Floristic assessment of smallholders on Leyte Island, The Philippines

An assessment of the floristics of tree farms was undertaken as part of a tree measurement project on Leyte Island in the Philippines between May and September 2005. The aim was to assess the vascular plants on four types of rural land use: private smallholders; Institute of Tropical Ecology (ITE) assisted rain-forestation farms; secondary forest; and open areas. All species of vascular plants were recorded at each sample plot, and herbarium specimens prepared. In addition, data on soils, landscape and vegetation structure was gathered at the same locations. This project will enable integration of the social, biodiversity and economic components of smallholder tree farms in the Philippines