AROUND 9,500 mangrove propagules were planted in the planting site of Talon-Talon village on Saturday, June 25, in celebration of the 2016 Arbor Day.
Spearheaded by the Zamboanga City Government, through the Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources (OCENR), the Arbor Day was attended with at approximately 2,000 participants from different local and national government agencies, organizations, and sectors joining the annual planting activity.
City Hall Information Officer Belen Sheila Covarrubias said this year’s Arbor Day was held in the mangrove forests of Talon-Talon in a bid to shore up awareness on coastal protection and promote the conservation of the city’s mangrove forests and resources.
The OCENR highlighted the importance of mangrove forests to the city’s eco-system as well as its ability to protect coastlines from natural disasters such as strong waves and tsunamis.
The mangrove forests form part of the city’s wetland areas, and are considered as productive ecosystems that provide a number of benefits to both the marine environment and the community, including fisheries, and timber and plant products.
The activity was led by the Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde, who, along with Councilor Josephine Pareja and other local officials, joined both the planting activity and the tagging ceremonies for the 10 identified Century and Heritage trees in different areas of the City.
Century trees are trees that are 100 years old, while heritage trees are those that are not yet 100 years old but are considered ecologically, historically or culturally valuable (or belonging to rare species, adjacent or near water source, spring or well and whose cutting or destruction will disrupt or destroy the water source) that can be effective symbols of taking care of the environment.
In his message, Iturralde enjoined the participants to do take action in protecting the environment at every opportunity, not only during the Arbor Day.
Arbor Day is a nationwide activity pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 396, which “enjoins the active participation of all government agencies, private sector, schools, civil society groups and citizenry in the planting activity, and declares June 25 of every year as “Philippine Arbor Day.” (Bong Garcia)