Spring arrives in Yok Don.

VTV.vn - Amidst the January sunshine, the Yok Don dipterocarp forest sheds its vibrant red leaves, silently accumulating life force, awaiting the day of rebirth.

Spring arrives at Yok Don.

While nature is busy displaying the vibrant colors of spring, in the remote border region of Buon Don ( Dak Lak province), the Yok Don dipterocarp forest quietly sheds its leaves. Amidst the January sun, this proud transformation is not a sign of decay, but a love song written with the fire and resilience of the vast forest, ready for a glorious rebirth.

The Chorus of Colors

Anyone visiting Yok Don during this season expecting a lush green forest will be surprised. But for those who love the Central Highlands, this is when the forest is at its most captivating.

As the dry winds from across the border sweep in, thousands of hectares of dipterocarp forests begin a magnificent transformation. Not dramatic, but dramatic. The foliage of various dipterocarp species—including Dipterocarpus spp., ...

Deciduous forest during the leaf-shedding season.

Standing amidst the rustling dry leaves, photographer Le Quang Khai (Dak Lak Provincial Association of Literature and Arts), who has spent over 10 years searching for the beauty of the dipterocarp forest, shared: “Many people fear the January sun in Yok Don, but for me, that's when the light is most beautiful. The dipterocarp forest during the leaf-shedding season leaves no room for illusion. Every line, angle, and the gnarled texture of the tree trunks are exposed to the sun. It is beautiful in an honest and proud way. Walking through the forest at this time, any artist would have many emotions to inspire their work.”

Beneath the traveler's feet, a thick carpet of dry leaves, up to a hand's width, rustles—a characteristic sound of this parched land. In the stillness of the blazing midday sun, one suddenly realizes that nature is not indifferent at all. The fallen leaves form a "cushion" that retains moisture, protecting the ancient roots and the young shoots still hidden in the dry earth.

The "sleep" of the vast forest

From an ecological perspective, the Yok Don dipterocarp forest is a powerful testament to the ingenuity of nature. Unlike tropical rainforests that always remain green, the dipterocarp forest chooses to "actively sleep" in order to survive the harsh dry season of the sun-drenched and windy Central Highlands.

Y Siêm Hđơk, a guide at Yok Đôn National Park, said: “Don’t be fooled by the gaunt appearance and think the forest is dying. In fact, the trees are compressing all their lifeblood into their cores. We call this ‘sacrifice for conservation.’ If they don’t shed their leaves, the trees won’t be able to withstand this harsh drought. Inside those tree trunks that look like dry firewood, the sap is still flowing silently, waiting for the first thunderstorm of the season to burst forth.”

It is within that "desolate" state that a powerful life force is being nurtured.

The simultaneous shedding of leaves by Dipterocarpaceae trees is a survival strategy. By shedding their leaves, the trees minimize water loss through transpiration, drawing all their lifeblood deep into their gnarled trunks. Their slender trunks, reaching towards the sky, resemble "warriors" holding themselves together.

It is within this "desolate" state that a powerful life force is being nurtured. Just the first drop of water touching the cracked bark will awaken the entire forest, reviving it with astonishing speed. This is the beauty of patience, of the ability to endure and wait for the moment of flourishing.

Touching the soul of the land, the soul of the people.

Spring in Yok Don is not only the breath of the plants and trees, but also the rhythm of life for the local people. For the Ede and M'nong people living along the Serepok River, the dipterocarp forest is the most vibrant living perpetual calendar.

They don't need a calendar to know when spring has arrived. Just by looking at the reddish-brown leaves of the dipterocarpus tree, they know the season for wild honey has come. The young men of the village prepare their baskets and torches to go into the forest to find plump beehives under the tall trees.

For the Ede and M'nong people living along the Serepok River, the dipterocarp forest is the most vibrant living perpetual calendar.

Spring is also the season of "fire culture." Small fires sweeping through the dry leaves, whether by natural law or human control, not only don't destroy but also clean the forest floor, returning fertile ash and dust, stimulating rare wild orchids and forest tree seeds to germinate. It's a miraculous symbiosis between humans and this unique ecosystem.

Ms. Le Thi Minh Van (a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City), visiting Yok Don for the first time in spring, wrote in her travel diary: “Coming to Yok Don, I was truly amazed by the beauty of the ‘sleeping’ trees; they taught me to appreciate moments of silence. Before, I only loved lush greenery, but in the forest, I understood that letting go is sometimes more beautiful than possession. Like this forest, we need to bravely shed the old to welcome a stronger, more vibrant version of ourselves.”

Let go of the old and embrace a new, more powerful version.

Leaving Yok Don as the afternoon sun casts a golden glow on the bare tree trunks, one will not feel sad. For beneath those dry leaves and within those gray tree trunks, a more vibrant spring is silently taking shape, waiting for the day to burst forth and continue the endless love song of the Central Highlands.

A more vibrant spring is quietly taking shape, waiting for the day it bursts forth to continue the endless love song of the Central Highlands.

Source: https://vtv.vn/mua-xuan-ve-yok-don-100260218135112548.htm