Centuries-old banyan in central Vietnamese province recognized as national heritage tree
A banyan in the central Vietnamese province of Thua Thien-Hue has been recognized as a national heritage tree for better protection.
The over-200-year-old ‘Da Bac’ banyan in Phu Loc District was given the acknowledgement by the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE).
The recognition will lead to better care for the precious tree, protecting it from alarming leaf drying, uprooting, dying, and illegal felling.
The foliage of the 25-meter-high banyan, located near National Highway 1A, measures 35 meters wide, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
Its main and lateral roots cover six granite rocks, reaching a circumference of 27 meters in total.
The banyan is Thua Thien-Hue’s third heritage tree, along with two centuries-old golden apple trees in Hue City and Phong Dien District.
Local authorities are preparing necessary procedures to hold an official recognition ceremony in the near future.
The VACNE launched Vietnam Heritage Trees in 2011, which requires wild trees to be at least 200 years old and connected with local historical and cultural characteristics to be recognized.
As of 2014, there had been nearly 600 trees across the country certified as national heritage trees.