Coast Guard starts month of August with tree planting

THE Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao (CGDSWM) started the month of August with a successful tree planting event aimed to help restore degraded mountain areas and rangelands.

The CGDSWM said a total of 120 seedlings of Narra, Dao, and Kalumpang species were planted on Thursday, August 1, 2024, within the area of the Regional Training Center (RTC)-Zamboanga in Sinubong village, Zamboanga City.

The CGDSWM said the newly planted trees are expected to improve water yield capacity and timber production, contributing significantly to local environmental health and the broader goals of the National Greening Program (NGP).

The NGP is a priority program of the government that aims to reduce poverty; promote food security, environmental stability, and biodiversity conservation; and enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Captain Marilyn Jaal, CGDSWM deputy commander, led the tree planting activity and coordinated in conjunction with Joey Ramos from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The Coast Guard personnel who participated in the activity are from RTC-Zamboanga, Marine Environmental Protection Enforcement Response Group-Southwestern Mindanao, Civil Relations Group-Southwestern Mindanao, and Coast Guard Station Zamboanga.

“Their collaborative efforts underscore a strong dedication to ecological preservation and sustainable development,” the CGDSWM said in a statement. (SunStar Zamboanga)