Pine tree festival set December 17

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The contributions of the Benguet pine tree (Pinusinsularis) to the region will be recognized on Dec. 17 – 18 at the Benguet State University gyms and grounds and at the Puguis Communal Forest.

Dubbed the First Cordillera Pine Tree Festival, the occasion will give tribute to the economic, environmental and socio-cultural contributions of the pine tree to the six provinces and two cities in the region.

The Festival will showcase seminar/symposia on environmental laws, indigenous forestry conservation practices, state of pine forests in the region and will cap it with a competition of provincial winners in essay, song, poem, photography, school band, cultural dances and on-the-spot painting contests.

A competition of best live Christmas trees, pine seedlings, four-needled pine tree fascicles, schools that have planted the most pine trees and schools with the oldest pine trees will also be held for local schools of La Trinidad.

There shall be an eco-trekking and ecoducation at the Long Communal Forest, bike runs, family eco-runs.

A mountain climb at Mount Calawitan is also scheduled. Exhibit and sales booths will feature environmentally safe-enterprises wil be held at the BSU gyms.

A canao and a night concert as well as a bonfire will add to the Festival highlights.

The invited guest speaker, Sec. Manuel AranetaRoxas 11 of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will lead a tree planting and the planting of a “Pine Tree Festival Tree” at the BSU grounds.

Organized and implemented by the Cordillera Ecological Center headed by Dr. Michael A. Bengwayan, the Festival includes participants from the six provinces and two cities.

The goal of the activity is to widen public support for the planting and caring of pine trees as well widening participation in the propagation, conservation and cultural management of pine forests.

The Festival is being funded by environmental volunteers led by the Facebook environmental group A Tree A Day which has 3,000 members in 37 countries. -- Cordillera Ecological Center Media Service