The lives of forest rangers are disrupted and miserable
In the past few months, many workers working in forest management and protection at forestry companies and protective forest management boards in Dak Nong province have been owed wages for 1 to 2 months.
Mr. Truong Truong Giang - Director of Nam Cat Tien Protective Forest Management Board (Dak Nong province) said: "The unit is facing many financial difficulties. Currently, there are 38 workers on the task of forest management and protection who are owed a month's salary".
According to Mr. Giang, Nam Cat Tien Protective Forest Management Board is a 100% financialally autonomous unit, with revenue mainly coming from forest environmental service payments. However, since the beginning of the year, the unit has only received an advance of VND 980 million from this source.
The above amount is only enough to pay two months' salary to employees, including taxes, fees and social insurance. In the remaining months, we have to borrow money from outside to have money to pay salaries and benefits for our brothers.
"If not paid in time, the risk of workers quitting their jobs in large numbers is very high, greatly affecting forest management and protection," said Mr. Giang.
According to Mr. Giang, the unit has sent a document to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development requesting direction of the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund to promptly advance additional funds to solve immediate difficulties.
At Nam Cat Tien Protective Forest Management Board, many young workers are still trying to stick to the forest, attached to the local forestry sector.
A forest protection employee at Nam Cat Tien Protective Forest Management Board shared that he is currently in charge of managing and protecting nearly 10 hectares of forest. The work is hard, mainly in sacred forests, toxic water, no electricity, roads, schools... but for more than a month now, he has not received any salary.
"The young couple are having to bear the increasing cost of living. If the unpaid wages continue, it will be difficult for me and many others to stay in the profession" - a forest protection employee at the Nam Cat Tien Protective Forest Management Board shared more.
Similarly, another forest protection management employee in Dak Nong province was also extremely frustrated after many months without a salary.
"My wife's income is unstable, all the burden is on my shoulders. With no other fields or income, the greatest joy is the day I receive my salary. Working in the forestry industry has been hard, and I am really frustrated with the long-term unpaid wages. If this situation continues, I will consider writing a resignation letter" - this forest protection management employee in Dak Nong said sadly.
Salary debt occurs in many units
Financial difficulties not only occur at Nam Cat Tien Protective Forest Management Board but also in many other forestry companies in Dak Nong province. These are all units that mainly operate forest protection management thanks to forest environmental service payment sources.
Forestry companies and forest management boards in Dak Nong believe that every year, the Dak Nong Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund often advances periodic funds quarterly so that units have a source of operation. However, by the end of May 2025, the units had only received the advance payment of the first quarter.
Regarding this issue, Mr. Bui Duc Luan - Chairman of Dak N'tao Forestry One Member Co., Ltd. (Dak Song district, Dak Nong province) confirmed: "Almost half a year has passed, but the company has only received more than 1 billion VND in advance from the Forest Environmental Services Payment Fund. This amount is not enough to maintain operations. We have to rely on the public order contract signed with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to maintain the apparatus".
"Every year, the Fund has a document notifying the detailed allocation of the quarterly financial advance payment. However, this year the unit only received word of mouth notices, there is no document stating the expenses" - Mr. Luan also added.
