To protect nearly 38,000ha of forest, especially during the current hot and dry season, many different forces in Văn Yên District, Yên Bái northern mountainous province have come together to put up specific safeguarding measures.
To enhance responsibility and call for community participation, the Văn Yên District Forest Protection Division has coordinated with local authorities to sign contracts with people to protect more than 37,600ha of forest across 21 communes.
Farmers plant more cinnamon trees to improve protection of forests in Yên Bái Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Bùi Tiến Khánh
They sign commitments to prevent, fight fires and protect forests with more than 3,000 households living near forests.
In communes, Văn Yên District established, consolidated and maintained 157 teams focusing on protecting forests, preventing and fighting forest fires.
The teams’ core members are militia and young people.
Along with that, 20 bulletins were created, 30 prohibition signs were installed and more than 3,000 leaflets have been distributed to help local farmers on safe fire use in farming.
The Head of the Khe Gai Village Forest Protection Team in Đông A Commune, Trần Văn Hưng, said: "The team members check the forest every month. If we discover any violations or encroachment on the forest, we will report to local authorities and forest rangers to handle, deter and prevent further violations."
The Chairman of the An Bình Commune People's Committee, Trần Thống Nhất, said that following instructions of the forest rangers and the district authorities, the commune had identified forest areas at risk of fire and proactively assigned forces to build a firebreak system.
The commune arranged forces to be on duty day and night when there is a forecast of forest fire risk of level three or higher.
“We strengthened the steering committee and forest protection teams, and asked households contracted to protect forests. At the same time, we regularly incorporate content on forest fire prevention and fighting and forest protection into village meetings," said Nhất.
To protect the existing forest areas and develop sustainable forests, the Văn Yên District forest rangers have regularly kept close watch on the grassroots’ work and promptly advised local authorities to effectively implement measures to manage the forests and forest products.
The Head of the Văn Yên District Forest Protection Division, Đoàn Giao Lương, said: "We direct local forest rangers to regularly urge villages to patrol the forests, promptly detect violations and strictly handle them based on the Law on Forestry".
With synchronous and effective solutions, from 2023 to date, no forest fires have been recorded in Văn Yên District, helping the district improve forest coverage, quality and promote economic efficiency from forests.
Along with forest management, the district also pays special attention to forest development.
This spring crop alone, the locality has planted more than 2,600ha of forest, mainly cinnamon trees, exceeding the set plan, increasing the forest cover in the district to more than 67.6 per cent.
