Trang chủAccording to information from the Agriculture and Environment Newspaper, a cluster of ancient Fansipan fir trees has been discovered by the Bat Xat Nature Reserve Management Board in sub-area 120, in Muong Hum commune, Lao Cai province. This area was formerly part of the old Bat Xat district, but has now been merged during the administrative reorganization of communes and the consolidation of Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces.
Fansipan fir fruit and leaves. Photo: Tuan Ngoc. Agriculture and Environment Newspaper
Fansipan fir is an endemic tree species found only in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, previously only recorded in Hoang Lien National Park. In 1996, this species was included in the Vietnam Red Book and in 2014 was recognized as a Vietnamese Heritage Tree. The discovery of another large spruce population in Bat Xat is of particular importance for biodiversity conservation, preserving rare genetic resources, and expanding the species’ natural distribution range. It also provides a crucial basis for scientific research, environmental education, and the sustainable development of forest resources in the Northwest highlands.
According to Mr. Ngo Kien Trung, Head of the Bat Xat Nature Reserve Management Board, the population is located deep within the old-growth forest, at an altitude of approximately 2,800 meters above sea level. The forest is estimated to cover an area of about 100 hectares with a dense spruce population – including many ancient trees hundreds of years old, reaching diameters of up to 1 meter and heights of 20 to 40 meters. Notably, natural regeneration of this species is also occurring, with the appearance of many young trees in the area.
Currently, the Bat Xat Nature Reserve Management Board is actively demarcating and monitoring the area, while coordinating with specialized agencies to assess the current status, propose long-term conservation solutions, and prevent the risk of human activities impacting the pristine forest ecosystem.