Many households escape poverty thanks to forest protection

QTO - To improve the effectiveness of forest management and protection (FMP), the People's Committee of Kim Phu commune has contracted 803 hectares of forest in sub-area 239 to the Phu Minh village community for management and protection. Contracting for forest protection has brought double benefits by creating livelihoods to escape poverty and encouraging people to participate in forest protection and development.

Previously, the awareness of forest protection among Phu Minh villagers was not high, life was still difficult, so illegal logging in the area still occurred. To improve the effectiveness of management and forest protection, Kim Phu Commune People's Committee has implemented the contents of sub-project 1, project 3 of the National Target Program on socio -economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021-2030, phase I: From 2021 to 2025, 803 hectares of forest in sub-area 239 managed by the Commune People's Committee will be allocated to Phu Minh village community for management and protection.

To protect the forest, Phu Minh village has established a community forest management board with 5 members, divided into 5 groups. The force participating in the forest management is 40 households in the village. During the forest patrol, any household without a member can ask a relative to go instead to ensure their rights. The forest management teams are equipped with walkie-talkies and some supporting equipment to inspect the forest. When there is an unexpected incident or there is information about people cutting down the forest, the management board will propose additional forces of Forest Rangers, Border Guards, Police and local authorities to coordinate in handling the situation.

Phu Minh villagers and authorities inspect community forests - Photo: XV

Head of the Phu Minh Village Community Forest Management Board, Dinh Xuan Nhuong, said: “Each time we go to the forest, we usually mobilize 5-6 people, carrying food and provisions into the forest to patrol for about 2 days. Every month, we organize 5 trips, and in case of forest changes, we will increase the force and the trip. Although the work is hard, everyone in the village is happy and excited because they can contribute to forest protection and have more income.”

Thanks to participating in BVR, each year, Phu Minh village receives 571 million VND from sources such as: Selling carbon credits (271 million VND), "National target program for socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021-2030, phase I: From 2021 to 2025" (300 million VND). This amount will be allocated to the Management Board 5% and 15% for the reserve fund to cover the cost of buying protective clothing, food, and drinking water when patrolling the forest. The remaining amount will be divided equally among households participating in BVR. In addition, in the village, there are 16 people participating in patrols, BVR with the force of the Center for BVR and World Heritage (Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park), each person goes on 1 trip/month (3 nights, 4 days) and will receive nearly 1.2 million VND/month.

Thanks to participating in forest protection, many households in Phu Minh village have escaped poverty. If in 2023, the whole village had 11 poor households, by the end of 2024, only 3/40 households were poor. Ms. Ho Thi Thuong, a resident of Phu Minh village, shared: "Thanks to community forest protection, my people and I have an additional source of income and have applied to escape poverty. The village's forest is well protected, so it is growing more and more, and the timber reserves are increasing. More wild animals are coming to live, medicinal herbs and other forest products are also developing, so everyone is excited." Every month, Ms. Thuong and the BVR team patrol the forest 2 or more times. After going to the forest, she also takes the time to pick conical leaves and rattan to sell to have an additional source of income of about 200,000 VND/day.

Deputy Head of Thuong Hoa Forest Protection Station Hoang Tuan Anh affirmed: “The forest contract for Phu Minh village community to protect has reduced the pressure on forest protection work for the forest rangers. Since receiving the forest protection contract, people no longer arbitrarily destroy the forest, and violations of forestry laws in the area have also decreased significantly. The protective capacity, coverage, and quality of the forest are increasing, and people's awareness of forest protection has had many positive changes.”

Spring King

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/kinh-te/202510/nhieu-ho-dan-thoat-ngheo-nho-giu-rung-c8f1141/