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Thursday, April 28, 2005
Environment, bank plant mangroves to celebrate Earth Day
By Albert B. Lacanlale
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Environment authorities here and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) recently joined the world in celebrating International Earth Day 2005 by embarking on a massive mangrove reforestation in Bataan in an attempt to strengthen the region's potential shield against tsunami and increase local fish production.
Hundreds of local folks turned out to plant about 200,000 mangrove propagules on a 20-hectare coastal area in barangay Mabatang in Abucay town whose population of some 30,000 relies mainly on fishing and mussel culture for livelihood, according to Regidor de Leon, executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office in Central Luzon.
The Kinikilalang Mangingisda ng Mabatang Inc. (Kimama) and Balikatan ng mga Mangingisda para sa Bakawanan Inc. (Bamaba), two people's organizations with community-based forest management agreement with the DENR, received an initial P500,000 grant from DBP for the establishment of the mangrove plantation.
The local government of Bataan, led by Governor Enrique Garcia and Abucay Mayor Liberato Santiago, and representatives of various non-government organizations and environmental groups joined in the celebration, presenting a unified front to raise public awareness on the need to protect the environment from destructive forces.
The mangrove reforestation is part of the DBP Forest program, which was conceptualized in consonance with President Arroyo's call to preserve the environment and to step-up reforestation efforts, explained Reynaldo David, president and chief executive officer of DBP.
"We are looking seriously at coastal rehabilitation through planting of mangroves which, as spawning grounds of fish and other aquatic life, have immense ecological and economic importance to the coastal zone and its community," he said during a short program, adding that mangroves prevent coastal erosion and guard against the onslaught of strong tides.
David said the DBP Forest Program is an investment portfolio offered to local governments, and people's organizations and cooperatives in Community-based Forest Management (CBFM) areas of DENR.
The program seeks to support and encourage the reforestation of open and denuded areas through planting of relatively high value fruit trees and other useful plant species, like bamboo and ilang-ilang.
De Leon said Central Luzon's remaining mangrove forests protect our shorelines from tsunami and strong winds during typhoons. One hectare of healthy mangroves can also yield up to half a ton of fish a year.
Citing DENR records, De Leon reported that the country's mangrove forests dwindled from a high of about 450,000 hectares in the early 1900s to only about 112,000 hectares today as a result of indiscriminate cutting and conversion of mangroves into fishponds and resorts.
In Central Luzon, remaining mangrove forest is placed at 994 hectares producing an estimated 600 tons of fish annually.
DENR records show that the region's biggest concentration of mangrove forests is in the province of Aurora with 223 hectares, followed by Pampanga with 215 hectares, and Zambales with 157 hectares.
This year's Earth Day theme "Green Check: Stop Earth Abuse" focused on the rehabilitation, preservation and protection of the environment, including the coastal areas.
(April 28, 2005 issue)
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