XVI International Botanical Congess

The ecology and conservation status of both endemic and native (i.e. with extra-Philippine distribution) dipterocarps have changed considerably because of the threat imposed on them by the population and commercial logging since the early 1930s to the present. The dipterocarps occur at low to medium altitudes (i.e. 50-600 m alt.) and since forest areas at these elevations were leased for commercial logging and released for human settlements afterwards, populations of a number of species were depleted and/or eroded. Because the dipterocarps are still the mainstay of the forest industry, the remaining forests should be properly maintained for the present and future generation. Identified endangered species should be conserved and given special attention by establishing and raising them in ex-situ gene banks and listing them in CITES to discourage and make a stop to their utilization within the country or abroad.