Research On Conservation Of Ardisia Silvestris Pitard In Yen Son Village Ba Vi Commune

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MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF FORESTRY

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STUDENT THESIS

RESEARCH ON CONSERVATION OF Ardisia silvestris Pitard

IN YEN SON VILLAGE, BA VI COMMUNE

Major: Natural Resources Management

Code: D850101

Faculty: Forest Resources and Environmental Management

Student: Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh Student ID: 1553090356

Class: K60 Natural Resources Management Course: 2015 - 2019

Advanced Education Program

Developed in collaboration with Colorado State University, USA

Supervisor: Dr. Phung Thi Tuyen

Hanoi, 2019

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I am grateful to teachers of Vietnam National University of Forestry

for establishing me to complete this thesis. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to

officers of my university for providing me with all the necessary facilities. I take this

opportunity to record our sincere thanks to all members of Faculty of Forest Resources

and Environmental Management for their help and encouragement. I am deeply indebted

to my supervisor Dr. Phung Thi Tuyen whose stimulating motivation and valuable ideas

helped me to complete this thesis. I also acknowledge all members of People’s

Committee of Ba Vi Commune and local people living in Yen Son village, Ba Vi

commune for support necessary things and provide me documents during my researching

time in Yen Son village, Ba Vi commune.

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ABSTRACT

Conservation of medicinal plant in general and Ardisia silvestris Pitard in

particular is a critical ecological, cultural and economic issue in Vietnam, as with other

parts of South-east Asia, and the tropics and sub-tropics generally (Tran Van On et al.,

2001). This study presents the status of protecting A. silvestris in Yen Son village, Ba Vi

commune with a variety of contents such as the use value of A. silvestris for Dao ethnic,

experience of Dao ethnic in using A. silvestris, situation in planting, harvesting and

preserving A. silvestris, the role of local people in species conservation, pros and cons in

protecting A. silvestris and solutions are proposed to develop A. silvestris species in Yen

Son village. Interviews were used to collect all qualitative and quantitative plant data.

Semi-structured questionnaires were used to obtain information on the knowledge,

attitude and practices of thirty household. Participatory rural appraisal method was used

to assess the role of local people in species conservation, pros and cons in protecting A.

silvestris. As a result, almost household having a garden plant A. silvestris with several

different purposes. Some households plant A. silvestris to cure stomach while some

others use it for both treat and prevent diseases. Especially, households which have a

person working as a healer plant A. silvestris not only to make medicines but also to

protect this species because A. silvestris is threatened by the number of species when

reaching level EN of the Vietnam Red Book in 2017. Because of the increasing demand

for A. silvestris, the number of this species decreases sharply. Therefore, people started to

plant A. silvestris at their household gardens with many different forms of planting such

as growing trees from seeds, roots and growing trees by asexual breeding method.

Besides, local people play a significant part in protecting A. silvestris. Conservation of

this species, however, is not easy when being affected by several factors such as

devastated vegetation, nomadic farming, overexploitation, the demand for medicinal

plants increased, knowledge of using medicinal herbs is not documented, and income,

household economic conditions. From factors above, positive solutions have been

proposed to solve this problem.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 9

CHAPTER I. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................ 11

1.1. Worldwide research ................................................................................................ 11

1.2. Research in Vietnam ............................................................................................... 11

1.2.1. History of medicinal practitioner in Yen Son village, Ba Vi commune .......... 11

1.2.2. Research in Vietnam ......................................................................................... 13

1.3. The study on A. silvestris ........................................................................................ 16

CHAPTER II. OBJECTIVE, CONTENT, SCOPE AND METHOD ............................... 18

2.1. Objectives ................................................................................................................ 18

2.2. Research contents .................................................................................................... 18

2.3. Scope ....................................................................................................................... 18

2.4. Methods ................................................................................................................... 18

2.4.1. Determination of the use-value and experiences of Dao ethnic about A.

silvestris and assessment of situation in planting, harvesting and preserving A.

silvestris ...................................................................................................................... 18

2.4.2. Analysis of the role of local people in species conservation ............................ 23

2.4.4. Evaluation of pros and cons in protecting A. silvestris and proposing solutions

to develop A. silvestris species in Yen Son village .................................................... 24

CHAPTER III. NATURAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE

RESEARCH AREA .......................................................................................................... 27

3.1. Natural conditions ................................................................................................... 27

3.1.1. Geographic location - Terrain........................................................................... 27

3.1.2. Land .................................................................................................................. 27

3.1.3. Climate and hydrological .................................................................................. 28

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3.1.4. Flora .................................................................................................................. 29

3.1.5. Fauna and insects.............................................................................................. 29

3.2. Social and economic conditions .............................................................................. 30

3.2.1. Population distribution ...................................................................................... 30

3.2.2. Ethnic composition ........................................................................................... 30

3.2.3. Labor distribution ............................................................................................. 30

3.2.4. Land areas ......................................................................................................... 30

3.2.5. Results of agricultural production activities ..................................................... 30

3.2.6. Results of forest development and protection .................................................. 31

3.2.7. Traditional costumes and festivals .................................................................... 31

3.3. General assessment of the potential of the commune ............................................. 31

3.3.1. Advantages ........................................................................................................ 31

3.3.2. Disadvantages ................................................................................................... 31

CHAPTER IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ............................................................ 33

4.1. Use-value and experiences of Dao ethnic about A. silvestris ................................. 33

4.1.1. Use-value of A. silvestris.................................................................................. 33

4.1.2. Experiences in using A. silvestris of Dao ethnic .............................................. 34

4.2. Situation of exploitation, processing and preservation of A. silvestris in Yen Son

village ............................................................................................................................. 36

4.2.1. Situation of exploitation ................................................................................... 36

4.2.2. Situation of processing and preserving ............................................................. 38

4.3. Assessment of experience of planting A. silvestris in Yen Son village .................. 39

4.3.1. The status of planting A. silvestris in household garden .................................. 39

4.3.2. Experience of planting A. silvestris .................................................................. 44

4.3.2.1. Planting A. silvestris with seeds .................................................................... 45

4.3.2.2. Planting A. silvestris by asexual breeding method ........................................ 46

4.3.3. Impacts that affect the current status of planting A. silvestris .......................... 47

4.3.3.1. Lack of breed ................................................................................................. 47

4.3.3.2. Lack of land ................................................................................................... 47

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4.3.3.3. Lack of funds .................................................................................................. 48

4.4. The role of local people in species conservation .................................................... 48

4.5. Pros and cons in protecting A. silvestris and solutions proposed to develop A.

silvestris species in Yen Son village .............................................................................. 49

4.5.1. Advantages ........................................................................................................ 50

4.5.2. Disadvantages ................................................................................................... 51

4.5.3. Solutions ........................................................................................................... 52

CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................. 55

REFERENCES