and fire prevention and fighting (PCCCR) is difficult.

*Head of the Duc Linh Forest Protection Department and the unit's forest protection force had lunch in the forest.*

Meanwhile, the infrastructure, means, and information technology equipment serving technical work - forest protection and fire prevention are still lacking. In addition, the awareness of forest protection and fire prevention of some households living near and along the forest is still limited. Some areas of forest land illegally occupied after the destruction of crops are still being re-occupied by people...

Along with those difficulties and hardships, Mr. Hoang said that from the beginning of 2024 until now, the weather situation has been complicated, the heat has lasted longer and more intense than previous years, making the risk of forest fires very high. Also at this time, in the forest, the trees bear fruit, people go into the forest to cut down trees to collect the seeds, creating great pressure on the forest protection force. The number of people directly protecting the forest is still lacking compared to the assigned target.

Responsibility to own

Forest resources of the country in general and Binh Thuan in particular play an important role and significance in life and affect all aspects, from environment, ecology, production, economy, and society of the province. Binh Thuan has a forest coverage rate of 43.02% of the natural area, higher than the national average (42.02%), with diverse vegetation.

In particular, production forests in the province have production forest timber reserves accounting for 39.51% of the total reserves of the whole province, much larger than many other coastal plain provinces in the Central region. In particular, production forests are the part of the forest that brings high environmental value, regulates fresh air, regulates water volume, prevents natural disasters such as floods, erosion and landslides, increases fertility, and nourishes the potential of the land. In terms of economy, production forests are potential and opportunities for the province's wood industry to expand, promote the province's economic development and export. At the same time, production forests also create opportunities for many households to be allocated land for forest planting and forest protection, thereby creating livelihoods and many jobs for households and people in rural, mountainous and remote areas of the province.

Realizing the importance of forests and the responsibility of each person to take ownership of natural resources, all difficulties and challenges have become motivation for forest rangers to cling to the forest to the death... With the Duc Linh Forest Protection Management Board, facing the difficulties encountered, the Board's leaders have coordinated with the Trade Union Executive Committee to propagate and mobilize specialized forest protection forces to only take one day off per week to focus on forest protection and forest fire prevention work during peak times. Forest protection teams and stations have all developed monthly forest protection plans, coordinating with the Mobile Forest Protection Team, forces of the three communes of Me Pu, Sung Nhon, Da Kai and Forest Rangers in charge of the communes with forests. Along with patrolling, checking, sweeping to protect forests and preventing law enforcement officers in the managed forest areas, special attention is paid to the border area with Lam Dong province and key areas at risk of forest fires, deforestation, forest exploitation, and encroachment on forest land.

According to the assessment of the Executive Committee of the Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee, after 2 years of implementing Resolution No. 05-NQ/TU, forest management and protection have continued to be strengthened, especially in upstream forests, coastal protection forests, and forests bordering other provinces. At the same time, effective measures have been implemented to promptly prevent and strictly handle acts of encroachment on forest resources and encroachment on forest land. The province has effectively used remote sensing technology and satellite images in forest management and protection.

According to the planning of 3 types of forests in the period of 2016 - 2025 of the People's Committee of Binh Thuan province, the total forest area of the province is 347,621.68 ha, assigned to 2 Nature Reserves 34,857.44 ha; 15 Forestry Management Boards 261,327.37 ha; 2 Forestry One Member Co., Ltd. 30,143.83 ha, the remaining area is managed by the armed forces, enterprises and People's Committees at the commune level.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/bao-ve-rung-su-song-con-123438.html