Mangrove planting marks World Wetlands Day

Ten thousand more mangrove propagules were planted in the flourishing mangrove sanctuary at the West Cebu Industrial Park in Barangay Arpili, Balamban as the Cebu Park Developers, Inc. ( CIPDI) spearheaded the observance of World Wetlands Day on February 4.

World Wetlands Day is observed on February 2 to mark the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in Ramsar, Iran on the same date in 1971. It is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of the wetlands as life- giving resources.

CIPDI’S mangrove reserve is an expansive twelve hectares on the west coast of Cebu. The area has been repopulated with various mangrove species since 2008.

This year, CIPDI gathered 115 volunteers to plant the native species ‘ bakhaw’ in a show of advocacy for environmental protection.

Employees of CIPDI and its locators, as well as local government officials and organizations participated in the 2012 mangrove rehabilitation effort, bringing the total number of propagules planted in the area to 33,000.

Win mundo Charcos, CIPDI’S Assistant Manager for Operations shares that the volunteer effort has been successful. He says, “We got an 88% survival rate for the 11,000 propagules planted last year.”

Arpili Barangay Chairman Primo Paulin, one of the volunteers, notes the changes in the local population’s attitude towards the mangrove areas and other surrounding habitats, recalling that before the mangrove rehabilitation activities bird hunting was rampant and garbage littered the place. “Life has gradually returned to the shores since the first mangrove seedlings were planted,” Paulin adds.

Charcos agrees saying, “The thriving mangrove sanctuary is truly nurturing communities as we are observing a spectacular increase in the population of indigenous bird species and, possibly migratory species, too, as they have been sighted here again after many months of absence.”

“A meaningful collaboration between the local government unit, volunteers and CIPDI” is a key factor in making the project a success, Charcos explains.

West Cebu Industrial Park is an industrial venture of Aboitizland and Tsuneishi Holdings, Inc. of Japan. CIPDI manages zone operations.

The mangrove planting activities are conducted in coordination with the Balamban local government unit, Balamban Multi- partite Monitoring Team ( BMMT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and park locators Austal, Tsuneishi Heavy Industries, Linde Philippines South, Metaphil International, Balamban Enerzone, K&A Metals, Air Liquide, and Mactan Rock Industries.