Dinh Thanh Giang
Research Centre for Forest Ecology and Environment
Limestone mountain areas makes up nearly 5.4% of the total forestry land area of Vietnam. Of this, the area with tree cover is 570.842 ha (56.4% respectively) and the area without tree cover is 44.783 ha (43.6% respectively). The area of secondary forest on limestone mountains in Ninh Binh province and the former Ha Tay province (now merged with Ha Noi city) is about 264.400 ha with a low coverage and an ability to rehabilitate in comparison with other forest types. Recently, plantations with native tree species has only been implemented on the mountain tops whereas the foot of the mountains are often used for agricultural purposes but the economic efficiency is very low.
Research on soil in limestone semi-wetland areas in Ninh Binh province and the former Ha Tay province shows that: Soil pH can vary from 6.83 to 7.22; soil organic matter content can vary from 6.7% to 8.4%; and physical clay particles can vary from 30.69% to 51.75%. After 30 months of Melalecuca leucadendra planting, soil pH drops from 7.22 to 5.98; organic matter content declines from 6.7% to 4.95%; available N content increases from 0.13% to 12.18%; and available K content rises from 7.23% to 104,6%.
The research results also show that: Survival rate of Melalecuca leucadendra plantations over 4 years is 80.4% to 87.5% while those of Melaleuca cajuputi plantations only reach a rate of 54.6% to 62.4%. There are no differences between the growth rate of plantations in classes of 10 cm, 20 cm and 30 cm. Other indicators (like diameter or height) of plantations using NPK are generally higher than those of plantations without using NPK (about 20-30%).
The research results will provide a scientific basis for plantation, increasing forest coverage, and creating ecological landscape beauty for limestone semi-wetland areas.
Latest news
- Project: Study on integrated management of insect pests and diseases on Docynia indica in northern Vietnam
- Project: Study on integrated pest management of major leaf insect pests and stem borer beetles in Acacia hybrid, A. mangium and A. auriculiformis in Vietnam
- Project: Research and develop an integrated management program for control of cinnamon pests in some main cinnamon growing areas (Northern mountainous region and Quang Nam province)
- Project: Pilot plantation and completion of planting techniques of technologically advanced germplasm of Acacia auriculiformis (AA42, AA53, AA56, AA92, AA95) for sawlog in the southeast and south central.
- Project "Research on selection of varieties and intensive afforestation techniques of Prunus arborea (Blume) Kalkman for providing lager timber in the Northeast and Northwest regions, Vietnam"
Oldest news
- Research and determine the suitable planting requirements for Acacia mangium with the purposeof supplying big-sized timber in the North Central region of Vietnam
- Solution for planting protective forest shelterbelts in the sandy land area along the coast of Vietnam
- The results of research on seedling propagation of Garcinia fagraeoides and Cinnamomum balansae species by seeds and cuttings
- Betula alnoides Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don, a promising tree species for large scale planting in tropical and sub-tropical areas of Vietnam
- Research results on the development of RHIZOBIUM technology for hybrid acacia and acacia mangium in nursery and planation