QUANG TRI – Chenh Venh village forest, which is voluntarily protected by local people, is the first natural forest in Vietnam to receive a certificate from the International Forest Board.

Since 2017, Chenh Venh village, Huong Phung commune, Huong Hoa district, has been assigned to manage and protect a natural forest of 676 hectares located adjacent to the village, extending to the top of Sa Mu pass, with the west branch of Ho Chi Minh road. pass.

The village established a community forest management board, consisting of 5 people, a monitoring board of 3 people and 7 groups of forest protection, 5 people each. In which, there is a group of 5 women. All members are from Van Kieu ethnic group.

A bunch of young trees growing up after the rain in the primeval forest. The forest still has many precious timber trees such as doi, wader, sand star, non-timber forest products such as bamboo, rattan and monkeys, langurs, pheasants, deer, wild boars, turtles…

According to the regulations, people are only allowed to exploit non-timber forest products such as bamboo and rattan, and timber is not infringed at all.

Mr. Ho Van Nhan, 28 years old, is smelling a thorny weed. Mr. Nhan said that in the forest there are many precious herbs that are taken by local people to treat common ailments. “Toadstool can cure stomach pain. These remedies are passed down from fathers,” Mr. Nhan said.

Some species of trees that people often take home to use are cinnamon, leaves, blood grass… In the forest, there is also a species of tree used as toothpaste, to help clean the mouth and red lips, but today people rarely use it.

Under the canopy of the forest, there are many fern trees. Every occasion near the Lunar New Year, the people of Chenh Venh village go to the forest to pick dong and bring it to the district market to sell.

In addition, the dong tree is up to 2 m high, the stem is straight, hard, dense, and the bark is green, so people exploit the trunk to knit, as daily household items.

Currently, Chenh Venh village is receiving support from the European Union and the Dutch Health Commission (MCNV) to improve its capacity for sustainable forest management and protection. This organization has helped the forest of Chenh Venh village get the FSC sustainable forest certificate. This is the first natural forest in Vietnam to be certified by the International Forest Board.

Mr. Ho Van Chien, Head of the Community Forest Management Board of Chenh Venh village, said that since he was born, the forest has existed and is considered by the villagers as a sacred forest, very precious, and dare not invade.

“During the war, there were elephants and gaurs in the forest. Later, the western branch of the Ho Chi Minh route passed, trade developed, so precious animals gradually migrated to Laos,” said Mr. Chien.

A tree up to 1.5 m in diameter, 20-30 m high.

Each month, Chenh Venh village organizes 3-4 times to patrol the forest, 5 people each trip. From early morning, the groups bring drinking water and tools to patrol. “The number of people depends on the patrol area, where there is a hot spot, suspected of being vandalized, we go often with a larger number of people. When detecting a fallen tree or strange signs, the nest will report it. with local authorities to handle”, Mr. Chien said.

A big tree is lying next to the stream. The community of Chenh Venh village is managing and protecting the forest on a voluntary basis, with absolutely no funding. “Protecting forests to create sources of non-timber products such as bamboo, bamboo shoots and rattan to create livelihoods and increase incomes for people. Forests keep water and ecology for people to work in rice fields, safe in storms.” Mr. Chien said.

MCNV is supporting people to implement a tourism project at Chenh Venh waterfall. Waterfall from Chenh Venh forest. The exploitation of tourism helps people improve their income and sell typical local products.

Chenh Venh village has 20 hectares of rice fields located under the hillsides. Water retention forests help villagers have enough water to grow rice fields for 2 crops per year without building irrigation systems. Thanks to that, people are full all year round.

The FSC sustainable forest certificate is granted to bamboo trees under the canopy of Chenh Veh forest. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Dai, Head of Quang Tri Office of MCNV, said that raw bamboo with an FSC certificate will have a higher selling price than ordinary bamboo.

“We are reaching out to a number of FSC product manufacturers to offer bamboo materials for sale. Forest protection communities are allowed to exploit a certain volume every year to increase their income, helping to encourage forest protection. sustainable,” said Dai.

In addition, this organization also aims to help this forest achieve an ecosystem service certification, so that it can sell carbon credits, or collect money for forest environmental services from tourism businesses. Follow vnexpress