“Outstanding trees” are simply trees that have characteristics that are superior to other trees of the same species in a population in terms of the criteria required for each breeding objective. For members of the group searching for “outstanding trees”, just seeing the treetops rising up in the middle of the deep, old forest is enough to kindle their hopes. After many trips through the forest and wading through streams, the group was only able to find 6 “outstanding trees” of mahogany reeds among the 43,000 hectares of forest in the Dakrong Nature Reserve.

Dr. Vu Duc Binh at the mahogany nursery of the North Central Forestry Science Center - Photo: SH

Branching out, going through the forest to find reeds

Having just returned from a trip to the villages of the Van Kieu and Pa Ko ethnic groups in the buffer zone of Dakrong Nature Reserve to mobilize and promote people to participate in forest protection, but when mentioning the trips to the forest to find "outstanding trees", Mr. Cao Van Nhiem, an employee of the Communications and Services Department of the Dakrong Nature Reserve Management Board, became excited. He said that searching for "outstanding trees" in the old forest has many interesting stories that few people have the opportunity to experience. There are many species of trees in the evergreen forest of Dakrong Nature Reserve that can become "outstanding trees".

Not long ago, Mr. Nhiem and the "dominant tree" search team, including forest rangers, staff of the Dakrong Nature Reserve Management Board and scientists from the North Central Forestry Science Center, had a trip to "rumble" the forest to search for gu lau in sub-areas 821, 825 A and 849 (under the administrative boundaries of Trieu Nguyen commune, Ba Long, Dakrong district) for 2 days and nights.

Mr. Nhiem recalled that to prepare for the forest trip lasting several days, the first thing the search team had to do was collect information about the reed mahogany tree from forest protection teams as well as people in the buffer zone communes of Dakrong Nature Reserve.

Once information is available about the presence of a mahogany tree that could be a candidate “dominant tree”, the search team will make a specific plan for the route and forest area where the team will conduct the search.

Before the day of departure, the group had to prepare food, provisions, tents, hammocks, maps, GPS, compasses... all neatly packed in their backpacks. Starting from 4-5am, when the forests of Dakrong Nature Reserve were still quiet, devoid of the sounds of animals and birds, the group began to clear branches to get through the forest.

Just keep walking under the dense canopy of the old forest or following the direction of the stream to find reeds until around noon, then set up camp to cook rice. Eat, rest until afternoon, then the group continues the journey.

Each trip through the forest to find “superior trees” usually lasts about 2-3 days and nights. “There are many trips that last several days in the deep forest but fail to find any trees, which is a common occurrence. But there are also trips that find dozens of mahogany trees that promise to be “superior trees”.

Screening, selection for breeding and conservation

After searching, scientists from the North Central Forestry Science Center conducted a rigorous screening and selection process. During that trip, dozens of mahogany trees were found, but only 6 “outstanding” mahogany trees were selected in sub-areas 821, 825 A and 849.

In addition to the reed mahogany, there are many other precious timber species in the Dakrong Nature Reserve that can become “dominant trees” for propagation and conservation in the near future. Although the trips to find “dominant trees” and specimens are quite arduous and difficult, perhaps the love for the mountains, forests, and wild animals has seeped into our blood and flesh, so once we find them, all our fatigue disappears. And every time we set foot in the forest, we can feel its wild beauty and love the forest even more,” Nhiem told me.

The "dominant tree" Gù lau was found in sub-areas 821, 825 A and 849 - Photo: PROVIDED BY NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL FOLK SCIENCE CENTER

Deputy Director of the North Central Forestry Science Center, Dr. Vu Duc Binh, said: With the goal of exploiting and sustainably developing valuable plant genetic resources of high economic and conservation value, contributing to the development of the forest economy in the central coastal provinces, the center's scientists have been approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology for the project "Research on exploitation and development of genetic resources of Sindora tonkinensis A. Chev. Ex K. & SS Larsen in some central coastal provinces".

The project implementation period is from 2023 to 2025. To carry out the project, the North Central Forestry Science Center has searched for Gụ lau in 5 Central provinces including: Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien - Hue, Quang Nam. Gụ lau (also known as Gụ lau, Gụ sương, Gụ Dầu, Gụ Bắc) is a rare large tree in Vietnam. Gụ lau is 25 - 30 m high; the trunk diameter can be over 1 m and is round.

As a result, through the scoring method based on growth criteria, trunk straightness, branch smallness and tree health, the North Central Forestry Science Center selected 78 mahogany trees from 134 "outstanding trees" selected. Of these, Ha Tinh province had 12 trees, Quang Binh had 25 trees; Quang Tri had 15 trees, Thua Thien - Hue had 10 trees and Quang Nam had 16 trees.

The selected “superior” reed trees in 5 provinces all grew and developed well with a relatively high total quality score for the tree trunk, ranging from 13 to 15 points/tree. The selected reed trees have had their fruits and seeds harvested for propagation to build a collection garden combined with testing varieties by the end of 2024, contributing to the exploitation and development of the genetic resources of rare plant species in the Central region.

In Quang Tri province alone, the North Central Forestry Science Center has selected mahogany lau at Ru Linh (Vinh Linh district) and Dakrong Nature Reserve. At Ru Linh, 19 mahogany lau trees were selected; Dakrong Nature Reserve selected 12 trees. After processing and analyzing the data, the center selected 15 "outstanding" mahogany lau trees (9 trees at Ru Linh; 6 trees at Dakrong Nature Reserve). The mahogany lau trees selected in Quang Tri province all have straight, round trunks without twists, small branches, grow well, are free of pests and diseases, and have flowered and fruited...

Based on the initial results, the project will continue to be implemented until the end of December 2025. In particular, it will focus on analyzing genetic diversity; building 2 hectares of collection gardens combined with testing varieties in Quang Tri and Quang Nam provinces (scale of 1 hectare/province); building 10 hectares of research on intensive large-wood afforestation techniques for the genetic resources of mahogany lau in Quang Tri and Quang Nam provinces (average of 5 hectares/province).

“The selection of 78 “dominant” mahogany trees for good management and protection is a source of high-quality seeds for seed collection and propagation to serve the work of planting large timber forests; contributing to the exploitation and development of rare native tree genetic resources for the central coastal provinces,” added Dr. Vu Duc Binh.

Sy Hoang