DENR Bicol targets 1.2 M native trees for 2013 greening program

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bicol Regional Executive Director Gilbert Gonzales has tasked the Ecosystem Research and Development Service (ERDS) to produce some 1.2 million indigenous tree seedlings for the National Greening Program’s (NGP) thereby complementing on the national target of 25 million native trees.

“We are abiding with the directive of Environment Sec. Ramon Paje to up the ante on shifting to indigenous or native species instead of exotic ones to give the program a truly Filipino Character,” RED Gonzales averred.

Director Gonzales emphasized that this pivotal role that the ERDS is now taking would be beneficial to Bicol forests to reinstate it, wherein native tree species thrive in it.

Based on the regional target 750,000 indigenous tree seedlings will be allotted to protection forests, 113,000 native species allocated to protected areas, and 337,000 seedlings to timberlands.

An ERDS report stated that indigenous species of seedlings may include any of the following species sambulauan, kupang, bagras, kalumpit, bagalunga, malapapaya, banaba, molave, bitaog, narra, batino, dao, lamio, akleng parang, lumbang, baguilumbang, white lauan, bagtikan, red lauan, almon, mayapis species and other dipterocarps/indigenous species whose seeds are available for collection.

Last year, native trees raised by DENR-ERDS totalled 807,000 indigenous species, a significant part of the NGP accomplishment pegged at 5,901,432 seedlings.

Meanwhile, in keeping abreast with the government’s greening program, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bicol joined the 6th Lakad, Tanim Kahoy event of the City Government of Legazpi last February 14.

“We strongly support programs where you get to plant trees on urban setting just as what the top management of the department is espousing currently through the National Greening Program (NGP) under Executive Order No. 26,” DENR Bicol Regional Executive Director Gilbert Gonzales said.

Dir. Gonzales led at least 200 employees of the DENR from its various services to show accord with the LGU in their Valentine’s Day Event, where thousands of participants have hiked to the tree planting site at Bonga Gulley Brgy, Pawa, Legazpi City. Each one will plant a tree or two along the levee of the gulley.

City Mayor Geraldine Rosal alluded in her remark that tens of thousands of trees were planted by the local government and will continue to do so as part of their mitigation efforts and climate change adaptation.

At least 5,000 seedlings were provided for by the DENR which will be listed as among NGP urban greening sites in 2013 according to Forester Concepcion Mendoza, chief, Forest Resources Development Division of the Forest Management Service (FMS).

The FMS will be monitoring the mortality of seedlings planted to assure at least 80 - 90 percent of survival of the saplings as mandated by the E.O. 26.

Among the institutions, organizations, and government offices which partook in the endeavor are Department of Education, Phil. National Police, Phil. Army, Phil. Navy, Phil. Air Force, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Land Transportation Office, Guardians, Pacific Mall, S.L. Technology, Legazpi City High School, Genecom School, and others.