Phu Quoc National Park gains 2 more plant clusters and 14 heritage trees

On May 29, in Xom Moi Bai Thom quarter (Phu Quoc Special Zone, An Giang province), Phu Quoc National Park held a ceremony to announce the decision and present certificates recognizing two plant clusters and 14 individual trees as “Viet Nam Heritage Trees” under the park’s management.

According to the recognition decision, the two plant clusters recognized as Viet Nam Heritage Trees include 35 Dipterocarpus dyeri trees and 30 red teruntum trees. The Dipterocarpus dyeri cluster represents the large dipterocarp forest ecosystem, while the red teruntum cluster represents the mangrove forest ecosystem.

As for the 14 individual trees recognized as Viet Nam Heritage Trees, the list includes two bo trees, two ca chac trees (Shorea obtusa), two dau mit trees (Dipterocarpus costatus), one goi tree (Aphanamixis polystachya), two huynh trees (Tarrietia javanica), one kim giao tree (Nageia fleuryi), one thong long ga tree (Dacrycarpus imbricatus), one golden oak tree (Hopea odorata), and two ven trees (Anisoptera cochinchinensis). All are ancient, naturally grown trees hundreds of years old and possess exceptional biological, environmental, historical, and cultural value.

“The recognition of more heritage tree clusters and individual trees is a source of pride for An Giang province, Phu Quoc Special Zone, and the forest management unit. This also places greater responsibility on forest protection and biodiversity conservation efforts,” said Nguyen Van Tiep, Director of Phu Quoc National Park.

According to the Director of Phu Quoc National Park, on March 28, 2025, Phu Quoc National Park had previously received recognition for six individual trees from six species as Viet Nam Heritage Trees. With this second round of recognition, the total number of Viet Nam Heritage Trees in Phu Quoc National Park now stands at 20 individual trees and two plant clusters.

Immediately after the ceremony, delegates visited the Dipterocarpus dyeri area to unveil the Viet Nam Heritage Tree cluster stone marker.

Dipterocarpus dyeri is a large timber tree species with straight cylindrical trunks that can grow 30 - 40 meters tall. Local residents commonly call it the “dau rai” tree, which has long been associated with island communities through the extraction of resin used for coating and building boats.

Within the newly recognized cluster, the largest Dipterocarpus dyeri tree has a trunk diameter of approximately 2.3 meters and a circumference of more than 7.2 meters. It is around 40 meters high with an estimated age of 585 years. The cluster currently consists of 35 trees with average ages ranging from 380 to 585 years.

Dang Minh Lap, Director of the Ecotourism and Wildlife Rescue Center under Phu Quoc National Park, said that after receiving Viet Nam Heritage Tree recognition, the unit will continue implementing solutions to manage, conserve, and promote the value of the heritage tree clusters.

“We will strengthen monitoring of tree growth, promote public awareness campaigns, and incorporate heritage trees into tourist attractions within the ecotourism routes of Phu Quoc National Park,” Director Lap said.

According to Director Minh Lap, heritage trees have now been geolocated and mapped to support remote management and protection. The management unit is also carrying out propagation and seedling programs to conserve rare genetic resources.

Assessing the significance of Viet Nam Heritage Tree recognition, Dr. Tran Ngoc Hai, Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Heritage Tree Council, said the activity plays an important role in conserving genetic resources, protecting biodiversity, and promoting sustainable ecotourism development. “These heritage trees not only hold biological value but also preserve cultural and historical values, contributing to environmental awareness and forest protection education for the community,” he said.

In the near future, heritage trees will continue receiving priority protection while also being reasonably utilized to support green tourism and heritage-oriented tourism associated with sustainable development at Phu Quoc National Park.