Researchers and community members work together to conserve trees in Mt. Malindang

Community members from the three barangays in Don Victoriano, Misamis Occidental are working with BRP researchers to conserve and propagate economically important, endemic, and rare plants in Mt. Malindang.

Residents of Barangays Mansawan, Gandawan, and Lake Duminagat, and the researchers are jointly putting up a nursery as income-generating project for the community. This activity is an offshoot of the first-generation project where an inventory and assessment of floral resources in Mt. Malindang was carried out.

According to Dr. Cecilia B. Amoroso, Project Leader, the nursery is envisioned to provide income for the members of the community, as well as to encourage them to conserve the forest.

The local researchers collect seeds and wildlings of fast-growing trees from the forest and plant these in the temporary nursery. The collected seedlings of fast-growing trees are planted along the road and trails to provide shade, lumber and medicine. Some of the tree species planted were: (1) almaciga (Agathis philippinensis); (2) ngilo (Elmerallia platyphylla); (3) tongog (Phyllocladus hypophyllus); (4) lukinay (Dacrydium elatum); (5) lipata (unidentified sp.); and (6) kalingag (Cinnamomum mercadoi). A permanent nursery is being constructed to house the propagated wildlings/seedlings and ornamentals with medicinal value in Barangay Mansawan.

Dr. Amoroso is pushing for a local ordinance that will require visitors in the area to buy seedlings from the nursery and plant these along the roads and trails leading to the forest. The income generated from this activity will be used for the maintenance and operation of the nursery to ensure continuity of conservation actions.

Today, the researchers and the local partners monitor the nursery in the area. When the project ends in 2005, the management of the nursery will be turned over to the community.