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Philippine Date Palm Project

Category: Articles
Date Posted: 2005-12-29

"Conservation of the Philippine Date Palm" is one of the on-going projects of D.A. Madulid, aimed at conserving threatened endemic plants in the Philippines. Some of the activities of the project include detailed survey of the distribution of the species (in Batan, Sabtang, Ivuhos, and Itbayat Islands), growth and phenology studies, responses of the plant to fire, threats to the species, and ethnobotanical uses. Public awareness campaign about the importance of the plant was stepped up through interviews in local and national radio/television programs and publication of articles in national newspapers. The output of the rresearch served as additional justification for the Batanes Protected Landscape and Seascapes Management Plan.

A new locality was recorded for the species, i.e. Ivuhos. Additional information on species and localities are integrated in the Flora of Batanes Project which is currently being undertaken by the Philippine National Museum.

The conservation of voyavoy is fully supported by the provincial and municipal officials of Batanes, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Education, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture, Department of Tourism, Philippine Information Agency, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, local NGOs such as the Batanes Development Foundation Inc. supported the project. It is partially funded by the Chicago Zoological Society.