DENR, partners sign pact to grow native trees in CL

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here partnered with the Provincial Government of Pampanga and the Beverly Place Golf and Country Club, Inc. (BPGCCI) to boost the propagation of native trees in Central Luzon through an arboretum project in Mexico town.

DENR Regional Executive Director Paquito Moreno, Jr. stressed that the said initiative would not only fast-track the growth of native trees, but would eventually promote urban forest management, which has been considered as among the fundamentals in mitigating the threats of climate change.

“Urban greening is beneficial for both the environment and the city dwellers. By increasing the green spaces within the city, local residents will see the value of our native trees as effective air filters that remove pollutants, thus, encouraging them to become stakeholders in sustaining our ecological wealth,” Moreno said, noting that this project was the first in the country and could be replicated in other areas to extensively promote ‘green’ cities.

He added that the establishment of the arboretum within the golf course area of the Beverly Place would be supplemental to the government’s existing reforestation program, as well as in the efforts to sustain the population of native trees that prevent them from potential extinction.

“Planting native trees is a strategic approach in increasing our forest cover in the region, especially that these endemic tree species pose high survival rate given their site compatibility and resistance to pests and diseases,” Moreno ended.

More than 1,300 planting materials that include Narra, Bamboo, Bitaog, Ilang-ilang, Molave, Balitbitan, Banaba, and Fire Tree species would be established along the seven-kilometer length of the Beverly Place.

To mark the partnership, DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations in Luzon Atty. Juan Miguel Cuna, Regional Executive Director Moreno and Provincial Chief Laudemir Salac led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Committee on Natural Resources and Environment Chairman Atty. Ananias L. Canlas Jr. and BPGCCI General Manager Elson Alvaran. The group initially planted a total of 35 Narra and 20 Thai Bamboo in the area.

For his part, Alvaran expressed his gratitude to the DENR for the gesture of support they have received from the government, noting that the partnership would bear sustainable development and increase the value of the property as an ecotourism and plant propagation area.

Under the MOA, the BPGCCI will conduct the site preparation and on-site layout of the endemic tree species. They will likewise take charge of protecting and maintaining the trees, as well as in preparing periodic reports and installing weather-resistant signage in the planting area.

The provincial government of Pampanga will assist the BPGCCI in monitoring and providing necessary environmental inputs needed in the area, while the DENR will provide native tree species and forest tree planting materials.

Said planting materials will come from the replacement seedlings from the issued tree cutting permits of the DENR office in Pampanga and other possible sources from field offices.

Trees to be planted in this area will join the over 128,000 hectares of forest plantations established by the DENR and its partners through the Enhanced National Greening Program since 2011. (DENR Central Luzon)