Reforestation in Aklan ongoing

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Isla Capispisan mangrove reforestation in New Washington, Aklan           PHOTO  AKLAN FORUM

As part of the National Greening Program (NGP), the national government is targeting to reforest 2,425 hectares in Aklan by end of September. Aklan is one of the target areas in Western Visayas of the NGP’s 19,105 hectares.

NGP, under Executive Order No. 26 signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III, aims to plant native, indigenous trees like narra and lauan and exotic, fast-growing, cash crop trees like mahogany, gmelina, coffee and cacao in target areas.

Other target areas in the region of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the reforestation program are Antique with 3,768 hectares, Capiz with 4,006 hectares,  Guimaras with 100 has; Iloilo – 3,815 and Negros Occidental – 4,989 has.

So far, NGP has planted 21 percent of the target 19,105 hectares in the region, according to data from DENR as of June. 

DENR has identified peoples’ organizations ready to plant the seedlings for the NGP which aimed to reforest 1.5 million hectares of barren lands with 1.5 billion of trees in the country from 2011 to 2016. As of May, the NGP has planted 392 million trees over 683,000 hectares across the country. 

Meanwhile, the DENR also released P10.635 million for seven towns in Aklan for the mangrove rehabilitation of 291.258 hectares. The funds is intended for mangrove, beach forest and mangrove enrichment.

People’s organizations tapped to help in the mangrove rehabilitation will be ready to plant by August to September this year, the agency said.

The towns in Aklan to conduct massive mangrove rehabilitation are Kalibo with 54.058 hectares, New Washington with 81.809 hectares, Batan with 45.528 hectares, Nabas with 18.776 hectares, Ibajay with 36.389 hectares, Makato with 21.138 hectares and Tangalan with 33.560 hectares.