By Amante B. Ulep
BALBALAN, Kalinga — This remote, rustic town could become more greener as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources provincial office has set an P11.4 million budget for implementation of the national greening program in the province.
The program aims to plant substantial number of trees in the next six years in critical watersheds and forests. Kalinga is known to be a hot place, but unknown to many, the province has a jewel in Balbalan which has weather similar to the cold, tourist town of Sagada in adjacent Mountain Province.
With the greening project, Balbalan could become colder and the amiable locals welcome it as it could boost tourism like the more popular Sagada.
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Joseph Insigne told local media their office has targeted to plant 725,000 trees in six years on 1,480 hectares of lands of the public domain throughout the province some of which are in critical state because of their barren condition.
The national target is 1.5 billion trees to be planted on 1.5 million hectares plantation nationwide and that the same is spread over a period of six years.
Gov. JocelBaac recently directed concerned agencies during a press forum in Tabuk City to identify areas to be planted so that their efforts in actively participating in the program will not be in vain.
As the lead agency of the program, he asked the DENR to also consult municipal planners of their land use plans to concentrate planting activities in one area.
Kalinga-Apayao State College President Eduardo Bagtang recommended during the same forum mapping of planting locations particularly in barangays.
He also urged participating agencies particularly those named in Executive Order No. 26 to establish a common planting area with corresponding maintenance plan so planted trees will grow to serve their purpose and that those what will not survive will be immediately replaced.
The issue on the need to identify a common panting area was to avoid the same fate of past reforestation activities where offices, agencies or groups just planted anywhere then left the trees without nurturing these.
In most cases, trees which survived eventually vanished after being razed by fire or cut into firewood.
With the program, DENR forest rangers would be dispatched on plantations to guard against fire, illegal logging or other acts inimical to the endeavor.
Agencies were also directed to perform the task as “watchmen” over their own plantations. In the case of schools, their students can do the job.
High value commercial fruit trees that could become income-generating projects of residents were recommended even as DENR was asked to propagate fruit bearing trees of export quality for profit.
According to the DENR, planters especially individual and group partners in barangays would be the ones to benefit since they own the project, harvest it, and earn from it. The project can be a permanent source of income if they are seriously maintained.
The national greening program of President Aquino is not just planting trees but is a poverty reduction measure. And in a town like Balbalan in need of more income generating projects, this is most welcome.
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