DENR saves century-old tree

A century-old dao (dracontomelon dao) tree at the University of the Philippines campus in Los Baños, Laguna was saved after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) denied a request by school officials to cut it down.

DENR Secretary Elisea Gozun cited the historical importance and heritage of the tree to UPLB when she denied the request of UPLB Chancellor Wilfredo David last March 22 for a cutting permit.

The cutting down of dao trees is banned by Presidential Decree 953, unless a special cutting permit is issued by the DENR.

David said the tree poses "imminent danger on lives and property" as it has started to lean dangerously. Fondly called the "leaning tower," the tree is situated in front of the Student Union building near the sports grounds.

The tree stands 20 meters with a circumference of about 5.5 meters. Its trunk is just a meter away from the road fronting the Student Union building.

Experts from the DENR said that the concrete which now covers a large portion of the tree’s root system has contributed to the tree’s leaning posture.

An assessment conducted by the DENR’s Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau show that despite its age and its leaning posture, the tree appears to be healthy without any sign of disease or pest attack.

Dao is a hardwood specie native to the Philippines and normally thrives in lowland areas, reaching heights of 35-40 meters.

UPLB authorities last March announced a plan to have the tree cut for fear that it would collapse on students and cause damage to property.

Gozun’s decision, however, followed a technical conference held at the UPLB campus last July 15. The conference was attended by UPLB authorities, alumni, students and DENR officials led by Undersecretary Rolando Metin.

As an alternative, Gozun ordered that the tree be pruned to make it less top heavy and reduce the danger of collapse.

Gozun likewise recommended placing warning signs near the tree and installing a support structure at its mid-section to keep it from collapsing and at the same time arrest the tree’s leaning posture.

She also requested UPLB authorities to redesign the front of the Student Union building to give space to the tree’s roots.