IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2003 put Spathodea Campanulata into the list of alien species which cause serious consequences. Scientists once thought that the exotic plant had not appeared in Vietnam yet. However, in fact, they have been grown in large areas in 9 out of 12 districts of Lam Dong province and the city of Lam Dong.
The plants have got adapted and developed under new living conditions, having increasing in number in the new ecosystems, causing changes in the community structure and threatening native biodiversity.
Five years later, a group of the Environment Faculty of the University for Natural Resources, who carried out a research work on invasive toxic species, found out that African tulip tree is shade tolerant, colorful, and encroaching on abandoned agricultural lands and forests. They are appropriate to live in humid and wet areas. This is actually harmful invasive species in Hawaii, Fiji, Polynesia and Samoa. Seeds are dispersed by wind and germinate very quickly...
“In March 2010, we sent dispatches to relevant ministries and branches, asking not to develop the invasive species sourced from Africa,” said Tran Thanh Binh, Head of the Lam Dong provincial Forest Management Sub-department. “However, the number of African tulip trees has been unceasingly increasing in many districts and cities.”
He said that early this July, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment issued a circular, listing African tulip tree as invasive harmful alien species. According to the circular, the species has not appeared in Vietnam. Meanwhile, in fact, the species has established populations in Lam Dong province.
According to Director of the Bao Loc Urban Project Development, Hoang Van Quang, Bao Loc City is the first locality in Lam Dong which has established African tulip populations, and that he himself grew the first plants on the Dong Nai lakeshore in 1997.
The seeds of the trees were germinated and the trees were grown in some places in the city. After that, the company began producing small trees and trying to make the trees multiply more rapidly and create stronger trees. His company has multiplied the trees and sold hundreds of trees to Da Lat City, 1000 trees to Duc Trong district in Lam Dong, and another 1000 trees to Nha Trang City in Khanh Hoa, at 65,000-100,000 dong per each.
In 2010 and 2011 alone, 5368 trees were grown in nine out of the 12 districts and cities of Lam Dong.
He said that in 2011, the number of African tulip trees grown by the company was 10 times higher than that in previous years, and the number of trees sold to other localities increased sharply, because the trees grow quickly and give beautiful flowers.
He does not think that the growing would do harm to the environment, because the trees only grow on the routes linking to tourism complexes, parks and streets. However, in fact, experts believe that the trees have been grown in the places, where seeds can be easily spread out and create populations, such as the areas along highways, and the roads surrounded by large uncultivated lands.
Binh said that it is necessary to carry out thorough research works about the harmful effects of African tulip trees.
Some international nature conservation have pointed out that Vietnam is one of the countries whose the biodiversity has been most threatened. One of the reasons behind this is the invasion of alien species. Binh has warned that if Vietnam does not take actions right now to prevent the spread-out of the toxic trees, or they would be uncontrollable.
TP