ILOILO CITY: Two notable Ilonggo authors and scientists will launch an environmental book Beach Forest Species and Mangrove Associates in the Philippines at the Camiña Balay nga Bato in Arevalo district on Friday of November 16, 2012, to be graced by Sen. Franklin Drilon.

Book authors, Dr. Jurgen Primavera and R.B. Sadaba, wrote the book describing 140 species and their importance for coastal protection as greenbelts, bioshields, ornamental, medicinal and other traditional uses, biotech, industrial applications and reforestation.

The book, which was supported by Unesco Jakarta, MAB, Japan FIT and Seafdec Aquaculture Department, contains 160 pages with 1,000 color photos, glossary and references.

Primavera pointed out that the fast growing and mostly exotic species such as the mahogany are only suitable for commercial plantations but not for biodiversity conservation, watershed rehabilitation and climate change mitigation.

The scientist encourages the planting of native rather than exotic species, specifically native colonizers or pioneering trees rather than dipterocarps and other climax flora as many of the planting areas are bare sites. The book subject coastal plants, whose distribution starts at the beach, may extend 200 kilometers inland and 200 meters above sea level.

Primavera is a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation, scientist Emerita of Seafdec and chief Mangrove scientific advisor of the Zoological Society of London.