A Glimpse to Botanical Garden: Case Study in the Environment and Ecological Niche of Molave Tree

Abstract

A wood species called molave (Vitex parviflora Juss.) naturally grows in tropical nations like the Philippines. In the marginal uplands, molave is also a plant that is advised for afforestation. The ecological niche of the molave tree is significant to the balance of the terrestrial ecosystems. The trees serve as producers of the biotic organism and provide shelter, oxygen and sequester carbon dioxide. The trees also provide support that upholds the land from erosion and landslides. According to FAO (2004), people in the county continue to unlawfully cut these trees despite the Philippines’ restriction on doing so, which results in an annual deforestation rate of roughly 2.48%, compared to 1.4% in the 1990s. Some of the conservation plans of the government include in situ conservation, integrated protected area systems, geographic mapping of species distribution, and education and training activities for conservation planning. Therefore, the molave tree in the Botanical Garden of University of the Philippines Los Banos has a vital role in controlling the balance of the ecosystems together with the living organisms in the area and must be sustained and protected.