Mountain girls guarding Truong Son forest

In March, when the majestic mountains and winding Dakrong River are covered in thick fog, Ho Thi Men and her teammates quietly go deep into the jungle, starting their patrol.

The work of crossing streams and forests has long been thought to be reserved for strong men, but in the forest protection team of Ta Lao village, Ta Long commune, Dakrong district (Quang Tri), there are three women who also face many difficulties every day to protect the Truong Son mountain range.

Hard work to keep the forest

In 2019, Ms. Men and some villagers registered to participate in forest protection work. On the day the forest protection team was established, she was elected as the team leader by the members. The team was assigned to protect 1,150 hectares of forest in Dakrong Nature Reserve.

Ms. Ho Thi Men has been involved in protecting Truong Son forest for the past 5 years.

"Born and raised in the middle of the Truong Son mountains, being able to contribute to protecting the forest is a great joy. Although I know that women will face more difficulties, I still do not hesitate," said Ms. Men.

To prepare for a multi-day forest patrol, she and her colleagues prepare food, provisions and essential items such as medicine to prevent unexpected incidents in the wild.

"We have to prepare carefully. There are times when we go to work in the morning and feel very healthy, but when we go into the forest, we get a fever at night. At these times, it takes a whole morning, or even a whole day, to go outside, so we have to have timely measures to deal with it," said Ms. Men.

Ms. Men and Ms. The cleared the area and cut down the vines that were squeezing the forest trees.

Patrols last from 1-2 days, sometimes up to 5-6 days. Every day, the patrol team has to walk dozens of kilometers on various terrains, eat and sleep in deep forests, overcome countless difficulties from terrain, weather to lurking dangers.

"In the mountains and forests, it is inevitable that we will fall and get injured, and there will be risks from poisonous animals. But in return, every time we can remove an animal trap or prevent deforestation, the members of the team are very happy and feel that their work is meaningful," said Men.

Forest protection patrols last one or more days.

In the same group as Ms. Men, Ms. Ho Thi The, a member with more than 7 years of experience in forest protection, also takes on the responsibility of preventing deforestation, animal hunting and coordinating the handling of violations.

"This job not only requires good health, but also patience and rich experience in exploring deep forests. People doing this job must always be careful with every step, because just a little carelessness can lead to getting lost," said Ms. The.

Let the forest trees forever protect the lives of all species.

According to Ms. Men, in contrast to the difficulties in forest protection work, women will also have their own advantages. In the process of propaganda, it will be easier to convince people or criminals will be less likely to "get physical" each time they are caught in the forest.

There are 3 women participating in the Ta Lao Village Forest Protection Team.

"The people here are ethnic minorities, so propaganda also encounters many difficulties. But every time I and the women in the group go to propagate, it is still more convenient because we are both local people and women, so they listen, and the propaganda is more and more effective," said Ms. Men.

For Ms. Men, Ms. The and the members of the Ta Lao village forest protection team, hardships and difficulties have never made them give up the work they have been doing for many years. They still strive every day to complete their tasks, because the forest is not only a source of life but also a part of the soul of the Van Kieu people.

"After traveling a lot, we get used to it. We know almost all the trails and areas in the forest. If there are any strange signs, we can recognize them immediately. With a sense of responsibility and the support of the Dakrong Nature Reserve staff, I always encourage my colleagues to do a good job," said Men.

The Ta Lao village forest protection team is on duty to protect the forest.

The forest is like a close friend, protecting many generations of Van Kieu people in Dakrong district. Therefore, protecting the forest for them is not only a duty but also a way to preserve their own lives.

The Quang Tri Province Special-Use Forest Management Board said that at Dakrong Nature Reserve, the unit has contracted forests to 16 communities and household groups to carry out forest protection, fire prevention and biodiversity conservation.

Community forest protection groups are doing very well, especially the women members. In addition to patrolling, they also actively promote forest protection policies to the villagers.

Mr. Ho Viet Thang, Deputy Director of the Quang Tri Province Special-use Forest Management Board, said that in recent times, with the support of the Special-use Forest Management Board and the Dakrong Nature Reserve Forest Protection Department, the force contracted to protect special-use forests has made important contributions to the work of protecting and conserving biodiversity.

The Ta Lao pine forest protection team contributes to keeping the Truong Son forest hectares green.

"People participating in the contract not only protect the forest but also benefit from the policy of payment for forest environmental services, creating sustainable livelihoods for the community. The development of special-use forests not only contributes to protecting biodiversity but also helps improve the lives of local people," said Mr. Thang.

According to Mr. Thang, at the Ta Lao village forest protection team, there is the participation of women. The women participating are very active, responsible, and always pioneers in all activities.

"Not only do they patrol, these women are also prestigious people in the community, actively promoting and mobilizing people to participate in protecting not only special-use forests but also other forest areas in the village. This is a clear demonstration of women's contribution to forest protection and biodiversity conservation activities," said Mr. Thang.

Dakrong Nature Reserve has an area of ​​over 37,000 hectares, of which natural forest area is over 32 hectares including: rich forest of nearly 5.7 hectares, average forest of over 12,000 hectares, poor forest of 14,000 hectares...

This is a conservation area with a diverse and rich flora with more than 1,576 vascular plant species. Of these, 182 are endemic to Vietnam, 57 are endemic to the Central region; 288 are rare and prioritized species for protection and are listed in the Vietnam Red Book.

The recorded fauna includes 95 mammal species; 201 bird species; 32 reptile species; 17 amphibian species. The reserve has 345 terrestrial vertebrate species, of which 62 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book and 52 species are listed in the World Red Book.

Source: https://plo.vn/nhung-son-nu-giu-rung-truong-son-post840444.html