Travelers along the National Highway 1A, especially the sections passing the provinces of An Giang, Can Tho and Vinh Long, are amazed seeing wild ancient trees sold along the road, pricing from a few dozens to a few hundreds of million dong.

Mr. Do Tang, a senior ornamental player in Can Tho City, said: "Before the whirlwind of urbanization, many construction projects such as parks, schools, hotels, villas, resorts, motels are growing up. Therefore, the need for trees, especially ornamental plants for exterior decoration is increasing. So many ornamental tree growers have become wild tree hunters."

They go into the wood to seek wild plants that have unique shapes then change their "look" to sell to people in need. It’s because of the intense hunting of man that old beautiful trees in the forests are exhausted. The prices for them also increase, sometimes forming “fevers” for ornamental trees.

To collect the most valuable trees, some traders have arranged networks of closed transactions. Whenever they find a special tree, they inform each other and start the hunt.

In mountainous districts, wild trees have become commodity. Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, a veteran in Tinh Bien District, An Giang province and a group of ornamental tree enthusiasts have collected hundreds of wild trees with beautiful shapes to sell to the rich.

Living in the city with high-rise buildings, people increasingly need to be closer to nature. The tree services are created to satisfy the needs, but many are also worried that this sophisticated hobby will help "erase" the forests!