Trieu Phong district has more than 15,000 hectares of forest, of which 1,039.23 hectares are natural forests and 13,970.36 hectares are planted forests, mainly in the two communes of Trieu Ai and Trieu Thuong and some areas in coastal sandy communes.

Trieu Phong Forest Protection Department focuses on propaganda about forest protection work - Photo: TV

In recent times, the management, protection, use and development of forests in the district have encountered many difficulties due to increasingly unusual weather conditions. In the dry season, there is widespread heat, while most of the planted forest area has flammable vegetation, and people often exploit forests, burn vegetation to plant new trees and collect forest products, so the risk of forest fires is very high. Some forest owners have not complied well with regulations on forest protection, fire prevention and fighting (PCCCR)...

To overcome this situation, the Steering Committee for Sustainable Forestry Development (SCFD) of Trieu Phong district regularly inspects the protection and forest fire prevention work of forest owners as well as directs the strengthening of coordination between functional forces and local authorities to inspect forest fire prevention work and fight against violations of the Forestry Law.

In 2023, the Steering Committee for Sustainable Forestry Development in Trieu Phong district will develop a plan to mobilize forces and means to participate in forest fire fighting as well as direct state forest owners to develop 5 forest fire prevention and control plans. Direct the District Forest Protection Department to review the area of ​​forest fire fighting by motor vehicles, and at the same time review the works serving forest fire prevention and control such as fire barriers, water supply points, prepare means and tools for forest fire fighting and arrange for additional forest rangers to be deployed at the grassroots level.

On the other hand, direct localities with forests and forest owners to arrange forces on duty in key forest areas at risk of fire during the dry season to promptly update information and handle fire situations. In case of large fires, promptly report and advise the District People's Committee to mobilize forces and means for rescue, proactively organize propaganda to raise people's awareness of fire prevention and control as well as survey and repair propaganda boards, fire warning information systems and maintain tools, equipment and means for protection and fire prevention and control.

The District Center for Culture, Information, and Sports promotes propaganda on forest protection and fire prevention and control, such as fire forecasting information on the district, commune, and village radio systems during peak hot weather periods when fires are forecast at level IV and V. Members of the District Sustainable Forestry Development Steering Committee organize inspections of forested communes to urge good implementation of forest management, protection, use, and development. The People's Committees of forested communes strengthen the commune-level Sustainable Forestry Development Steering Committee and develop 6 options and 1 forest prevention and control plan.

Forest owners including Trieu Hai Forestry Company Limited, Road 9 Forestry Company Limited, Thach Han River Basin Protection Forest Management Board, Nghia An Prison, and the Provincial Military Command organized on-site forces ready to deploy forest fire fighting, especially on days of prolonged peak heat.

With that approach, forest fires have rarely occurred in Trieu Phong district in the past. In 2023, Trieu Phong district had 1 understory fire and 2 forest fires, with a burned area of ​​57.4 hectares, of which 9.34 hectares were forested and 48.06 hectares were grassland.

Along with PCCCR work, wildlife protection, nature conservation and inspection and supervision of forest product processing establishments and wildlife farms are being carried out with attention. In 2023, Trieu Phong Forest Protection Department received 1 freshwater crocodile, a rare and endangered species in group IB, and 1 golden monkey, a rare and endangered species in group IIB. After being cared for, the district Forest Protection Department released the golden monkey into the natural environment.

Along with that, the District Forest Protection Department has increased inspection and supervision of restaurants and food businesses that are not allowed to advertise or trade in illegal wildlife products. Local forest rangers have increased their monitoring of the situation, guided wildlife breeding facilities to promptly register for farm codes with the authorities, and guided breeding facilities to keep records of imports and exports according to regulations.

The District Forest Protection Department has also organized inspections and statistics of forest product processing businesses in the area. Thereby, disseminating and guiding legal regulations on forest protection and forest product management so that businesses can comply with legal regulations.

The district regularly conducts forest monitoring and updating, inspection and supervision of forest use conversion. Accordingly, the district Forest Protection Department applies specialized application software such as the Forest Protection Department's deforestation detection software as well as combines it with satellite image exploitation software to inspect, compare, detect and update forest and forestry land changes in a timely and effective manner.

In 2023, the Forest Protection Department updated the forest development with an area of ​​3,075.63 hectares according to the causes of new planting, replanting after exploitation of 1,517.27 hectares, exploitation of 1,552.04 hectares, and at the same time updated the changes in 3 types of forests according to Decision No. 717 dated April 12, 2023 of the Provincial People's Committee.

In the coming time, the Steering Committee for Sustainable Forestry Development of Trieu Phong district will direct and urge communes and forest owners to effectively implement the management, protection, use, development, and forest fire prevention and control work. Accordingly, the forest protection force will focus on strengthening patrolling and controlling forests on the spot, while coordinating with the police and military forces to promptly detect, prevent, and handle violations of the Forestry Law.

Along with that, direct localities to mobilize people to use forestry varieties with clear origin to improve the efficiency of planted forests, expand the area of ​​FSC-certified forests, convert small timber plantations to large timber as well as develop planted forests through the method of managing organic materials without burning after forest exploitation in the district, towards green development, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the ability to absorb carbon from forests in Quang Tri province in the period of 2024-2028...

To effectively carry out the assigned tasks, the Steering Committee for Sustainable Forestry Development in Trieu Phong district requests the Provincial People's Committee to pay attention to allocating funds to repair, upgrade, and build new protection works, forest fire prevention and fighting, especially forestry roads, as well as providing tools and equipment for forest fire prevention and fighting work...

Tuan Viet