Feelings of people celebrating Tet in the cajuput forest

While people and families gather together to decorate their houses to welcome the Lunar New Year of Giap Thin 2024, the specialized forest protection force in U Minh Ha National Park must stay on duty at the observation tower, put aside family matters, and walk through the forest to patrol...

Their responsibility is to promptly detect and prevent illegal activities in the forestry sector and prevent and fight forest fires during Tet.

Minh Ha Forest Protection Management Team checks forest humidity at U Minh Ha National Park (Ca Mau).

Mission comes first

According to Mr. Chau Quoc Su, Minh Ha Forest Protection Management Team (U Minh Ha National Park), he has been working as a forest protection officer for two years. This is a hard job because he and his teammates can face dangers at any time due to encountering poisonous snakes when patrolling the forest.

"Every morning at 6am, we cook and eat, then ride motorbikes and walk into the forest to patrol. During the rainy season, we travel by boat, and depending on the route we are patrolling, it can take several hours.

On the days assigned to be on duty during Tet, my teammates and I do not drink alcohol or beer to stay alert and always be proactive when bad situations arise," Mr. Su shared more.

Mr. Bui Van Phi, Head of the Minh Ha Forest Protection Management Team (U Minh Ha National Park) shared that his team has three members, but is assigned to be in charge of more than 750 hectares of forest. And for more than 20 years, Mr. Phi has not had a complete Tet with his family.

"If we are not on duty from the 29th to the 2nd of Tet, we are on duty from the 2nd to the 6th of Tet. At first, many of us felt sad because we could not be with our families, but gradually we got used to it and felt proud of the work we were doing. For us here, duty comes first," Mr. Phi shared.

Meal of the forest protection force before going on patrol during Tet.

Every year, when Tet comes, local leaders and leaders of U Minh Ha National Park kindly visit, encourage and support essential supplies to ensure that forest protection forces have Tet and feel secure in performing their duties.

Warm Tet holiday at the unit

Mr. Tran Cong Hoang, Director of U Minh Ha National Park, informed that currently the national park's specialized forest protection force has 79 staff.

To ensure the safety of the forest during Tet, U Minh Ha National Park has arranged two shifts. Accordingly, the first shift will start from the 29th to the 2nd day of Tet; the remaining shift will start from the 2nd to the 6th day of Tet.

"Following the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, this year the unit has provided February salary in January for the forest protection force. At the same time, we have prepared essential necessities for our brothers to celebrate Tet at the unit, but still feel like they are at home," said Mr. Hoang.

As someone who has been involved in forest management for more than 25 years, Mr. Nguyen Van Liem, Head of the Forest Protection Management Department of U Minh Ha National Park, confided that in 1989, after graduating from forestry, Mr. Liem was assigned to work as a forest ranger in U Minh district, Minh Hai province (now Ca Mau and Bac Lieu provinces).

The vast cajuput forests at U Minh Ha National Park are home to many rare species of animals and plants.

When he arrived at U Minh Ha National Park, Mr. Liem did not think he would stay long in this wild land, surrounded by cajuput trees.

"When I received the assignment, I thought I would work in U Minh for a few years and then ask to transfer back to my hometown in Ho Chi Minh City to be closer to my family and relatives. If I couldn't get the transfer, I would quit my job because it was wild and sad here," Mr. Liem recalled.

However, during his work, the young man born and raised in the splendid Saigon fell in love with a girl in the U Minh land and the two got married.

"After more than 25 years of working with cajuput trees, they have now become an indispensable part of my life. Thanks to my salary from forest protection work and my hard-working wife, my husband and I have been able to raise three children with a full education and stable jobs," Mr. Liem added.

U Minh Ha National Park covers an area of ​​over 8,500 hectares, located in U Minh and Tran Van Thoi districts, Ca Mau province. Here, there are countless rare species of animals and plants living and has been included in the list of world biosphere reserves by UNESCO.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/tam-tinh-cua-nhung-nguoi-don-tet-giua-rung-tram-19224020817002347.htm