The newly opened tourist road from Bac Kan ward to Ba Be commune, passing through Dong Phuc commune, has significantly shortened travel time to the Shan Tuyet tea gardens high in the clouds. Before the road was built, most of the ancient tea gardens were located on isolated mountain slopes, far from populated areas. Now, in just over 30 minutes, travelers can see and touch the moss-covered white tea bushes right along the roadside.
These days, the people of Phieng Phung village are still overjoyed that the cluster of 12 ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees in the commune, with Phieng Phung alone having 7 trees, has been recognized as Vietnamese Heritage Trees by the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Nature and Environment (VACNE). According to Mr. Ly Van Tinh, from Phieng Phung village (who owns 5 of the Vietnamese Heritage Trees this time): “These ancient tea trees have been planted by my family for a long time, passed down through many generations. The tea trees not only bring a considerable income but are also a family tradition, closely linked to our national identity.”
From the main road, a walk of just over five minutes will take visitors to the cluster of Shan Tuyet tea trees, a Vietnamese Heritage site. On the high mountain slopes, even during the cold winter days with heavy fog and biting winds, the tea trees still produce thick, lush green leaves. The high humidity and harsh conditions here create a "paradise" for the Shan Tuyet tea trees to thrive. The harsh weather and the trees' resilience have resulted in plump Shan Tuyet tea buds that, even after roasting, are covered in a layer of white downy hairs resembling snow. According to the elders in the village, this is likely the reason why this tea variety is named Shan Tuyet tea.
With this recognition, the Shan Tuyet tea plants in Dong Phuc have become one of the "Five Great Famous Teas" of Thai Nguyen, along with tea plants from Tan Cuong, La Bang, Trai Cai, and Khe Coc. What's special is that these tea plants are not just ordinary forest trees, but also a part of history, standing tall against the elements, sprouting and spreading their shade. The tea plants with their moss-covered trunks and wide canopies symbolize the resilience and perseverance of the people in the challenging highlands of Dong Phuc.
Hoang Mui Chan, Secretary of the Party Branch of Phieng Phung village, said: “The Shan Tuyet tea trees have been rooted in Phieng Phung for hundreds of years. The tea trees don't require much care; just weeding around the base is enough for them to grow and yield a harvest. Now that they've been recognized as a Vietnamese Heritage Tree, the villagers cherish them even more and have the opportunity to develop tourism , especially with the large, beautiful tourist road running through the village. The village Party branch is also developing a resolution to lead and guide the planting, care, and protection of the ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees in the village.”
According to an investigation by the Northern Mountainous Region Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Science and Technology, there are currently 740 ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees in Dong Phuc commune, located in the villages of Na Pai, Na Hong, Na Bay, Ban Khieu, Ban Moi, Ban Chang, and Phieng Phung. Of these, Phieng Phung has the highest density with over 400 trees. The tea trees average over 5 meters in height, with trunk diameters of nearly 20 cm. Many trees have beautiful shapes and wide canopies, creating a magnificent and unique landscape on the mountain slopes. Age determination shows that the tea trees have an average age of about 97 years, with many over 100 years old.
According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Binh, Deputy Director of the Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Science and Technology in the Northern mountainous region, Vice President of the Vietnam Tea Association, and General Secretary of the Vietnam Tea Science and Technology Association, the ancient Shan Tuyet tea population in Dong Phuc is a particularly rare and valuable indigenous genetic resource that has existed for hundreds of years, growing naturally in the unique climate and soil conditions of the high mountains of the Northeast. This is an extremely valuable genetic resource for conservation and breeding of high-quality tea varieties.
The recognition of Shan Tuyet tea trees as Vietnamese Heritage Trees affirms the ecological, landscape, and heritage value of the tea variety in Dong Phuc, creating a legal basis for conservation, care, development, and promotion of this heritage. Chairman of the Dong Phuc Commune People's Committee, Trieu Quang Hung, shared that from these ancient tea trees, the commune now has a total area of over 316 hectares of Shan Tuyet tea trees currently in production. The tea trees not only provide livelihoods and income but also represent the memories of our ancestors and are a valuable asset to the community.
The value and potential of Dong Phuc Shan Tuyet tea have attracted many cooperatives and businesses to participate in linkages and processing. Through these linkages, Dong Phuc has developed products from Shan Tuyet tea buds, including black tea, white tea, and Pu-erh tea. The Hong Ha Cooperative has expanded production and processing and built a systematic brand. Their products on the market include traditional hook-shaped tea and two new types of tea: black tea and white tea, with prices ranging from 500,000 to several million VND per kilogram.
The cooperative annually purchases approximately 15 tons of fresh tea buds from local farmers, producing 2 tons of dried tea. Ngoc Thang Agricultural Development and Medicinal Herb Processing Company Limited implements a project linking production with consumption of Shan Tuyet tea on an area of 15 hectares, purchasing 8 tons of fresh tea buds per year from 17 participating households, producing 1.5 tons of dried tea.
Besides preserving ancient tea trees, Dong Phuc has implemented a project applying science and technology to organize the production and consumption of Shan Tuyet tea products. The project has established a production model covering 10 hectares of raw material area meeting VietGAP standards and 20 hectares following organic farming practices, resulting in a yield increase of 194% to over 243%, and improved raw material quality. The efficiency of raw material production increased by over 270% for the VietGAP model and over 214% for the organic model.
To preserve the tea gardens in the clouds, Dong Phuc commune will implement a sustainable scientific conservation plan for the ancient Shan Tuyet tea tree population in the coming time, ensuring the maintenance and extension of their lifespan. The commune will also develop concentrated organic raw material areas; support cooperatives and people in investing in the deep processing of various tea varieties, such as black tea, white tea, and specialty green tea.
“In the coming time, the commune will develop an eco-tourism and experiential tourism model associated with the tea heritage; combining community tourism, local cuisine, and ethnic culture to create a unique identity for Dong Phuc. At the same time, we will build an ecosystem of products and services around the Vietnamese Heritage tea tree. Dong Phuc strives to become a distinctive Shan Tuyet tea destination of Thai Nguyen and the Viet Bac region by 2030,” Comrade Trieu Quang Hung emphasized.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/vuon-che-tren-may-post934657.html
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