The Ateneo de Manila University has become home to threatened Philippine native tree species with the establishment of the Arboretum of 101 Threatened Philippine Trees in partnership the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) and through the support of the family of Dr. Edna Manlapaz
The EDC has been bridging forest gaps and reviving the abundance of 96 threatened Philippine native trees for over ten years with the help of its partners through its BINHI greening legacy program. Ateneo is the 175th partner of the EDC, and the University's arboretum is the 12th that the company has established all over the country.
During its inauguration, former Ateneo President, Fr. Jett Villarin, together with Dr. Edna Manlapaz and Atty. Allan Barcena, EDC Corporate Social Responsibility Public Relations head, planted a threatened tree species called malakatmon (Dillenia luzionensis), endemic to Sibuyan, Romblon and Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
The Ateneo-EDC BINHI partnership continues to flourish with the Ateneo collecting wildlings of the baguilumbang (Reutealis trisperma) tree on campus, classified as endangered in the wild, and sharing this with the EDC for reforestation efforts in the country. Wildings are seedlings that are not cultivated and have sprouted in the wild. These remain under the mother trees, however, survival rates are low because the wildlings do not get the sufficient amount of sunlight needed, alongside other landscape constraints. This wildling collection activity was organized by The Ateneo Wild as part of the TALAB 2019 activities. Called Hope for the Wild: A Wilding Collection Activity, student volunteers collected and bagged over 100 seedlings which were then brought to the EDC nursery.
Through the Arboretum of 101 Threatened Philippine Trees, the Ateneo contributes to biodiversity conservation and ensuring that precious natural heritage is protected and propagated.