Green treasure

Dong Dang Village boasting mountains, hills and fields is home to the Tay ethnic minority. Right at the edge of the village is a 13ha primeval nghien forest. According to the elderly living in the village, it is a sacred forest, worshiping three gods - Duoi, Voi, and Bo Ba Mo. The villagers believe that the forest gods bless them with good health and abundant crops and protect them against natural disasters and epidemics.

Such heritage trees are historically and culturally significant to the places where they are found. These trees have a profound ecological legacy, which not only invokes an emotional response, but whose genetic material is important to maintain native species populations.

Duong Dinh Hang, former head of Dong Dang Village, said the village is home to 139 households with 629 people. Hang said he does not know the exact age of the forest, adding that the villagers are proud of the forest and strangers are not allowed entry into the forest.

Hang added the forest has 2,019 nghien trees with a diameter of 20cm or more, growing on rocky hilltops at an altitude of about 400m. Nghien timber is highly valued for its toughness, durability and immunity to termites. If nghien timber is used to build houses and manufacture household goods, its durability is almost eternal, Hang said, adding that nghien timber is considered a green treasure.

Village convention to protect the forest

The village has strict regulations on forest protection. Villagers need permission from the forest protection council to enter the forest. The village convention stipulates that anyone going to the forest to collect wood and firewood will not receive support from the villagers for their families’ weddings and funerals.

All nghien trees are currently numbered. The village has also established teams to patrol the forest daily and count the number of nghien trees every two or three days. In addition, a quick response force, including village officials, youth union and militia members, is ready to respond to forest fire, erosion and illegal logging.

Nguyen Cao Cuong, official of the Lang Son Forest Protection Department, said he worked at the Bac Son Forest Protection Division and guided the villagers to form a forest protection map. Because it is designated as a community forest, the villagers receive annual funding for forest protection, Cuong said.

Quynh Nga