Bio-diversity

Parashorea chinensis Wang Hsie belongs to the plant family of Dipterocarpaceae, which is a typical plant family of tropical forest in South East Asia. It is listed in the Plant Red Book (1996) as a threatened species which requires immediate protection measures. Parashorea chinensis is distributed in dense evergreen tropical forest with some other species, such as Aglaia gigantea, Dracontomelum duperreanum, Toona surenni. Parashorea chinensis trees generally occupy the highest storey of natural forest. Due to wars and over-exploitation of forest resources, Dipterocarp forests were reduced considerably in both area and quality. According to statistical data, the area of Dipterocarp forests in the southeastern region of Viet Nam in 1959 and in 1992 was 1,146,275ha and 183,081ha respectively. Current major threats to this species include its scattered distribution. Very small number of individuals and of mother trees remains in the natural forests, which need to be strictly protected. For long-term protection of this species, Parashorea chinensis Wang Hsie should be introduced into large-scale forest plantation programmes. The project`Developing a community model to rehabilitate, conserve and develop Dipterocarp forests and Parashorea chinensis Wang Hsie in Thanh Son District, Phu Tho Province` will be carried out in three communes in Thanh Son District, Phu Tho Province, one of the northern mountainous provinces where the Dipterocarp forests and Parashorea chinensis Wang Hsie used to be the major type of forest ecosystem. It aims to develop a model of insitu conservation of this species through appropriate sivilculture techniques of promoting natural forest regeneration. Seed collection, sowing and planting trials of Parashorea chinensis Wang Hsie will be tested. One of the main objectives of the project is to develop mixed forests of Parashorea chinensis Wang Hsie and other forestry species of high economic value so that the ethnic community can increase their income from their forestry activities, contributing to poverty alleviation in the area.

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