Plant native trees, not foreign variety - group

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - The Hortica Filpina Foundation on Wednesday urged civil-society groups and government agencies here to use native Philippine trees in various tree-planting activities here, stressing the difference between endemic and foreign tree varieties.

Hortica Filipina Foundation president Imelda Sarmiento told Sun.Star Pampanga that it is important to plant more native trees, as these are more suited for the local climate and soil composition of the country.

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Sarmineto said most tree planting activities in the country use foreign tree varieties that pose danger to local ecosystems, and may cause the total eradication of local tree varieties due to replacement.

"Tree planting should be approached in a more conscious manner. When we plant native trees, we increase their population. Much more if we plant more trees particularly those that are declared endangered we can greatly increase their number," Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said that out of the 3,600 tree varieties in the Philippines, some 70 percent are endemic, meaning there are around 2,000 tree varieties only found in the Philippines.

"Native trees are also important in terms of cultural and historical significance aside from the benefits they provide for the environment," Sarmiento said.

According to her, barangays and towns in Pampanga are named after native trees like the towns of Apalit and Mabalacat. Barangays Dau in Mabalacat, Ebus in Guagua and Pulungsantol in Porac are just a few of the places named after trees, Sarmiento said.

"The sad thing is, most places in the country named after trees no longer have a considerable number of the trees they are named after," Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said tree-planting activities should shy away from the usual foreign mahogany trees and imported varieties. Among the foreign varieties that have invaded urban areas are acacia and fire trees.

"Foreign varieties are not entirely suited to Philippine climate as they do not archive their maximum potentials. Native trees are more rooted to their natural surroundings," she said.

"Let us not wake up someday and find that our native trees are all gone. In fact, even in some mountains, foreign trees are more common than native ones. This is a problem that we should address, reforestation is different with restoration. What we should do here is restoration of native trees," Sarmiento said.

Currently, Hortica Filipina is promoting the use of native trees in tree planting activities as well as in backyard gardening. The group has a strong line of tree saplings like Guijo, Yakal, Ipil, Molave, Kamagong, Bitaog, Bignay, Supa, Tuai, Dao, Narra, Akleng gubat , Batino , Bolong Eta, Tabian, Tara Tara and Lipote. (Ian Ocampo Flora)