Customary law of forest protection

Tay Giang district has more than 91 thousand hectares of forest. Of which, natural forest accounts for more than 70% with many rare and precious woods such as lim (250 ha), do rhododendron (430 ha), giổi (300 ha), along with the diversity of rare flora and fauna remaining on the Truong Son range. In particular, the Pơ mu population distributed over an area of ​​nearly 500 ha is considered a treasure in the Tay Giang forest area. Currently, the Pơ mu population is strictly protected by the local government and people, almost intact with more than 2,000 trees, including 1,146 trees recognized as Vietnam Heritage Trees. This is considered one of the rarest and most precious forests remaining in the Central Highlands - Central region in particular and the whole country in general.

This is possible because for many years, the Co Tu community has established its own customary law to protect the forest. For the Co Tu, when taking anything from the forest, they always believe that they must ask the forest gods (Abhô Jang). Whether cutting down a big tree or a small tree, they must ask, make offerings, and have the villagers discuss and approve before they are allowed to cut and bring the tree back. Everything in the forest belongs to the whole community, and everyone has the responsibility and obligation to preserve and protect it. Anyone who violates this will be fined by the village, or even more severely, banned from entering the forest.

Co Tu customary law also prohibits burning down upstream forests, because for them, the upstream is the source of life for people, if destroyed, the village is prone to disease and death. Therefore, anyone who destroys upstream forests must pay a fee to the village, at least: a big pig, a goat and a jar of wine.

It is from these concepts that the Co Tu people always teach their children with very profound, civilized, and insightful sayings: "Birds in the sky need vast green forests/ Fish in the source need clear water/ Co Tu people need the protection of mother forest/ For our villagers to grow and flourish/ For our crops to always be bountiful/ For Co Tu people everywhere to exist forever.../ Without forests, birds will no longer sing/ Without streams and rivers, fish will no longer breathe/ Without mother forest, the Co Tu people will perish".

Around the second lunar month, on the roof of the Guol house located in the middle of the primeval forest areas, the Co Tu people organize the Opening Year of Thanksgiving for the Forest. According to cultural researchers, this is considered the largest Thanksgiving for the Forest festival in Vietnam. Mr. Nguyen Van Luom, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tay Giang district, said that the Opening Year of Thanksgiving for the Forest is a beautiful tradition of the Co Tu people to thank Mother Nature for her protection. Since 2018, the Tay Giang district government has restored the Thanksgiving for the Forest Festival on a large scale, not only with the aim of restoring and preserving the traditional culture of the Co Tu people but also raising awareness of forest protection and forest protection culture among the people.

"Maintaining the Forest Thanksgiving Festival has great significance in praising beautiful actions, strongly encouraging the joint efforts to preserve the natural environment, protect old forests and water resources in the community" - Mr. Nguyen Van Luom informed.

Multiply the treasures in the wilderness

For the Co Tu people, the forest is not only a living environment, trees, plants and animals that give them life, the forest is also a source of culture, a god that protects and defends them from wild animals, enemies and natural disasters. Therefore, not only protecting the forest, the Co Tu people also voluntarily and enthusiastically participate in planting trees and forests, spending their own money to build rural roads for convenient travel, directing their lives outward, towards the lowlands, reducing dependence on deep forests. This is also an effective way to protect the forest, moving towards community tourism, living off the beauty of the forest, but turning the forest into a resource to serve humans.

Ms. Zo Ram Thi Lanh, in Ganil village, Axan commune, Tay Giang district shared: “With the guidance of the staff, we treated the ground cover, carried the trees, and dug holes to plant forests. After planting trees, I regularly monitored to promptly detect pests and diseases, and immediately replanted dead and weak trees so that the trees could live well and develop the forest with the aim of contributing to forest protection and preventing erosion and landslides in the area.”

Mr. Nguyen Van Sinh, Director of Tay Giang Protective Forest Management Board, said: The Co Tu people live in communities and have a high awareness of forest protection. As the unit assigned to protect and develop forests, the Management Board has visited people's homes to encourage and promote their active participation in forest planting and protection, keeping the green color of the forests covering all the villages here.

“Forest management and protection work is organized systematically with close coordination between specialized forces and the community. The management board regularly coordinates with village elders and village chiefs to encourage people not to enter the old forest, and regularly patrols the area assigned to the management board,” said Mr. Sinh.

While in many places, forests are being destroyed and evaporated every day, in Tay Giang, in the past 7 years, there has only been one case of deforestation. It is thanks to the tradition of forest protection left by our ancestors that the people here have been cultivating and passing down through many generations.