132 year-old Bodhi tree recognised as heritage tree

132-year-old Bodhi tree

An 132-year-old Bodhi tree in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, Vietnam was certificated as a heritage tree at a ceremony held on June 1.

Located in Yang Lanh village, the nine-trunk tree (Ficus Religiosa L) belongs to the Moraceae, the mulberry family. It is 29 metres in height and 2.7 metres in diameter while its canopy covers nearly 30 square metres.

According to many village patriarchs, the tree was brought to the locality from Pakse capital city of Champasak province in southern Laos.

At the ceremony, Y-Bham Enuoi, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee said that the heritage tree recognition for the Bodhi tree brings honour to both Yang Lanh village and the province.

Earlier, the tree was honoured as the oldest tree in the Central Highlands by the Asian Record Organisation (ARO) and Viet Nam Book of Records (Vietking) in March, 2014.

In 2011, the Viet Nam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE) launched a programme to conserve Viet Nam Heritage Trees, aiming to select and honour the country’s heritage trees in a bid to conserve their gene sources, while raising public awareness of protecting the environment.

It also contributes to promoting the diversification and abundance of Viet Nam’s flora as well as developing scientific research in the field.

To win the honour, the trees must be at least 200 years old in the case of wild trees, and at least 100 years for those planted. Moreover, the trees should be connected with the historical and cultural characteristics of the area where they grow.

Those which do not meet the aforesaid criteria yet have special values in science, history or culture, will also earn recognition.

The number of recognised Heritage Trees is currently around 970.