More mangroves for Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY–Almost 383,000 mangrove seedlings will be planted on 46 hectares of mangrove areas in the city’s Cancabato Bay. Crizaldy M. Barcelo, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional director for Eastern Visayas, said his office has tapped the PH Haiyan Advocacy Cooperative to do special studies, design and development on forestry and environmental management in Cancabato Bay and nearby areas as part of efforts to rehabilitate coastal areas damaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda, Barcelo said PH Haiyan was contracted last September to conduct bathymetric mapping, sea water analysis, a survey of existing flora and fauna in Cancabato Bay, and baseline perception survey. He said these activities seek to determine future climate change mitigation and adaptation interventions for residents of coastal areas, and track changes brought by the implementation of different mangrove rehabilitation, protection, and management interventions. Barcelo said PH Haiyan had already started already set up a nursery to provide the seedlings for the mangrove areas that need to be restored. Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Officer Ranulfo Q. Arbiol of DENR PENROLeyte said the planting will be done in coastal barangays of Tacloban. (Restituto A. Cayubit)