Each storm is an opportunity (Plant a native/endemic philippine tree)

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We're planting the wrong trees and it's making typhoon damage worse | Pacifiqa

We’re planting the wrong trees and it’s making typhoon damage worse

We’re planting the wrong trees and it’s making typhoon damage worse
by Gabriel la Ó


Pili trees. (Alma Gamil/ Flickr/ Flickr)

We previously covered what happens to trees after they’ve been uprooted or destroyed by a typhoon. We also reported that in the spirit of recovery, the MMDA has offered free trees to anyone who lost a tree. It got us thinking though, do we even have the right trees in the first place? With so much damage coming from fallen trees, is there a way to better prepare for future typhoons? Turns out, there is.

For that, we reached out to two experts in their fields for answers: Dr. Jurgenne Primavera, a retired aquaculturist and the Chief Mangrove Scientific Advisor for the Zoological Society of London-Philippines, and Ulysses Ferreras, a botanist for the Philippine Native Plant Conservation Society.

At the heart of the issue is the damage from all the fallen trees and branches.

“Majority of the trees that can be found throughout Metro Manila are not native to the Philippines,” said Ferreras.

“The mango trees come from Burma or India, the acacia is from South America. They’ve been around so long we assume them as Filipino, but they’re not. And because they’re not native, they are not naturally resistant to typhoons.”



An interesting wrinkle in the discussion of native vs. exotic trees is that the Philippines has an abundance of alternatives to choose from. Dr. Primavera said there are 3,600 species of trees that are native to the Philippines. Not all of them are suited for typhoons, of course, but there are more than enough to choose from.

“Among native species, there are also categories: in particular, the beachfront trees. There are misconceptions about them too. They are called beachfront trees, but that’s because they only started in the beach. They can actually survive anywhere between zero and 200 meters above sea level, and they don’t need saltwater to survive. Beachfront trees are particularly resistant to typhoons because they are suited for strong winds—they’re evolved to withstand winds coming from the ocean.

“There are about 70 to 80 species of beach front trees to choose from, and we’re actually quite familiar with some of their names. Talisay, dita, bani—these are just some of the species we can choose from. It’s interesting because we have so many towns named after these trees, too. The towns are still there, but for most places, the trees are not anymore.”

Exotic funding

Take a quick look at our highways, parks, and even inside urban developments like villages and small city complexes, and you’ll often see exotic trees dotted everywhere. That’s not a coincidence though. A history of underfunded research into our native species of trees means that when compared to exotic trees like mahogany, eucalyptus, or gemalina, we really don’t know too much about them.

Dr. Primavera explains:

“Exotic trees are the easy way out. The technology and knowledge is there. It is extensively used for commercial forestry—they are fast-growing, and we know exactly how to profit from it. There really isn’t anything wrong with using them for commercial plantations. The problems arise when they are applied to public places. Using them in parks, highways, and cities—that is wrong.

“We also have native fast-growing trees that are easy to germinate, but are more resistant to typhoons. If we had invested in research into our own trees, we might have better alternatives.”




There are efforts to promote the planting of local trees, but even then, there is still a disconnect between what is ideal and what is at hand. Ferreras, the botanist, explained that some local governments have been pushing for planting of native species, but then the lack of supply comes into play.

“Majority of the nurseries in the Philippines rely on exotic trees. So even if we wanted to plant more native trees, are there enough available seedlings?” said Ferreras.

Homegrown alternatives

Among the native species that Dr. Primavera and Ferreras would like to see more of are talisay, dau, pili, and molave.

“The dau is such a beautiful tree!” said Dr. Primavera. “We really should plant more of that. There are towns named Dau, but we rarely see the tree.”

For his part, Ferreras cites the pili and molave as his personal favorites for replacing exotic trees.

“The pili is a native tree from the Bicol region. Bicol is always visited by storms. Why don’t we plant more pili trees?” said Ferreras.

“President Quezon even had a speech about the molave tree!”


The MMDA’s fire trees (wrong tree to plant)

You don’t need to look to far to see evidence of how much better native trees are in withstanding storms. Whenever a typhoon strikes, the ones that survive are often the native ones.

While Ferreras is all for replacing trees uprooted during the storm, he has a problem when the trees that will replace them are still of the wrong variety.

“We’re perpetuating the same thing. The fire tree that the MMDA wants to give out? Yes, it’s very pretty. It turns red. But it’s still exotic, and the characteristic of that tree is such that it easily rots. It may be fast-growing, but it is soft,” said Ferreras.

For her part, Dr. Primavera believes that the lack of education plays a significant role in the perpetuation of the cycle.

“I get different answers on why we keep going for exotics. But since many DENR field staff are engineers, they are not ecologically-oriented. In terms of education, colleges of forestry focus on plantation species, which are primarily exotics,” said Primavera.

No easy solution

So what are we supposed to do? There are no easy alternatives. Trees still take years to grow, even the fast-growing types. Dr. Primavera cites one way in which we can slowly change the status quo.

“There’s a professor at the UP Marine Science Institute, and what he’s done is he plants native trees between the exotics. Eventually as they get bigger, you can cut the exotics. It’s not a quick solution, but it’s a way to slowly change it.”

Storms can also speed up the process, since a lot of exotic trees are damaged or destroyed, as Ferreras explained.

“Each storm is an opportunity. The trees are destroyed anyway, and usually exotic, so you won’t be taking away a perfectly good tree. The important thing is that you plant a native tree in its place. Don’t make the same mistake,” said Ferreras.

[kagalingan]

Timing na timing ito ngayon typhoon.

One tree napansin ko very underrated pero maganda pangkapit sa lupa eh banaba tree. Maganda prevention sa landslide.

[kagalingan]

Banaba Tree



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Bignay Tree

[CVT]

Timing na timing ito ngayon typhoon.

One tree napansin ko very underrated pero maganda pangkapit sa lupa eh banaba tree. Maganda prevention sa landslide.

Banaba,- di ba ang dahon niyan ay puwedeng ilaga at inumin ang pinaglagaan (na parang tsaa)???

Kasama rin yata ang dahon nito sa pitu-pito,- tama ba?

Malaking puno nga iyan. Sa dati naming bahay,- may puno na ganyan sa unahan,....


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"The measure of a man is what he does with power" LJIOHF!

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[StockEngine]

Well written article... the mango tree does fall down easily.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tsikot Forums mobile app

[kagalingan]

Banaba,- di ba ang dahon niyan ay puwedeng ilaga at inumin ang pinaglagaan (na parang tsaa)???

Kasama rin yata ang dahon nito sa pitu-pito,- tama ba?

Malaking puno nga iyan. Sa dati naming bahay,- may puno na ganyan sa unahan,....


_/_/_/
"The measure of a man is what he does with power" LJIOHF!

31.0K _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Oo yung ginagamit sa pito-pito. Maganda root system banaba kaya pang soil erosion control

Well written article... the mango tree does fall down easily.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tsikot Forums mobile app

Maganda tanim manga pero sa probinsya. And do not make the mistake of planting near the house gawin shade tree. Kawawa ang bubung every dry season lagatok kakabagsak ng mangga at dahon makalat. Ang tagal pa naman madecompose mango leaves.

Try park under the mango tree, shady nga pero puro dagta at dahon naman windshield.

[remzam]

Nice read. Very informative

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

[shadow]

Email ka kay Gina Lopez.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kagalingan]

One of my favorite native shade tree eh talisay. Lilim talaga.

Madali lang ito tumubo, usually dala ng paniki/ibon yan mga ebak nila.

Ang ayaw ko lang pag bumagyo pag hindi solid kapti sa lupa maangat ng hangin. Kaya pag tinanim dapat malawak at malalim hukay. Mga size ng bata yung kasysa pag ihulog sa hukay.

[CVT]

Well written article... the mango tree does fall down easily.
L]

I remember people toppling down the tree for it to beat fruit daw.... (Para abutin ng usok ng siga)

Try park under the mango tree, shady nga pero puro dagta at dahon naman windshield.

When we're in the province, i do not park under the mango trees... Under the sun na lang.....

One of my favorite native shade tree eh talisay. Lilim talaga..

I am planning to plant this in the middle of our open lot in the village....

[kagalingan]

I am planning to plant this in the middle of our open lot in the village....

Ganda yan kasi pag lumaki pwede lagyan long wooden chair tapos lamesa pwede na unwind or kung dalawa seedling maitanim mo pwede na kabit duyan.

Meron ako nakita ginagamit ngayon puno para hindi mainit bahay. Mga 3 to 4trees planted strategically para malamig ang bahay. Pero ang crucial kung ano klase ng puno gagamitin.

[hinlog]

beware sa may balak magtanim ng puno ng mangga malapit sa bahay o bakod, sumisira ng poste ng bahay yan dahil sa ugat

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[dr. d]

beware sa may balak magtanim ng puno ng mangga malapit sa bahay o bakod, sumisira ng poste ng bahay yan dahil sa ugat

Sent from my Mi 4i using Tapatalk

not to mention, the tree sap on paint surfaces, the trunk pushing on the alulods and roofing, and the leaves accumulating and blocking the alulod drainages.
but... sarap ng prutas namin.

[ArchiDeos]

Very informative.. Lalo na sana if may mga Gov't official makabasa nito para naman makaisip sila sa ikagaganda ng bansa natin kahit papano.. Pero in the first place dapat tayo ang maginitiate na ipaalam sa iba nating kababayan, tulad ng gumawa ng thread na to. Maraming Salamat po. And for sure may maidadag pang ibang idea para po malutas ang ating problema. DENR should prioritize this kind of project. Sana may makakapagbigay ng listahan ng mga native trees natin na maganda itanim sa gilid ng bahay at mapapakinanabangan na rin. Well for sure alam ko na itatanim ko sa susunod.

Maraming salamat po ulit.

[kagalingan]

Kung government agencies sa tingin ko by now alam na nila dapat yan.

Ang maganda magstart mismo mga bahay or sa village open area/playground eh ipaalam sa village association.

Nung nagsimula ako mahilig sa puno namangha din ako sa fire tree. Ganda kaya pag summer. Pero nung nalaman kung exotic tree eh hindi na ako bumili seedling.

Ang gusto ko naman matutunan yung mga endemic ornamentals. Kasi majority orchids, roses and even gumamela hindi pala native sa philippines.

Ito dita tree madami nito sa makati sa ayala.





Dita tree pag namulaklak

[kagalingan]

My other favorite

Balete Tree. (Tawag ko tarzan tarzan.)

Madami sa quezon city (new manila, scout area roces)

[12vdc]

If gov't is serious about replacement, they should consider those easy/quick to grow like Mahogany.

Talisay is not as sturdy, matigas lang ng konti sa acacia/Gmelina and i've seen them break half during typhoon.

Agoho tree is exotic but very sturdy, often seen in coastlines and it could be used as instant Christmas tree
Another sturdy and yet useful is the kapok tree which is known for its fiber used in pillows/fabrics.

Pili takes an average time to grow abt 5yrs for a proper canopy and 10yrs to reach the electric lines but the article is true about the sturdiness of the tree. I'm not sure if this will survive in the metro since the species is endemic only to Type-II climate mostly Southern Quezon, Cam Norte/ Sur, all the way to Sorsogon, Masbate. Aside from the canopy, Pili is known for the fruit that could give people livelihood. And the best part, this tree is known for the resin called Manila Elemi which is one primary ingredient of top brands of perfume. The byproduct of distilling the resin is used for varnish, plus the other medicinal use.


This is my 5yo grafted pili intercropped with Formosa pineapples. Tree is designed to bear plenty of nuts at early age(idk know if it could produce the resin since the trunk isnt on the right size yet). Main trunk was pruned to distribute the branches, hence the vertical growth was limited, but at that age the unpruned could already reach electric wires.

Mangoes are for harvesting mango fruit. Roots are shallow, branches are weak and should be trimmed periodically to spread the canopy or the need to lean the trunk while its still young for it to survive the tropical winds.

[baludoy]

Although technically not a tree, how about the bamboo? It's fast growing, sturdy, and commercially in demand too

to be or not to be, that always confuses me!

[kagalingan]

Bamboo check ko pa doon sa mga hustler na pagdating sa native/endemic historian.
For added information meron book philippine native trees 101

[kagalingan]

Going native: 10 trees to plant in our cities | Modern Living, Lifestyle Features, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

Going native: 10 trees to plant in our cities
CITY SENSE By Paulo Alcazaren (The Philippine Star) | Updated July 13, 2013 - 12:00am

Last week a special green space was inaugurated at UP Diliman. The university itself is one of the last oases of green and relatively open areas in the metropolis. The Washington SyCip Garden of Native Trees is distinctive in that the 100 species of trees and palms planted in it are all native species.

This urban garden of native trees was turned over in simple morning ceremonies to UP Diliman by the Zuellig Group, which supports national efforts by government affiliated bodies and NGOs to plant Philippine native trees. The goal is “…that it will inspire more greenery in the urban landscape using native trees, as the list of threatened plant species in the Philippines continues to grow, with only 24 percent of forest cover remaining in the archipelago.”

The half-hectare garden is a tribute of the Zuellig Group to esteemed friend and director, the eminent finance guru and philanthropist Washington SyCip. On hand at the ceremony were Dr. Caesar Saloma, chancellor of UP Diliman; Daniel Zuellig, director of Bridgebury Realty Corporation (BRC), an affiliate of the Zuellig Group; eco queen and fellow STAR columnist Gina Lopez; TV host and eco-advocate Karen Davila; Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro; and Undersecretary for Partnerships and External Linkages Mario Deriquito.

The garden is located in what was once a parking lot and empty space between the UP Film Center and the University Theater. The garden is designated a model site for the National Greening Program mandated by Presidential Order 23, whose goal is the establishment of urban native forests via the planting of indigenous and endemic trees in public schools.

As a landscape architect and advocate of open green space, I was invited to the ceremony and to check out the selection. My home professional association, the Philippine Association of Landscape Architects, has always been for the use of endemic species, but the reality has been that commercial plant suppliers have opted to propagate mostly introduced or foreign species. Native trees are, of course, more suited to Philippine conditions to support a sustainable ecosystem.

At the event, I managed to congratulate Daniel Zuellig, who I interviewed last year when their company inaugurated the super-green Zuellig building in Makati. Zuellig expressed the hope that “… these trees will thrive, now that the garden is under the care of the UP faculty and students. We are also optimistic that this garden will inspire the youth to participate in the national effort to save and protect the environment through native trees.”

Daniel also informed me that that their company, Bridgebury Realty Corporation, in cooperation with the Department of Education, will sponsor dendrological tours of the garden for high school students from 90 public schools in the National Capital Region to “further encourage public participation in the protection of the environment.”

On these tours, the kids will be given a guidebook to the garden. The publication, sponsored by Zuellig, was compiled and written by Imelda Sarmiento of Hortica Filipina Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization that promotes the use of Philippine plants, and Emiliano D. Sotalbo, one of the pioneers in the development of the National Botanic Garden at the UP, together with Professor Edgardo Gomez of the UP Marine Science Institute. The guidebook will also be given to the libraries of the public high schools.

In the garden I wandered about and identified 10 trees that growers could start propagating in large quantities so Philippine cities, their streets and parks, could benefit from going native.

The 10 are:

1. Banaba (Lagerstoemia speciosa) — this is an attractive tree that is considered the perfect roadside planting. Its root system can control erosion on slight slopes and it’s a showy tree with bright purple flowers.

2. Katmon (Dillenia philippinensis) — National Artist for Landscape Architecture IP Santos used this small tree in his early designs. It is a great tree to use as screen planting because of its dense foliage.

3. Bani (Milletia pinnata) — this medium-sized tree is a great roadside choice with a nice habit of growth and silhouette. Its lilac and pink flowers make it really attractive.

4. Ilang-Ilang (Cananga odorata) — this small tree is perfect if you want to mask the otherwise smelly parts of the city. Chanel No. 5 uses the extract from ilang-ilang.

5. Alibangbang (Bauhinia malabarica) — the small tree has good structure and can be used is a variety of urban settings.

6. Banuyo (Wallaceodendron celebicum) — called the “honey tree” the banuyo has yellow blooms. It is useful for erosion control for risk-prone coasts and rivers. It is also salt-tolerant.

7. Dita (Alstonia scholaris) – this tree can grow to 50 meters, although in urban setting slightly shorter. It is an ideal street tree. It is now planted along both sides of the renovated Ayala Avenue.

8. Anahaw (Saribus rotundifolius) – I add two palms to this list as not all situations can accommodate trees. The anahaw is a beautiful palm to line avenues and create alleys with.

9. Manila Palm (Adonidia merrilii) — slightly shorter than the anahaw, the Manila palm is perfect for parks and as an accent ornamental because of its bright red cluster of fruits.

10. Molave (Vitex parviflora) — this is a tough tree and suitable for coastal areas too. Many are familiar with President Manuel L. Quezon’s directive — “I want our people to be like a molave tree. Strong and resilient, standing on the hillside and unafraid of the rising tide, lighting and the storm, confident of their strength.”

Going native means being true to our strengths. We have suffered adversity because we have surrendered to development that works against nature and the environment. Planting more native trees will help us recover that innate strength we have as a people and help build better cities — with a natural infrastructure that is more robust, effective and sustainable than thousands of tons of concrete or steel.

* * *

Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren*gmail.com. For information, contact Bridgebury Realty

Elizabeth Locsin, marketing and communications director at 462-5211, 0917-5295023 or e-mail erl*zuelligbuilding.com