Jolly, Green, and Giant - Life on Mt. Makiling

Life-long city dwellers have taken to saying, “You know, back when I was younger, there were hundreds of butterflies here, some even bigger than my hand. Now, they’re all gone because the air is so dirty.”

A butterfly as big as a hand? Even the preserved specimens in collections were no bigger than a person’s palm. There were stories too of dragonflies the size of pencils, with wings shiny as sapphires, and of insects that would stay motionless on a finger because they weren’t afraid of humans. It didn’t seem possible.

But, apparently, it was. In fact, it still is.

"Come into my garden."

Mt. Makiling is a protected area in the Philippines. There, many species of endangered plants and animals, including the gigantic butterflies of old, can be found. It is a popular location for outdoor activities, but one need not climb up the mountain to see the natural wonders hidden beneath the peak’s canopy of trees.

The Makiling Botanic Garden is a peep into the hidden wonders of the mountain.

The Makiling Botanical Gardens located inside the University of the Philippines campus in Los Banos, Laguna is a portal into the vibrant ecosystem found on Mt. Makiling. It is home to many different species of trees, flowers, shrubs, whether endangered or everyday, exotic or endemic to the country.

One of the most interesting flowering trees inside the Gardens is the kapa-kapa. Its name derives from the “cape” wrapped around the base of the flower, which hangs upside down from the plant’s stem. Indigenous to the Philippines, and first discovered on Mt. Makiling, the kapa-kapa has received an award from an English botanical body because of the beauty of its blooms, said Dr. Benjamin Arizala, a professor from the UP College of Forestry and Natural Resources.

According to Dr. Arizala, the endangered kapa-kapa is the inspiration for the roofs of the two buildings found within the Garden, which are painted a bright pink color similar to the shade of fuchsia of the plant’s flowers. Being an endangered species, the kapa-kapa is one of the plants that the caretakers of the Gardens are working to propagate and protect.

Another function of the MBG is to serve as “living collection” of flora. Specimens from all over the country and the world are planted in the fertile soil of Makiling, not only to reforest the mountain, but also to introduce unique species of plants to the Gardens’ guests.

The iron tree, locally called mangkono (which means strong), is a plant which only grows in the highly-metallic soil of Mindanao. It is the hardest known tree in the Philippines, tougher than even locally and globally-renowned wood like narra, molave, kamagong, and mahogany.

Dr. Arizala said an iron tree sapling was one of the transplants in the Gardens. However, the young tree has lost its steel-like strength because the soil in Makiling doesn’t have the same nickel and iron content as the ultramaphic soil in Mindanao.

A "lit" candle from the candle tree.

One other remarkable transplant is the exotic candle tree, which has candle-shaped fruits, and candle flame-shaped leaves. It can be eaten, but few people do so because it doesn't taste good, said Dr. Arizala.

A crowd favorite, however, is the Mickey Mouse plant, whose red flowers contain two to four tiny black fruits which resemble the famous cartoon character in his red shorts.

While there are many unique plants inside the MBG, it is the most common that was honored with a sculpture near the entrance to the park. Dipterocarps, or plants whose seeds have wings, make up most of the plant life inside the Gardens. These seeds are quick to rot, and so are built to burrow into the soil once they've been detached from the tree. Their story is analogous to the conservation of nature, which needs to take root quickly before the ecosystem is allowed to be destroyed.

Because of the variety of flora in the Gardens, the insect and animal population is also very rich. The giant butterflies, which, before had only been a figment of fiction, actually thrive in the forest. Near a small creek, the big winged works of art and their smaller siblings, the dragonflies, congregate and unintentionally perform shows for visitors passing by.

No longer are they the shy creatures found in the city - this tiny butterfly excitedly flew around and landed on
passerby, even following them and "posing" for pictures.

Aside from the pretty invertebrates, there are also frogs, snakes, leeches, lizards, owls, eagles, and rats that live in the forests of Makiling. There are so many kinds of birds that can be seen, in fact, that birdwatching is one of the most popular activities done inside the park. Mountain bikers, campers, and hikers frequent the trails winding around the mountain, too.

A Forest Green Frog lounges on a water lily in a pond.

The Makiling Botanical Gardens serves as an airshed because the trees absorb the excess carbon dioxide in the air. It is also a watershed and a carbon sink, and perhaps most importantly, a mechanism for flood and mudslide control because it prevents soil erosion that puts lives and homes in the Laguna and Batangas provinces at risk.

It hardly seems fair that park visitors are paying only 10 pesos each to enter the park and enjoy the sights, smells, and protection nature offers - they get the most enjoyment from the park, but they contribute the least to its maintenance. However, the Gardens are promoting awareness of environmental preservation and conservation, and provide means for companies and individuals to help.

Dr. Benjamin Arizala is a devoted teacher, in and out of
the classroom.

People interested to be tour guides may apply anytime, and must only undergo a month's training before being allowed to show guests around the park. Companies are encouraged to hold adopt-a-tree programs and donate funds to help in the maintenance of the MBG.

The main goal of the Gardens is to make visitors, especially youngsters, appreciate the value of the environment because that will foster their love for it, said Dr. Arizala.

Celebrating its centennial year as a nature reserve on Nov. 21st, the Makiling Botanical Gardens has catered to more than 200,000 guests annually, and is home to millions of insects and plants who couldn't possibly survive outside this protected world.

But there are no fireworks or big parties for this birthday. The theme of the centennial is "Makilingap." The word is Tagalog for care, which is all the managers of the park (not to mention the butterflies living in it) are asking for.

The Makiling Botanic Gardens can be found in the University of the Philippines Los Baños, near the College of Forestry and Natural Resources. Park hours are from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm every day, except holidays. For queries, please contact  + (49) 536-2637.