NATIVE (indigenous and endemic) TREE SPECIES FOR URBANIZED AND

URBANIZING LANDSCAPES: Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation

By

ARMANDO M. PALIJON, PhD

Professor
Institute of Renewable Natural Resources
College of Forestry and Natural Resources
University of the Philippines Los Baños

1. Rationale

a) Recent advances in the research topics

Planting of exotic plants including trees in the rural and urban settings became a popular
practice not only in the Philippines but also in other countries. Specifically, trees were
introduced into the country purposely for reforestation of degraded forest lands not only
for timber production but also for protection of the watersheds. A lot of these tree species
were called “miracle trees” owing to their fast rate of growth.

One of the most popular trees introduced in the Philippines since Spanish time was rain
tree (Samanea saman). This species has naturalized already. It is very much widespread
in the entire country both in rural and urban landscapes. It is growing luxuriantly in low
to high elevation including the Cordillera where the wood of the species is very much
popular for wood carving and furniture. From then on, introduction of species continued
to include mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla); teak (Tectona grandis); giant ipil-ipil
(Leucaena leucocephala); kaatoan bangkal (Anthocephalus chinensis); yemane (Gmelina
arborea); knife acacia (Acacia auriculiformis); mangium (Acacia mangium); eucalyptus
(Eucalyptus camaldulensis); some ornamental figs (Ficus spp) and a lot more. Many of
these timber species also end up in the urbanized and urbanizing landscapes.

In Sotalbo’s book on trees, palms and bamboos of the UP Diliman Campus published in
200_, majority of the introduced species mentioned above were observed to be the
dominant species. Some reasons why exotic species are commonly used in the urban
landscape as enumerated in Palijon’s doctoral dissertation done in 1998 are as follows:
these the popular species, very much available in both government and private nurseries,
less expensive and normally are demanded by the owner of the green space.

Noticeably, a lot of these introduced species are common in roadsides, islands, gardens
and parks, golf courses, riparian areas, residential, commercial and industrial areas; and,
institutional premises even in the remotest municipality in the country. Some trees in
these green spaces are century-old or even much older. Thus, developments like
conversion of land into residential, commercial and industrial sites and road expansion or
widening are normally opposed because of the presence of what “tree saving advocates”
called “historical and heritage trees.” Examples are those rain trees (Samanea saman)
along Mac Arthur Highway, a road from Bulacan leading to Pampanga and those at the
back of UP Campus, along Katipunan road which is being widened into C-5 road (Cruz,
2009).
Use of native trees was and still is limited to very few species. These species include
smooth narra (Pterocarpus indicus forma) and prickly narra (Pterocarpus indicus forma
echinatus); molave (Vitex parviflora); agoho (Casuarina equisetifolia); bitaog
(Calophyllum inophylllum); and, kamagong (Diospyrus philippinensis) (Palijon 2008).

Cognizant of the threat of exotic species to biodiversity and environmental conservation

and to the conservation of the native tree species both indigenous and endemic for
posterity and for the future generation to have opportunities to see and enjoy these
biological resources, a new trend of greening approach in the urbanized and urbanizing
landscapes using available native species is evolving not only in the Philippines but also
in Asia and Pacific Region. This approach has been given impetus during the Convention
of Biological Diversity held in 1986 in which the Philippines was the first to respond and
able to come up with bio-diversity conservation guidelines. .

In Asia and Pacific Region, however, Malaysia was one of the first countries that
promoted the use of native species in the urban landscapes. Prime timber species like the
dipterocarps were and are being used for urban greening and landscaping. Other countries
like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries followed the trend and
are becoming proud to include these native species as one of the eco-tourism attractions.
Some of these countries are benefiting not only the improvement of the economy but also
the enhancement and perpetuation of their biological diversity and sustenance of the
environment.

b) How the proposed lecture is related to the previous work/studies

The proponent has been involved in a lot of arboriculture and urban forestry works not
only with regard to the promotion of these fields as fields of sciences but also as arts or
the actual practice. He has developed undergraduate and graduate courses pertaining to
these fields and has been teaching these courses for a long time now. His doctoral
dissertation dealt with urban green space management. Biological aspect (structure,
distribution, composition and health condition), environmental and social and economic
impacts of urban forestry are among the concerns of his studies.

He was involved in the 5-year JSPS Manila Project as a member of the group concerned
with the green metropolis rehabilitation and also member of the Team on Master Plan
Development of the Gateway to the Philippines, a Landscape Rehabilitation project.

Together with his students and advisees, a number of studies have been conducted on
floral structure of urban green spaces. He has been advocating the use of native
(indigenous and endemic) tree species not only in urban greening and landscaping but
also in the plantation establishment and other reforestation/ rehabilitation projects.
At present he is very much involved in the nursery propagation of indigenous/endemic
tree species and the performance trials of these native species in urban areas. He is
currently providing technical services to a number of institutions with his knowledge of
the taxonomy and cultural requirements of native tree species as his selling point.

He has published a lot of scientific articles on urban green space management/urban

forestry in national and international (ISI and Non-ISI) refereed journals. He is
continuously participating in international and national conferences, fora and symposia
mostly as paper presentor where he was and still is able to establish linkage/network with
scientists and other practitioners. The attached curriculum vitae will speak of the works
he has done on urban forestry.

c) Contribution to the body of knowledge

The proposed topic for this Professorial Chair will definitely contribute to the wealth of
knowledge on the conservation strategies of native (both indigenous and endemic)
species particularly those that are threatened, vulnerable, endangered and/or at the brink
of extinction. More importantly, model for the selection of the potential and appropriate
species for urbanized and urbanizing landscapes may be drawn for wider adoption. The
lecture will definitely contribute to the promotion of the native species in the urbanized
and urbanizing landscapes with the private and public sectors involved in development
including other stakeholders advocating saving the native tree species. Moreover, this
will contribute to harnessing development in favor of the use of native species over the
exotic which is advantageous to the country particularly in terms of conserving its natural
biological resources and environment for the benefit of the future generations.

2. Objectives of the lecture

The Professorial Chair lecture aims to present the state of the green spaces particularly in
Asia and Pacific region in terms of its structure and species composition vis a vis the use
of exotic and native tree species and the concomitant effect to biological diversity and
environmental sustainability.

Specifically, it intends to present and discuss the following:

a) History of the introductions/proliferations of exotic species in both the rural and

urban landscapes in the Philippines.
b) Various exotic species and their characteristics including the good and bad traits (or
the positive and negative externalities, respectively)
c) The shift to the use of native (indigenous/endemic) tree species in urban greening and
landscaping consistent with the premises of the Convention of Biological
Diversity (CBD).
d) Various species with potentials and appropriate for the urbanized and urbanizing
landscapes
e) Initiatives of public and private sectors in the promotion and use of native species in
the urban landscapes
f) The research, development and extension requirements of native species with regard
to their use in the urban landscapes
g) Recommendation as to the need for the integration and use of native tree species in
urban green space planning, development and management

3. Lecture outline/Expected Output

A. Introduction
1. Characteristics of the urbanized and urbanizing landscapes
a. Asia and Pacific Region
b. Philippines
2. Attributes of the green spaces in Asia and the Pacific Region giving
emphasis on Philippines in terms of :
a. Structure
b. Composition
c. Other attributes
3. History of the introductions/proliferations of exotics in both rural and urban
landscapes
a. When and how exotic species introduced
b. Basis/criteria of selection of exotic species for introduction
c. Dominance of exotic species
4. Shift to the use of native (indigenous/endemic) in the urban landscapes
consistent with the premises of the CBD
a. Brief review of the CBD
b. Benefits/Advantages of using native species
c. Potential issues and constraints on the use of native species
5. Various native (indigenous/endemic) tree species other than the usual and
common native species used for urban landscapes
a. Species with potentials
b. Appropriate species
c. Basis/criteria for selection
6. Initiatives in the promotion and use of native tree species in the urbanized and
urbanizing landscapes
a. Public sectors
a.1 (Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau (ERDB)
and Ecosystem and Research and Development Service
(ERDS) of the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR).
a.2 The Academe: namely, Department of Education and
Culture and Sports (DEPED); State College and Universities
e.g UP Los Banos and VSU
b. Private sectors
b.1 Energy Development Corporation through its Binhi
Program;
b.2 Non-government organizations and foundations
particularly native plants association;
 b.3 Foundation of Endemic Species;
b.4 Private nurseries of native plat species and many others

7. Requirements for the promotion and use of native species in the urbanized and
urbanizing landscapes
a. Research requirements
b. Development requirements
c. IEC or extension requirements
8. Recommendations for the integration of native species in urban green space
planning and development and management particularly addressed to:
a. LGUs
b. Developers of residential, commercial and industrial areas
c. Golf course and memorial parks owners
d. Other concerned corporation, groups and individuals

References

Clark, J.R., Matheny, N.P., Cross, G. and V. Wake. 1197. A model of Urban forest
sustainability. Journal of Arboriculture 23(1)

Cruz, N.H. 2009. Watch acacia trees at the back of UP Diliman Campus. Opinion
Section. Philippine Daily Inquirer, Vol.24 No. 247 (August 14, 2009 issue).

Grey, G.W. 1996. The urban forest: Comprehensive management. John Wiley and Sons
Inc. New York pp 156.

Moriwake, N, Palijon, A.M. and K. Takeuchi. 2002. Distribution and structure of green
spaces in Metro Manila. In: Metro Manila: In Search for a Sustainable Future, University
of the Philippine Press, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.

Nowak, D., Rowntree, R., McPherson, Sisinni, S, Kerkman, E and J. Stevens. Urban tree
cover analysis. Landscape and Urban Planning.

McPherson, E. G., Nowak, D., Heisler G., Grimmond, S. Souch, C., Grant, R., and R.
Rowntree. 1997. Quantifying urban forest structure, function and value: The Chicago UF
Climate project. Urban Ecosystems Journal Vol 1 No1. March 1997.

Ohmachi, T. and E.R. Roman. 2002.Metro Manila: In Search for a Sustainable Future,
University of the Philippine Press, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.

Palijon, A.M. 2001. An analysis of green space management strategies in Metro Manila.
In: Forest and Social Services-the role of research. Finnish Research Institute. Research
papers 815.
Palijon, A.M. 2004. Urban Forestry in Asia: State of the Art. In: Forestry Serving
Urbanized Societies. IUFRO world Series Volume 14, Copenhagen, Denmark

Palijon, A.M. 2006. Floral Attributes and Their Relationships with Green Space
Management.professorial Chair Lecture, UPLB College of Forestry, College, Laguna

Sotalbo, E.D. 2001. Trees, palms, and bamboos of the University of the Philippines
Diliman. Univeristy of the Philippines Press and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for
Research and Development, UP Diliman.