Since 2010, Cổng Trời village, Sa Lông commune (Mường Chà district), has been assigned to manage and protect 420 hectares of protection forest. With more than 60 households, each family is responsible for guarding about 7 hectares of forest - a considerable responsibility. Notably, the awareness of forest protection among locals here has gradually improved thanks to the determined efforts of local party committees, authorities, and the forest ranger force. Information dissemination plays a key role in this. Authorities regularly organize direct communication sessions to each household and village, helping people understand the importance of forests and relevant legal regulations. Along with strict handling of violations, this has created a strong deterrent effect, forcing locals to comply seriously.

Vàng Trùng Chìa, a resident of Cổng Trời village, shared: “Thanks to effective information dissemination and law enforcement, people of Cổng Trời not only strictly abide by regulations but also actively participate in forest protection, seeing it as a shared responsibility of the entire community.”

Across the province, especially in areas adjacent to special-use forests, the collective effort of locals to protect forests is becoming a widespread movement. The Mường Nhé Nature Reserve spans across the communes of Nậm Kè, Mường Nhé, Chung Chải, Leng Su Sìn, and Sín Thầu, where information dissemination on forest protection is particularly emphasized given the large forest area and limited management personnel.

Diệp Văn Chính, Director of the Mường Nhé Nature Reserve Management Board, said: “To help villagers understand legal regulations, it is not enough to just distribute documents or read rules dryly. We must explain in ways that are easy to understand and relatable to their daily lives. Besides direct communication, we use projectors, banners, posters, regulations boards, and visual images to convey information.”

Furthermore, the Nature Reserve Management Board cooperates closely with village leaders and respected community figures, who serve as bridges to bring legal knowledge closer to the people. Giàng A Tông from Nậm San 2 village, Mường Nhé commune, said: “Reserve officials often visit villages to grasp the situation and villagers’ wishes. Once they understand the people, villagers listen to whatever they say. Besides the efforts of forest rangers and authorities, the role of respected elders in the community is also crucial. These individuals regularly promote and explain regulations to villagers, remind and encourage everyone to abide by village customs and agreements regarding forest protection. Thanks to their exemplary behavior and leading by example, many families in the village have changed their mindset and actively participate in protecting forests and nature.”

While information dissemination is one side of the issue, to raise the awareness of forest management and protection, authorities have been resolutely implementing strict handling of violations of the Forestry Law. According to statistics from the Provincial Forest Protection Department, in the first quarter of 2025, the province detected 204 violations of forestry laws. Among them, 195 cases involved illegal logging, 5 cases violated wildlife protection regulations, 1 case of illegal storage of forest products, and 2 cases of violations related to forest product documentation. A total of 138 cases have been processed, including 135 administrative penalties and 3 criminal prosecutions. From these violations, more than 16 cubic meters of various types of confiscated timber were seized, and over VND 623 million was collected in fines.

These figures not only reflect the determination to thoroughly handle violations but also serve as a warning to the people that forest protection cannot be neglected. Local authorities, forest rangers, and specialized units have clearly identified the community’s role in forest protection, gradually turning villagers into “extended arms” of the authorities.

Alongside legal and communication efforts, an indispensable factor is the spirit of self-management within communities. In many villages, forest protection agreements have been integrated into village customs. People not only voluntarily comply but also monitor each other. This approach has brought practical and sustainable results because it originates from the internal needs and awareness of the people themselves.

It can be said that the change in forest protection awareness among Điện Biên people today is the result of a persistent process involving the joint efforts of the government, forest rangers, communities, and individuals. When forests are regarded as common assets, everyone works together to preserve them. From self-management, participating in firefighting, monitoring logging activities, to strictly complying with the timing of slash-and-burn cultivation, all contribute significantly to protecting the green mountains and forests of Điện Biên.