VietNamNet Bridge - The Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE) has recognized 725 perennial fokienia trees in Axan and Tr’hy communes in Tay Giang district of the central province of Quang Nam as heritage trees of Vietnam.

According to provincial forest management authorities, as many as 1,336 fokienia trees are growing in an area of 240 hectares of land. Of which, 1,243 have a diameter of 10 centimeters or above. The largest one has a diameter of 7.52 meters.

All of the trees recognized by the VACNE have a diameter of at least 1.5 meters. The recognition is expected to help protect the rare and valuable trees and make the forest an attractive tourist destination.

Fokienia, which is also native from southeastern China and Laos, is a valuable tree with a specific aroma nod beautiful wood, and is free of termites. It produces high quality timber used for artworks and furniture.

In Vietnam, it grows on limestone or granite terrain above 200 altitude. It was listed as an endangered species of Vietnam and in the Vietnam Red Book.

The perennial fokienia trees in Quang Nam:

The ancient fokienia trees are deep in the jungle of Quang Nam.     Existing for thousand years, the largest tree has a diameter up to 3 m     Local authorities begin developing tourism in this area.     The trees are numbered.     The forest of old fokienia is called the “kingdom of fokienia”.     The trees are 300 to nearly 2,000 years old. As the community of old fokienia is located deeply in the jungle, it was discovered by locals in 2010. This is the largest and most valuable virgin forest in the central region.         The trees are about 30m tall on average and some trees are up to 50m high. Many stumps are odd shapes.         Besides the fokienia forest, two ancient bania trees of 700 years old in A Xan commune were also recognized as heritage trees this time.

Photo: VNE