Planting native trees: There's more to it than meets the eye

Contributed photo
Contributed photo

WE OFTEN see tree planting activities by schools, offices, and organizations, both private and public, that sometimes it is already considered as an "ordinary and regular" corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity.

But we seldom see a person advocating tree planting for his love for the environment with specific tree species to be planted.

Lawyer Carlo D. Ancla of Purok 17, Poblacion, Nabunturan in Davao de Oro is doing this for a very significant reason:

"We know that almost tree planting activities either public or private endeavor, use exotic or alien species like, Mahogany, African Tulip, Pink Tree, Acacia, Falcata Gmelina, Neem Tree, Yellow Trumpet (Tabebuia), which happens to be introduced species from other countries. With that, birds and wildlife will not go for these trees since they are not familiar. In such a case, if we plant those trees, it will not create a relationship with the environment where wildlife and trees create a symbiotic relationship. In short, it will not create a healthy and balanced ecosystem," said Ancla, who is also a Sangguniang Bayan member of Nabunturan.

He said if the people remain to be oblivious or uninformed about this and continue planting thousands or even millions of these kinds of tree species, then "we will create an ecologically dead zone."

This is the reason Ancla founded a group called Nabunturan Native Tree Enthusiasts (NNTE), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-registered, which grew to 557 members as of this writing. The group is strongly advocating planting not just any kind of tree species but native trees.

Among their missions is "to educate, organize and muster the saving, growing and maintaining of the propagation, conservation, and protection of native trees in forests, farms, communities, and schools toward sustainable development inspired by inter-generational responsibility."

"We promote native trees since they are our very own -- they exist for millions of years in the place where we live. It promotes biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem," Ancla said.

He added that those who are planning to organize tree planting activities must instead use native tree species since the Philippines have at least 3,600 species of native trees such as Narra, Dao, Molave, Toog and Dita, among many others.

"They are just around us waiting to be discovered," he said.

He said although the group does not deal with the size of land they have planted with native trees, they are proud to reveal that more than 2,000 native trees have been planted by the group since it was established less than a year ago.

With the significance of their advocacy, Ancla calls on the government to lead in the promotion of planting native trees advocacy starting by "mainstreaming the planting and nurturing of native trees in all greening initiatives such as in reforestation programs, forest production, beautification programs, and other endeavors."

And for the stakeholders, Ancla hopes that they will become a part of spreading awareness of the importance of the native trees.

"Because apparently, people lack it (awareness). We live on this planet and as stewards, we should care for it," Ancla said.

He also encourages the public to become partners in spreading this advocacy and to plant a native tree "because one tree matters rather than doing nothing."

He also aims to plant a million native trees in the next five to 10 years because, for him, native trees are our identity and heritage. They are "sariling atin."

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