Wednesday, May 11, 2011

To Cocomangas Farm

This one is also from my backlog.

A few months ago, members of the Philippine Native Plant Conservation Society were invited to go visit Reynold Sioson's farm in San Miguel, Bulacan. Rey is a native tree afficionado and has planted his family's property with native species which he has collected and propagated from his trips to different parts of the country. He calls his farm Cocomangas (I forgot to ask him why). The sprawling property is presently still largely open area and grassland, but certain portions he have already planted with native tree species seedlings. The seedlings are now a few feet tall but when and if they reach their full height potentials, Rey would have a forest in his backyard. Hopefully he could nurture these young trees and plant more indigenous trees.

In one part of Cocomangas, there was a natural creek where water still flows and is retained. The banks of these wet area are still covered by the natural flora of Bulacan. Here you find remnants of the Bulacan vegetation like kamingi (Ixora philippinensis), balinawnaw (Lepisanthes fruticosa), salimbagat (Caparris micracantha), putat (Barringtonia racemosa) and some others. Rey makes sure that this area would stay the same and has propagated them to give away. A few of us members of PNPCSI has already benefitted from his generosity. We went home with bags of tree seedlings and a big smile in our faces.

To Reynold Sioson, a long overdue gratitude for your hospitality. I still have the samuyaw seedling I owe you.

1 comment:

Plant Chaser said...

That picture with the view of his farm is amazing! It seems so serene and peaceful. -- Bom