The Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment has recognised three ancient do trees aged between around 100 and more than 200 years, along with a cong tree more than 300 years old in Van Hoa Commune, Dak Lak Province, as Vietnamese Heritage Trees.

Nguyen Minh Hoai, chairman of the Van Hoa Commune People's Committee, confirmed on August 26 that the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment was preparing to hold a ceremony on August 30 to announce the decision and present Vietnamese Heritage Tree certificates for one cong, also known locally as a sui tree, and three do trees.

The cong tree is more than 300 years old, with a trunk circumference of 11 metres and a diameter of around 1.2 metres. It remains healthy and continues to be carefully protected and tended by local residents.

Van Hoa is also home to a remarkable population of around 650 do trees aged between 50 and 100 years. Three particularly valuable specimens have now been selected for Vietnamese Heritage Tree status.

They include an approximately 100-year-old tree at Bon Phuong orchard, one more than 200 years old at Bon Cu orchard, and another estimated to be around 210 years old at Ba Muoi orchard.

Nguyen Van Cu, owner of Bon Cu orchard, said he was delighted that his family's tree, which is more than two centuries old, had unexpectedly been recognised as a Vietnamese Heritage Tree.

Explaining the origins of the trees, Cu said his ancestors had preserved them when clearing land for cultivation hundreds of years ago. Rather than cutting them down, generations of villagers kept the trees for shade, harvested their fruit and treated them as one of the distinctive natural products of the mountainous Van Hoa area.

According to Hoai, the heritage recognition of the four ancient trees could open new opportunities for local tourism.

After receiving the certificates, the commune plans to develop tourism initiatives showcasing Van Hoa's landscape, people, culture, cuisine and distinctive local products.

In recent years, Van Hoa has already attracted growing numbers of visitors who come to explore the area and take photographs beside trees covered in fruit, particularly during the season when the do fruit ripens and turns bright red.

Images of Van Hoa's ancient cong and fruit-laden do trees are now attracting increasing attention from travellers and social media users.