THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will put up seed sources for the tamayuan tree to boost the implementation of the Expanded National Greening Program (E-NGP).
The wood of the tamayuan tree, an indigenous tree species, has important commercial value and is widely used as a construction material.
The plan is to boost the local supply of wood from this commercially viable tree that has suffered severely from the rampant practice of slash-and-burn farming.
The Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) has labeled tamayuan as an “individual plus tree,” as it is a natural forest stand.
According to ERDB, plus trees are eyed to be massively propagated in tree breeding, as they have superior phenotype (outward appearance) and are expected to have superior genotype (collection of genes that determine traits).
The traits though have to be tested for actual performance—exceptional growth rate, high wood density, resistance to disease and insect attack and other environmental factors.
The E-NGP finds value in massively propagating tamayuan as it is suitable for planting nationwide, according to ERDB Director Dr. Sofio B. Quintana.
“Management of seed sources strengthens implementation of the DENR’s [Department of Environment and Natural Resoures] National Greening Program,” Quintana said in a statement released through Growth Publishing.
Tamayuan is found in the provinces of Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Bulacan, Bataan, Laguna, Tayabas, Camarines, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Masbate, Mindoro and Palawan.
It also grows in Leyte, Samar, Bohol, Negros Island, Panay Island and in Mindanao provinces.
“It is imperative to conserve the remaining stands of this tree species for genetic diversity, as well as for biodiversity,” Growth Publishing quoted ERDB Foresters Carlito R. Buante and William P. Israel.
Sustainability of this endemic tree species has been threatened by the conversion of forests into agricultural lands through the slash-and-burn system.
Nevertheless, an ERDB inventory showed that 277 tamayuan trees still stand out among 1,000 individual plus trees.
“It grows well on slopes with fairly deep soil and is shade-tolerant. It is the only commercial tree species in the Philippines under the family Olacaceae,” Buante and Israel said.
Despite massive urbanization as townsfolk crowd the metropolis, a significant 12 million to 15 million Filipinos still depend on forests for their survival and culture.
Tamayuan is noted for standing with dipterocarps (mainly tropical lowland forest trees, a hardwood plywood source) within Mahagnao Volcano National Park in La Paz and Bureauen, Leyte.
These dipterocarp trees include tangile (205 stands), white lauan (120), mayapis (51), bagtikan (22) and other non-dipterocarp trees hindang, ulayan, malatambis, narra and bitanghol.
“For foresters, it is a treasure trove of biodiversity and a hope for restoring a fragile yet important tropical forest cover,” the foresters said.
Tamayuan grows 30 meters in height with a stem of 30 centimeter to 70 centimeter. Scientifically called Strombosia philippinensis, its wood is “moderately heavy to heavy, hard, very fine and straight grained and durable.”
Its commercial uses are for house posts, joists and rafters, furniture, ax handles, mining props and railway ties.
The foresters had recommended a program for sustainable forest management for tamayuan and other trees in Mahagnao Volcano National Park. Indigenous tree species such as tamayuan should be used in tree planting, which will give equal livelihood opportunities for indigenous people.
The foresters also advised preserving the germplasm of tamayuan. This and other rare endemic trees should be planted in new sites with similar characteristics, such as slopes and weather.
“Seed sources—seed production areas and individual plus trees—of endemic tree species are potential sources of planting materials for reforestation and forest rehabilitation. These will improve forest stand quality and structure, and increase in biomass, as well as wood yield,” they said.
People’s organizations must be formed to sustainably manage forests not only as livelihood source but as part of a conservation and germplasm storage program.
“We need to have sustained information and education support to improve forest ecosystems,” the foresters added.