By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan — Seven municipalities in Aklan will hold a massive mangrove reforestation this year.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has released P10.635 million for mangrove forest rehabilitation covering 291.258 hectares in Kalibo, New Washington, Batan, Nabas, Ibajay, Makato, and Tangalan.
People’s organizations tapped for the activity will be ready to plant August and September, according to DENR.
Mangrove reforestation primarily aims to enrich beach forests, which serve as protection of coastal areas from storm surges during typhoons.
Some 54.058 hectares of mangrove areas will be reforested in this capital town.
In New Washington, 81.809 hectares; Batan, 45.528 hectares; Nabas, 18.776 hectares; Ibajay, 36.389 hectares; Makato, 21.138 hectares; and Tangalan, 33.560 hectares.
Mangrove rehabilitation activities are under way in Aklan even as the national government aims to reach its National Greening Program (NGP) target in the province.
Under NGP, a total of 2,425 hectares of forestlands in Aklan must be planted by end of September.
The NGP target in the entire Western Visayas is 19,105 hectares. As of June this year, 21 percent of the target has been covered, data from DENR showed.
Some 3,768 hectares will be reforested in Antique under the program. In Capiz, 4,006 hectares; Guimaras, 100 hectares; Iloilo, 3,815 hectares; and Negros Occidental, 4,989 hectares.
Put into effect by President Benigno Aquino III’s Executive Order No. 26, NGP aims to reforest 1.5 million hectares of barren lands in the country with 1.5 billion trees from 2011 to 2016.
As of May this year, 392 million trees have been planted in more than 683,000 hectares across the country.
Among the seedlings used were those of indigenous trees, like narra and lauan, and exotic, fast-growing cash crop trees, like mahogany, gmelina, coffee, and cacao.
DENR has tapped people’s organizations to plant the seedlings. (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
