According to the Management Board of Yen Tu National Forest and Monuments, storm No. 3 (storm Yagi) caused quite heavy damage to the forest on Yen Tu. Many trees hundreds of years old were broken and fell. Among them, the most heartbreaking were 4 ancient Xich Tung trees over 700 years old that were broken and fell by the storm and could not be saved.
Of these 4 “old trees”, 2 are located on the ancient Red Pine Road - the most beautiful pilgrimage road in Yen Tu, with dozens of Red Pine trees planted by our ancestors on both sides of the road more than 700 years ago. This is where the most ancient Red Pine trees are concentrated. Before being damaged by storm No. 3, this pilgrimage road had about 70 ancient Red Pine trees.
The ancient Red Pine Forest is considered a special witness of the sacred Yen Tu mountain, where the Truc Lam Zen sect was founded by the Buddhist Emperor Tran Nhan Tong, who was also the first patriarch.
Over the years, dozens of "old" Xich Tung trees over 700 years old on Yen Tu have passed away one after another due to old age and attacks by pests and weather.
Hundreds of trees have partially rotten trunks and roots, broken tops, leaning trunks, and are severely damaged by pests and diseases...
Since 2016, the Yen Tu National Forest and Monument Management Board has coordinated with relevant agencies and scientists to research treatment regimens.
Accordingly, for trees with hollow trunks, the rotten wood will be scraped off and fumigated with chemicals to kill harmful insects and saprophytic fungi; chemicals will be used to limit the penetration of rainwater into the tree trunk. For trees with rotten roots or rotten trunks that have been attacked by termites, termite killers will be used or insect killers will be used or termite bait traps will be placed around the base to kill termites.
Check and cut off all diseased branches to ensure the safety of visitors and to prevent pests from developing. For trees damaged by beetles, chemical plant protection products such as pesticides, insecticides and treatments will be used for prevention.
Currently, on Yen Tu there are more than 200 Red Pine trees that are more than 700 years old, concentrated in the area of Tung Road (Red Pine Road), Am Duoc, Hoa Yen Pagoda, the area of the road to Thac Vang, Thac Bac; the area of Van Tieu Pagoda, Bao Sai, Hon Ngoc, Thap To...
According to scientists' research, the arrangement of the ancient Red Pine trees shows that the ancient Red Pine forest on Yen Tu was planted by our ancestors, because it has rows, paths and is in special locations. The most obvious is in the Pine road area.
In locations where this tree species appears, there are shrines, towers, pagodas, etc. combined with the distribution height. Notably, no individual of the Red Pine tree has been recorded regenerating under the forest canopy, where the mother individual lives.
