DENR braces for massive replanting by rainy season

BOHOL – Despite the continuing threat brought about by the mild El Niño phenomenon, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported that it has successfully produced close to 13 million seedlings for forest rehabilitation in Central Visayas.

DENR-Region 7 has produced a total of 12,899,789 seedlings exceeding around 12 percent of this year's target of producing 11,557,500 seedlings under the National Greening Program (NGP).

Cebu has generated 2,821,238 seedlings, Bohol with 2,918,450 seedlings, Negros Oriental with 7,034,185 seedlings, and Siquijor with 125,766 seedlings.

DENR-Region 7 Regional Director Isabelo Montejo said the active support and cooperation of the various people's organizations has contributed a lot in producing good quality seedlings targeted to be planted by the start of the rainy season.

"Aside from merely achieving our targets on the number of seedlings, we also ensure tjat we have produced good quality seedlings, which shall be used to supply our various tree-planting and growing program here in the region," Montejo added.

Activities under plantation development are expected to start by June or immediately after the start of rainy season.

After four years of implementing the NGP, DENR-Region 7 has reported to have reforested around 65,042 hectares in Central Visayas. Starting 2011, DENR partnered with the DENR and established plantations of timber, crops, mangroves, among others in various NGP-identified sites in the Central Visayas provinces.