Indigenous trees growing well under the canopy of pine trees
Aspiration and challenges
Ever since he was an officer at the Tien Phong Forestry Company, Mr. Tong Phuoc Binh (currently Head of the Technical Department - Tien Phong Forestry one number state Limited Company) has been desiring to turn the pine hills into tropical rainforests. Mr. Binh's idea was proposed to the Board of Directors for consideration, but the company at that time did not have the financial capability to execute such plan.
The dream of a tropical rainforest has always been with Mr. Binh for over tens of years. Silently, by himself, he conducted researches, finding genetic resources and suitable plants, waiting for opportunities to develop his idea. While struggling to find ways to fulfill his aspiration, the idea of turning pine hills into the tropical rainforests “reaches” provincial leaders’ concerns.
Seemingly, Mr. Binh's idea and aspiration have touched the enthusiasm and goals of the provincial leaders in the process of building a green, clean and beautiful Hue city.
Almost immediately, Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong, Vice chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee asked Tien Phong Forestry Company to implement the project on planting tropical rainforest. “For days I cried, forgot to eat nor sleep as my enthusiasm and desire were propelled.”
It seemed like everything went smoothly, but it was completely the opposite when a series of unforeseen problems became a challenge. The quality of the soil at the planting site was no longer that of natural forest (the moisture, soil quality, canopy, microclimate, etc…) and the soil was severely malnourished.
The native trees are intercropped under the canopy of pine forest can grow slowly without proper care. The species can either be symbiotic or eliminate one another. Whether the trees would adapt to the site’s conditions or not remains to be seen...
The planting area of the tropical rainforest has a convenient transportation system, being relatively close to residential areas, so it is easily affected by economic and urban activities. The number of tree species chosen for the project is very large, but very few from some of the same species. Moreover, many of these species are yet to be able to grow in nurseries.
Although the province has succeeded in building a botanical garden, the development of the tropical rainforest at this time is a new issue, as many tree species have not been properly studied for ecological characteristics.
One forest, multiple goals
Tropical rainforest is an important part of the construction planning of the Central Coast Nature Museum, 10 kilometers to the southwest of Hue. Around the area of the tropical rainforest, there are various historical sites such as Chin Ham (Nine Bunkers), Princess Huyen Tran Temple, Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hue ... in An Tay Ward (Hue City) and Thuy Bang Commune (Huong Thuy town).
To date, Tien Phong Forestry Company has planted 67.5 hectares of tropical forest with more than 48 typical native species of the Central Coast region. They are growing and developing well and are expected to become a miniature natural forest in the heart of Hue City in the future.
“There are many rare plant genetic resources of the tropical rainforest system converging, contributing to the promotion of the province's ecotourism as well as a site to research, study and raise awareness of community to protect our natural resources and living environment,” Mr. Tong Phuoc Binh said.
Indigenous forests, natural forests formed in the heart of the city will be convenient for students and local community ... to know many rare and precious natural forest trees to conserve without having to travel deep into the normal forest. Tropical rainforest is also an opportunity to develop ecotourism and resort around indigenous forests, butterfly gardens, zoos, flower gardens, forestry parks, meditation forests ... in combination with special historical sites of Hue.
The tropical rainforest is also a "laboratory", a genetic storage for rare plant species, assisting the forest conservation and propagation process at the lowest cost.
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According to Mr. Binh, the tropical rainforest also plays an important role in protecting the ecological environment of Hue city. The successful development of the tropical rainforest could contribute to the relatively intact preservation of the common advantages of natural forests in the Central Coast region. Not only preserving the natural forest ecosystem, the tropical rainforest of the Central Coast Nature Museum also effectively preserves the endemic and rare tree species of the region. Tropical rainforest after being formed will contribute to reducing natural disasters, responding to climate change for residents in Southwest of Hue city.
According to the director of Tien Phong Forestry one number state Limited Company, Mr. Ton That Ai Tin, the area of the tropical rainforest up to now is 67.5 ha, planted from the years 2016-2018. Particularly in 2015, 1.3 ha of bamboo was planted around Chau Chu lake to create a scenery for the tropical rainforest.
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Story and photos: Hoang Trieu