BY JENNIFER C. TILOS
NEGROS ORIENTAL, June
16 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
here intensified its campaign to expand the province’s forest cover and
protecting the remaining natural forests from degradation with the
implementation of National Greening Program (NGP) and climate change
mitigation.
Community environment
and natural resources officer (Cenro) Efren Rumbaoa of DENR said man-made
forest increases in the province as reforestation projects started in 1989.
However, Rumbaoa added
the less remaining natural forests in Negros Oriental have been threatened
sporadically by some ‘kaingineros’ shifting into agriculture, logging
concessions and other illegal cutting activities.
Rumbaoa said DENR continues
its efforts to decrease illegal cutting of trees in the identified
natural forests located in Mt. Talinis in Valencia, Twin Lakes in Sibulan
and parts in Ayungon town.
To ensure the
protection of the remaining forest cover, Rumbaoa said an executive order (EO)
23 was issued to declare a moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber
in the natural and residual forest.
DENR has also
established the biggest mechanized seedling nursery in the country located at
a 9.4 hectares in Barangay Banban, Ayungon that costs P80M and is
expected to produce 25 million seedlings a year.
This may expand
forested areas and help sustain the environment in the province as well as
various areas in the country, said Rumbaoa.
This new nursery is
said to be the first and the largest seedling nursery in the country which
produce quality seedlings for planting and growing trees.
The mechanized
seedling nursery is part of the DENR’s implementation of NGP that aims to
reforest timberland areas and restore Philippine biological diversity.
Under the NGP, Negros
Oriental not only produced more than 7 million seedlings in over 8,000 hectares
but also provide alternative livelihood for some farmer groups.
The NGP also helps
provide livelihood opportunities to people’s organizations in the seedling
production, planting and maintenance,” said Rumbaoa.
NGP aims to plant
trees in the country’s 1.5 million hectares of degraded forest as a form of
climate change mitigation and develop a sustainable forest resource.
In celebration of
Environment Month which banners the theme “7 Billion Dreams. One Planet.
Consume with Care,” Rumbaoa has called on the public to responsibly consume and
care for the environment as the country faces the present threats of climate
change. (mbcn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental)