Agathis dammara
Also known as: Almaciga (Philippine trade name) · Manila copal or Philippine copal (resin trade names) · Dammar pine, kauri pine (English regional names)
Definition
Agathis dammara, called almaciga in the Philippines and dammar or kauri pine elsewhere, is a large conifer of the family Araucariaceae native to the Philippines, Indonesia, and parts of island Southeast Asia. One of the few native Philippine conifers of the lowland and lower montane forest, it is prized for the resin known as almaciga resin or Manila copal, historically a significant export for varnish and incense. Slow growth and decades of overharvesting have made the species increasingly scarce in the wild.
Identities
| Database | Identifier |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Agathis dammara |
| Wikidata | Q607535 |
| DBpedia | Agathis_dammara |
Also Known As
- Almaciga (Philippine trade name)
- Manila copal or Philippine copal (resin trade names)
- Dammar pine, kauri pine (English regional names)
Examples and Analogies
Almaciga resin functions like the tropical counterpart of pine pitch: a tree’s wound sealant harvested for varnish, paint, and caulking, just as tapping rubber collects latex without felling the tree. In the forest, an old almaciga is the archipelago’s quiet version of a redwood, a straight-boled giant whose slow rings record centuries.
Usage Scenarios
Resin is tapped by trained harvesters making bark cuts and collecting the exudate, sold for varnish, lacquer, incense, and specialty adhesives; communities in the Sierra Madre and Palawan derive seasonal income from it. The timber, where legal, serves light construction and boatbuilding. The species is also planted in reforestation, and living trees are retained as mother stock for resin estates within protected landscapes.
Strategies
Sustainable tapping strategies regulate cut depth and rest periods, rotate tapping panels, and prohibit tapping of young trees, practices promoted through DENR guidelines and community training. Protected-area management keeps almaciga stands as seed sources, and research explores resin grading to raise prices. Long-term strategies pair resin income with enforcement so standing trees are worth more than felled ones.
Security and Safety Measures
Over-tapped trees are left vulnerable to decay and windthrow, so harvest protocols double as tree-safety measures. Resin collectors work on steep, remote slopes with bolos and climbing gear, requiring first-aid planning and buddy systems. Trade documentation deters poaching of resin from protected forests, and fire precautions protect resin-smeared trunks during dry season.
Historical Context
Almaciga resin entered trade long before colonial records, used in boat caulking and ritual, and by the Spanish period it was an established forest product. The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw Manila copal exported to paint and varnish industries worldwide. American colonial forestry regulated tapping, and in recent decades DENR rules and community-based forest agreements have attempted to reconcile resin income with conservation of declining stands.
Challenges and Controversies
Illegal and destructive tapping, deep hacks that kill trees, persists where monitoring is weak, and poachers invade protected areas. Taxonomic debate has at times split the species across Agathis names, complicating conservation assessments. Communities complain that low resin prices push harvesters toward unsustainable methods, while conservationists warn that mature seed trees are now so scattered that natural regeneration is failing in heavily worked forests.