Ha Van Tinh, a Thai ethnic minority man living in Chien Cong village, Muong Lat township, is a pioneer in the local afforestation movement to prevent natural disasters. (Photo: VNA) Thanh Hoa (VNS/VNA) - Young people from the border district of MuongLat in Thanh Hoa province have been planting protective forests to limitthe increasing risk of landslides.
Theproject has both brought economic benefits to growers and contributedto increasing forest coverage on barren hills.
Thevolunteers have so far planted 200ha of forest, and many households havebenefited with incomes of 80 million VND (3,400 USD) -200 million VND (8,620 USD) peryear.
Ha Van Diep, a Thai ethnic minority man living in Lat village, Tam Chung commune, was born into a poor family. After leaving high school, he had to workas a labourer just to get by.
In2016, the Muong Lat district Youth Union told him about an economicdevelopment plan for the forest, and he decided to sign up.
Hestarted off by borrowing 40 million VND from the Bank for Social Policies in the district and from friends to import different varieties ofplants and trees. He also turned unused land into a forestfor breeding pigs, chickens and cows which earns him tens of millionsof dong per year.
Hesaid he realised that if the trees kept falling, the forest would disappear -and that natural disasters, like floods and drought, could become worse.
“Floods,especially flash floods, happen frequently in this area,” he said.“Afforestation on the bare hills is contributing to regulating watersources and limiting soil erosion and flash floods.”
Hiswork is carefully planned. He plants different trees in layers sothe high trees create shade for the fruit trees.
Hisforest is growing day by day with a current area of about 8 hectares. Henow has five cows, 20 pigs, 15 goats and numerous chickens.
Hisfamily's income has reached 200 million VND per year.
Besideshis business, Diep is also an active member of the local Youth Union.Together with local youths, he lends a hand to help familiesupgrade their houses before storms hit the region.
Healso shows young people how to start their own businessesand alleviate poverty.
Ha Van Tinh, another Thai ethnic minority man living in Chien Cong village, MuongLat township, was also a pioneer in the local afforestation movement.
Borninto a poor family living on the banks of the Ma River, Tinh spent hischildhood in poor conditions and constantly hungry.
In2018, realising that afforestation contributed to mitigating climate changeand combating flash floods and landslides, Tinh decided to plant largetrees for economic development and natural disaster prevention.
Hespent the money he borrowed from the district Bank for Social Policies to buy seeds and seedlings of trees such as xoan and lat.
Hisplan to cultivate large trees combined with breeding cows and pigs hasbeen developing day by day, bringing him a high and stable income of170 million VND per year.
Healso teaches young people about science and protecting the forests.
Duringthe COVID-19 pandemic, he has encouraged people living in border areas to wearmasks, wash their hands and disinfect their homes to prevent the spread of thepandemic.
Secretaryof the district's Youth Union Lau Van Phia said since 2017, ThanhHoa's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development had beendonating seedlings and organising technical training courses.
Thelocal Youth Union plans to continue its support for its members and youngpeople to develop economic afforestation, especially among the H'Mong andKho Mu ethnic groups./.
Theproject has both brought economic benefits to growers and contributedto increasing forest coverage on barren hills.
Thevolunteers have so far planted 200ha of forest, and many households havebenefited with incomes of 80 million VND (3,400 USD) -200 million VND (8,620 USD) peryear.
Ha Van Diep, a Thai ethnic minority man living in Lat village, Tam Chung commune, was born into a poor family. After leaving high school, he had to workas a labourer just to get by.
In2016, the Muong Lat district Youth Union told him about an economicdevelopment plan for the forest, and he decided to sign up.
Hestarted off by borrowing 40 million VND from the Bank for Social Policies in the district and from friends to import different varieties ofplants and trees. He also turned unused land into a forestfor breeding pigs, chickens and cows which earns him tens of millionsof dong per year.
Hesaid he realised that if the trees kept falling, the forest would disappear -and that natural disasters, like floods and drought, could become worse.
“Floods,especially flash floods, happen frequently in this area,” he said.“Afforestation on the bare hills is contributing to regulating watersources and limiting soil erosion and flash floods.”
Hiswork is carefully planned. He plants different trees in layers sothe high trees create shade for the fruit trees.
Hisforest is growing day by day with a current area of about 8 hectares. Henow has five cows, 20 pigs, 15 goats and numerous chickens.
Hisfamily's income has reached 200 million VND per year.
Besideshis business, Diep is also an active member of the local Youth Union.Together with local youths, he lends a hand to help familiesupgrade their houses before storms hit the region.
Healso shows young people how to start their own businessesand alleviate poverty.
Ha Van Tinh, another Thai ethnic minority man living in Chien Cong village, MuongLat township, was also a pioneer in the local afforestation movement.
Borninto a poor family living on the banks of the Ma River, Tinh spent hischildhood in poor conditions and constantly hungry.
In2018, realising that afforestation contributed to mitigating climate changeand combating flash floods and landslides, Tinh decided to plant largetrees for economic development and natural disaster prevention.
Hespent the money he borrowed from the district Bank for Social Policies to buy seeds and seedlings of trees such as xoan and lat.
Hisplan to cultivate large trees combined with breeding cows and pigs hasbeen developing day by day, bringing him a high and stable income of170 million VND per year.
Healso teaches young people about science and protecting the forests.
Duringthe COVID-19 pandemic, he has encouraged people living in border areas to wearmasks, wash their hands and disinfect their homes to prevent the spread of thepandemic.
Secretaryof the district's Youth Union Lau Van Phia said since 2017, ThanhHoa's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development had beendonating seedlings and organising technical training courses.
Thelocal Youth Union plans to continue its support for its members and youngpeople to develop economic afforestation, especially among the H'Mong andKho Mu ethnic groups./.
VNA
