Received: Feb 25, 2025 / Accepted: Jan 21, 2026 / Published: Mar 31, 2026
Vietnam’s favorable geographical location and climate have endowed it with a prosperous and diverse system of medicinal plants. However, illegal and unsustainable harvesting of these plants in natural forests has led to their depletion and endangerment. Ba Vi commune, located in the buffer zone of Ba Vi National Park, is home to the Dao people, who have long preserved and developed traditional medicine. This study utilized face-to-face interviews with 50 households, in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, and group discussions to assess the potential for household-based conservation of medicinal plants in Ba Vi commune. The findings revealed that over 200 medicinal plants species are exploited and used by the Dao people, including rare species such as Stephania dielsiana C. Y. Wu and Asarum glabrum Merr., among others. Despite strict legal prohibitions against exploiting forest resources in the core zone of Ba Vi National Park, 40% of interviewed households admitted to collecting medicinal plants from these protected areas. To mitigate this, the Dao people living in the buffer zone of Ba Vi National Park have been encouraged to cultivate medicinal plants to meet the demand for traditional medicine, reduce pressure on natural forests, and improve their livelihoods. However, the medicinal plant cultivation areas are currently small and fragmented. The lack of arable land, suitable plant varieties, and cultivation techniques have been considered as obstacles to expanding medicinal plant cultivation areas in the study site. Addressing these obstacles is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of the Dao community’s traditional medicine practices.
