VietNamNet Bridge – The nghien (Burretiodendron hsienmu) special-use forest in the Tat Ke – Ban Bung sanctuary in Tuyen Quang province has been “bleeding,” because illegal lumberjacks cut trees for precious woods.

Na Hang forest in Tuyen Quang province

Son, a local resident, accepted to lead the reporters, who said they wanted to see with their eyes the way of carrying smuggled wood from Na Hang to the lowland, to the Tat Ke – Ban Bung nghien forest.

“I will lead you to the “general headquarter of illegal lumberjacks,” he said. “This was the place where illegal lumberjacks chopped down trees, split wood, had meals and then carried wood away from the forest with no respect of the laws.”

On the “hot spot,” which they reached after one hour of walking, hundreds of nghien tree roots were seen lying on the ground, while the tree trunks were carried away by illegal lumberjacks. It seemed that many trees were just cut down some days ago, because resin was still leaking, while branches and leaves were still green.

“The nghien forest is bleeding,” Son said.

Son said that illegal lumberjacks nowadays, who have been chased harshly, have become more cautious than previously. They use engine saws to split wood and keep vigilant to escape from the police and forest rangers.

Engine saws with the length of one meter are the tool every illegal lumberjack brings with himself when going to the forest. All kinds of trees, no matter how big they are, would be chopped down and then split into planks regular in shape.

Son said that illegal lumberjacks mostly “attack” the forest areas in the communes of Nang Kha, Khau Tinh, Da Vinh and Son Phu. Local residents have to let them “lord it over people.” Some of them once reported the deforestation to the local authorities, and they immediately received “warning gestures” from the illegal lumberjacks.

Forest rangers stay powerless

Nang Kha commune is another “hot spot” of the Na Hang district. Illegal lumberjacks there cut down trees and they carry wood out of the forest in front of the forest rangers.

With just 23 workers, the Na Hang district forest ranger unit has to cover an area of 49,000 hectares of the forest. Meanwhile, only eight officers are in charge of protecting the forests in Nang Kha commune.

The officers have to work in very dangerous conditions, because illegal lumberjacks would open fire if someone prevents them.

Hoang Ngoc Duong, Head of the Phoong Ma commune’s forest ranger unit, confirmed that Nang Kha is really a “hot spot”, where the fighting between forest rangers and illegal lumberjacks is always fierce.

“We launched a lot of campaigns of chasing illegal lumberjacks. They always threatened to fire. We many times seized exhibits, but they them attacked us and carried the exhibits away. We could not do anything more, because we were at a disadvantage,” Duong said.

Quang Van Tue, Head of the Na Hang Forest Ranger Unit, confirmed that the illegal lumberjacks here are very cruel, who would fire at forest rangers. “We don’t have enough people to protect the forest with precious wood. Meanwhile, many officers have been threatened and attacked by illegal lumberjacks,” he said. Especially, some of them caused injuries to forest rangers, but they have not been heavily punished.

Nowadays, forest rangers have been equipped with guns, but they never dare to use the guns, because they fear they may commit the offense of “killing people” one day.

Dan Viet