Regreening, Tree Cutting Efforts Up
May 23, 2015
BAGUIO CITY – The City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) Forestry and Regreening Unit (FRU) has stocked up for the planting season, with more than 37,000 pine and fruit seedlings available.
This was reported by Forester Walter Aguirre during the Alay Sa Kalinisan (ASK) meeting last week.
According to Aguirre, Busol nursery shelters 9,902 seedlings; 750 mahogany, ten coffee, 2,050 Callandra, 15 Persimmon, 155 African Tulips, 250 Calamansi, 160 Auri, 129 Alnus, 33 Citrus, and 6,350 Benguet Pine seedlings.
There are 27,839 seedlings at the Botanical garden; 14,332 Benguet Pine seedlings and saplings, 6,547 coffee, 1,410 Cypress, 3,341 African Tulip, 1,096 Callandra, 490 Yellow shower tree, 457 Citrus, 40 Amapola, 62 Camphor, 7 guava, 25 bottle brush, and 32 Eugenia trees.
There were 793 seedlings planted in residential, commercial, and institutional sites; from the start of January up to May, as to City Ordinance 5, 2011. The ordinance mandates the planting of trees as a requirement for a building permit.
More production is expected with the addition of personnel in both nurseries including an agriculturist.
Aguirre also reported that a survey is done at the Tuba, Benguet-Baguio Boundary, to ascertain more planting areas, a move to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
Meanwhile, tree-cutting and trimming in road-right-of-ways, private and public places is in full operation this June pending the hiring of tree cutters. In a report by Forester Amor Bacullo of the CEPMO-FRU, permits have been applied for and approved for cutting of live and dead trees. Danger to lives and property are considered during inspections by personnel.
Bacullo also mentioned that tree-cutting activities are done in coordination with the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO).
Reports are given during the ASK meeting, including matters regarding the market, sanitation, peace and order, parks, air quality, anti-smoking, anti-grafitti, information dissemination, Salaknib ti Waig./Julie G. Fianza
