The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Cagayan Valley has called for the "intensified protection" of the more than 1.7 million-hectare local forestland on the occasion of the International Day of Forests (IDF).
"As we celebrate the International Day of Forests, let us be reminded of our roles in the restoration of these natural resources," said DENR Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan in her recent meetings in Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya.
IDF is celebrated on March 21. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Forest Restoration: A Path to Recovery and Well-Being”.
The global event aims “to raise awareness on the importance of forests to people and their vital role in poverty eradication, environmental sustainability, and food security.”
According to the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), the IDF highlights the valuable benefits of forest restoration in terms of human health, food security, environmental and climatic conditions, provision of green jobs, stakeholder engagement, and healing.
As part of the celebration, Bambalan and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edgar Martin led the maintenance activities at the three-hectare arboretum established within the Ecological Park ang Training Center in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.
During the Protected Area Management Board meetings in Tumauini and City of Ilagan in Isabela, Bambalan asked the village chiefs to be vigilant against illegal activities in the forests of the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, Tumauini Watershed Natural Park and Fuyot Spring Natural Park.
“Kapag magtutulungan tayo, hindi malayong masugpo natin ang mga iligal na gawain sa ating kagubatan (If we help each other, then its possible for us to stop the illegal activities in our forests). Let us be role models in the conservation of our forests,” she said.
Meanwhile, in the assessment meeting for the Forestland Management Project (FMP), the regional chief asked the implementers in the provinces of Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya to improve the accomplishment of the remaining performance target as she stressed, “FMP intends to support forest restoration and well-being of the community.”
Through the FMP, a total of 20,493 hectares of plantations were established within the watersheds of Upper Magat and Cagayan River Basins since 2012. This is on top of the 106,119-hectare plantations established in the region under the National Greening Program.