THE Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) in Negros Occidental will conduct an inventory and assessment of the cherry blossoms in La Castellana town.
Penro head Edgardo Rostata said on he directed the technical team to inspect the area and assess the species.
He said they have yet to determine its class or family though many have said it’s a Palawan cherry blossom.
Cherry blossoms are known native Japanese trees. Many tourists flock to Japan during the cherry blossom season at springtime, around late March to early May, to see the light pink flowers in full bloom.
Rostata said the local cherry blossoms at Barangay Biaknabato in La Castellana are situated at the multiple use zone of Mount Kanlaon Natural Park.
He added that the species had been around in the early 1990s, adding that the trees may have grown in the vegetative area.
Rostata said the study will determine the impact of the tree to the environment and its biodiversity.
“We have to know its effect to the other endemic species, if it’s invasive and symbiotic or if it has already adapted to the environment,” he said, adding that they will also request an expert for the identification of the tree.
Rostata said the trees’ dominant crown, which sits at the foot of Mount Kanlaon, added beauty to the town.
Meanwhile, La Castellana Mayor Rhumyla Mangilimutan said they are banking on the cherry blossoms craze to promote tourism.
Mangilimutan’s photo of the famed pink trees with a backdrop of Mount Kanlaon went viral on Facebook.
The mayor said the cherry blossom tree has ignited the interest of the public since “it’s so beautiful.”
She added that local and foreign tourists alike have flocked to the town to see the cherry blossoms.
Mangilimutan said she is also seeking a dialogue with Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Protected Area Management Board to know more about the species.
“We’re at the peak of promoting our town because of that (cherry blossoms),” the mayor added.