Forest patrols With an area of ​​more than 15,000 hectares, Sao La Nature Reserve in Thua Thien-Hue province has a rich flora and fauna, containing a diverse genetic resource of more than 1,200 species of animals and plants. Up to now, the reserve still retains a large area of ​​tropical evergreen closed forest, which is home to many rare species of birds and animals. From the center of the mountainous district of A Luoi, drive on the Ho Chi Minh route to the south about more than 30 km, when going through the tunnel through A Roang mountain, it is a majestic and unspoiled scene of primeval forests. Sao La Conservation Area, Thua Thien – Hue Province. The reserve covers an area of ​​more than 15,000 hectares of natural forest, stretching across the two districts of Nam Dong and A Luoi, directly connected with Sao La Conservation Area in Quang Nam Province and Xe Sap National Reserve in Laos. Sao La Nature Reserve in Thua Thien – Hue province currently has three patrol teams and five forest protection stations, which are regularly mobile to perform forest protection tasks. Following in the footsteps of a five-man patrol team led by Mr. Pham Viet Nuoc, we walked along the slopes, crossing streams under the canopy of old forests straight into the core area of ​​the reserve. This patrol is expected to take about six days to travel, so the backpacks of team members are full of essential equipment and items such as navigators, camera traps, binoculars. , personal items, medicine, pots and pans, food… Sticking with Sao La Nature Reserve in Thua Thien – Hue province from the very beginning, 11 years ago, Mr. Pham Viet Nuoc, a Ta Oi ethnic, set foot in most of the sub-areas in the reserve. this vast expanse. For Mr. Nuoc, the reserve is like his second home, he has the ability to read the names of each big tree in the forest; even a glimpse of a bird singing, he could tell what kind of bird it was. After finding a convenient location by a small stream, the patrol team assigned each other to set up a tent to rest and cook. Pham Viet Nuoc confided that this patrol job requires not only good health, but also forest skills and above all a love of nature to stick with the job. On average, a patrol team will work 22 days a month in the forest, of which 16 days are camping in sub-areas in the reserve. “The mountainous terrain in the reserve is very dangerous, with many dangers lurking for forest protection teams, especially in the rainy season. There are many cases of brothers and sisters with serious and life-threatening injuries due to sudden broken branches on them, biting by poisonous snakes, or in the process of crossing streams, when suddenly the water from upstream suddenly surged. Pham Viet Nuoc shared. Giant Truong Son at Sao La Nature Reserve, Thua Thien-Hue province. Recently, Sao La Conservation Area in Thua Thien – Hue province has contracted with A Luoi District Medical Center (Thua Thien – Hue) and Tay Giang District Medical Center (Quang Nam) to identify 4 rescue locations. fixed along the Ho Chi Minh route through the nature reserve, so that when an injured person comes out from the forest, ambulances will go straight to these locations to give first aid and take people to the hospital for treatment. timely treatment. On the patrol journey, Mr. Pham Viet Nuoc and members of the team stopped at many areas to observe and detect the traps of wild animals of the people to remove and collect. According to Mr. Nuoc, in the past, the number of animal traps that people put in the forest was as much as a “matrix”. Especially near the New Year holidays, people still have the custom of trapping wild animals to eat, that is also the time when patrol teams have to strengthen their duty force. According to the Management Board of Sao La Nature Reserve, Thua Thien – Hue province, from 2014 to 2017, the situation of trapping wild animals in the reserve was really a problem. In some years, the forest patrol force has dismantled more than 21,000 traps of all kinds. In recent years, thanks to the promotion of propaganda combined with the detection of strict handling of violations, the number of animal traps has decreased significantly. Since the beginning of 2021, patrol teams have driven 11 people out of the forest, dismantled 14 illegally built camps and collected more than 1,740 animal traps. After being dismantled, the animal traps will be returned to the stations for destruction according to regulations. Preserving the “treasure” of the green forest Sao La Nature Reserve in Thua Thien – Hue province is one of the places with the highest biodiversity in the region and in the world. This place owns the remaining natural primeval forest area of ​​the Central Truong Son area and is home to rare and endemic animals such as saola, Truong Son muntjac, large muntjac, striped rabbit and many more. other animals and plants. According to the Management Board of Sao La Conservation Area in Thua Thien – Hue province, recent research results show that the reserve currently has 1,035 species of plants, 42 species of mammals, 139 species of birds, 54 species of fish, 84 species of reptiles, frogs, frogs and 284 species of butterflies. In which, many species are listed in the Red Book of Vietnam and the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). According to Mr. Pham Viet Nuoc, in recent years, during the patrol process, the number of animals has increased significantly such as chamois, wild boar, deer, zebra rabbit, Truong Son large gill and some species of wild animals. growth such as monkeys, douc langurs… This is a great joy for the tireless efforts of those who are directly involved in forest maintenance and biodiversity conservation here. Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoa, an officer of the Forest Management and Protection Department (the Management Board of Sao La Nature Reserve, Thua Thien – Hue province), said that with the support of technology, especially the application of the camera trap system in the forest is being developed. promote efficiency, effectively support the management and scientific research on the development and distribution of animals in the conservation area. In the past time, the camera traps have provided many valuable documentary images to record the presence of animals and the most important goal of these camera traps is to record the saola in the area. conserve. The saola, whose scientific name is Pseudoryx khetinhensis, also known as the “Asian Unicorn”, is one of the rarest mammals in the world. Monkeys at Sao La Nature Reserve, Thua Thien-Hue province. Director of Sao La Conservation Area Management Board in Thua Thien-Hue Province Nguyen Thanh said: The unit has cooperated with many wildlife protection organizations to research and search for traces of saola species in the reserve. such as placing photo traps at locations where mondo grass grows and develops, because this is a “favorite” dish of saola; collect samples of strange animal feces or take samples of species squeezed in the forest for scientists to conduct tests and find clues… According to Director of the Management Board of Sao La Conservation Area in Thua Thien – Hue Province Nguyen Thanh, located in the same habitat area, in 2013, Sao La Conservation Area in Quang Nam Province recorded a saola by photographing a single individual. shock the scientific research and nature conservation circles at home and abroad. Therefore, officers and staff of Sao La Nature Reserve in Thua Thien – Hue province hope to also discover saola in the reserve in the future. In recent years, Sao La Nature Reserve in Thua Thien – Hue province has invested and equipped many modern machines to help patrol teams improve operational efficiency. Currently, forest protection officers only need to use smartphones to record patrol positions, locations with signs of forest encroachment, encountering animal traps, camps, encountering people entering the forest, etc. When there is a phone signal, this information and image will automatically be updated into the system, serving as the basis for the process of analyzing and processing information at the specialized department of the Management Board. Director of Sao La Conservation Area Management Board in Thua Thien – Hue province shared that the protection of primeval forests in the reserve still faces many difficulties and challenges. For example, the cutting of forest trees still occurs sporadically at some point in time, or the animal traps set up by people in the forest, although significantly reduced in number, have not been completely stopped… Therefore, the Maintaining forest protection patrols is important to minimize the negative impacts of humans on the forest’s ecosystem. The patrol team led by Mr. Pham Viet Nuoc as captain after many days of climbing passes, wading streams, “eating shacks, sleeping in the forest” has completed the task. According to Mr. Pham Viet Nuoc, after each trip, there is one more animal trap removed, by chance encountering wild animals, or simply seeing that the forest has not been violated, which is a joy and motivation for the members of the community. Team members overcome difficulties and dangers to stick with their work, contributing to preserving the “treasure” of the green forest for future generations.

Pu Mat National Park (Nghe An) currently has a natural forest area of ​​194,000ha, of which the core area has an area of ​​94,000ha and the buffer zone of 100,000ha. Pu Mat Peak is 1,841m high, covered with white clouds all year round. According to data from researchers, Pu Mat is one of the major biological reserves in Vietnam with more than 2,400 species of plants, 37 of which are in the Vietnam Red Book and 20 species in the World Red Book. . Thousand years old oil plant – Vietnamese heritage tree in the core zone of Pu Mat National Park It is a special-use forest representing the typical tropical and sub-tropical forest ecosystem on earthy mountains; Forest coverage accounts for over 98%, of which primary forest not yet affected is nearly 40%. In which, there are many endangered and rare species of national and international conservation value. In particular, in the 20th century, scientists recorded 4 new species of large mammals for science in Vietnam, all four species were present in this National Park. Specifically, Sao La (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis scientific name), Large Maw (Muntiacus vuquangensis), Truong Son Mangrove (Muntiacus truongsonensis), Striped Rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi). Therefore, Pu Mat National Park plays a very important role in the biodiversity conservation strategy of Vietnam, as well as the world. However, the current forest resources of the National Park have been and are in danger of being degraded by illegal exploitation of forest resources. In particular, the forest fauna is being reduced by hunting and trapping activities of local people. This is considered the most serious threat to the biodiversity resources of Pu Mat National Park. Therefore, for many years, the strengthening of the protection and conservation has always been focused on and tightened by the staff of this national park as well as the authorities at all levels and organizations. The forest is strictly protected According to the Pu Cool National Forest Management Board, which protects wildlife in two special protection areas, two forest protection groups of Pu Mat National Park were established with 12 members. Co Penalty group has 6 members on duty to patrol and protect Khe Bong special protected area. Khe Choang group has 6 members who patrol and protect Khe Choang special protected area. Each member of forest protection groups organizes patrols for 15 days / month, operating from the beginning of 2018 to the present. Rescue pangolins at the Pu Mat National Park Rescue Center After nearly 3 years of operation, the impact of people on the 2 special protected areas has decreased significantly, by 2020 only one impact is left by the people. Maybe they go to get medicinal plants or go hunting animals. This shows that, 2 special protected areas have been well protected, ensuring a high safety habitat for the animals here. In addition, SVW also provides funding for the recruitment garden, contracts a specialized forest protection force and establishes an Anti Poaching team (anti-poaching team) to coordinate with Pu Mat forest rangers to patrol and protect the forest. , removing animal traps, handling violations of forest law. Each anti-poaching team member will coordinate with the National Park Forest Protection patrol and protect the forest at least 15 days / month. After a short time, 85 people participated in forest patrol for 593 days and nearly 6,000km on foot to patrol, handle, expel more than 200 people out of the forest or handle violations of the forest law; destroyed 539 tents; 4,655 animal traps removed; rescue treatment or re-release 18 living animals, the number of dead animals is 93, the number of dead animals is not equal to 23kg; confiscated and handled 11 fish jacks. With a fierce protection work, up to now, logging for commercial purposes has been prevented. Trap setting for wild animals has been reduced compared to the past. In particular, the two special protected areas with the concentrated distribution of animals have been strictly protected, becoming non-hunting zones, ensuring a high safe living environment for animals. In particular, the application of Smart software to patrol the forest for all forest rangers and forest protection forces of the park. The results of patrolling according to the plan, reporting clear forest patrol results, showing comparative information … to serve as the basis for building patrol plans and assessing the effectiveness of forest protection in areas of Pu Mat National Park. In particular, support for effective inspection and supervision of forest patrol and protection. Coordinate forest patrol in the core zone of Pu Mat National Park Mr. Tran Xuan Cuong – Director of Pu Mat National Park – said: “In the past 3 years, in the area of ​​Pu Mat National Park, there has been no situation of logging for commercial purposes; the situation of fishing, which destroys aquatic resources, is basically controlled; Put an end to all hotspots of forest products exploitation and wildlife hunting. The garden management board also does a good job of collaborating in conservation across borders with Laos in biodiversity conservation ”. Also according to Mr. Cuong, recently, Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee has asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to consider and nominate Pu Mat National Park to be ASEAN Heritage Park (AHP). Through consideration, Pu Mat National Park has the potential and conditions to become AHP. On October 20, 2020, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment sent a document to the People’s Committee of Nghe An province to nominate the title of ASEAN Heritage Park for Pu Mat National Park. Accordingly, the Ministry agrees on the policy of building a profile and nominating AHP title for Pu Mat National Park, Nghe An province. In the coming time, the park management board will continue to focus on researching and re-planning functional sub-zones in accordance with reality to protect and develop forest ecosystems, conserve wildlife species, and develop to develop livelihoods for ethnic minorities living in the core and buffer zones. Well implementing regulations on coordination in forest management and protection; enhancing cooperation in biological conservation … In addition, the garden management board will also have a plan to expand the wildlife rescue center, implementing a program of reproduction and conservation of rare and precious animals. Priority for protection in the national conservation program. Located on the eastern slope of Truong Son range, Pu Mat National Park stretches over 3 mountainous districts of Con Cuong, Anh Son and Tuong Duong of Nghe An province. Pu Mat in the Thai language means steep slopes. Pu Mat National Park was established in 1995 and recognized by the United Nations Educational Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2007. According to a survey by the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute in 1992, Pu Mat National Park has 1,297 species of higher plants, 64 species of mammals, 137 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles, 15 species of amphibians.