AN old red silk cotton tree (Letpan tree in Myanmar) has been found in Kyaukse township, Mandalay region, and a head monk is taking care of it, according to the Yenantha Dingar Brothers Tree-growing Parahita Group.

“This big tree is in Kyaukse. The head monk is taking care of it. It is probably one of the oldest trees in Myanmar. The staff officer of the Kyaukse Forest Department went there to measure it. No one knows about its presence. It is located near Ywapale village in Kyaukse. It may be one of Myanmar’s oldest trees,” said Ko Yenantha Dingar, the group founder.

The girth of its buttress root is more than 100 feet, and if it is allowed to grow naturally without being cut, it can be more significant than it is now, he said.

“This tree is quite big. No one dares to cut it down because it is inside the monastery’s compound. They will continue to look after it. After thorough measurement, it could break the world record,” he said.

Myanmar consists of 41 per cent evergreen forest, 37 per cent mixed deciduous forest, 10 per cent dry forest, four per cent mangrove, five per cent timber and three per cent vacant land.

Thit Taw/ ZN

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