Strengthening management and protection of heritage forests

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park (PNH - Ke Bang) is a typical example of biodiversity in the North Truong Son ecoregion - one of 200 globally important ecoregions; at the same time, it is an area that stands out for its primeval forest ecosystem on limestone mountains and unique geology. This is also home to many endemic, precious and rare species of animals and plants. Therefore, it has put a lot of pressure on the forest protection force (BVR) here when developing plans and patrols suitable to specific conditions and circumstances.

Officers of Thuong Hoa Forest Protection Station increase forest protection patrols - Photo: NH

Head of Thuong Hoa Forest Protection Station (Center for Forest Protection and World Heritage) Ngo Dinh Hieu said that located in On village, Kim Dien commune, the station is assigned to manage and protect more than 21,000 hectares of special-use forest in the strictly protected subdivision of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park with 21 sub-zones and 209 compartments.

Most of the forest area grows on limestone mountains and some is mountainous soil forest, the forest status is mainly evergreen closed forest with forest cover reaching 95%. In the management station area, the people are mainly ethnic minorities, low education level, no stable jobs; in fact, there is still a situation where people depend on the forest to live, illegally exploit forest resources for a living.

The station has 14 people, including 8 BVR officers and 6 BVR staff, all of whom are proficient in forest management. Since the beginning of the year, the station has closely followed the BVR management plan and monthly patrol plan approved by the Center for Forest Protection and World Heritage; at the same time, it has deployed BVR work at the root, organized long-term patrols, expanded the patrol area to track down traces, prevent logging, trapping, capturing wild animals and other illegal acts.

Since the beginning of the year, the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Management Board has carried out many propaganda activities to mobilize people and organize activities in the area to comply with regulations on forest protection, environmental sanitation and beauty in the National Park in many different forms; especially focusing on propagating the content of protecting endangered, precious and rare animal species. In addition, the board focuses on coordinating with local Party committees and authorities of communes, border posts, schools to propagate and raise awareness of conservation for the community...

Mr. Ngo Dinh Hieu said that from the beginning of 2025 until now, the station has carried out 48 patrols with 111 days, 74 nights, over 317 hours with a patrol distance of 768.87km. In the area managed by the station, mainly ethnic minorities, life faces many difficulties and depends on the forest for their livelihood.

Therefore, it is inevitable that people secretly enter the forest. Determining that propaganda and mobilization work is extremely necessary, the station regularly coordinates with local authorities and related units to integrate community activities and village meetings to propagate forest management, wildlife protection and raise awareness about grazing livestock and pets.

Director of the Center for Forest Protection and World Heritage (under the Management Board of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park) Pham Van Tan said that the unit is assigned to manage and protect more than 123,300 hectares of special-use forests, more than 3,153 hectares of protective forests and 407 hectares of production forests. The current status of forest resources in the area is mostly rich forests and medium forests. This is also an area with high biodiversity, preserving many endemic, precious and rare species of animals and plants listed in the Vietnam Red Book and the IUCN Red Book.

“The unit has closely followed and strengthened the work of forest protection at the root, monthly plans to effectively implement tasks; organized inter-sectoral patrols and raids at hot spots and sensitive areas throughout the National Park (especially the Bach Xanh Da forest protection plan); regularly changed the patrol and inspection methods flexibly, secretly, unexpectedly and promptly to resolutely arrest and handle violators.

The unit effectively applies and promotes SMART software in patrolling, managing BVR and monitoring biodiversity; inspecting, controlling, and protecting boundary markers and border areas, thoroughly preventing encroachment on forest land...", said the Director of the Center for Forest Protection and World Heritage.

Since the beginning of the year, the BVR stations under the Center for Forest Protection and World Heritage have organized more than 160 propaganda sessions; mobilized and educated the law to more than 120 residential groups, villages and hamlets in the communes, with the participation of more than 3,200 people; coordinated with BVR teams in the communes to organize more than 300 patrols, stand guard, and control of forest protection work in the national park forest area and border areas; coordinated with functional forces to carry out 7 patrols and BVR in the border area; carried out more than 870 patrols and BVR with a patrol distance of over 8,800 km; deployed 114 patrols, managed and protected the population of Green Cypress in the entire forest area. Thereby, promptly detected and removed more than 200 traps and many illegal temporary camps and resting places...

Ngoc Hai

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/tang-cuong-quan-ly-bao-ve-rung-di-san-196357.htm