The Forest Ranger Department of northern Vietnam’s Quang Binh Province on Monday handed over a “sua” tree stump worth over US$800,000 to the provincial museum.

The “sua” stump, scientifically termed Dalbergia Tonkinensis Prain, weighs almost two tons and is 1.8m long in the base.

Hollow inside, it was estimated at VND17 billion ($800,151) in February 2014.

The base, which is now preserved and displayed at the province’s General Museum, was spotted in a stream in the province’s Bo Trach District by two local fishermen in late February and was soon retrieved by provincial rangers.

According to Le Thuan Thanh, of the provincial Forest Ranger Department, the base had been preserved at Bo Trach District’s Forest Ranger Office, where its rotten parts were removed to extend its “lifespan.”

“Sua” wood, which is a species of the Fabaceae family found in China and Vietnam, has a pleasant aroma like aloe wood and is insect-resistant.

“Sua” trees have been listed as an endangered species in Vietnam.

The tree is well sought after, as it fetches high prices in the local market.

In mid 2014, a rumor that some “sua” logs were worth up to three hundred billion dong ($14.1 million) prompted many people to sneak into the province’s UNESCO-recognized Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park to scour for the wood.

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