Lang Son
Dzao women in Dinh Lap district, Lang Son province
CIRUM has been working in Lang Son since 2005, focusing on the poorest communes, and with six different indigenous ethnic minorities, Dzao, Tay, Nung, San Chi, San Diu and Hoa. Our focus has been on land conflict resolution and forest land allocation programmes that reclaim forest land from state forest enterprises and private companies. Partners include Huu Lung and Dinh Lap Districts authorities and the communes of Bac Lang, Dong Thang, Minh Son and Hoa Son.
After land rights have been regained, we continue to work with communities, helping them with forest land use planning and management, respecting traditional indigenous knowledge and customary law. Together with healers and the community we have carried out research on traditional herb medicine practices and community forest protection. We have been involved in setting up community based organisations and connecting them in networks for forest and land rights and management.
At present (2013-4) we are supporting the LandNet sub network, and assisting Dong Thang herbal healers to produce and sell tea. In Bac Lang, Ho Muoi and Dong Thang we are involved in the community based forest protection models. We have assisted communities in setting up nurseries to promote local species and establishing watershed protection areas.