Recognition of Heritage Trees for 2 groups of precious trees in Hoang Lien National Park

On November 5, in Sa Pa town, the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Hoang Lien National Park held a ceremony to announce two heritage trees in the National Park, which are the rough-branch rhododendron and the spruce.

Rough-branched rhododendron and spruce newly recognized as Heritage Trees

According to the survey and investigation results of Vietnamese scientists, the area around the 3,143m high Fansipan peak located on the majestic Hoang Lien range and in Hoang Lien National Park (Sa Pa) has a population of rough-branched rhododendron trees, with 56 individuals, trees from 11-15m high, about 250 years old, an area of ​​about 1,000m2, at an altitude of 2,700m above sea level.

Here, there are also 36 species of rhododendrons growing naturally, most of which produce beautiful flowers in red, pink, yellow, white, purple...

This place is known as the "Azalea Kingdom of Vietnam" because at an altitude of 2,000-3,000m above sea level there are hundreds of years old azalea trees with large trunks that bloom in late spring and early summer every year.

This is a particularly rare gene source of rhododendron species growing naturally in Vietnam that is being strictly protected by Hoang Lien National Park (Sa Pa), and researched for breeding to preserve some endemic flower species.

Also here, there is a type of spruce growing at an altitude of 2,700m above sea level, with 26 individuals, 18-20m high, 50-80cm in diameter, about 300 years old, distributed in the core area of ​​the National Park with an area of ​​about 1,000m2.

This tree is listed in the Vietnam Red Book and is being recommended by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Indochina Program for conservation and propagation because it is facing a high risk of extinction.

Hoang Lien National Park, recognized as an ASEAN Heritage Park in 2006, is one of Vietnam's important special-use forests, located at an altitude of 1,000 to 3,000m above sea level, northwest of the Hoang Lien mountain range, including Fansipan peak, the highest in Indochina (3,143m).

The total core area of ​​the Park is 28,509 hectares; of which the strictly protected zone accounts for 11,875 hectares, the ecological restoration zone accounts for 17,900 hectares; the buffer zone of the Park has a total area of ​​38,724 hectares.

Hoang Lien National Park has 2,024 species of plants belonging to 200 families; of which 66 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, 32 rare species, 11 endangered species such as green cypress, ironwood, bamboo pine, red pine...

The number of endemic plant species accounts for 25% of endemic plant species in Vietnam, making Hoang Lien National Park possess the most precious and rare forest tree gene treasure among Vietnam's national parks.

The recognition of two groups of rhododendron and spruce trees at Hoang Lien National Park as Vietnam Heritage Trees will enrich and attract more tourists.

According to Chinhphu.vn