Bio-diversity

Cunninghamia Hagata, which was firstly discovered in Nghe An in 1964, belongs to the family plant Taxodiacea. It is listed in the Plant Red Book (1996) as a critically threatened species which requires immediate protection measures. Cunninghamia Hagata grows in the dense evergreen tropical forest at the average altitude of 1,200m-1, 400m. It has a highly economic and scientific value. However, this species is under the threat of extinction due to deforestation in the area. The community, especially the H`Mong people living in the area has adopted slash and burn cultivation practice for years. The forest has been cleared for agriculture production, especially for opium crop. It is also the tradition of the H`Mong people to use the wood of this species for housing construction materials. The project aims to contribute to conserving this species and rehabilitating the forest ecosystem in the high mountain in the project area. It will be carried out in Tay Son Commune, Ky Son District, Nghe An Province, where several populations of Cunninghamia Hagata grow and exist. A survey on the distribution of this species in the project area and research on biological characteristics of this species will be carried out. Techniques to promote natural forest regeneration in order to conserve this species and to rehabilitate the forest ecosystem in the high mountain will be transferred. It will also test techniques in sowing and planting this species. In addition to raising community awareness and encouraging and supporting the H`Mong people to use other housing construction materials instead of wood from this species, the project will give priority in increasing community income to encourage them to tear up their opium poppies through developing agroforestry model with a suitable crop structure.

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