ITOGON, Benguet July 13 – Benguet Corporation planted more than six thousand tree seedlings in a series of tree planting activities during the planting month of June through its different operations in the country.
The bulk of this figure is the 4,800 seedlings of various species planted by the employees and stakeholders of BenguetCorp Nickel Mines Inc.in at least 10 planting sites in 5 barangays in Sta. Cruz and Candelaria, Zambales on June 26, 2015.
Benguet Corp also partnered with the Poblacion Barangay Council in spearheading the June 12 Independence Day tree planting activity atop Mt. Bidawan, in Poblacion, Itogon, Benguet with support from various groups. The mining company provided the 700 pine tree seedlings planted and the needed funding for the activity.
On June 20, employees of Benguet Corp’s Irisan Lime Operation did their share of planting 500 coffee seedlings at its mini-forest area in Purok 11, Irisan, Baguio City.
Meanwhile, close to 30 of their counterparts fromthe mining company’sBalatoc Mine site also planted around 350 mangium and papaya tree seedlings on Arbor Day, June 25, in two of its properties in Kias, Virac, Itogon, Benguet.
These seedlings are added to the accummulated 24million trees planted over the years by the mining company in its various operation sites in the entire country. Benguet Corp also prides itself as the first company to do a reforestation project in the Benguet highlands, which was in 1921.These reforestation activities made Benguet Corp a recipient of multiple awards in the past, winning the Best Mining Forest for three consecutive years.
Its Crosby Park alone, in Virac, Itogon, a product of the mine firm’s decades of reforestation efforts and now turned into a nature park, is a favored planting site in the area, adopted by various groups.
The oldest mining company in the country maintains nurseries supplying the seedlings for its own tree planting activities and of other groups.
