The De La Salle Philippines has begun developing a 24.4-hectare botanical garden that will cultivate rare and native plant species to support research on habitat restoration and ecological rehabilitation.
Through its Lasallian Institute for the Environment (LIFE), the La Salle Botanical Gardens (LSBG), located within AyalaLand’s Alviera estate in Porac, is envisioned as a living laboratory where scientists can study how disturbed landscapes recover and regenerate over time.
Esperanza Maribel Agoo, a botanist and biology professor at De La Salle University, told the BusinessMirror the project will prioritize species endemic to Central Luzon’s biogeographical zone.
‘We’re focusing on native species with rare and threatened status,’ Agoo said. ‘Among the rarest plants on earth can be found here-cycads, or ‘pitogo,’ local bamboo species, ferns, and some herbs and legumes that help fertilize the soil.’
‘These species will help us demonstrate habitat restoration in areas disturbed by lahar, floods and typhoons,’ she added.
Porac, one of the hardest-hit towns during the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption, was buried under repeated lahar flows that reshaped its terrain and river systems. The botanical garden seeks to transform these scarred areas into models for ecological recovery.
The LSBG forms part of La Salle Philippines’ broader environmental program on biodiversity conservation, ecological education, and science-based land management.
Agoo said the first phase of planting would include around 100 species of trees, palms, ferns and soil-stabilizing plants suited for regeneration.
An earlier inventory recorded at least 45 tree species, which can be expanded through nursery propagation.
‘We’re selecting plants that naturally occur here,’ Agoo added. ‘It’s not just about conservation, but showing the natural process of recovery.’
To understand how flora and fauna interact in recovering ecosystems, researchers will also monitor wildlife activity.
Ronaldo Lagat, a herpetologist and faculty member at De La Salle Dasmariñas, said the approach is designed to recreate a functioning ecological system where plants coexist with animals.
‘We’re not just planting trees, we’re creating a system,’ Lagat told the BusinessMirror.
‘Animals like birds and bats help disperse seeds, while insects serve as pollinators. A quarter of the site will be left untouched so we can observe natural succession, how a disturbed area heals itself,’ he explained.
Data collected from the site will guide future rehabilitation programs and policymaking, providing evidence on which species to prioritize or avoid in reforestation efforts, he said.
‘With the right data, we can identify which plants thrive and which ones may become invasive,’ he said. ‘This information will help make rehabilitation more effective.’
The Philippines is home to hundreds of threatened native species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The LSBG was first conceptualized in 2016 and formally planned following a land donation in 2018. Its master plan, developed with landscape architects from the United Kingdom and the Philippines, was followed by fundraising and nursery propagation during the pandemic.