The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has started boosting the production of native tree and bamboo species by establishing new forest nurseries and the restoration of existing ones across DENR field offices nationwide.
Through DENR Department Memorandum Order (DMO) 2023-03, the environment department has set guidelines for the establishment and maintenance of forest nurseries.
The agency said the DMO 2023-03 seeks to guarantee the availability of free seedlings of native species for individuals, organizations, government agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs), and tree-growing advocates.
“Seedlings will be distributed at no cost to requesting parties in accordance with the order,” the DENR stated.
The DMO mandates existing and fully operational nurseries (EFONs) to produce a minimum of 15,000 seedlings of indigenous and endemic tree species annually.
According to the DENR, the minimum annual target is set at 10,000 seedlings (75 percent native trees and 25 percent bamboo), if EFONs are cultivating both native tree seedlings and bamboo culms.
It was noted that newly established and rehabilitated nurseries are exempt from the initial year’s seedling production targets.
“In subsequent years, they would be expected to produce a minimum of 15,000 seedlings annually,” the agency stated.
In addition, the DMO said a 10 percent minimum seedling requirement is established for ornamental and indigenous flowering tree species, while the annual minimum seedling requirement for ornamental plants in DENR-NCR is raised to 30 percent.
“In cases where space is limited, seedling nurseries can be constructed in ‘strategic areas’ outside DENR premises through partnerships and memorandums of agreement with local government units, academics, community groups, and non-government organizations,” the DENR said.
The DENR stated that the said order covers all 142 DENR-Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENROs), DENR-National Capital Region (NCR), and 17 of the 76 DENR Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Offices (PENROs) designated as “Implementing PENROs” (IPs) due to the absence of CENROs in their respective jurisdictions.
Native trees play a crucial role in providing ecosystem services, supporting local wildlife, and establishing green spaces in urban areas where a significant portion of the country’s population resides, DENR Assistant Secretary and Forest Management Bureau Director Arleigh Adorable noted.
Some of the popular native tree species include Narra (Pterocarpus indicus), Guijo (Shorea guiso), Kamagong (Diospyrus discolor), Red Lauan (Shorea negrosensis), White Lauan (Shorea contorta), Tindalo (Afzelia rhomboidea), Yakal (Shorea astylosa), and Molave (Vitex parviflora).