From this year’s tourist season, visitors to Co To Island will have chance to not only enjoy blue sea, white sand and golden sunlight but also take a walk in a cedar park right in the heart of the district.
Co To cedar trees grow naturally. The trees are often seen at Big Co To Island, Thanh Lan Island and Tran Island in Thanh Lan Commune. They are divided into 3 species, namely big leaf, medium leaf, and small leaf. As growing in coastal areas, the leaves are thicker and darker green than other kinds of cedar trees. Co To cedar is classified as a favored and precious tree. They are often planted at parks, temples, pagodas, and cultural buildings.
During his visit to Quang Ninh on the occasion of recent Tet Holiday, Secretary of the Party Central Committee (PCC) and Head of the PCC Organisation Commission Pham Minh Chinh suggested the construction of a park which consist of cedar trees and native plants at Ho Chi Minh Memorial, with the aim of creating a highlight for the landscape and a new tourism product while preserving the value of local cedar wood. To realize his proposal, on Jan 22, Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee issued Document No. UBND-XD1 which requires Co To District’s People’s Committee to make plan for building cedar and coastal sheoak on Co To Island.
During Tree Planting Festival on the 6th day of Lunar New Year, 60 Co To cedar trees were donated by local people and planted at Ho Chi Minh Memorial. To date, the district’s authority has received 148 cedar trees from 11 individuals and organizations.
On Feb 20th, during a meeting on building Co To Cedar Park organized by Co To District People’s Committee, Quang Ninh Agrico Company introduced a master project for 5.4 ha park in which 1.6 ha for the first phase and 3.8 ha for the 2nd phase. At the meeting, CoTo District’s leader agreed to name the park “Co To Cedar Park” with the aim of preserving the local precious trees. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed prior to April this year.
Translated by Quynh Trang
