Red Lauan (Shorea negrosensis): The Indigenous Timber Giant of the Philippines

As a forestry graduate and an environmental advocate, I’ve always been fascinated by the majesty and ecological role of Dipterocarp species in our forests. One species that left a lasting impression on me during my college years is the Red Lauan (Shorea negrosensis)—a towering icon of Philippine biodiversity.

🧬 Scientific Classification

• Common Name: Red Lauan

• Scientific Name: Shorea negrosensis

• Family: Dipterocarpaceae

• Genus: Shorea

• Species: negrosensis

• Native to: Philippines (endemic)

This species is often grouped with other lauan types (white, yellow, etc.) but Red Lauan stands out due to its deep reddish heartwood and towering size. It’s one of our most valuable timber species—and also one of the most vulnerable.

🌱 My Hands-on Experience in Clonal Propagation

Back in college, during my field practicum at the DENR Experimental Research Station in Bislig City, I had the opportunity to work with Dipterocarp species under a clonal propagation project. One of the highlights was using Indole-3 Butyric Acid (IBA) as a rooting hormone for stem cuttings of Red Lauan. The process was delicate yet deeply rewarding—watching new roots sprout from a simple cutting reminded me of how fragile, yet resilient, life can be when nurtured properly.

Clonal propagation was part of the ERDS strategy to ensure genetic conservation and sustainable production of high-value native trees. Red Lauan responded moderately well to IBA, though rooting success was higher in younger cuttings and in mist chamber environments.

🌳 Botanical Description & Growth

Red Lauan can grow up to 50 meters tall, with straight, cylindrical boles that are often free of branches for 20 meters or more. It thrives in lowland dipterocarp forests up to 700 meters in elevation. Its bark is smooth to slightly flaky, and its leaves are elliptical, a distinguishing feature among the Shorea group.

The heartwood is reddish to purplish brown, often darkening with age, and emits a mild resinous scent when freshly cut.

🌍 Ecological Role

As a canopy species, Red Lauan plays a vital role in forest structure, carbon sequestration, and habitat provisioning for numerous flora and fauna. Its seeds are wind-dispersed and seasonal, and the tree is considered a keystone species in old-growth tropical rainforests in the Philippines.

⚒️ Economic Uses

Red Lauan is highly prized for its timber, used in:

• Furniture

• Flooring

• Plywood and veneer

• High-grade construction materials

Sadly, this high value has led to extensive logging in the past. Today, Red Lauan is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, and local extraction is regulated or banned under several Philippine forestry laws.

🌧️ Environmental Tolerance

• Prefers well-drained, loamy soils

• Grows in humid tropical climates

• Partial shade tolerance during early stages

• Sensitive to fire and prolonged drought

📜 Philippine Laws and Conservation

Due to its ecological and economic importance, Red Lauan is protected under the following:

• Republic Act No. 9147 – The Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, which prohibits the collection and trade of vulnerable species like Red Lauan without permits.

• DENR DAO 2017-11 – Categorizes Red Lauan as a premium timber species that requires strict documentation for utilization.

• Executive Order No. 23 – Declares a moratorium on logging in natural and residual forests, including areas where Red Lauan is found.

• National Greening Program (NGP) – Red Lauan is often included in reforestation and assisted natural regeneration projects under the DENR.

🌱 The Urgency of Conservation

Seeing Red Lauan in its natural habitat is becoming a rare privilege. Illegal logging, land conversion, and habitat loss have greatly reduced its population. This is why I continue to advocate for the planting and propagation of native species—because restoring what we’ve lost begins with action.

If there's one lesson I took from working with Red Lauan during my college fieldwork, it’s this: conservation is not just about saving trees—it’s about preserving a legacy for generations to come.

💡 Reflections: Why Red Lauan Must Be Saved

Whenever I walk beneath a towering Red Lauan in a remnant forest, I’m struck by its majesty—and saddened by its rarity. Its strength, utility, and ecological importance make it a keystone species, yet it teeters on the brink of disappearance.

Preserving Red Lauan means:

• Prioritizing mixed native forest restoration using locally sourced seedlings

• Strengthening enforcement of forestry laws to stop illegal logging

• Promoting community awareness and conservation programs

• Supporting research into propagation methods to revive wild populations

✅ What You Can Do

• Support tree-planting efforts that include Red Lauan in native forest restoration

• Help enforce existing anti-illegal logging laws at local levels

• Educate others about the value and threatened status of our native species

• Report sightings of mature Red Lauan trees to DENR or barangay officials

• Share this story to spread awareness about this endangered hardwood