BAGUIO CITY – The city government will purchase a 7-hectare private land located within the boundary of Baguio City and Tuba, Benguet for a public tree farm to grow assorted tree species to be distributed to individuals and groups participating in the efforts to bring back the greenery of the city.
Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong informed members of the City Advisory Committee composed of respected individuals in the city that the city government will start prohibiting the planting of trees in watersheds in the different parts of the city as the survival rate of the planted tree seedlings is reportedly very low and the same does not serve its purpose.
He added that some P100 million sourced from available funds of the city will be earmarked to purchase the property for the establishment of a tree farm where assorted tree species will be grown for 2 to 3 years before distribution for planting to have greater chances of survival and for the trees to serve its purpose of bringing back the greenery of the city.
The city chief executive also encouraged individuals with available spaces in the city to allow portions of their properties to grow trees for the establishment of small and large tree farms to achieve the administration’s goal of revitalizing the state of the city’s environment.
The city mayor pointed out the importance of the active participation of the residents, especially people with available spaces in their properties, in the establishment of tree farms for the impacts of greenery to be realized the soonest.
According to him, he talked to officials of SM Prime holdings to help in the propagation of assorted tree species to make available sufficient supply of trees for distribution to residents who want to help the city government advance its tree farm projects for the benefit of the present and future generations.
Pursuant to its previous commitment to plant hundreds of thousands of trees in lieu of the trees that were cut to pave the way for the construction of the SM City Baguio, the company planted over 3,000 assorted tree seedlings in different watersheds and government reservations in the different parts of the city and that it is committed to plant an additional 200,000 assorted tree species in various government reservations to help in improving the state of the city’s environment.
One of the present administration’s 15-point collective agenda is for the revitalization of the city’s environment through the implementation of aggressive programs, projects and activities that will achieve the said goal within the next 3 years.
He said that barangays should also help in the realization of the program by identifying possible areas within their areas of jurisdiction which could be converted into tree farms for the benefit of improving the current state of the city’s environment that will be enjoyed by the present and future generations of inhabitants.
By Dexter A. See
Photo by Armando M. Bolislis