Bontoc, Mountain Province, Philippines Photograph by Larry Heaney   Southeastern Asia: Island of Luzon in the Philippines Tropical and Subtropical Coniferous Forests   2,700 square miles (7,100 square kilometers) -- about the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined Critical/Endangered

· Pines of the Pacific
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Pines of the Pacific

The pine forests of the Central Cordillera of Luzon Island are unlike those found anywhere else in the Philippines. Fire has created a landscape of grasslands with widely dispersed pine trees. The pine forests are interspersed with montane forests in a mosaic of differing forest types.

Special Features

This ecoregion contains the island’s highest peak, Mt. Pulog. Because of its long isolation from other landmasses, many endemic species of plants and animals have evolved on the island of Luzon. Although the ecoregion receives nearly 100 inches (2,500 mm) of rain a year, the rainfall is highly seasonal. Prolonged dry periods and regular fires--both natural and human-induced--foster the growth of the Benguet pine or saleng pine.

	Since the red crossbill prefers to live in pine forests all over the world, it should be no surprise that the bird’s favorite food is pinecones.

Wild Side

All but one of this ecoregion’s endemic or near-endemic mammal species belong to the mouse and rat family. Cloud rats are perhaps the ecoregion’s most unique and characteristic mammals. These large, bushy-tailed creatures, which resemble squirrels, are threatened by habitat loss--and one of the six cloud rat species is feared to be extinct. Other relatively large mammals include the long-tailed macaque, Malay civet, and Philippine warty pig. The most characteristic bird of these forests is the red crossbill, which is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. Luzon is the southernmost point of the crossbill’s range in Asia.

Cause for Concern

Pines from this ecoregion have been exploited for a long time. Human population growth in the Philippines and the extreme poverty of many residents have forced people to cultivate land at increasingly higher altitudes. Even Mt. Pulog, a protected area, is threatened by encroaching agricultural development and wildlife exploitation. Mining and fire remain ongoing threats as well.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.