Admiring the "special" heritage tree cluster in a school in Ha Tinh

(Baohatinh.vn) - In the middle of the yard of Son Loc Primary School (Xuan Loc commune, Ha Tinh province), four tall ancient Kơ-nia trees, providing shade all year round, still stand tall as silent witnesses of time.

In the campus of Son Loc Primary School, there are currently 4 ancient trees identified as Kơ-nia - Lay Cay (Irvingia malayana). This is an endemic tree species of the Central Highlands, with almost no recorded natural distribution in the Central region. All 4 trees are growing healthily. Local people do not know when the trees appeared, only that they have been present for many generations.

There are no historical documents specifically recording the process of planting or transplanting this tree species to the locality. The highlight is that these 4 ancient trees grow in 4 corners of the school campus, so teachers and local people often compare them to "4 elephant legs" guarding the whole school. In the photo: A pair of Kơ-nia trees in front of the school gate.

On August 24, 2012, the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment officially recognized the cluster of 4 Kơ-nia trees at Son Loc Primary School as Vietnam Heritage Trees. The ceremony to honor and receive the Heritage Tree Certificate took place solemnly on November 20 as a special gift of gratitude to the teachers here. In the photo: Many generations of students of Son Loc Primary School learned about and admired the growth process of the tree.





War once passed through this land with the devastation of bombs. Schools were damaged many times, houses collapsed, fields and gardens were desolate, but the four Kơ-nia trees are still green, continue to grow branches, bloom flowers, and bear fruit. On the tree trunks, the "scars" are silent, traces of harsh years. They are living witnesses to a time gone by. In the photo: The tree trunk next to the garage shows signs of hollowness but is still green.

The 4 Kơ-nia trees in the campus of Son Loc Primary School are not only biological entities with heritage value but also play a role as part of the school's spatial structure for many generations. The tree at the school gate (next to the parking garage, with a certificate plaque) has a wide canopy, over 20m high, covering most of the school yard, especially during sunny noon hours.

In the hot summer climate of the Central region, these trees become an outdoor activity area, a resting place and a study space for students. The dense, layered canopy structure helps reduce heat radiation. According to school staff, under the canopy is where many extracurricular educational activities such as reading, storytelling, folk game competitions, etc. have taken place for decades.

On the opposite side of the school yard, a Kơ-nia tree has been pruned to ensure safety during the rainy season. According to school officials, the pruning was done after some large branches were found to be rotten.

Tree inspection and care are regularly coordinated between school management and local authorities. The goal is to maintain the health of the trees while ensuring the safety of students during their activities under the trees.

Behind the school grounds, a Kơ-nia tree grows isolated on a mound of earth about 1 meter higher than the ground level (the tree is in the left corner, viewed from the entrance gate). According to local people, this location was originally part of a natural hill, which was later leveled to expand the ground for school construction. During the leveling process, the mound where the tree grew was kept intact, forming the highest point in the campus.

Despite the changing terrain, this Kơ-nia tree still grows steadily, with a wide canopy and upright trunk, showing no signs of leaning or weakening over time.

The last Kơ-nia tree in the right corner (seen from the entrance) is the smallest tree in the group of 4 heritage trees. Observation with the naked eye shows that the base of the tree has a large cavity in the lower trunk, forming a deep hole from the ground up about 1m. "The area at the base of the tree used to be where children used to gather in the winter to play and light fires to keep warm, leading to damage to the bark and trunk over a long period of time. Currently, the tree is still growing steadily" , said Mr. Nguyen Huu Linh - school security guard (a local resident).

Kơ-nia fruits that fell under the tree in the yard of Son Loc Primary School were collected. This tree bears fruit every year but the germination rate in the wild is very low.

Although recognized as a Vietnam Heritage Tree since 2012, the cluster of Kơ-nia trees in the campus of Son Loc Primary School has not yet benefited from any specialized funding for long-term conservation. “The school is very aware of preserving the heritage, but due to limited conditions, it mainly monitors and takes care of it manually. We hope to receive professional and financial support to better preserve this precious heritage,” said Mr. Vo Van Dung, Principal of Son Loc Primary School.

Video : Some pictures of 4 ancient Kơ-nia trees.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/ngam-cum-cay-di-san-dac-biet-trong-truong-hoc-o-ha-tinh-post296051.html