S22 - Session O1 - Conservation of natural dyes in tay nghe an biosphere reserve, Vietnam

Authors: Ngoc Anh Luu-dam *, Dominique Cardon

Dyeing plants are present in the everyday life of many ethnic minority groups in Vietnam, ranging from meals, costumes to festivals. The study focuses on those within the Tay Nghe An Biosphere Reserve. This Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 1,303,285 hectares of tropical rainforest, one of the twelve main types of ecosystem identified by UNESCO-MAB, in nine mountainous districts. Through our investigation, the species composition of dyeing plants was recorded as 45 species, and mainly employed in dyeing food, cloth, and utensils. Additional data of usage were also provided. In particular, two species yielded yellow dye (Gmelina arborea, Fibraurea tinctoria), and two species yielded indigo and black (Wrightia laevis, Cleidocarpon calaveria ). Last but not least, the study showed that local people possessed abundant and unique knowledge of plant usage, which considerably contributed to the many exclusive features of the region.