Bohol targets 75 kms at re-greening launch

BUSTING pollution can be an easy math. One tree in every ten meters for Bohol 's 247 kilometers of coastal highway alone could mean 24,700 seedlings. That number could be more than what Bohol needs. Going realistic, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Eduardo Inting said Bohol targets to cover only about 74 kilometers of road for the simultaneous nationwide launch for the Green Philippine Highways, August 25.

This still include the plantable areas but are occupied by residences, civil works for public roads, activity facilitators explained. Nevertheless, the number still accounts for some six to seven thousand seedlings that could be found stretching to the Tagbilaran-Talibon, Talibon-Candijay and Candijay-Baclayon segments, Inting estimates.

Wanting to bend the rule a little bit, Oplan Green Philippine Highways here eyes not just green trees but blooming ornamental ones too. Speaking at the weekly Kapihan sa PIA Thursday for a slot exclusively devoted for the ambitious 50 million trees for the nationwide tree-planting activity, Inting said for a tourist destination like Bohol , the long term plan is to put in ornamental flowering plants in between the planted trees here.

In the ten-meter span between local trees planted, the local PENRO said bougainvilla, gumamela, ilang-ilang and other endemic flowering plants as spacers may give the green highways a sort of break. As Boholanos carried digging and planting implements out to the roadsides Friday for the re-greening activity, volunteers and adoptors said helping the environment recoup is also in line with the Boholano aspirations.

Pioneering craftors of the innovative and first environment ordinance in the country, Boholano adoptors led by local government executives positively acted on the call. This as Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Public Works and Highways signed a Memorandum of Agreement for tree planting activity. Research show that a tree can sequester .56 metric tons of carbon dioxide in its lifetime. A car in its lifetime needs about 10 trees to capture all its emissions.

Here, as the MOA stipulated that the tree planting activity takes the portion of highways without overhead power transmission lines, off from impending road works and residential areas, local authorities said the 75 kilometer target for the single day of planting has been coordinated earlier. DENR figured out about three people could be adoptors of a certain plant which they shall nurture for three yeas. Somebody has to dig the whole, another to plant the tree and another one to construct the three-legged tree guards, Inting explained.

Local DENR personnel and coordinators earlier marked the area approximately 9 meters from the centerline of roads and immediately after the slope protection and roadside canals. The DENR provided the tree guard materials to some places. The guards protect the seedlings from stray animals and would ultimately forewarn adopters where their planted trees are.

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