Friday, July 31, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES [ BusinessWorld Online ]
THE ENVIRONMENT department is crafting guidelines for the cutting and earth balling of trees amid clamors to ban tree cutting, the department said in a press release yesterday.
"Our technical men in the forestry sector are now studying technical, social, economic as well as environment-related issues involving tree cutting," the statement quoted Environment Secretary Jose L. Atienza, Jr. as saying.
"And we hope to present whatever policy reforms they would come up with in a multi-sectoral consultation soon," he added.
Early this month, Mr. Atienza said the department may stop the issuance of tree-cutting permits nationwide to fast-track the issuance of environmental permits while preserving vegetative cover.
Developers must reorient their project designs such that the trees are preserved, he added.
Marlo D. Mendoza, director of the Environment department’s Forest Management Bureau (FMB), said his agency will be proposing technical issues on allowing or prohibiting tree cutting, and when earth balling would be required.
Mr. Mendoza said trees with historical significance like the Tandang Sora tree in Quezon City "must be avoided during any development projects," and that trees under threat of extinction be given extra care during their transfer to their new site.
"Tree cutting will be allowed... for harvesting and only as a last recourse," Mr. Mendoza said in a text message.
The FMB will also recommend that trees for earth balling should have a maximum size of 25 centimeters in diameter and planted within public roads, plazas, school premises, and open grounds in private lands.
Furthermore, the FMB will issue guidelines on earth balling procedure for trees classified as "threatened" but have been cleared for earth balling, regardless of size.
The Environment department classifies apitong, kamagong, kalantas, malabayabas, molave, narra and red lauan as threatened tree species.
Meanwhile, the FMB will also be including in the new guidelines the strict observance on the installation of signboards notifying the public about the earth balling and transplanting activities.
Trees should be replanted immediately in an area identified by the department and should be subjected to watering and regular pruning for six months to ensure the tree’s survival.
Mr. Mendoza said the FMB will have a consultation workshop with concerned groups next week.
The government targets to increase the country’s forest cover to 10-12 million hectares from the current 7.3 million hectares in 10 years. — NJCM
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