Phu Yen: Ethnic minorities protect forests in the upper reaches of Ky Lo River

No longer destroying forests for farming, 906 Cham and Ba Na ethnic households in Phu Mo commune, Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen province have taken responsibility for managing and protecting more than 25,000 hectares of natural forest in the upper reaches of Ky Lo river. Not only do they enjoy the policy of paying for forest environmental services, but many households are also allocated production forest land for economic development. On November 1, the Investment - Trade Promotion Center and Exhibition Fair of Can Tho City held the opening ceremony of the 2024 Vietnam International Agricultural Fair. Secretary of Can Tho City Party Committee Nguyen Van Hieu and Chairman of the City People's Committee. Can Tho Tran Viet Truong attended the opening ceremony. 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Phu Mo commune currently has 4 community groups for forest management and protection in the villages of Phu Giang, Phu Tien, Phu Dong, Phu Loi, with a total of 150 people. This is the core force to implement programs and plans for forest management and protection activities.

As a pioneer in forest protection, Mr. La O Be, 58 years old, in Phu Loi village, Phu Mo commune, wakes up very early every day to visit the forest and look for honey. Mr. Be said that of the more than 25,000 hectares of forest here, he knows every place with precious wood and where the biggest forest trees are.

“This is the upper source of Ky Lo River, these forests have fed us since we were born, so at all costs, I must protect them,” said Mr. Be.

Phu Mo is the most remote and difficult mountainous commune of Phu Yen province, the source of the Ky Lo river with a length of more than 120km flowing through Dong Xuan and Tuy An districts. The whole commune has 837 households, mainly Ba Na and Cham Hroi ethnic groups.

Like Mr. Be, many ethnic minorities in Phu Mo commune have been actively participating in managing and protecting natural forests in the upper reaches of Ky Lo river. From the source of payment for forest environmental services, people participating in forest management and protection in Phu Mo also have more funds to cover their living expenses.

While preparing food to visit the forest, Mr. La Lan Thong, Head of the forest protection team in Phu Loi village, said that members of the forest protection team used money from the forest protection team's operating fund to buy necessary supplies.

“The members ride motorbikes to the edge of the forest, then walk together to check each precious tree, carefully scanning each area to detect cases of illegal logging. The time for each patrol is from dawn to dusk,” said Mr. Thong.

According to the People's Committee of Phu Mo Commune, the forest protection management contract model has a support level of VND 400,000/ha/year (Circular 55/2023/TT-BTC dated August 15, 2023 of the Ministry of Finance). With this level, 4 groups receiving forest protection management contracts will receive VND 3.01 billion after 10 months (from March to December 2024) of managing and protecting 25,000 hectares of natural forest in Phu Mo Commune.

The contract between the Commune People's Committee and the 4 forest protection management teams will be signed annually. The authorities will inspect and evaluate the effectiveness of forest protection management before disbursing the above amount. It is estimated that each household will receive about 10 million VND/year in support for forest management and protection activities.

(ARTICLE BY CONTRIBUTOR SY HAO) Phu Yen: Ethnic minorities protect forests in the upper reaches of Ky Lo 1 River — People in Phu Mo, Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen province participate in managing and protecting more than 25,000 hectares of forest.

In addition, the program of allocating production forest land (the state allocates land without collecting land use fees) to ethnic minorities in Phu Mo commune to plant forests, increase livelihoods, and improve their lives has also been implemented very well by Dong Xuan district. Up to now, 46 households in Phu Mo commune have planted acacia on the allocated land (3-6 ha/household) in sub-areas V2.2 and 75, with a total area of 200 ha. In sub-area 74, about 61 households have also planted acacia (1-3 ha/household), with a total area of 107.8 ha.

According to the Dong Xuan District Forest Protection Management Board, the land allocated to the people of Phu Mo commune is mainly clay, mixed rock, poor in nutrients, only suitable for forestry trees to improve the soil. Therefore, the people planting forests for economic development is suitable for natural conditions, while ensuring forest cover in the area, linking the goal of economic development with the protective function of the forest, protecting the ecological environment, and improving people's lives.

In addition, the payment for forest environmental services contributes to increasing income for forest workers. Payment for forest environmental services contributes to solving difficulties in operating costs for state forest owners: revenue from forest environmental services of state forest owners (from 10% of the cost of forest protection contract management and a part of revenue from self-managed areas), has contributed to solving difficulties in operating costs for units in conditions where the allocated budget is still limited. From this source of funding, forest owners are more proactive in organizing forces, guiding, urging and together with the contracted forces to organize forest protection more effectively.

And the forest will be greener...

Source: https://baodantoc.vn/phu-yen-dong-bao-dtts-giu-rung-o-thuong-nguon-song-ky-lo-1730688504810.htm