Advocacy Planting

Part of the research activities was the bloggers' collaboration with the internal and external stakeholders.

With the internal stakeholders:

In collaboration with the BNHS Young Environmentalists Organization (BYESO) and the Agriculture Technology Department, the bloggers initiated Barobo Tree Planting activity at the school forest park- the home of the only full- grown Barobo tree. The said activity was also part of the sustainability initiatives for the forest park development of the school.

With the external stakeholders:

The Agriculture Technology Department of the school,care-taker of  the tree nursery provided seedlings to the bloggers for the Inter-school Advocacy Planting. The bloggers asked permission from the school administrators to allow them to plant Barobo tree within the vicinity of their school.

The purpose of bloggers was to have a living tree in every school so that the young generation will be aware of its significance to the their cultural heritage.

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The Legendary Tree

In barangay Poblacion, there is only one full-grown Barobo tree  located at the BNHS Forest Park.

Scientific name   : Diplodiscus paniculatus Turcz

Family name       : Malvaceae

Local name         : Barobo (balobo, bayobo in some areas)

Habit	Tree to 20 m high, stem to 80 cm diameter, often fluted at the base and with buttresses.
Leaves/Fronds	Leaves simple, alternate, elliptic or oblong-elliptic to 20 x 8 cm, glossy above; base obtuse to rounded, or slightly inequilateral; apex obtuse to acute; nerves 5-7 on each side of the midrib, ascendingly curved, grayish; young leaves drooping, purplish tinged.
Flowers	Flowers yellowish-white, fragrant, in terminal or subterminal panicles, clustered towards end of branchlets.
Fruits & Seeds	Fruit a subglobose capsule, 2 cm diameter, brown scaly, ridge longitudinally.
Distribution	Endemic to the Philippines (Luzon, Mindoro, Masbate, Panay, Cebu, Samar, Ticao, Dinagat, Mindanao); in primary and secondary forests.

Source:http://211.114.21.20/tropicalplant/html/search01_view.jsp?rno=67&fno=&page=1 scientific=Diplodiscus%20paniculatus%20Turcz.&all=

Global Status

Diplodiscus paniculatus or barobo tree (balobo, bayobo in some areas) is in the "Red List" of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Red list, according to classification standards of the said organization is a database of threatened species. 

Assessment Information: IUCN

Red List Category & Criteria	:Vulnerable   A1cd
Year Assessed	:1998
Annotations	:Needs updating
Assessor/s	:World Conservation Monitoring Centre
History	:1997 – Vulnerable (Walter and Gillett 1998)

Geographic Range

Range Description                  :	A timber species, endemic to the Philippines.
Countries	Native:Philippines

Habitat and Ecology: 

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats: 

Major Threat(s):

Rates of habitat loss through logging and shifting cultivation have led to considerable population declines.

Source: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/33344/0

Next: The Legend of Barobo Tree

Interview with Ret. Police Officer Alice G. Cabarnes

The bloggers' interview with Mrs. Alice Gascon- Cabarnes provides substantial information for the focus story. Mrs. Cabarnes is a descendant of Gascon whose ancestors contributed to the development of early settlement in Barobo. She grew up at the bank of the lost Macopa river where Barobo tree grew abundantly. Her recollection of the legendary tree gives light to the reasons behind its diminishing population within the municipality.

As the early settlement grew, people cut the tree for lumber which they used in building houses. Many were also cut down because of land conversion, especially in those areas which were converted into roads, residencial and commercial areas. Since most of the early settlers engaged into fishing, the they also used the tree in making "baroto" or canoe. 

Next: Interview with the Municipal Mayor

Being one of the advocacy projects of Sprout of Hope, the mother organization of BNHS in its community extension on Literacy, Good Governance and Environmental Protection, this blogsite is one of its campaign media in bringing back the existence of Barobo tree within the municipality as well as in all barangays. 

In partnership with BNHS Young Environmentalists Organization (BYESO) and the Agriculture department of the school, a tree nursery is established in order to propagate Barobo tree. Vacant areas of the BNHS Forest Park are already planted with Barobo tree and other native species. The forest park is the home of the biggest Barobo tree in the municipality which stands approximately 30 meters. 

The Plant Nursery Managed by the Agriculture Department


Next: The Legendary Tree

Next: Advocacy Planting

 

Macopa River, Pincil drawing of Anecito Espina

Macopa river was one of the key areas of the early settlement. The river bank was also home to Barobo trees. Land conversion was the main reason why the abundant trees vanished in the area. The bank of the river, stretching to its outskirts were converted into residential and commercial areas.

Next: Interview with Ret. Police Officer Cabarnes (Descendant of early settlers)

The Legend of Barobo Tree

Based on series of interviews conducted by the bloggers to the descendant of the early settlement, they created a short movie depicting the early years of Barobo before it became a municipality. The cast of the movie are volunteer students of BNHS. They used “kamayo” dialect, spoken by  native Barohonanons.

Next: The Lost Treasure