ROXAS City – A total of 6,000 hectares in Capiz will be planted with trees starting June this year.
Some 80,000 seedlings will be used, according to Department of Environment and Natural Resources provincial head Valentin Talabero.
The planting starts in time for the rainy season. It is in line with the government’s National Greening Program, which aims to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares from 2011 to 2016, he said.
Based on Executive Order 211, the program is also aimed at pursuing sustainable development for poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
More than 11,658 hectares in Capiz — mostly in Tapaz and Jamindan towns — have been covered by the greening program so far, said Talabero.
Activities include upland reforestation, urban greening, and mangrove rehabilitation and reforestation.
Talabero also said they are doubling their replanting efforts in newly reforested areas damaged by super typhoon “Yolanda” in November 2013.
After “Yolanda,” the provincial environment office carried out a people’s organization, a “cash for work” mangrove reforestation project covering 350 hectares in various towns, he said.
Meanwhile, the Environment official said they are advocating the planting of indigenous endemic tree species, which can better than other forest trees species in terms of soil and climate adaptability.
Likewise, he said, they are also urging the public to plant fruit trees instead of forest trees for food, security and economic purposes. (PIA/PN)
