Narek (Hopea cagayanensis) is a medium-sized tree endemic to the Philippines. This rare species of plant belongs to the family Dipterocarpaceae. It grows up to 35 meters with a span of 70 meters. This species' distribution belongs to Luzon, namely Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, and Apayao. The local name varies where it is found. In Cagayan and Isabela, locals call it Narek while locals in Ilocos call it Narik.
The wood from the Narek is incredibly tough, sturdy, and long-lasting, making it perfect for building houses. It is the most common timber used in the country. Due to commercialization, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species now lists the Narék tree species as critically endangered since it is a slow-growing tree with a seed year that occurs once every 4 to 6 years. Narek usually produces fruit in August after flowering in May and June.
Due to a number of factors, Narek trees are endangered. These factors include deforestation and climate change. Fewer than 1,000 narek trees are thought to remain in the wild, and their numbers are declining. Narek trees are found in the forests of the Philippines. They are an important part of the country's ecosystem. Yet these forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate, due to both legal and illegal logging. In addition, climate change is causing the narek trees to experience droughts and heat stress, which further threatens their survival.
Narek trees are very important to the environment and to the economy. They help regulate the climate, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and are a major source of income for many people. Aside from its wood uses, it also provides environmental services. It serves as windbreaks and a good controller of soil erosion. These trees have provided services for the people and the environment. It has built a lot of houses and helped a lot of people earn money. This time, they are the ones needing help. Let's help in conserving these rare medium-sized trees. It would cause a great impact on biodiversity once it is extinct. It is not too late. We can do more things to protect these trees from extinction.
The narek tree is an important part of the ecosystem in many parts of the world. There are many ways to conserve this valuable resource. One way is to plant narek trees in areas where there is protection for them. It can be in the form of planting seeds, collecting wildling, and cutting. Another way to conserve narek trees is to use fewer paper products. This will help to reduce the demand for narek trees. Finally, people can help to conserve narek trees by recycling paper products. The government should also help in conserving this rare-medium-sized tree.
It is good to know that eleven (11) critically endangered native tree species in the Philippines have been the subject of a conservation agreement between the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB). DENR can protect and promote native tree species that are crucial to sustaining biodiversity through the help of this agreement. The ERDB and EDC have agreed to work together during the course of the five-year MOU to strengthen the BINHI program, an EDC project that concentrates on native tree conservation and seeks to rescue and assure the propagation of 96 premium Philippine vulnerable species across the nation. The ERDB-EDC partnership focuses on 11 of the rarest and most critically endangered tree species, including the kadalis narig, malayakal, Mindanao narek, pinulog, Palawan narig, narig laot, kanining peneras, Cagayan narek, pianga, mapilig, and Samar gisok.