Tuần Giáo currently has more than 46,000 hectares of forested land, with over 45,000 hectares of natural forest. The rugged mountainous terrain and challenging transportation routes make forest management a demanding task. To overcome these obstacles, the local forest protection force has been actively applying modern technologies in their operations. This includes the use of flycams (aerial drones), forest status mapping integrated into smartphones and tablets, and software tools to monitor forest changes.

Nguyễn Thị Hà Thu, Head of the Tuần Giáo district Forest Protection Unit, shared: “Applying technology in forest management and fire prevention has yielded positive results. We’re currently using software like MapInfo and QRIS, which allow rangers to identify deforestation hotspots and monitor forest dynamics effectively. These digital tools also help local rangers and residents detect illegal activities early and organize patrols to assess and address violations.”

Smart devices, equipped with camera functions, are used to document patrol findings, such as locations of illegal logging, rare tree species, or high fire-risk zones. “Digital technology has improved both the efficiency and accuracy of our forest management efforts,” she affirmed.

Among those closely tied to the forest is Quàng Văn Tiện, a forest patrol volunteer from Hỏm Hốc village in Mường Mùn commune. Intimately familiar with every trail and grove, Tiện emphasized the value of technology in supporting patrol efforts: “Even though I know the forest paths well, I still rely on smart devices to record data during patrols. This allows forest rangers to track our activities and understand the forest’s current status, especially areas at high risk of fires.”

Mường Mùn commune alone manages over 2,500 hectares of forest across a complex terrain. For local forest rangers, software that tracks forest change using maps is essential. Nguyễn Văn Hiển, a forest ranger based in Mường Mùn, recalled how difficult and time-consuming it once was to collect and process forest data. “Now, satellite imagery and software integrated into our phones and computers help us and village patrol teams easily grasp the state of the forest. It speeds up reporting and makes data collection far more efficient,” he noted.

Thanks to digital transformation, forest and forestry land in Tuần Giáo district have been digitized down to individual plots. Changes are continuously updated, while rangers now use mobile mapping software instead of paper maps for field patrols, making it faster and more precise to locate forest plots and record data.

The application of smart technologies such as GPS devices, smartphones, and computers has proven highly effective in forest protection. In cases of fire, illegal logging, or encroachment, rangers can quickly pinpoint exact coordinates for timely intervention. Extracted GPS reports and smartphone applications also reveal patrol results and gaps in coverage, enabling the Forest Protection Unit to develop more effective forest management strategies.