Phu An Bamboo Village

Conservatory puts miracle plant to work - Phu An Bamboo Village

A scientist in southern Binh Duong Province is out to prove that bamboo’s many gifts, from wood products to soil improvement, make it worth protecting and studying. Vu Thu Huong visits her ecomuseum.
During the war, Phu An Village in Binh Duong Province was part of the ‘Iron Triangle’.

The other two sides were Cu Chi District and Tay Ninh Province’s Trang Bang, while the triangle referred to an arrowhead pointing implacably towards Sai gon as HCM City was known.

But with the opening of the Phu An Bamboo Eco-museum and Botanic Garden recently, this land, which once saw death and destruction rain down upon it, is set to turn into a ‘green arrow’.

"Bamboo is my brother," says a Vietnamese proverb carved on a stone plaque at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London.

It not only underscores bamboo’s importance in the life of the Vietnamese, but was also the incentive for Dr Diep Thi My Hanh, the celebrated researcher from HCM City’s University of Natural Sciences, to set up a bamboo "ecomuseum" in her hometown.

It took the biologist almost nine years to turn her idea of collecting and preserving all species of the grass into a touch-and-feel museum and garden.

"Bamboo has played a meaningful role in the historical development of Viet nam and continues to be of commercial, environmental and aesthetic importance to all Vietnamese," she says.

"Bamboo contributes valuable wood products and food and helps beautify the landscape."

But she explains the raison d’etre for the garden and museum: "Bamboo can also be used as a metal-accumulating plant for environmental clean-up based on phytoremediation, an emerging technology."

But no research centre or institute in the country has ever bothered with this valuable grass, she says, adding that she had to go hunting at major biological research institutions around the world for materials.

Fortunately, she found more than abundant materials.

Hanh then began a three-year quest for bamboo plants in 43 provinces before kicking off work on the removal of toxic metals from the environment using bamboo.

She says European experts have been using bamboo for waste-water treatment. Growing bamboo absorbs heavy metal present in soil in an area, and is ideal for areas polluted by industrialisation like Binh Duong.

"The idea is good, but you need money to breathe life into it. At first, only Helvetas Switzerland, the Swiss Association for International Co-operation, helped us with US$3,000.

"It was only enough to build a small building and a garden. Later, France’s Rhone Alpes Region, Binh Duong Province, the Pilat Natural Park and HCM City’s University of Natural Sciences offered us around $687,000."

Thanks to their largesse, a 10ha area in Phu An Village is thickly covered with bamboo and the ecomuseum and botanic garden have been set up. There are 204 specimens growing well while a herbarium has a further 301 samples of extremely rare species like square bamboo.

"All data collected by the conservation centre will help conserve bamboo in the long-term," says Nguyen Ha Phuong, one of Hanh’s young students working at the museum.

Julie Logel, a French volunteer at the botanic garden, says: "Supply of seeds to other areas is critical for the sustainable development of the conservation centre.

"We have carried out studies on acrisol soil, which is clay-rich. It’s associated with humid, tropical climates and supports forested areas."

Green and clean

In addition to persuading local farmers to use their research results, Hanh and her colleagues have also joined hands with local residents and authorities to turn the green village into a tourism destination.

The bamboo collection is sub-divided into smaller sections featuring specimens from the country’s three distinct regions.

Shadowy lines of bamboo and green-grass-covered hills scattered with tiny yellow flowers and aged limestone make for a serene picture, evoking thoughts of a wonderland. For those wishing to meditate, a stone yard under the shade of the bamboo trees is just perfect. At the ecomuseum, visitors can learn about the bamboo’s life and uses or play music on traditional instruments made of bamboo.

Joe Yus Kartis, a US visitor at the village, said: "Thank you for giving us the opportunity to know this oasis of peace and serenity. You are doing an incredible job, given the difficulties you must be encountering."

Nguyen Van Tung, a man from neighbouring Cu Chi District, said, "Touring Phu An Village, there are three things I can feel – a deep love for nature, the sophisticated and wise vision of a dedicated scientist and a heartfelt devotion to the motherland.

"I hope there are more scientists like Dr Hanh in the country."

A friendly spot

For tourists coming out of the ecotourism area, Phu An Village offers more options. Friendly inhabitants are everywhere. Muoi Them’s extraordinary garden has grapefruit and banana trees and orchids. Listening to Them’s stories, it is hard not to be drawn into his passion for mai flowers.

Behind is garden is a wharf where visitors can take a boat ride on the Sai Gon River. Bakers go around the village selling banh trang (a kind of traditional rice paper). Visitors can not only taste its unique flavour bit also learn the secret of making the delicious cake.

The beautiful green landscape is filled with rubber and cashew trees. However, ugly relics like a wrecked US tank too still lie scattered around.

Hanh holds a weekly French class for local kids. They double up as little tourist guides, who are filled with a deep love for nature and, she hopes, will promote responsible tourism with respect for nature and the local culture.

Hanh says: "Our main goal is to educate visitors to protect the environment and contribute to local development and well-being."

Ton Nu Thi Ninh, chairwoman of the Viet Nam Women’s Association, praises Hanh’s tireless efforts in founding the conservatory.

"I hope Phu An Village will grow and become as strong as bamboo, attracting more and more attention," she says.

Hanh says: "[We] are looking forward to welcoming scientists and nature-lovers from all over the world.

"We will extend our research to Indo-Chinese bamboo first and then to bamboo from all over the world."

Details of Phu An Bamboo Village can be found at the website www.ecomusee.phuan.org.

(Source: VNS)

Tag: Culture , Environment , Hcm , Hcm City , Oasis , Phu An Village , Tour , Tourism , Tourist , Viet Nam , Vietnam , Vietnamese , Women

Conservatory puts miracle plant to work - Phu An Bamboo Village

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