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| Red Pine, one of the precious pine species in Vietnam (Illustrative image) |
Domestic and international biologists have recently discovered two rare pine species at risk of extinction included in the Red List of Vietnam and the World, located in Thài Phìn Tủng commune, Đồng Văn district, Hà Giang province.
During a field survey on the eastern slopes and the peaks of limestone mountains in Hapuda village, Thài Phìn Tủng commune, at altitudes ranging from 1,300 meters to 1,700 meters above sea level, scientists identified several specimens of Chinese Hemlock (Tsuga chinensis Pritz. ex Diels), which stand approximately 12-15 meters tall with a trunk diameter of 0.4-0.5 meters, growing intermixed with Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga sinensis Dode), forming a nearly pure population.
Previously, Douglas Fir was distributed across the limestone mountains of Hà Giang, Cao Bằng, Bắc Kạn, and Lạng Sơn provinces. This area represents the southernmost distribution of the Pseudotsuga genus in Asia.
Meanwhile, Chinese Hemlock has only been identified in a few locations within the limestone mountains of Hà Giang and Cao Bằng provinces, such as the Bát Đại Sơn Nature Reserve (Hà Giang) and Nguyên Bình, Yên Lạc (Cao Bằng).
The survey results indicate that Thài Phìn Tủng commune is home to eight rare plant species, of which seven belong to the pine group. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognizes Vietnam as one of the top 10 “hotspots” globally for the conservation of these pine species.
The project “Conservation and Development of Rare Genetic Resources, Protecting Biodiversity in Thài Phìn Tủng commune, Đồng Văn, Hà Giang” is being implemented by the Global Environment Facility and the Small Grants Programme in Vietnam, aiming to conserve four pine species (Red Pine, Short-leaved Pine, Weeping Cedar, and Wide-banded Brown Fir).
