In the province of Davao Oriental, where the lands of San Isidro and Governor Generoso meet, lies a natural wonder that has been just recently acknowledged as another addition to UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

Though Mt. Hamiguitan’s height is nothing compared to the towering Mt. Apo, its unique simplicity and beautiful sanctuary of miniature trees which are deemed to be more than a century old has captured the hearts of many. Its pygmy forests occupy around 225 hectares of land which has been recognized as a protected region. Its miniature trees grow around a meter and a half tall and are only about eight centimetres wide.

An estimate of 16 species of these trees were discovered in the group and the most common species of the cluster are Wendlandia Nervosa, Leptospermum Flavescens, Agathis Philippinensis, Tristaniopsis Micrantha, Symplocos Polyandra and Calophyllum Blancoi. These types of trees grow favourably in ultramafic soil since it has elements which allow the trees to adapt well with its environment.

Furthermore, the mountain is also home to four other kinds of flora and these are the Agroecosystem, Typical Mossy, Dipterocarp and Montane. With such kind of vegetation t, it is no longer surprising why the mountain has become a haven for diverse species of wildlife namely the close-to-extinct Philippine monkey-eating eagle, the giant golden crowned flying fox, bats, tarsiers, deers, wild pigs, and wide variety of birds.
Another notable gem in this mountain is the hidden lake of Tinagong Dagat. The lake serves as a natural source of water for the wildlife inhabitants of Mt. Hamguitan and a tourist attraction for adventure and nature enthusiasts.