Environment office: Forest guards face new enemy

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is set to hire additional forest guards to augment its forces in ensuring the protection of the country’s forest.

DENR regional information officer Rosevirico Tan bared this as the agency’s forest guards are confronting a new enemy aside from protecting the forest from illegal loggers.

Tan said the DENR’s forest guards were given additional order that is -- to combat pest infestation on the country’s forest.

The forest guards were ordered to fight the malevolent forest fungi and insect, which as collectively known as forest pests, according to Tan.

He said the DENR will be activating a nationwide early warning surveillance system against incidence or potential outbreaks of pest infestation in the forests.

This effort is being done to ensure the “health” of the country’s forests, he said.

The hiring of additional forests guards is to ensure that the surveillance system is carried out well, he added. (Bong Garcia)