Geology of Karst Forests

Karsts are areas of land made of limestone, a soluble sedimentary rock. These regions have landscapes that are largely shaped by the dissolving power of water.  They typically have irregular terrain punctuated by caves, underground rivers, and cliffs created after thousands of years of water dissolving and eroding them. 

Karst forests consist of isolated steep-sided hills that tower from the ground. This topography forms in wet, tropical regions, like the Philippines, which have thick beds of highly fractured limestone where water has dissolved large volumes of limestone, leaving these residual towers. 

The development of karst processes is more rapid in tropical climates due to the abundant rainfall and increased carbon dioxide from decaying tropical vegetation. It means more carbonic acid is available for the dissolution of limestone. 

A remarkable stone forest is found in Kunming, China. Meanwhile, the Philippines is also gifted with a wide array of karst landscapes that vary in landform and age. And some of these are steep-sided karst towers resembling stone forests in Coron Island in northern Palawan and on the west coast of Palawan. Magnificent karst towers are also found in the Masungi Georeserve in Rizal. 

Aside from the diverse ecosystem that thrives in karst regions, it is also ideal for storing waste as an aquifer providing clean drinking water to people, animals, and plants. We also benefit in terms of tourism and recreation from these regions.  But, it is essential to note that their conservation, protection, and sustainable management should be our priority.