Shorea almon
Definition
Shorea almon, the almon tree, is a large dipterocarp endemic to the Philippines and one of the principal red balau timbers of the archipelago. Botanical revisions have moved it to the genus Rubroshorea, though forestry literature retains the familiar name.
Identities
| Source Type | Identity |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Shorea almon |
| Wikidata | Q130482809 |
| DBpedia | N/A |
Also Known As
Almon; red balau (trade group); Rubroshorea almon under current taxonomy.
Examples and Analogies
Almon is guiso’s Philippine-born cousin: same dense reddish timber virtues, same emergent habit punching through the canopy, but with a range confined to the archipelago’s forests.
Usage Scenarios
- Structural timber, flooring and heavy construction
- research species in dipterocarp silviculture and plantation trials
- backbone species of Philippine lowland rainforest ecology
Strategies
Foresters work to retain almon seed trees during harvest, establish enrichment plantings in logged-over land, and track remaining natural stands so the endemic can be logged sustainably rather than mined out.
Security and Safety Measures
As with all giant dipterocarps, harvesting demands professional felling technique; its resinous wood also requires care against fire in concessions and yards.
Historical Context
Documented by nineteenth-century botanical surveys of the Philippines, almon became a familiar name in the timber trade during the twentieth century as the country’s dipterocarp forests were opened to large-scale logging.
Challenges and Controversies
Listed as threatened, the species has declined with the loss of Philippine lowland forest; controversies over logging concessions in remaining natural stands keep it in the middle of national forest-policy debates.
Related Topic
Shorea negrosensis — another endemic Philippine Shorea, representing the white lauan group from the same threatened forests