Pometia pinnata (Matoa), a keystone species indigenous to Southeast Asia and the Pacific, represents a critical component of lowland tropical rainforest ecosystems, valued for its ecological, economic, and cultural significance. Despite its importance, data on its population structure, regeneration dynamics, and response to environmental gradients remain fragmented, hindering effective conservation strategies. This original study expands upon a foundational survey in the Badaro Village Forest, East Bolaang Mongondow, North Sulawesi, to provide a comprehensive, humanized analysis of the species' altitudinal distribution (300-700 m asl) across four growth stages: seedling, sapling, pole, and tree. Employing an enhanced plot-sampling methodology across a pronounced elevational transect, we quantified population densities and performed statistical analyses on distribution patterns. Our results confirm a broadly even yet quantitatively declining distribution with increasing elevation, with saplings being the most abundant cohort (15 individuals) and mature trees the rarest (6 individuals). Crucially, this study moves beyond basic enumeration to interrogate the causes behind observed patterns. We integrate microclimatic data, soil analysis, and evidence of anthropogenic disturbance to argue that the stark scarcity of mature trees is not a natural successional outcome but a direct consequence of historical selective logging and ongoing forest product extraction. The predominance of saplings indicates robust regenerative potential, yet this "regeneration bottleneck" at the pole and tree stages threatens long-term population viability. Framing P. pinnata not merely as a botanical subject but as a socio-ecological resource, we discuss its role in local livelihoods and the imperative for community-based forest management (CBFM). We conclude with targeted recommendations for in situ conservation, including the designation of seed tree reserves, active enrichment planting in degraded zones, and the development of sustainable non-timber forest product (NTFP) protocols. This research underscores that protecting species like Matoa requires interdisciplinary science that connects ecological data with human dimensions, ensuring conservation strategies are both ecologically sound and socially equitable.