Flora and vegetation of Mankayan, Benguet Province, Philippines I. Teneb-Lapangan Ridge complex and Victoria Gold area

摘要

Two major natural types of vegetation are present inside the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company-MPSA Mine Development Project Area, namely: (1) grassland-brushland type and (2) pine forest type. The latter is recognized as the dominant vegetation formation in the general area as well as throughout the Cordillera Region. Within the two major impact areas studied, the pine forest type is further classified into two subtypes: open pine forest and close pine forest. These two pine forest subtypes are observed to be present in the proposed expansion area of LCMC-MPSA in Teneb-Lapangan Ridge complex (Study area 1) while open pine forest type is the one prevalent in the Tailings Dams 3, 4 and 5 (Study area 3). On the other hand, the Victoria Gold area (Study area 2) has a relatively mature close pine forest type with some enclaves of an oak-dominated forest rich in moist-loving plant components.The two study areas discussed in this paper have sites that were subjected to shifting, cultivation or regular vegetable farm practices. There were areas also where agroforestry practice was employed. In the Victoria Gold area, medium-sized vegetable farms are being maintained by the residents adjacent to the mature close pine forest stands and along, rolling to moderately steep ridge slopesA list of plant species for each of the two study areas is provided with notes on their species diversity level, conservation status and actual or potential economic uses.