GENERAL SANTOS CITY (5 May 2015) – The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) along with other volunteer groups joined the celebration of Earth Day by planting 150 seedlings of “bakhaw” mangroves.
This year's Earth Day Celebration’s theme is "Earth Day: Everyday, Everywhere, for Everyone."
The mangrove planting was held along the coast of Purok Minanga, Barangay Buayan.
Purok Minanga is part of a Mangrove Rehabilitation Site chosen by CENRO head Valentine Lastimoso because of its 75% survival rate.
Maria Katherine Pitco, Environmental Specialist II of CENRO, said that they chose to plant mangroves this year because of the vulnerability of coastal areas to the negative impact of climate change and global warming. The mangroves act as the protector or guardians of the coast.
“For every one hectare rehabilitation of mangroves, we can gain 1.08 tons of fisheries products, which is essential to us being the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, plus whale shark sightings, as an indicator that fish catches here are increasing,” she added.
As part of the annual Earth Day Celebration, every April 22, CENRO employees and volunteers return to their planting sites not only along the coast but also in the land areas where trees were planted to check for their development.
“Since the start of this project in 2009 until now, we have measured an average of 7 feet growth sustained by the mangrove trees,” Pitco stated.
This project is in line with the city mayor’s thrust for environmental security and rehabilitation through climate change adaptation and mitigation, added Pitco. (Gensan CPIO/Sharmagne Villacastin)
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