Since 1980, a calamity of deforestation in Cao Bang Province has been destroying many forests there but 10 hectares of sacred forest in Lung Tung Village, Kim Loan Commune, Ha Lang District still remain untouched. It’s not because illegal loggers were afraid of the local authority but they were rather afraid of being punished for not keeping their own swear to the forest god in the past.
The village regulations on forest protection are very strict. Villagers are not allowed to cut trees in the forest or to allow people from outside to encroach forest to get precious wood. Whoever violates regulations will be punished and expelled from the village. Owing to these strict regulations Lung Tung Village can protect almost all precious trees in the sacred forest, including a thousand years old Nghien tree (Burretiodendron hsienmu) and many valuable animals like monkeys, deers, porcupines, squirrels, etc.
A water pond in the Lung Tung Village sacred forest.
Villagers have built a shrine at an entrance to the village, next to the ancient Nghien tree in order to remind people about the regulations. Early in spring, all villagers would gather there to express their gratitude to the forest God for providing them with water and good crops. They believe that if they break a vow made in the village regulations and let the cursed forest be destroyed then water ponds will become gradually exhausted, crop fields faded and, in turn, they would lose their livelihood.
Thanks to good reputation in preserving its forest since 2004, Lung Tung Village has been chosen as a typical site for implementing a Pilot Program for Community Forest Protection and received financial support to patrol the forest. However, none of the 20 member patrol group rely on allowances and perform their duties well in hot or rainy weather. What’s more is they voluntarily give all patrol allowances to make a fund for various needs of the village.
According to Mr. Hoang Van Hanh, Chief of the Forest Management Unit in Ha Lang District, there are more communes in the district such as Kim Loan, Duc Quang, An Lac, Thang Loi who have been able to preserve sacred forests like those in Lung Tung Village so that it made the implementation of community forest model quite successful. Thanks to the traditional treatment of sacred forests, the local forest wardens are not under such a big burden caused by illegal loggers.
The problem remains with other sacred forests in Cao Bang Province which are strongly encroached, including ancient precious Nghien forests. One can only hope that Cao Bang Province will establish soon local regulations similar to those for sacred forests so that every forest becomes a sacred one that is protected by the local community. This would be the safest and most sustainable forest protection.
News and photo: Hoai Thanh - Manh Ha- Quoc Dat
(Thiennhien Net)