Attached to the forest since childhood, Pờ Mì Nò - a Hà Nhì woman and steadfast Party member - has dedicated her youth and affection to guarding her homeland’s woodlands. For Mì Nò, forest protection represents not only a responsibility, but a way to preserve greenery for the village, protect lives, and bequeath to future generations a sustainably verdant borderland.

Part 1: Dedicating one’s youth to safeguarding greenery of vast wilderness

Born and raised amid mountain forests, Pờ Mì Nò developed a profound love for the lush green canopy that witnessed the childhood and daily lives of countless Hà Nhì generations. Stemming from that devotion, Mì Nò chose the forestry ranger profession, selecting steep forest paths as the place to dedicate the finest years of her youth. To her, every footstep across the vast wilderness represents not merely the fulfillment of duty, but a means to safeguard familiar greenery, protect the village, and ensure the verdant expanse along the frontier endures forever.

Forging a love for the forest from early childhood

Arriving in Sín Thầu, the land where the sun goes down latest on the S-shaped strip of land, the greenery of mountain forests stretches all the way to the border. During this season, sudden forest downpours drench the rugged mountain trails. Following a patrol, Mì Nò returned with her green ranger uniform speckled with raindrops. This petite, gentle Hà Nhì woman carries the modest demeanor typical of village women, yet behind her modest steps lies a persistent journey of forest protection.

A love for the forest took root in Mì Nò during her childhood through trips accompanying her father up the mountains, treading familiar forest paths, and admiring the endless green canopy. The majestic woodlands lived not only in childhood memories, but gradually became an intimate part of the Hà Nhì woman’s soul. As years passed, that pure love deepened, prompting Mì Nò to choose forestry inspection as her vocation, binding her life to her native woodlands.

Pờ Mì Nò recounted that from infancy, Hà Nhì children like herself had the duty of protecting forests etched into their subconscious through lullabies and folk songs. Through sweet melodies, Hà Nhì mothers taught their children to harvest only the crops they planted, never to fell forest trees or precious timber, and to revere the forest as Mother Nature nurturing their very existence. Therefore, loving and guarding the forest is how every child of the Hà Nhì honors their own roots.

From paternal teachings and maternal lullabies, a love for the woodland blossomed within Nò. The forest not only shelters and nurtures generations, but preserves water sources, safeguards livelihoods, and sustains the customs and traditions of the village. Hence, dreaming of one day contributing to forest protection, Pờ Mì Nò steadily nurtured her aspiration through education. Overcoming hardships, Nò applied herself diligently to study, strove forward, and passed the entrance examination to the Faculty of Forestry at Thái Nguyên University of Agriculture and Forestry.

Realizing the dream of a forest guardian

Departing the familiar woodlands of her homeland, her university years helped the Hà Nhì girl accumulate knowledge while progressively reinforcing confidence in her choice. Following days of strenuous study, her dream of becoming a forest ranger materialized, bringing Mì Nò closer to the forests that nurtured her growth.

Pờ Mì Nò opened up, sharing that whether in lecture halls or practical field trips, she consistently strove to learn, amassing knowledge and experience in forestry practice. She always believed that protecting the forest requires first understanding the forest, understanding the people, and comprehending the values the forest provides. Therefore, every lesson and field excursion served as preparation for the day she returned to help protect the vast woodlands.

Following four years of dedicated study, research, and technical accumulation, Pờ Mì Nò graduated in 2018 and returned to her homeland. Bypassing opportunities in urban centers, the Hà Nhì girl brought her acquired knowledge and profound love of mountain forests back to her native land.

On the day of her return, familiar forests remained endlessly green along mountain slopes, and old forest trails still bore the imprints of childhood memories. Only the Hà Nhì girl had grown more mature. Pờ Mì Nò shared that upon returning home, she joined villagers in actively protecting forests, while utilizing the space beneath the forest canopy to cultivate amomum, contributing to restoring and safeguarding the forest ecosystem while generating livelihoods and boosting incomes. Through this, she aimed to help villagers understand that forest protection is not merely an obligation, but can become a sustainable economic development orientation.

Recognizing her accomplishments and contributions to the village, in June 2023, Pờ Mì Nò had the honor of being admitted into the ranks of the Party. In that same year, she commenced work at the former Mường Nhé district Forest Ranger Station and was assigned to the Sín Thầu Forest Ranger Post, Sín Thầu commune. From that point, Pờ Mì Nò embarked upon a fresh journey, moving beyond admiring and cherishing her homeland’s woodlands to donning the ranger uniform, staying attached to the forests day in and day out, and helping preserve the greenery of village hamlets and the westernmost frontier.