JAIL time awaits those who cut trees in Baguio City under a proposed measure filed before the city council.
Councilor Leandro Yangot, who filed the proposed ordinance, said trees that are at least 100 years old will be declared heritage trees.
These need to be preserved in their natural state and should not be cut nor destroyed except for medical, pubic emergency, public safety and botanical reasons, he said.
Violators will face criminal, administrative or civil cases.
“Trees have become the symbol of environmental movement and distinctly, our city’s local pride grows even stronger for we are known as the City of Pines. By hosting and nursing century trees, our historical tools are also preserved from tales of local exploration and progress, solidarity, remembrance, adversity and resiliency as witnessed by these silent but living century witnesses,” Yangot said.
If approved, the City Environment and Parks Management Office will maintain a database of heritage trees and conduct an annual review and inspection to maintain the trees.
Heritage trees will also include tree species that have not reached 100 years but are considered ecologically, historically and culturally valuable or belonging to a rare species or are near a water source, spring or well and whose cutting or destruction will disrupt or destroy the water source.
A special technical committee shall be made to evaluate, determine and approve the declaration of century-old trees.
Villages in the city will have to submit a list of trees in their area they believe fit the standards of the new law. The list will be validated.
When the trees have been validated and declared century trees, they will bear an identity plate with the name of the tree, date of declaration, the approximate age, tree registry number and the location of the tree.
The tree will also bear this inscription on its plate “The City Government of Baguio declares this tree as a heritage tree and all citizens are enjoined to protect and preserve this tree as part of our natural treasure and patrimony.”