Indigenous And Non Indigenous Trees 6e3i1c

Indigenous and Non Indigenous Trees A.

Indigenous Trees

In biogeography, a species is defined as indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural process, with no human intervention. The term is equivalent to "native" in less scientific usage. An indigenous species is not necessarily endemic. In biology and ecology, endemic means exclusively native to the biota of a specific place. An indigenous species may occur in areas other than the one under consideration. A.1. Meaning of Indigenous 1.

existing, growing, or produced naturally in a region or country;

native: indigenous plant, indigenous to Florida. 2.

Innate; inherent; inborn

A.2. Its Uses in General They have high resistance to insect and disease attacks. They create different layers of diverse, healthy and thriving vegetation underneath the canopy, which reduce the tunnel effect of strong winds and double ability of trees in erosion controls. Most insect predators such as bats, birds, predatory insects and parasites build their homes on native trees. They provide habitat for smaller animals and insect predators, which are important in the control of crop and pasture damaging pests, thereby reducing the use of pesticides. By complementing the local landscape, they give an area a unique feel and provide a beautiful landscape. They provide valuable resources for the survival of fauna species. Some local animals are dependent on certain native tress to survive and/or thrive.

A.3. Examples of Indigenous Trees A.3.1 Guijo Scientific Name: Shorea guiso “The Guijo Tree is an indigenous tree of the Philippines. Its average height is 40-55 meters with a diameter of 180 centimeters.” Guijo leaves “The leaves are lanceolate to oblong in shape. The base can

be

rounded

or subcuneate,

apex caudate

or

acuminate. Secondary nerves are prominent underneath and depressed in the upper surface.”

Guijo fruit “The nut contains 3 long wings expanded at the base with an obtuse apex. The base is dense, 3-4 cm long and 9-10 mm in diameter. Guijo trees have few flowered branches. Flowers are short-stalked with petals that are 9-10 times as long as thesepal, linear-oblong, obtuse, with slightly irregular margins, pale outside, darker inside.” Guijo crown The Guijo’s wood is beautifully grained, reddish brown, and very durable; highly preferred material for construction requiring strength and durability i.e. for houses, bridges, wharves, furniture, carriage wheels, for masts and keels of vessels, shipbuilding, building construction (Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., 2016).

A.3.2. Yakal Scientific Name: Shorea astylosa Yakal is an indigenous tree of the Philippines that is about 25 to 30 meters tall with hard and dark brownishyellow wood. Its has slender, blackish, and slightly hairy branchlets. Yakal is commonly found in Luzon, particularly Quezon and Camarines; Samar; Negros; and Mindanao, particularly Zamboanga, Agusan, and Davao. It can also be found in primary forests at low altitudes. The Yakal’s contemporary use is for high-grade construction, bridges and wharves, mine timber, and other installations requiring high strength and durability (Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., 2016). A.3.3. The Balete Tree Balete trees are several species of the trees in the Philippines from the genus Ficus that are broadly referred to as balete in the local language. A number of these are known as strangler figs wherein they start upon other trees, later entrapping them entirely and finally killing the host tree. Also called hemiepiphytes, initially, they start as epiphytes or air plants

and

grow

several

hanging

roots

that

eventually touch the ground and from then on, encircling and suffocating the host tree. Some of the baletes produce an inferior quality of rubber. The India rubber plant, F. elastica were earlier cultivated to some extent for rubber. Some of the species like tangisang-bayawak or Ficus variegata are large and could probably be utilized for match woods. The woods of species of Ficus are soft, light, and of inferior quality, and the trees usually have ill-formed, short boles.

The gnarled Balete tree can be found as wild or culture tree almost everywhere in the tropics. It is told, that already Robinson Crusoe has allegedly lived in a Balete tree. In the Philippines it grows in almost all regions pines. "Banyan-Tree" and "Balete-Tree" are also common names. The Balete tree is belonging to the family of fig trees (Ficus). About ten of 800 species are growing in the Philippines. The tree is one of the epiphytes, i.e. fruits – perhaps transported by birds - can also develop on other host trees. It feeds on the substratum located there. Later, the Balete tree can crush the host tree to death. The Balete tree has a short trunk with a grey smooth bark, a broad tree top and usually grows to a height of height of 10 -20 meters. The branches are protruding and wide-ranging. From the side branches we see the development of a network of tentacle-like, downward-growing and increasingly widening aerial roots. If they have reached the ground, the tree gets a growth push and the air roots are changing into ing roots or buttresses. Soon they integrate themselves into the main trunk and then they are hardly distinguishing from it. The root system is broad and flat. The oval-to heart-shaped leaves are as shoots reddish and then they are grow growing to leathery, green shining, six to nine centimetres long leaves. The little flowers and fruits have no special feature or use. Economic Utilization and Health Benefits The economic benefit is limited. The softwood of the Balete tree is not regarded as of high quality. The latex juice also contains india rubber, however, is apparently not used. From time to time ropes are manufactured from the young aerial roots. In folk medicine, the brew of the barks is used to relieve skin diseases and against worm disorders. Due to its wide treetop the Balete tree is a relatively beautiful tree, suitable for planting in avenues and parks. Older trees can be a tourist attraction.

Medicinal Uses •

Chapped heels

•

Boils and painful ts

•

Bleeding piles

•

Diabetes

•

Eczema

•

Gum problems and pyorrhea

•

Bad breath and oral ulcers

•

Leucorrhea

•

Pimples or acne

•

Skin diseases and venereal diseases

•

Bruises, hemorrhoids, swellings, lumbago and rheumatism

Religious Significance of Ficus Trees Around the World “Several figs [ficus] have religious associations including the common fig (F. carica), which presumably provided raiment for Adam and Eve… The sycamore fig…The wood of this species was used by the ancient Egyptians for their sarcophagi. Both the banyan (F. benghalensis) and the bo tree or peepul (F. religiosa) are held sacred by the peoples of India. Hindus believe that Brahma, the Creator, was transformed into a banyan tree. Both Hindus and Buddhists venerate the bo tree. Under one Hindu deity Vishnu is believed to have been born, under another Gautama Buddha meditated for six years and received enlightenment.

Bo trees are planted in India near temples because of their

association with the Buddha and near homes to assure happiness and prosperity. In New Delhi and elsewhere they are used as street trees. Believers will not prune of cut down a banyan or a bo or a peepul tree. That work, when

necessary, is done by others. There is a saying in India ‘it is better to die a leper than pluck a leaf of a peepul.’ ” Mythology and Folklore Urban legends and mythical creatures have long been a part of Philippine folklore. Stories about aswang, tikbalang, duwende, and other terrifying creatures have scared the wit out of a lot of Pinoys in their childhood. Ghosts, especially white ladies, were never out of the picture. The most famous among these ladies is the one who allegedly resides in the vicinities of a place called Balete Drive. Balete Drive is a street located between Aurora Boulevard and Rodriguez Avenue in Metro Manila, Philippines. It is a simple street lined with ancestral mansions and commercial establishments. At present, you wouldn’t think that this place can make any person shudder in fear, since the area is well-lit with bright street lights. But in the earlier days, the street was lined with massive balete trees that darken the place and make it ghastly. In Pinoy culture, balete trees (Ficus benjamina) are regarded as home for spirits and mysterious creatures. This notion makes Balete Drive all the more frightening. Elders used to warn children against playing near a balete tree due to certain beliefs such as: •

Fairies and engkantadas live inside the balete tree. They invite children

inside their kingdom, and if a child eats something from there, she will remain trapped inside the tree for the rest of her life. •

If you point your finger or laugh at a balete tree, the fairies will get insulted

and will curse you. •

If you cut a balete tree, the engkantos living in the tree will punish you with

death. The country started to dread and avoid Balete Drive since the 1950s when stories about a white lady floating along its streets started to spread. It is said that cab drivers are its favorite victims for she has been a victim by one of them. The driver would drive along the place not knowing that the white lady is silently

sitting inside his cab’s back seat. He will only know it upon giving a glimpse in the rear view mirror and will then see that the white lady is intensely staring at him. Various versions of stories about the identity of this notorious white lady have arisen in the past. One famous story is that the white lady is a student of the University of the Philippines. According to a certain barangay security officer who resides in Balete Drive, the victim was allegedly molested by a taxi driver on her way home from school. The ab then threw her in a dark pit beside a balete tree in Balete Drive after raping and killing her. Since then, the spirit of this young girl have been haunting the streets of the drive, looking for her murderer. This story was ed on to the present generation by the older residents of Balete. Another story is that this white lady lives in a deserted ancestral mansion located in Balete Drive. The ghost is said to be a victim of her own family’s cruelty. At 3am, the white lady appears to lone drivers ing her house in order to seek their help or to run away from home. Some taxi drivers claim that they have experienced to drive for hours along the same street where the mansion was located. They can only get out of the loop after saying several prayers and wearing their shirt inside out. Because of this mystery, taxi drivers evade this route during midnight to dawn. If ever they need to the said area, they will blow their horns as a pasintabi (plea to ) to the white lady. Rumors had it that the white lady in Balete Drive was only fabricated by a reporter in the 1953 in order to come up with an interesting story. Since then, other newspapers followed and allotted columns for the controversial white lady in Balete Drive. Pranksters also sprouted since the controversial stir began. One of such is a 15 year-old boy named Conrado de la Cruz who was a resident of Balete Drive at that time. It happened one night in 1953, at the height of Balete Drive scare, that the young boy pulled a trick on his neighbor, Lope Bautista (22 yrs. Old). He put on a white robe, wore a skull mask and crept into the balcony of Bautista. Terrified to death, Bautista jumped from his porch and got a sprain. The young rascal was reprimanded by the local police. Whether she is true or not, one thing is for sure: The white lady in Balete Drive remains as the most popular Filipino

urban legend. She will always haunt our curiosity for the identity of the white lady in Balete Drive will forever be a mystery. A.3.4. Kamagong Native in the Philippines and in Taiwan, Kamagong is a tropical tree which is well suited to grow in hot and humid countries. Kamagong can be used in the local wooden furniture and decorative industry in the country because of its unique qualities of being dense, and dark. It can also be made to musical instruments and martial arts equipment. Cultivating it here will provide jobs to woodcraftsmen and wooden designers. If the number of trees eventually flourish, we can then export the products to different countries. Kamagong is easy to grow and can also be used as roadside trees which will help produce oxygen in our populated cities. The trees can be planted through seed and by grafting. It only takes a little effort on our part to start doing so. Unfortunately, Kamagong is an endangered species is the Philippines and is protected by Philippine Laws from exportation. To export, one must be first given permission by the DENR and Bureau of Forestry. A.3.5. Ipil Tree Physical Characteristics Ipil trees can grow as tall as 40 meters with a diameter of 100 centimeters at breast height. Leaves are simply compound, alternate and with usually 2 pairs of leaflets. They are about 8-12 cm long and 56 cm wide with glossy surfaces. Midribs are distinct underneath.

Ipil fruit The Ipil fruit pods are rigid and flat, about 10-25 cm long and 4-6 cm wide. The pods are green when young, brown when mature. Pods contain about 2-6 seeds each. Ipil seeds are about 2-3.5 cm long and wide and about 8 mm thick. Smooth to slightly rough, the bark peels off regularly in thin flakes, about 5-8 mm thick, usually light brown or gray in color with an orange tint. Distribution Ipil trees are widely distributed in the country from Luzon to Mindanao along coastal areas, riverbanks and occasionally in low hills. Along the seashore, and in some localities, in inland forests, from the Babuyan Islands and northern Luzon to Mindanao and Palawan. Also occurs in Madagascar, across Malaya to the Caroline and Fiji Islands. Uses Wood from the Ipil tree is a beautiful, shiny black-brown and is durable which makes it good for furniture and house construction, bridge construction, naval construction, church pillars, railroad ties, paving blocks, electric and telegraphic poles, wood s, tiles, cabinets, wharves, even for musical instruments and other novelty items. Extracts obtained from the wood in khaki shades can also be used as dye. The fruit is edible fruit has laxative properties, while decoction of the bark contains tannin, which is used to stop diarrhea. Tannin is also used in treating persons suffering from urinary ailments and rheumatism. Ecologicially, Ipil trees are suitable for conservation in eroded gullies and in buffer strips along creeks, and also in water purification. They provide excellent shade suitable for homes and parks. Ipil trees are also wind tolerant which makes them ideal as windbreak.

Studies • Anti-trypanosomal - The ethanol extract showed good and specific activity against Trypanosoma cruzi. However, it also exhibited high cytotoxicity which might explain its observed activity. Study has also suggested immuno-modulatory activity. • Phytochemicals / Radical Scavenging Activity - In a study of four Philippine medicinal plants, phytochemical screening of Intsia bijuga revealed anthrones, flavonoids, glycosidic flavonoids, phenolic compounds, steroids, tannins and triterpenes. The tannins may justify its folkloric use for dysentery (leaves). Results showed radical scavenging activity, but with the highest EC50 value. • Cytotoxicity: On brine shrimp lethality assay, I. bijuga leaves had an LC50 value of 86.5 µg/ml. All crude methanol extracts of the four Philippine medicinal plants tested had 100% mortality to brine shrimp at 1000 µg/mL. • Anti-Ulcer - Study evaluated methanol extracts of leaves of nine plants, including Intsia bijuga, for anti-ulcer activity using HCl-ethanol as ulcerogen. All extracts showed inhibitory activity with I. bijuga among those that showed more than 50% inhibition. • Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Activity - Xanthine oxidase inhibitors is a urate lowering agent, blocking the synthesis of uric acid, and used in the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout. Study evaluated the xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of methanol leaf extracts of 10 plants, including Intsia bijuga. All the extracts inhibited the action of xanthine oxidase. Availability : Wildcrafted. A.3.6. Maritima The Maritima is an indigenous tree from the family of Euphorbiaceae. It is a small to medium-sized tree reaching a diameter up to 50cm. Bole is regular, remarkably straight, and short about 6m or less long. Leaves are ovate-elliptic to

ovate-lanceolate. This tree is found in Batan Islands, northern Luzon-Palawan, Mindanao, Sulu Archipelago. The Maritima usually lives in Thickets and forest near the seashore. The Maritima’s economic importance helps our local market in making guitars, ukelele’s, and other string instruments. It is also used to make furniture and nonvelities. As an ornamental plant, the maritima is planted in parks, gardens, and parking areas. This tree has moderate salt-tolerance, and high-durability to typhoon damage. •

Small to medium sized tree

•

Batan Islands, Northern Luzon- Palawan, Mindanao,

Sulu Archipelago. •

Habitats: Thickets and forest near the seashore

•

Economic importance: local wooden instruments,

furniture, and novelties. •

Advantage to community: Planted in parks, gardens, and public places.

•

High durability to typhoon damage.

A.3.7. Amugis The Amugis is an indigenous tree from the family of Anacardiaceae and its scientific name is koordersiodendron pinnatum. It is a tree that grows up to 25m and 120cm in diameter. Its leaves are smooth and glossy green above, yellowish-green below. Its flowers are white-yellowish green.

The Amugis is widely distributed in the Philippines, Celebes, Moluccas, and Papua New Guinea. The Amugis helps our economy by producing wood that is used for wooden flooring, general constrtucion, and fine furniture. Its bark has medicinal uses as well. Sadly, the Amugis has depleted due to kaingin and logging. •

Tree with a height of 25m and 120cm in diameter

•

Leaves are smooth and glossy

•

Flowers are white to yellowish green

•

Distributed widely in the country

•

Economic importance: wood is used for floorings, general construction

and furniture •

Ecological status: Depleted due to logging

A.3.8. ANAHAW TREE Scientific

Name:

Livistona

Rotundifolia It is called the round-leaf fountain palm in English and Serdang in other asian countries. It is endemic to the Philippines and most commonly found in Luzon (Benguet, La Union, Cagayan, Zambales, Pampanga, Laguna, Quezon, Camarines, Albay), Negros, Cagayan de Oro and in the provinces of Mindanao. Anahaw Tree is an erect palm reaching a height of 15 to 20 m and 25 cm in diameter. The trunk is smooth, straight, and marked with close, rather shallow obscure rings which are the leaf scars. The leaves are crowded at the top of the trunk and ascending. The green, smooth, flattened petiole may have hard, black

spines. The circular, fan shaped, pleated leaf blades are 1 m in diameter and divided into segments 2.5 to 4 cm wide. The green flowers are 2 mm long. The fruit is 1.5 cm in diameter, fleshy and yellow with a hard, round, brown seed inside. Anahaw starts to flower from March to July. The palm stars to bear fruits at age 10 attaining a 20-cm diameter at breast height of 5-8 m height. Mature fruits are ready for collection from August to September. Benefits Its straight durable trunk is highly in demand for house posts, flooring, pack carriers, fishing rod bows, canes and spear shaft. Its orbicular, fan shaped leaves or fronds and pleated leaf blades are good roofing and fan-making materials while its trunks are preferred for constructing low cost houses particularly in rural areas. The leaf has been used as pambalot (food wrapper) for tikoy, or as a makeshift lunchbox for children going to school since lunchboxes were very expensive before. It has been made into Abaniko (fan), which is very beautiful and a work of art. A relief on a crowded place, or simply a refreshment from a hot, humid day, the colorful abaniko is an indispensable item in a Pinoy's everyday life. Ecologically, anahaw leaves can purify air, has a cooling effect, and improves water supply, and its roots hold the soil. A.3.9.Guayacan Tree Scientific Name: Lignum Vitae The trees are indigenous to the Caribbean and the northern coast of South America and have been an important export crop to Europe since the beginning of the 16th century. The wood was once very important for applications requiring

a material with its extraordinary combination of strength, toughness, and density. It is also the national tree of the Bahamas and the Jamaican national flower. Advantages and Disadvantages Lignum Vitae are regarded by most to be both the heaviest and hardest wood in the world. Its durability in submerged or ground- applications is also exceptional. Lignum Vitae have been used for propeller shaft bearings on ships, and its natural oils provide self-lubrication that gives the wood excellent wear resistance. Note: No Disadvantages have been found, but the only problem in this tree is that it is almost abused to the point that it is already at the brink of extinction. "Lignum vitae" is Latin for "wood of life", and derives its name from its medicinal uses; lignum vitae resin has been used to treat a variety of medical conditions from coughs to arthritis, and chips of the wood can also be used to brew a tea. Other names for lignum vitae includepalo santo (Spanish for "holy wood") and "bastard greenheart" (not to be confused with true Greenheart Chlorocardium rodiei, a popular wood in shipbuilding, cabinetry, and woodturning but a completely different timber); lignum vitae is also one of the numerous hard, dense woods loosely referred to as ironwood. Benefits and Use Lignum vitae resin has been used to treat a variety of medical conditions from coughs to arthritis, and chips of the wood can also be used to brew a tea. Other names for lignum vitae includepalo santo (Spanish for "holy wood") and "bastard greenheart" (not to be confused with true Greenheart Chlorocardium rodiei, a popular wood in shipbuilding, cabinetry, and woodturning but a completely

different timber); lignum vitae is also one of the numerous hard, dense woods loosely referred to as ironwood. Due to the density of the wood, cricket bails, in particular "heavy bails" used in windy conditions, are sometimes made of lignum vitae. It is also sometimes used to make lawn bowls, croquet mallets, and skittles balls. The wood also has seen widespread historical usage in mortars and pestles and for wood carvers' mallets. It was the traditional wood used for the British police truncheon until recently, due to its density (and strength), combined with the relative softness of wood compared to metal, thereby tending to bruise or stun rather than simply cut the skin. According to the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association website, the shaft bearings on the WWII submarineUSS Pampanito (SS-383) were made of this wood; also The aft main shaft strut bearings for USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, were composed of this wood. The United Railroads of San Francisco (an ancestor of the San Francisco Municipal Railway) began installing lignum vitae insulators to heavy feeder wires for their trolley system in 1904. The reason for the adoption of lignum vitae was its ability to withstand the high stress at high temperature, a problem posed by heavy cables turning corners heated by high current overloads. Many of these insulators survived the 1906 earthquake and fires, despite temperatures high enough to soften the iron poles and melt the copper cables. Many of these lasted into the 1970s with a small number remaining in service into the late 2000s (most of these came down when the overhead 600 V DC feeders were replaced with a new system of underground feeders, the rest coming out of service as aging crossarms ing the remaining overhead feeders were replaced).

A.3.10. Yew Tree Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may now be known as English yew, or European yew. (Their survivability depends on the condition, such as the climate present in a country.) The word yew as it was originally used seems to refer to the color brown; Baccata is Latin for bearing red berries. It is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree, growing 10–20 metres (33–66 ft) (exceptionally up to 28 metres (92 ft)) tall, with a trunk up to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) (exceptionally 4 metres (13 ft)) diameter. The bark is thin, scaly brown, coming off in small flakes aligned with the stem. The leaves are flat, dark green, 1–4 centimetres (0.39–1.57 in) long and 2–3 millimetres (0.079–0.118 in) broad, arranged spirally on the stem, but with the leaf bases twisted to align the leaves in two flat rows either side of the stem, except on erect leading shoots where the spiral arrangement is more obvious. The leaves are poisonous. Benefits Trivia: In the ancient Celtic world, the yew tree (*eburos) had extraordinary importance; a age by Caesar narrates that Catuvolcus, chief of the Eburones poisoned himself with yew rather than submit to Rome. (In short: the berries produced by this tree is mostly taken to commit suicide) Medicinal In 1021, Avicenna introduced the medicinal use of T. baccata for phytotherapy in The Canon of Medicine. He named this herbal drug "Zarnab" and used it as a

cardiac remedy. This was the first known use of a calcium channel blocker drug, which were not in wide use in the Western world until the 1960s. Certain compounds found in the bark of yew trees were discovered by Wall and Wani in 1967 to have efficacy as anti-cancer agents. The precursors of the chemotherapy drugpaclitaxel (taxol) can be synthesized easily from the extracts of the leaves of European yew, which is a more renewable source than the bark of the Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia). This ended a point of conflict in the early 1990s; many environmentalists, including Al Gore, had opposed the harvesting of yew for paclitaxel cancer treatments.Docetaxel can then be obtained by semisynthetic conversion from the precursors. In the Central Himalayas, the plant is used as a treatment for breast and ovarian cancer. Similar to Guayacan, but they differ in such that this tree is that the Wood from the yew is classified as a closed-pore softwood, similar to cedar and pine. Easy to work, yew is among the hardest of the softwoods; yet it possesses a remarkable elasticity, making it ideal for products that require springiness, such as bows. In Asturian tradition and culture the yew tree has had a real link with the land, the people, the ancestors and the ancient religion. It was tradition on All Saints Day to bring a branch of a yew tree to the tombs of those who had died recently so they will find the guide in their return to the Land of Shadows. The yew tree has been found near chapels, churches and cemeteries since ancient times as a symbol of the transcendence of death, and is usually found in the main squares of the villages where people celebrated the open councils that served as a way of general assembly to rule the village affairs. It has been suggested that the Sacred Tree at the Temple at Uppsala was an ancient yew tree. The Christian church commonly found it expedient to take over existing pre-Christian sacred sites for churches. It has also been suggested that

yews were planted at religious sites as their long life was suggestive of eternity, or because being toxic they were seen as trees of death. Clippings from ancient specimens in the UK, including the Fortingall Yew, were taken to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh to form a mile-long hedge. The purpose of this "Yew Conservation Hedge Project" is to maintain the DNA of Taxus baccata. The species is threatened by felling, partly due to rising demand from pharmaceutical companies, and disease. B. Non-Indigenous Trees Non-indigenous species have, by definition, evolved separately from the ecosystem into which they arrive, so the native plants and animals are vulnerable to the effects of competition, predation or parasitism which the newcomers may bring. However, other introduced species are able to reproduce and proliferate rapidly, due either to taking over an empty ecological niche, a lack of competing native species or an absence of predators in their new environment. It is these invasive alien species which are of most extreme concern in the world today. Because of the lack of natural controls on their expansion, they can take over entire areas or regions, eliminating native species in the process, and completely altering or degrading the quality and diversity of the ecosystems into which they are introduced. B.2. Its General Uses Some non-native trees provide habitat for native plants and animals and can promote diversity. Introduced species can also help restore native ecosystems on degraded land. In Puerto Rico, for example, much of the native forest was destroyed for farming, and in recent decades conservation biologists have been trying to nurture them back on abandoned farmland. Native trees do a poor job of pioneering this degraded landscape. Alien trees, such as African tulip trees and rose apple, have colonized them instead. These new forests remain dominated

by alien trees for their first three or four decades. But the forests are also a habitat in which native trees can begin to thrive again. B.3. Examples of Non Indigenous Trees B.3.1. Acacia Trees They are trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing, and are always armed. Younger plants, especially, are armed with spines which are modified stipules, situated near the leaf bases. Some (cf. A. tortilis, A. hebeclada, A. luederitzii and A. reficiens) are also armed with paired, recurved prickles (in addition to the spines). The leaves are alternate and bipinnately arranged, and their pinnae are usually opposite. The racemose inflorescences usually grow from the leaf axils. The yellow or creamy white flowers are produced in spherical heads, or seldom in elongate spikes, which is the general rule in the related genus Senegalia. The flowers are typically bisexual with numerous stamens, but unisexual flowers have been noted in A. nilotica (cf. Sinha, 1971). The wide-ranging genus occurs in a variety of open, tropical to subtropical habitats, and is locally dominant. In parts of Africa, Acacias are shaped progressively by grazing animals of increasing size and height, such as gazelle, gerenuk and giraffe. The genus in Africa has thus developed thorns in defence against such herbivory. The Acacia's distinctive leaves make the tree highly distinguishable. While there are more than 800 species of the Acacia trees around the world, most feature small, finely divided green leaflets that give the stalk a fernlike appearance. Meanwhile, in other species, which grow in the desert and see very little rain, leaves are absent all together. Instead, the stalks perform the functions of leaves and can appear as sharp spines or large thorns.

Another distinguishing appearance of the Acacia tree is its blossoms. The small, fragrant flowers are: •

Pea-shaped

•

Arranged in compact cylindrical clusters

•

Yellow in color, though some species produce white blooms

•

Fuzzy with multiple stamens per flower

•

Positioned on the edge of airy branches

Most Acacia trees have short lifespans of 15 to 30 years. Consequently, they tend to grow quickly and can reach heights in excess of 40 feet. In addition to the stunning yellow and white blooms, the Acacia produces a dry seedpod as its fruit. Each pod is about three inches long and contains five to six brownish black seeds. The combination of its feathery leaves, globular flowers and dry seedpods creates a dramatic appearance during the tree's peak growing years. Popular Uses of the Acacia Tree The Acacia tree's sturdy branches and durable trunk made the species an invaluable resource for shipbuilder's in the 1700s. These days, a number of Acacia species have become important economic boosters in third world countries, such as India, Africa and parts of Asia where nearly the entire tree is cultivated and used to make vital products. Some of the most popular uses for the tree include: •

Wood: Used to make flooring, furniture, jewelry, weapons and toys.

•

Gum Arabic: A substance used in adhesives, some medicines, and as a

thickening agent in frozen desserts. •

Tannin: Found in the bark of the tree, tannin is used to dye ink.

•

Blossoms: Added as a flavoring to desserts and liqueur. The flower's

essential oils are also used in perfumes. •

Seeds: Some can be eaten raw or ground and added to sauces.

Once used by ancient Egyptian and Arabic civilizations to treat a variety of medical conditions, from colds to leprosy, the acacia plant still plays a role in modern food and medicine. Native to tropical regions of Africa and Australia, the acacia is a shrub-like tree that has sharp thorns and can grow up to 15 feet tall. Sap from the acacia tree, often called acacia gum, is used for medicinal purposes. You can find acacia at most health food stores in powder, capsule, or gum form. It’s also an ingredient in many snack foods and candies like gum drops and marshmallows, as well as in some traditional Arabic desserts. Historically, it was used to treat: •

Skin wounds such as burns, cuts, or leprosy

•

Digestive issues

•

Gonorrhea

•

coughs

•

Dysentery

•

Colds

Some of these uses still apply today. Here are six ways acacia can be beneficial to your health. 1. it’s a good source of fiber. Acacia is known as a good source of dietary fiber because it contains about 90 percent soluble fiber. This type of fiber, which dissolves in water, is an important

part of your diet. It helps the digestive system run smoothly and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. 2. It can help with digestive issues. Fiber can help alleviate constipation and discomfort associated with digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, fiber content may not be the only reason acacia is good for the digestive system. The sap may also be a prebiotic, which means it can help to feed the good bacteria in the intestines. One study found that yogurt with added acacia fiber was more effective in reducing IBS symptoms than regular yogurt. 3. It might have a future in diabetes management. Some claim that acacia supplements can help control your blood sugar. While there’s little clinical evidence to that, it’s known that dietary fiber plays an important role in regulating blood sugar in those with type 2 diabetes. Foods with added acacia may help boost your daily fiber. 4. Can it lower cholesterol Like other dietary fibers, acacia may have a role in lowering cholesterol. While a study by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) couldn’t establish a direct link between acacia gum and cholesterol, research has shown that adding soluble fiber to your diet can lower cholesterol levels significantly. 5. No more sore throat. Acacia is a demulcent, a substance that relieves irritation in the mucus membranes of the mouth by creating a protective film. Historically, this is why it was used to heal wounds, mouth sores, and cold symptoms. Today it’s an ingredient in many cold medications such as throat lozenges and cough medicines.

6. Your dentist would approve. Early research suggests that acacia gum may have antibacterial properties that help control harmful bacteria in the mouth that cause gum disease. One study found that chewing gum made with acacia was more helpful in reducing plaque for seven days when compared with regular gum. In the United States, Acacia can be found listed as an ingredient in popular beverages, such as: •

Sun Drop

•

Fresca

•

RC Cola

•

Barq's Root Beer

•

Strawberry-Lemonade Powerade

In addition, the gum Arabic cultivated from some Acacia trees is used in Altoids mints, Wrigley's Eclipse chewing gum and M&Ms pretzels. Acacia Tree and Ants Interestingly, stinging ants and acacia trees have a mutually beneficial relationship. Ants create cozy living quarters by hollowing out the thorns, then survive by eating the sweet nectar produced by the tree. In turn, the ants protect the tree by stinging any animals that attempt to munch on the leaves. The Ark of the Covenant is said to be made out of acacia wood. Earth's most isolated tree, the only one around for 250 miles, was knocked down by alleged drunk driver For centuries, until one fateful day in 1973, a lone acacia tree grew in the sea of sand that is the Nigerian Sahara desert. For generations of weary travellers, the solitary tree offered a bit of shade, and so much more. As the only tree around

for 250 miles, it served as an important landmark along a long-established caravan route through the barren terrain, but also as a monument to the resiliency of life. Though the improbability of its survival still comes as a heartening testament that life can indeed thrive in the harshest of places -- the story of its sad demise is a bitter reminder of how even a single moment of human recklessness can destroy a wonder so long wrought. The Tuareg people, a nomadic tribe in the region of Ténéré, had already come to cherish the tree, but by the late 1930s, it caught the attention of outsiders too. European military campaigners marveled at the lonely acacia in the desert, calling it L'Arbre du Ténéré (The Tree of Tenere), and its inclusion on cartographers' maps made clear the tree's rather remarkable distinction as the earth's most isolated tree. 's Commander of Allied Forces described L'Arbre du Ténéré as something truly special -- not only for its ability to survive in the stark desert, but also for the restraint countless ersby had shown in letting it be. "One must see the Tree to believe its existence," wrote Michel Lesourd in 1939. "What is its secret? How can it still be living in spite of the multitudes of camels which trample at its sides? "How at each azalai [caravan] does not a lost camel eat its leaves and thorns? Why don't the numerous Touareg leading the salt caravans cut its branches to make fires to brew their tea? The only answer is that the tree is taboo and considered as such by the caravaniers." That year, a well was dug near the tree, offering a hint to how it had managed to survive in the sand. The tree, only around 10 feet tall, had roots that stretched down more than 100 feet to the water table. It was estimated to be around 300 years old, the sole survivor from an ancient grove that existed when the region was less arid than it is today.

Like all things, this living wonder which had managed to thrive despite the odds stacked against it, was destined to one day die -- but how it met its end perhaps speaks more of human nature than of Nature itself. According to a contemporaneous report, in 1973 a truck driver, following a roadway that traced the old caravan route, collided with the tree, snapping its trunk. In an instant, one single act of carelessness severed a link to history, so deeply rooted in the desert sand and in the ethos of generations that had come to cherish it. The driver, who remains unidentified to this day, is alleged to have been drunk at the time of the accident. (Stephen Messenger) B.3.2. Para Rubber Tree Originated in the Amazon Rainforest of South America, the tree itself cannot be cultivated in the region because of leaf blight, which is a fungal pathogenic infection which will eventually kill the trees. The tree was propagated and cultivated to tropical countries by the British where leaf blight was not present. The Para Rubber Tree is the primary source of rubber around the world. One tree is capable of producing large quantities of rubber for 25-30 years after which the trees are felled due to decrease productions but are then made to wooden furniture. The rubber industry can help the agricultural farmers in the country since the rubber tree grows well in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia. The process is easily understandable for the collection of rubber, a small incision will be made along the bark of the tree where a slide will be connected to it leading to a bucket which will collect the sap which the tree produces. Once the bucket is full of the

latex like substance, it will then be collected by the farmers. This will provide jobs to our fellow citizens which will provide for the families and this will also help the environment through the planting of trees. B.3.3. Pine Tree Pine trees (the genus Pinus) are distinguished from all other trees by: (a) having uncovered seeds borne in pairs on the bracts of (female) cones (as do other genera of the Pinaceae family) and (b) narrow leaves ("needles") arranged in bundles of 2 to 5 and with a permanent or deciduous sheath at their bases. Such bundles of needles are called fascicles (after the bundle of sticks around the axe which represented the power of the Roman senate). There are usually 2 to 5 leaves per fascicle (very rarely 1, or 6 to 8). The individual needles in one fascicle, when viewed in cross section, are like pie-shaped segments which fit together form a complete circle. Therefor each needle has a hemispherical cross section (if there are 2 needles per fascicle) or triangular cross section (if there are 3 or more needles per fascicle). A

third

subgenus,

Ducampopinus,

intermediate

between these two, has been proposed. The Strobus subgenus (and also subgenus Ducampopinus) has one fibrovascular bundle per leaf, ie., they are haploxylon. The subgenus Pinus has two fibrovascular bundles per leaf, i.e. they are diploxylon. As a rule (not always), they have the following arrangement of leaves and leaf sheaths. Pines are mostly large trees with a straight trunk with whorls of smaller lateral branches, but they have a wide range of habits varying from tall narrow trees to small bushy trees to prostrate shrubs. They are generally long-lived, usually over 100 years in suitable environments. The longest living individuals of any kind are the fabled intermountain bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) which currently has living trees at least 4,800 years old. (The root systems of the creosote bush

(Larrea tridentata) may be even older). All pine species are evergreen, i.e., they keep their leaves for at least two growing seasons (and up to about 30 years in the case of P. longaeva) They are monoecious, i.e., individual trees have both female (megasporangiate) cones which bear the ovules and male (microsporangiate) cones which shed the pollen. The pollen is carried by wind and gravity; none of the pines is pollinated by insects or birds. All pines have 12 pairs of chromosomes, as do other genera of the Pinaceae family except two (Douglas firs have 13 and false larches have 11). About three-fifths of the pine species are currently classified in the subgenus Pinus (Diploxylon) pines, commonly called hard pines or yellow pines. The other two-fifths is comprised of the subgenus Strobus (Haploxylon) pines which are also called soft pines or white pines. (The new subgenus Ducampopinus would for about one-fifth of the species, leaving approximately one-fifth in the genus Strobus). The subgenus Pinus has two fibrovascular bundles running the length of the needle (hence diploxylon) and the Strobus subgenus (and also Ducampopinus) has one (haploxylon) fibrovascular bundle. Diploxylon pines generally differ from the Haploxylon pines by having harder yellower wood, cones that are often armed with a prickle, stiffer needles with permanent needle sheaths and the development of rough scaly bark at a younger age. The pine genus is generally sun-loving and relatively shade-intolerant. They are less likely than shade-tolerant genera (e.g. spruces and firs) to grow up from seedlings in an already established shady forest, so pine trees are less favored in mixed conifer and uneven-aged forests and often are not the "climax" trees in densely vegetated forests. But they are usually among the first trees to establish on open ground that is being revegetated after fire or other disturbance and are often found in pure even-age stands or in savanna (more open) settings where drought and fires control tree density. In the huge Longleaf pine forests along the Gulf and southeast Altlantic Coasts from east Texas to Virginia and Delaware, fire was just as essential as rain in preserving the pine's dominance.

The family Pinaceae evolved in the northern hemisphere during the early Cretaceous or Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era, 130 to 200 million years ago and by the late Cretaceous the genus Pinus had already differentiated into haploxylon and diploxylon subgenera. They have flourished and evolved into about 120 species and subspecies world-wide, still almost all in the northern hemisphere. Only one species (P. merkusii) extends about one degree south of the equator in Sumatra. They grow from desert edge to rain forests and from sea level to mountain treeline. The country with the most species of pines is Mexico, which has approximately 60 species and subspecies, followed by the United States (about 45) and China (about 21). The Mexican highlands have been an evolutionary center for new pine species. Benguet Pine Pinus kesiya (Khasi pine, Benguet pine or three-needled pine) is one of the most widely distributed pines in Asia. Its range extends south and east from the Khasi Hills in the northeast Indian state of Meghalaya,

to

northern

Thailand,

Philippines, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, southernmost China, and Vietnam. It is an important plantation species elsewhere in the world, including in southern Africa and South America. The common name "Khasi pine" is from the Khasi hills in India, and "Benguet pine" is from the landlocked province of Benguet in Luzon, Philippines, where it is the dominant species of the Luzon tropical pine forests. The Benguet pine is sometimes treated as a separate species, Pinus insularis; however, the current opinion is to treat these as conspecific with P. kesiya. The city of Baguio is nicknamed "The City of Pines", as it is noted for large stands of this tree.

Bark of Benguet Pine Pinus kesiya is a tree reaching up to 30–35 m tall with a straight, cylindrical trunk. The bark is thick and dark brown, with deep longitudinal fissures. The branches are robust, red brown from the second year, the branchlets horizontal to drooping. The leaves are needle-like, dark green, usually 3 per fascicle, 15–20 cm long, the fascicle sheath 1–2 cm long and persistent. The cones are ovoid, 5– 9 cm long, often curved downwards, sometimes slightly distorted; the scales of second-year cones are dense, the umbo a little convex, sometimes acutely spinous. The scales have transverse and longitudinal ridges across the middle of the scale surface. The seeds are winged, 6–7 mm long with a 1.5-2.5 cm wing. Pollination is in mid spring, with the cones maturing 18–20 months after. Khasi pine usually grows in pure stands or mixed with broad-leaved trees, but does not form open pine forests. Commercial Use The soft and light timber of Pinus kesiya can be used for a wide range of applications, including boxes, paper pulp, and temporary electric poles. It is intensely used for timber, both sourced in natural forests and plantations. The good-quality resin is not abundant and has not been much used except during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines for the production of turpentine. B.3.3. LEAD TREE (IPIL – IPIL) Scientific Name: Leucaena Galicia It is originated from Mexico and Central America and introduced to the Philippines by the Spanish. It is widely distributed in the country from Luzon to Mindanao along coastal areas, riverbanks and occasionally in low hills. It

has adapted to the Philippines very well and can be found easily, as it is a type of a tropical rainforest plant. Ipil-ipil is a tree growing up 8 meters high. Leaves are compound, 15 to 25 centimeters long, with hairy rachis. Pinnae are 8 to 16, and 5 to 8 centimeters long. Leaflets are 20 to 30, linear oblong, and 7 to 12 millimeters long. Heads are solitary, at the axils of the leaves, long-peduncled, globose, and 2 to 5 centimeters in diameter, with many flowers. Flowers are whitish, in dense globule heads, 2 to 3 centimeters in diameter. Fruit is an oblong or linear pod, strapshaped, 12 to 18 centimeters long, 1.4 to 2 centimeters wide, papery, green turning to brown and splitting open along two edges when mature, and several fruits developing from each flower head. Each pod contains 15 to 25 elliptic, compressed, shining, brown seeds, each 5 to 8 millimeters long, 3 to 5 millimeters wide. Most of the time, ipil-ipil plants are used for agriculture and animal feed. The ipilipil plants can be planted as hedgerows to prevent erosion in the soil and act as mulch or other things as well. Meanwhile, it can also be used to feed animals raised on the farm, such as goats, sheep, and other animals. BENEFITS Wood from the Ipil tree is a beautiful, shiny black-brown and is durable which makes it good for furniture and house construction, bridge construction, naval construction, church pillars, railroad ties, paving blocks, electric and telegraphic poles, wood s, tiles, cabinets, wharves, even for musical instruments and other novelty items. Extracts obtained from the wood in khaki shades can also be used as dye. The fruit is edible fruit has laxative properties, while decoction of the bark contains tannin, which is used to stop diarrhea. Tannin is also used in treating persons suffering from urinary ailments and rheumatism.

Ecologicially, Ipil trees are suitable for conservation in eroded gullies and in buffer strips along creeks, and also in water purification. They provide excellent shade suitable for homes and parks. Ipil trees are also wind tolerant which makes them ideal as windbreak. The ipil-ipil leaves can be dried for use in concentrate feeds. Ipil-ipil is also well known for its high nutritional value and for the similarity of its chemical composition with that of the alfalfa. Basically, its use can be effective in agriculture as mulch, hedgerows that prevent erosion, legumes for fertilization, and others. It can also be used to feed animals and even be helpful to people’s daily lives as firewood or building materials. Erosion Control As for erosion control, ipil-ipil trees are great for preventing erosion. That is why most ipil-ipil trees are grown in hedgerows and trimmed to prevent the soil from being eroded. Advantages: By planting many ipil-ipil trees, which are well adapted to this country, it will lead to the plant absorbing excess water from rain, cover the soil from some heavy water, and protect the soil from flowing away. Thus, it has all the basic components for preventing erosion. In addition, the tree has a high survival rate, it is easy to obtain ipil-ipil seeds, and the fact that it can absorb enough amount of water qualifies it to be a plant fit for erosion control. Disadvantages:

However, there are also some possible problems that may

occur. Because of pests and diseases, by planting only the ipil-ipil trees, it may kill all the plants in that area. If there is no biodiversity in an area, it will be easier for that one plant to be attacked by specific pests and diseases. That is why, to solve this problem, it is advisable to plant other plants that will help prevent erosion along with the ipil-ipil trees to create more biodiversity. Besides, by only planting one specific plant, specific nutrients in the soil cannot all the same plants in that area. By creating biodiversity, the nutrients in the soil will be used and added equally, creating a harmonious balance.

Reforestation Mentioned above, ipil-ipil trees are well adapted to tropical climate, such as the Philippines. That is why they are a good choice of plants to plant for reforestation. Advantages: In addition to the ipil-ipil plant being well adapted to the climates in the Philippines, ipil-ipil trees have legumes in their roots, which help fertilize the soil. It seems that ipil-ipil plants are a great choice to plant for reforestation since ipil-ipil trees are well adapted to the Philippine’s climate, have legumes to fertilize the soil, and are easy to find and access. Because the ipil-ipil trees in the Philippines are well adapted and abundant, it seems to indicate that it will survive and be able to reforest an area. Through reforestation, not only will it help the environment, but it can also help people by using them as tools mentioned above in the overview or the first paragraph. Disadvantages: Once again, mentioned above, only planting ipil-ipil plants is dangerous. Because of the lack of biodiversity, the ipil-ipil plants face danger of pests, diseases, and lack of nutrients. Besides, if there is only one biodiversity, it cannot really be considered as a reforestation. The main reason for reforestation is to restore an area that once was a natural habitat. By only planting ipil-ipil trees, it cannot be considered a tropical rainforest. To overcome this conflict, it is best to plant the ipil-ipil plants first as a pioneer plant, and add other plants that will help reforest a specific area. Green Manure Ipil-ipil plants are known to be good food for animals and plants as well. For animals, ipil-ipil plants contain good nutrients that helps feed the animals. For plants, ipil-ipil helps plants by providing mulch, returning some nutrients to the soil, preventing erosion, and acting as hedgerows.

Advantages: One of the main advantages of using ipil-ipil plants is the low cost. Rather than all the other expensive fertilizers for plants and food for animals, ipilipil can be easily substituted for them. Sometimes, ipil-ipil animal feeds are even better than other products for the animals. Ipil-ipil plants have rare and natural nutrients that are essential for animals. Also, ipil-ipil plants have legumes in their roots that help fertilize the soil, and act as hedgerows and erosion control as an added bonus. In addition, toxin and chemicals that are mixed in the fertilizers and animal feeds are harmful for the plants and animal, but ipil-ipil plants are naturally non-hazardous. Overall, ipil-ipil plants are clean, safe, and environmentally friendly fertilizers and animal feeds. Disadvantages: Similar to the disadvantages above, by only feeding animals with ipil-ipil is not necessarily good for the animals. Too much ipil-ipil feed to the animals can have a negative effect instead. Likewise, fertilizing the soil with only ipil-ipil legumes could cause negative effect on plant growth, as ipil-ipil legumes does not necessarily create nutrients for every specific plants. Overall, just using too much of one thing, is not always a good thing. B.3.5. Gingko Biloba Tree Native to China, the tree is widely cultivated and was introduced early tohuman history. It has various uses in traditional medicine and as a source of food. The species was initially described by Carl Linnaeus in 1771, the specific epithet biloba derived from the Latin bis, "two" and loba, "lobed", referring to the shape of the leaves. Ginkgos are large trees, normally reaching a height of 20–35 m (66–115 ft), with some specimens in China being over 50 m (160 ft). The tree has an angular

crown and long, somewhat erratic branches, and is usually deep rooted and resistant to wind and snow damage. Young trees are often tall and slender, and sparsely branched; the crown becomes broader as the tree ages. During autumn, the leaves turn a bright yellow, then fall, sometimes within a short space of time (one to 15 days). A combination of resistance to disease, insect-resistant wood and the ability to form aerial roots and sprouts makes ginkgos long-lived, with some specimens claimed to be more than 2,500 years old. The tree is the official tree of the Japanese capital of Tokyo, and the symbol of Tokyo is a ginkgo leaf. Benefits An extract of Ginkgo biloba leaf (GBE) is marketed in dietary supplement form with claims it can enhance cognitive function in without known cognitive problems. Studies have failed to find such

people effects

on memory or attention in healthy people. The nut-like gametophytes inside the seeds are particularly esteemed in Asia, and are a traditional Chinese food. Ginkgo nuts are used incongee, and are often served at special occasions such as weddings and the Chinese New Year (as part of the vegetarian dish calledBuddha's delight). In Chinese culture, they are believed to have health benefits; some also consider them to have aphrodisiac qualities. Japanese cooks add ginkgo seeds (called ginnan) to dishes such as chawanmushi, and cooked seeds are often eaten along with other dishes. Disadvantage Ginkgo may have undesirable effects, especially for individuals with blood circulation disorders and those taking anticoagulants such asaspirin or warfarin, although recent studies have found ginkgo has little or no effect on the anticoagulant properties or pharmacodynamics of warfarin in healthy subjects. Additional side effects include increased risk of bleeding, gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness, heart palpitations,

and restlessness. Ginkgo should be used with caution when combined with other herbs known to increase bleeding (e.g. garlic, ginseng, ginger). According to a systemic review, the effects of ginkgo on pregnant women may include increased bleeding time, and it should be avoided during lactation because of inadequate safety evidence. C. Laws C.1 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3571 AN ACT TO PROHIBIT THE CUTTING, DESTROYING OR INJURING OF PLANTED OR GROWING TREES, FLOWERING PLANTS AND SHRUBS OR PKANTS OF SCENIC VALUE ALONG PUBLIC ROADS, IN PLAZAS, PARKS, SCHOOL, PREMISES OR IN ANY OTHER PUBLIC GROUND In order to promote and conserve the beauty of objects of scenic and ornamental value along public places and help preserve cool,fresh and healthful climate, it is the policy of the Government to cherish, protect and conserve planted or growing trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of ornamental value along public roads, in plazas, parks, school premises or in any public ground. C.2. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10176 AN ACT REVIVING THE OBSERVANCE OF ARBOR DAY BY AUTHORIZING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS THE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CELEBRATING THE DAY FOR TREE PLANTING AS AN ANNUAL EVENT It is hereby mandated that all provinces, cities and municipalities with their component barangays shall be required to revive, by appropriate proclamation of their respective local chief executives, an Arbor Day at an appropriate fixed date every calendar year as shall be deemed suitable according to the proper time and season for planting trees in the respective provinces and their respective component municipalities or cities concerned. Although adoption of uniform dates for every province and its component municipalities and cities shall be

encouraged, varying dates for Arbor Day celebrations may be permitted in order to afford flexibility in planning and in implementing tree planting programs to adjust to the proper time and period of the year most suited to the trees selected to be planted, and as local budgetary allotments shall allow. C.3. Republic Act No. 9168 AN ACT TO PROVIDE PROTECTION TO NEW PLANT VARIETIES, ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION BOARD AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES The State recognizes that an effective intellectual property system in general and the development of new plant variety in particular is vital in attaining food security for the country. To this end, it shall protect and secure the exclusive rights of breeders with respect to their new plant variety particularly when beneficial to the people for such periods as provided for in this Act. C.4. P.D No. 1152 Philippine Environmental Code Chapter III – Forestry and Soil Conservation The national government, through the Department of Natural Resources, shall undertake a system of rational exploitation of forest resources and shall encourage citizen participation therein to keep the country's forest resources at maximum productivity at all time. C.5. Tree-Cutting Permit The Department of Natural Resources and Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-CENRO) issues tree-cutting permits for (public places, private lands, infrastructure projects, government projects).

Requirements  

Letter application LGU Endorsement/Certification of No Objection (Municipality and

  

Barangay) Copy of Land Title (OCT/TCT) for Private Property Photographs of trees to be removed Site Development Plan and ECC for big projects

Procedure 

Submit application letter addressed to the CENRO with the required documents (see previous tab). The request order will then be assigned an

 

Inspection Officer to conduct inventory/inspection Receive Payment Order Pay inventory fee (P1,200/hectare) for planted and naturally growing trees but no payment required for less than 20 trees or if inventory will be conducted by the customer o If Inventory undertaken by customer: o Timber o Inventory/Inspection Report with Tally Sheet/Stand and Stock Table, and Pictures o Tree Charting Map o Receive tree cutting permit

C.6. Children's Environmental Protection Act It is the policy of the State, concordant with the Constitution, to protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature and to promote and protect the children's physical well-being in recognition of the youth's vital role in nation-building.

D. International Organizations and Laws for Tree Protection D.1.The Billion Tree Campaign

It was launched in 2006, by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as a response to the challenges of global warming, as well as to a wider array of sustainability challenges, from water supply to biodiversity loss. Its initial target was the planting of one billion trees in 2007 (achieved by November). One year later, in 2008, the campaign's objective was raised to 7 billion trees – a target to be met by the climate change conference that was held in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009. Three months before the conference, the 7 billion planted trees mark had been sured. In December 2011, after more than 12 billion trees had been planted, UNEP formally handed management of the program over to the youth-led not-for-profit Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation, based in Munich, . Over 14.2 billion trees have been planted as of 2016. [4] The Billion Tree Campaign calls upon all individuals, countries and companies to participate, and accepts all contributions. The Billion Tree Campaign was inspired by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement. When an executive in the United States told Professor Maathai their corporation was planning to plant a million trees, her response was: "That’s great, but what we really need is to plant a billion trees.” The campaign was carried out under the patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco. "It's the little things citizens do. That's what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees." – Wangari Maathai D.2. Forestry Law A subcategory of environmental law, Forestry Law relates to all statutes and regulations that deal with the preservation of forests and parks, reforestation activities to ensure the sustainability of the nation's lands, and the prevention of illegal logging activities. These laws derive from both federal and state sources. Preservation

A major focus of forestry law is preservation. Many forests take decades or centuries to regenerate. Indeed, some species of tree, such as the California Redwood, can take thousands of years to reach their enormous size. As a result, preservation of such resources must be a primary focus of any conservation law, as these resources are not readily replaced once they are lost. Preservation laws include limitations on logging, anti-forest fire campaigns, and other environmental protections. These laws also affect those in more urban settings, by regulating, for example, the removal of trees from personal property, or requiring special permits to trim or cut down trees over a certain diameter or age. Reforestation In cases where forests are lost through natural disaster, forest fire, or man's activities, often the only means of replacing what has been lost is through reforestation efforts. A number of state and federal initiatives such efforts by providing incentives to land owners who replace trees on their property. In the logging industry it is now often mandated that after an area has been cleared, new trees must be replanted in the place of those that have been removed. This not only protects the environment, but promotes the sustainability of the logging industry as a whole. E. Frequently Asked Questions E.1. what is tree planting? Tree planting is an area of the reforestation activity that involves planting seedlings. E.2. Why is tree planting important? Because of the benefits that our planet and ourselves get from trees, such as trees being oxygen filters, providing shelter and food for humans as well as other animals and their influence on the climate (to mention a few); it is essential that we make sure we make up for all the trees we loose or use. If performed properly

tree planting can ensure the successful restoration of a deforested area, hence creating ecologically sustainable resource use. E.3. Who can be a tree planter? Anyone can be; all you have to do is plant a tree and watch over it as it grows and you will have become a tree planter. E.4. When to plant a tree? Despite the fact that planting a tree does not necessarily need a special occasion for it to be done, you can nonetheless make the act an unforgettable one by picking an important date (your birthday, special event day etc.) for you to plant it and share the experience with loved ones around you. But of course, you must look to the weather and because the climate plays an important role for deciding on the right planting time. Newly planted trees do best when exposed to moderate temperature and rainfall E.5. Where to plant a tree? Different people have different ideas for planting sites: personal gardens, schools, parks and work are one of the locations you can choose from. Once you have chosen the location on which you would like to plant a tree, you need to speak to the owner or the manager of the property in order to get the permission to go ahead and plant. This person can either be a park ranger, the principal at your school or your employer.

Sources: http://www.yourdictionary.com/indigenous#gLM83bbqYB2XDlO2.99 Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. 2016. GREENIN Philippines. Retrieved on April 6, 2016 from http://rafi.org.ph/greenin-philippines/green-almanac/yakal/. Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. 2016. GREENIN Philippines. Retrieved on April 6, 2016 from http://rafi.org.ph/greenin-philippines/green-almanac/guijo/. http://www.unep.org/documents.multilingual/default.asp? DocumentID=445&ArticleID=4867&l=en http://e360.yale.edu/feature/alien_species_reconsidered_finding_a_value_in_non -natives/2373/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billion_Tree_Campaign