DENR implements forest protection activities down the barangays
San Jose, Antique -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Provincial Office bared that forest protection and environment conservation activities have been implemented at the local level.
Among the major undertakings are the Establishment of Forest Plantation, Maintenance of Forest Plantation and the Country-Based Forest Management (CBFM) in the different forestal zones of the province.
DENR's Planning Officer Mirza Samillano, explained that the forest plantation establishment project for 2006 is within the mountain ranges of Mao-it and Tipuluan rivers. It has an area of 37 hectares exclusively new plantation.
This forest plantation establishment is of primordial value in the over all aspects to protect the environment thus, ensuring ecological balance in a broader perspective.
The maintenance of Forest Plantation project-entails measures to protect and enhance the growth of planted forest trees from one-year old to below three years old forest plantation. It covered 161 hectares, found in the Mao-it and Tipuluan watershed areas, sitio Apong, barangay Cabladan, Sibalom and barangay Paningayan, Culasi in northern Antique.
The Mao-it and Tipuluan reforestation projects, which consist of the plantation establishment and the maintenance of forest plantation fall under the category of priority projects for being identified as regional pilot areas for watershed rehabilitation using indigenous species locally known as Laua-an, Catmon, Balod, Bakan and Bayog among others.
These species according to Samillano are broad-leafed, thus providing protective layers in terms of its shades. When the leaves become mature and drop to the ground, it becomes a good covering for the surface-soil to prevent erosion.
These forest protection projects are viewed to bring back the tropical rainforest in its original state. The old and the new forest plantations cover a total area of 198 hectares.
Seven (7) family contractors are gainfully employed and so with the barangay councils of Barangays Cabladan, Tordesillas, Luna in Sibalom and Paningayan in Culasi in northern Antique with these projects.
Meanwhile, another DENR's project is the Community-Based Forest Management Project (CBFM) in barangay Mablad, Barbaza, this province.
DENR is pursuing the CBFM consisting of 18 hectares as a commitment in support to the Convergence for Sustainable Development Policy. The three line departments of Environment, Agriculture and Agrarian Reform jointly head in its implementation.
(EA Abasquez/PIA)