Environmental groups have raised concern over the impending cutting and pruning of 721 trees along the road right-of-way from Barangay Dinahican to Barangay Magsaysay, Infanta, Quezon, for use as a transportation route for wind turbine generator (WTG) materials.

In a joint statement, members of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) and the Wild Bird Photographers of the Philippines (WBPP) warned that the trees surveyed along the Marilaque Highway- - -Narra, Karay, Uyok, Balete, and Hagimit - - -are ecologically important, with a rare Umbrella Tree (Heptapleurum oblongifolium) already cut down.

The groups noted that the marked trees host threatened orchids and serve as habitat for rare wildlife such as the Northern Rufous Hornbill, Flame-breasted Fruit Dove, Northern Philippine Hawk-eagle, Northern Luzon Giant Cloud Rat, fruit bats, Palm Civets, and the Philippine Eagle Owl.

Ronald Achacoso, the president of the Philippine Native Plants Conservation Society, Inc. (PNPCSI), expressed outrage over the loss of native trees and said even ordinary roadside species play a vital role in supporting rarer plants and wildlife.

“Aside from the trees themselves even the rather ordinary ones provide a microhabitat for rarer species that tend to be overlooked such as orchids, Begonias, gesneriads and other cryptic species,” Achacoso said.

He added they were horrified that a rare Heptapleurum oblongifolium, documented for almost a decade, had been cut down.

“Not sure if it was part of the clearing activity of Alternergy but we have been documenting that tree for almost ten years and it’s the only one we’ve seen so far and now it’s gone,” he lamented.

Environmental lawyer Atty. Jennifer Ramos raised possible legal violations if the tree cutting proceeds without permits.

“The area is within a protected area that’s why an environmental impact assessment is required,” she said.

She warned that “cutting trees without permit under the Revised Forestry Code and violation of the Environmental Impact System Law for cutting and pruning without environmental compliance certificate” may constitute offenses.

“That’s why we are inquiring from DENR about the permit and the ECC,” Ramos stressed.

She added that “tree cutting in a protected area under the Revised National Protected Areas System Law” is a clear legal issue.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Calabarzon (DENR-Calabarzon) clarified that no permit has yet been granted for the cutting and pruning of 721 trees.

“Application received Aug. 1 from Wintex Logistic Corporation for the pruning of 460 trees and cutting of 261 trees,” Dr. Nilo Tamoria, Regional Executive Director of DENR-Calabarzon, told the Manila Bulletin.

He explained that the trees are within the 70-meter road right-of-way of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Tamoria added that Wintex has already secured a Certificate of No Objection from the DPWH but noted that DENR required more steps.

“As a condition in the tree-cutting permit, proponent commits to comply with the requirement of planting 100 trees for every one tree that was cut,” he said.

The case is still under review, with environmentalists urging the DENR to uphold protections under Presidential Proclamation 1636, which declared parts of Infanta as a protected area.