Short description of output announced and beneficiaries:

The identification manual for Dalbergia cochinchinensis Pierre and Dalbergia oliveri Gamble ex Prain and the Dalbergia ID App were developed to enhance forestry law enforcement. In order to use the manual and the App effectively, CCD organized a training workshop for 33 participants from law enforcement bodies, forest protection departments, protected areas, and scientific institutions at the headquarters of the Cat Tien national park on 28 December 2021.

The training provided the participants with up-to-date information on the taxonomy, distribution, conservation status, current harvest, threats, national and international regulations on rosewood harvest and trade, and CITES’ requirements for species listed in Appendix II. They were trained on how to identify D. cochinchinensis and D. oliveri in the field at the Cat Tien national park using morphological features, such as barks, leaves, seed and pods, and seedlings, as well as macroscopic features of wood, such as vessels, parenchyma cells, rays and resin canals. They were also trained to identify wood specimens of D. cochinchinensis and D. oliveri with unaided eyes and with a magnifier. The developed Dalbergia ID App will allow enforcement officers to rapidly and accurately identify timber, timber products, seedlings, and mature trees of both the species in the field.

After the training, all the participants could use the manual and the App to assist them in their work and would share the manual and the App with their colleagues.

Authors of the news item: Centre for Nature Conservation and Development.

Contact for further information: ha.nguyenba@gmail.com.

Project title: Strengthening the management and conservation of Dalbergia cochinchinensis and Dalbergia oliveri in Vietnam.

Project duration: 36 months.

Country name: Vietnam.

Implementing agency: Center for Nature Conservation and Development.