Conservation of threatened endemic Magnolia species in Vietnam

Conservation of threatened endemic Magnolia species in Lam Dong and Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam

Partner: Dalat University, Vietnam
Years: 2024-2027

In Vietnam, the forest coverage is quickly disappearing, which seriously threatens the diversity of plants in the region, including Magnolia species. On the other hand, there are few conservation projects focused on the Magnolia genus at the country level. Therefore, this project is a new and needed conservation initiative for threatened Magnolia species in Vietnam.

Magnolia Bidoupensis

In Vietnam, the forest coverage is quickly shrinking under the pressure of the midst of rapid economic development. The four target tree species are assessed as threatened on the IUCN Red List: Magnolia nana (EN), M. bidoupensis (EN), M. catteinensis (EN) and M. tiepii (CR). Despite this, efforts towards conserving the endangered flora in general, and particularly the threatened tree species within the Magnolia genus are still considerably inadequate at the country level. Therefore, there is a need for additional conservation efforts for Magnolia species in Vietnam.
The goals of the project are:
– Investigating and updating information on the threatened Magnolia species targeted such as population size, distribution and trend, habitat, and threat category.
– Gathering seeds and vegetative materials to propagate the target species to support both in situ and ex situ conservation objectives (with a target of 300 individuals per species).
– Vigilant monitoring and dedicated nurturing of the seedlings to ensure their growth and development.
– Local community members involvement in these efforts, offering opportunities to enhance income, refine skills, and cultivate a heightened awareness of nature conservation.
This project aligns with the objectives of the Global Conservation Consortium for Magnolia and will contribute to this large, international network by coordinating a strategically informed living collection of threatened Magnolia species.