On February 16, 2024, the seventh day of the first lunar month, the spring breeze blew slowly and the pine waves burst into waves. At about 8 o'clock, 59-year-old Fang Daijin and his 57-year-old wife Chen Guishu put their water bottles on their backs and machetes on their shoulders and climbed into the towering green mountains. Their new day of patrolling and forestry work began.
In 1982, Fang Daijin went to Huaying Mountain to engage in afforestation and forest management work. In March 2002, Fang Daijin was transferred to the position of director and forest ranger of the shuttle slate management and protection station of the state-owned forest farm in Qianfeng District, Guang'an City. In January of the following year, Chen Guishu went to the mountain to become a "non-staff ranger" or "volunteer ranger", and the Suo Shiban Management Station became a "couple management station". Fang Daijin and his wife went hand in hand to carefully protect the trees, flowers, plants, birds and animals on more than 2,000 acres of forest land in their jurisdiction. Today, although the couple's prime years of life have passed away, they have been replaced by the lush greenness of the forest land under the jurisdiction of the management station and the singing and dancing of birds.
After she went up the mountain, he was no longer lonely in his forest protection work
"Put more water in the kettle... During the Spring Festival, people returning home often visit graves and set off fireworks. The number of people visiting the mountains increases, which can easily cause forest fires. We need to extend the patrol time and lengthen the patrol routes." 8:00 on the 16th. Xu, Fang Daijin said to Chen Guishu at the Shuo Slate Management Station. After Chen Guishu filled the kettle with hot water, the couple put on their mountain patrol camouflage uniforms, put the kettle on their backs, and set off with their machetes.
Take the time back to 1982. At the age of 17, Fang Daijin, the "second generation of forest", entered the local forest farm and worked as a forest ranger at Wadian Township, Guixing Town and other management and protection sites deep in Huaying Mountain. In 1987, Fang Daijin married Chen Guishu. Fang Daijin was from Xinqiao Town, Guang'an County (now Xinqiao Street, Guang'an Economic Development Zone), located on the outskirts of Guang'an. They settled their new house and home in Xinqiao Town. Fang Daijin lives in the care station on the mountain, while Chen Guishu lives in the suburbs. The couple spends less time together and often apart. Only when Chen Guishu goes up the mountain to visit relatives can she and her husband get together briefly.
In March 2002, Fang Daijin was transferred to the position of director and forest ranger of the shuttle slate management and protection station of the state-owned forest farm in Qianfeng District, Guang'an City. The Suo Slate Management and Protection Station is located in Guangxing Town, Qianfeng District, adjacent to Qu County, Dazhou City. It is the most remote management and protection station in the state-owned forest farm in Qianfeng District. The management and protection station house is built in a mountain col, and is blocked by the mountains. It cannot get sunlight after 3 p.m.
There are more than 2,000 acres of forest land in the management and protection area of Suo Shiban Management Station. Fang Daijin is called the station manager, but in fact he is the only leader and ranger of the station. Standing alone and patrolling the mountain alone, the mountain road is rugged and the food, clothing, housing and transportation are very inconvenient.
In January 2003, the forest farm recruited temporary personnel to assist in forest protection during key fire prevention periods. Although she only has a monthly salary of a few hundred yuan (the future salary will range from tens to hundreds of yuan), and she is only "temporarily employed" during the critical period of fire prevention, and she is usually dismissed without any income, Chen Guishu did not hesitate to choose to follow her husband Go up the mountain. "The trees on the mountain need him, and his life also needs me, so I will follow him up the mountain to protect the forest. Besides, the child is already fourteen or fifteen years old, so he can be taken care of by his mother-in-law and grandpa," Chen Guishu said.
In this way, Chen Guishu became a "non-staff ranger" at the Shuo Slate Management Station when she was hired. After her dismissal, she continued to stay on the mountain as a "volunteer ranger." Since then, the warm and touching scene of "both husband and wife patrolling the mountain" has been staged in more than 2,000 acres of forest land.
On February 16, Fang Daijin and Chen Guishu’s mountain patrol route was: Guanhu Station – Sanyezhai – Liangfengya – Lannigou – Laoguanyin – Lanjiazhai – Guanhu Station. "This line is more than ten kilometers round trip, and it takes most of a day to complete forest protection, fire prevention, theft prevention, pest and disease monitoring, and safety hazard investigation," said Fang Daijin.
"Watch your steps to prevent slipping!" Fang Daijin always walks in front of his wife on the mountain patrol. There were thorns blocking the road in the forest range. They wielded their machetes to chop away the thorns. When he encountered a difficult place to walk, he would carefully hold his wife's hand and move forward.
On the mountain patrol road, they danced "Husband and wife duo"
Continue moving towards the depths of the forest.
At about 10 o'clock, when the mountain patrol came to the Liangfengya area, Fang Daijin turned to his wife and asked: "Do you remember that year, two villagers were illegally cutting down trees here and we caught them?" "Remember, remember. "At that time, four pine trees were stolen and felled here, which made you very angry." Chen Guishu recalled that at that time, Fang Daijin received a call from the fire fighters, saying that people in the Liangfengya area were illegally felling trees, and after being discovered, they left the trees behind. Escape. Fang Daijin called his wife and hurried after her. The couple rushed to the Shashibao area and saw two people holding saws, ropes and other tools in their hands, running in a panic from the direction of Liangfengya. Fang Daijin and Chen Guishu blocked their way and shouted: "What are you doing in the forest with a saw and a rope? You are not allowed to leave until you explain clearly." Perhaps it was the momentum of the couple that calmed them down, and they repeatedly admitted their mistakes. . Afterwards, they received the punishment they deserved. What makes Fang Daijin and Chen Guishu happy is that since then, no one has cut down the trees illegally.
"In winter and spring, when grass and trees are dry, fire prevention must be the first priority." When they patrolled the mountain to Lannigou, Fang Daijin and Chen Guishu nailed fire prevention signs to trees, and publicized to pedestrians and villagers not to bring fire into the mountains and not to burn paper on graves in dangerous areas. , setting off fireworks and firecrackers, setting off Kongming lanterns, etc.
There is a temple near Lao Guanyin. During the Spring Festival, many people visit and offer incense. At about 11 o'clock, Fang Daijin and Chen Guishu visited the old Guanyin Temple to promote fire prevention, removal of combustibles, and inventory of hidden dangers to pilgrims and tourists.
The mountain patrol continues. Fang Daijin and Chen Guishu walked into Lanjiazhai deep in the dense forest. Fang Daijin recalled that a few years ago, several monkeys came to the forest under his jurisdiction. The villagers chased them to see how strange they were, which scared the monkeys and caused them to run around. He and his wife went up the mountain to persuade the villagers to leave and let the monkeys come and go freely. "We protect forests and also protect wild animals. If someone disturbs or shoots wild animals, we will stop them or call the police."
At about 1 o'clock in the afternoon, Fang Daijin and Chen Guishu returned to the management station. Chen Guishu quickly cooked. The ingredients prepared during the Spring Festival were still there, and it didn’t take long for the couple to have a hot meal.
During the Spring Festival holiday, the management station recruited three temporary staff (including Chen Guishu). They guarded intersections, squatted in temples, patrolled cemeteries, and persuaded villagers... In the afternoon, Fang Daijin and Chen Guishu split up and went to their respective locations. On duty.
As they get older, they get better
Fang Daijin clearly remembers: In the more than 20 years of working at the Suo Slate Management Station, he only went home to Xinqiao for dinner on New Year's Eve - on the 30th of the twelfth lunar month in 2009, the day his father was buried. "The work of forest protection is quite special. My wife and I cannot go back to our home in Xinqiao to celebrate the New Year. My family understands very well. They come to the forest protection station every year and have a family reunion dinner." Fang Daijin told reporters that at noon on the 30th of the twelfth lunar month this year, he The mother, son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons came to the nursing station and the whole family had a family reunion dinner. "After the reunion dinner, I urged them to go down the mountain and go home, because New Year's Eve and Spring Festival are our busiest times."
A "Mountain Patrol Route Map" is posted on the wall of the warehouse of the management station. The route map shows that there are 6 mountain patrol routes in the jurisdiction. "My wife and I patrol the mountains 3-4 times a week, and the route is variable. As a forest ranger, foot strength is essential. For a mountain patrol, we need to walk four to five kilometers for the nearest ones, more than ten kilometers for the far ones, and more Bring dry food." Fang Daijin said.
The youthful years of Fang Daijin and Chen Guishu passed away in the company of trees, flowers, plants, birds and animals. However, under the care of Fang Daijin and his wife, there has never been a forest fire accident in the area under the jurisdiction of Suo Shiban Management Station. The forest gradually blocked the sky and the sun, and the saplings they planted grew into towering trees. The density of wild animals has also gradually increased, and colorful pheasants can often be seen running around in the forest with their families in tow.
"Although we have gotten older, they have gotten better. Such perseverance is worth it!" said Fang Daijin and his wife.
Jiang Xiyue West China Metropolis Daily-cover news reporter Wang Renhong