Monday, August 15, 2005
Environment group visits Bukidnon watershed
MEMBERS of the board of trustees of People Collaborating for Environmental and Economic Management in Davao (PCEEM Davao) Foundation, Inc. together with the secretariat, farmers-cooperators and top management of the Davao City Water District (DCWD) went to Lantapan and Impasug-ong, Bukidnon last August 4 and 5, and visited the different models of small and big farmlots with good practices on agro-forestry and sustainable farming techniques within the Manupali Watershed.
As PCEEM Davao is actively involved (together with its members--11 sectoral groups and six national and local government mandated agencies) in the sustainable management of the watersheds in Davao City, particularly in the Talomo-Lipadas Watershed, PCEEM also finds it wise to experience and learn other initiatives outside its area.
The neighboring province of Bukidnon was chosen because of its proximity and similarity of conditions.
At least 43 people joined the Bukidnon educational trip, headed by DCWD general manager Wilfred Yamson, Dominador Lopez and Hydie Maspiñas of DCWD, assistant regional director Romulo Palcon of the Department of Agriculture XI, and Mary Jane Tesoro of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce.
At the end of the educational tour, the board, secretariat and the farmer stakeholders were able to:
(1) observe and learn different strategies in (a) farmer-initiated agro-forestry and land care management in Sungco, Lantapan; (b) environmental conservation practices for banana plantation in Alanib, Lantapan; (c) LGU-initiated reforestation project in Impasug-ong; and
(2) integrate relevant strategies learned to enhance the implementation of PCEEM Davao flagship projects.
The first visit was at Mt. Kitanglad Agri-Ventures, Inc. (MKAVI), a 650-hectare banana plantation in Alanid, Lantapan which employs environmental conservation practices. MKAVI began its operations in November 1998 with areas located in the highland areas of Alanib, MKAVI is the chief producer of quality highland sweet bananas with the expected 2005 production of more than 3.4 million boxes at 13 kilos/box. MKAVI produces almost 5,200 boxes per hectare.
Among the interesting environmental conservation technologies that MKAVI introduced are (1) tree planting along the gullies and buffer zones; (2) construction of contour canals and check dams; (3) organic composting and green manuring; (4) across the slope directional plowing; and (5) non-cultivation of areas above 10% gradient; (5) planting of grass to prevent soil erosion (Vetever, Napier, Arachis Pintoi); (6) waste water treatment before discharge; (7) monoculture with intergrop (Flamengia); and (8) no aerial spraying.
The second stop was at the office of International Center for Research in Agro-Forestry (Icraf) in Sungco, Lantapan. Icraf pioneered in participatory technology, research and development in agro-forestry and sustainable farming techniques suitable to Mt. Kitanglad conditions.
A major achievement of Icraf is the formation of Agro-forestry Tree Seed Association of Lantapan (Atsal), a farmer organization that engages in seed collection and propagation, processing and marketing.
ATSAL specializes in producing quality seeds of agro-forestry based production system, which maximizes farm income while protecting the environment.
Another major initiative of Icraf is the establishment and organization of Landcare groups, composed of trained cooperators who modeled sustainable farm practices such as Natural Vegetative Strips (NVS) as alternative to Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (Salt), commercial tree domestication, among others.
The group then slept over at Henry and Pearla Binahon's Agro-forestry Center at Sungco, Lantapan, Bukidnon and enjoyed the night with socialization and games.
The area is situated more than 1,300 meters above level, looking and feeling similar like Baguio.
The next stop of the educational tour was at the Reforestation Project at Impalutao, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon called the Center for Ecological Development And Recreation (CEDAR). The 1,900 hectare reforestation project is a declared protected area and was managed by the government since 1912 and currently co-managed by the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Impasug-ong and DENR.
The forest is covered by hundreds of thousands of white lawaan trees and giant bamboos with diverse flora and fauna. A 100 hectare rattan plantation also exists in the area.
So far, Cedar accommodated more than 25,000 guests this year and becoming well known as a recreation and amusement park in this side of Mindanao. There are also at least 5 waterfalls within the area and the group went to three (3) nearest falls, including Dila and Gantungan Falls.
On the way home, the group stopped by the Benedictine Monastery and farm, mainly to thank Almighty for the blessings and lessons learned on the trip.
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