DENR issues warning on illegal plant trade

Gardening is among the quarantine-born trends that people are still very much crazy about. Plantitos and plantitas have all worked on having that green thumb and lately the fad has leveled up to collecting and growing hard-to-grow plants, as well as expensive and rare ones.

Source: @DENR9Official (FB)

Because of this, the Department of Natural Resources (DENR) in the Zamboanga Peninsula decided to ring the alarm on the illegal poaching and selling of threatened species of plants.

In their official Facebook page DENR Zamboanga Peninsula wrote, “The collection of wild flora directly from the forest, especially those considered as threatened species, without permit is prohibited under Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.”

The announcement was made by DENR Zamboanga Peninsula Executive Director Crisanta Marlene P. Rodriguez, who warned plant poachers that they can be charged by her office under this law once they are caught gathering wild plants in the forest without a permit.

Illegal poachers who are caught collecting wild plants classified as critically endangered will face imprisonment from six to 12 years and a fine of PhP 100,000 to PhP 1,000,000.

Examples of critically endangered plants are the Giant staghorn fern or Capa de Leon (Platycerium grande), Staghorn fern (Platycerium coronarium) and the Waling-waling (Vanda sanderiana).

Those that are considered as threatened species are the Green Velvet Alocasia (Alocasia micholitziana), Kris plant (Alocasia sanderiana) and the Zebra Plant (Alocasia zebrina).

For the full list of threatened plants, go to DENR's official Facebook page.

Plantitos and plantitas, you know what to do. The next time you buy new plants, practice due diligence and check whether they're listed as threatened species or not.

For more lifestyle content, head out to GMA's Lifestyle page.

Check out also plants and veggies that you can regrow in water.