Government launches new museum of living trees

The environment department has launched a museum of living trees that will showcase indigenous and endemic species in the Philippines, in a theme garden that was re-developed this year in a public park in suburban Quezon City.

"We want a museum of living trees to propagate the indigenous species which are vanishing because majority of landscape architects are promoting other exotic plants from other countries," said Corazon Avis, director of the environment and natural resources department which is taking care of the government's programme at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

"The garden will showcase species of plants found only in the Philippines. We will also try to transform the city into a Garden City," she said, adding that efforts are under way to make landscape architects prefer indigenous plants other than those that were introduced here and continue to demand high prices from private nurseries.

At present, the environment department has a collection of 34 endemic and indigenous species.

A continuous sourcing of stocks throughout the country could raise the number to a hundred, said Avis.

The living museum is expected to be in full bloom by the middle of next year, with support it has received from various government agencies, especially the environment department.

"We would give attention to the country's native species to make residents of Metro Manila familiar with them," said Avis, adding that all Filipinos should be able to appreciate the value and importance of trees found only in their country.

The park's museum of trees will serve as an educational attraction mostly to students and researchers, she said.