Miners, Students Plant Endemic Trees At Botanical Garden
VOL. XVIII, NO. 6(Nov. 15-21)
BAGUIO CITY – More than 100 endemic and indigenous trees were planted by miners alongside with students as part of the annual mining conference in the City last week.
The Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) delegates from the different mining companies across the country accompanied elementary students from the Saint Louis University, Phases Learning Center and the Balay Sophia School in planting 100 different seedlings and saplings of indigenous and endemic species of trees at the PMSEA Adopted Park at the Botanical Garden.
Among the tree species planted were Diospyros Philippinensis or kamagong, Dillenia Grandifolia or katmon tree, Podocarpus or maki tree and Eugenia species and other species which were recommended to be planted at the area by foresters.
PMSEA President Louie Sarmiento said that the tree planting activity signaled the start of the 61st Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference (ANMSEC) which the city again hosted.
This is the third year that the PMSEA planted trees at the Botanical Park. Since the group has adopted a part of the park in 2012, it has converted the 5,000 square meter lot which was an old dumpsite and undeveloped are into a true botanical garden full of indigenous and endemic plants and flowing water from a spring.
“PMSEA has maintained and will continue to maintain the area to make it a botanical park which could be visited by tourists and locals as an additional tourist destination in the city,” said Sarmiento.
He encouraged the students to be the caretakers of the trees planted ensuring these are alive and growing when the miners will come for the next conference or when they are visiting Baguio City. The teachers will be partnering with the mining representatives and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau – Cordillera for the maintenance of the trees .
City Councilor Micheal Lawana thanked the PMSEA for the development and maintenance of the adopted area in the Botanical Garden which is now one of the attractions of the city. He also thanked the delegates for making the city of Baguio the home of the mining conference.
As part of the official welcome to the city, Lawana turned over the key to the city to the PMSEA led by President Sarmiento and Philippine Society of Mining Engineer President Felizardo Gacad Jr.
Meanwhile, the PMSEA gave a bath or washed Norfolk tree at the foot of Session Road. This was the third time that PMSEA cleaned the tree has been the ‘Christmas Tree’ of the city for years.
After the 2011 Yuletide Season, local environmentalists noticed the deterioration of the tree as its leaves turned yellow and its looked dirty due to the smoke and smog. Since then, the miners carefully removed all scales, soot and dead twigs of the surviving Norfolk pine tree in the hope to revive the more than century old tree./JDP/RMC- PIA CAR
