By Robert Maico
STO.TOMAS, Batangas, Oct. 29 (PNA) — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) spearheaded Wednesday a tree planting activity at the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) with officials and members of the Career Executive Service Board, South Luzon Tollway Corporation (SLTC), and Rotary Club of Makati Rockwell.
DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations Demetrio Ignacio led the planting of hardwood species such as narra (Pterocarpus indicus) seedlings, while Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 4A (CALABARZON) Regional Director Samuel Paragas and his staff the potting of seedlings at the Calamba City-Sto. Tomas boundary.
Now on its fifth year since the activity started in 2010, the DENR’s Special Concerns Office, which spearheads the activity with the Rotary Club, have planted 14,815 indigenous seedlings in the region with a survival rate of 80 percent.
The participants, assisted by marshals from the DENR central office, Environmental Management Bureau and DENR Laguna and Los Baños will plant some 2,131 seedlings of narra, molave (Vitex parviflora) and Palawan cherry (Cassia nodosa) at nine sites or three kilometers of the southbound stretch of SLEX from San Pedro City at Kilometer 28.9 – 203 seedlings; KM 31-186, KM 32.4—330; KM 33.6 162, KM 36 – 380, KM 37.2 – 100, KM 42-3 – 233; KM 50 – 50, KM 53 – 252 to Calamba City-Sto. Tomas at KM 54.5 – 285 seedlings.
Forester Manuel Escasura, who represented DENR Calabarzon Regional Director Reynulfo Juan, stressed the importance of a mature tree’s capacity to absorb carbon emission of some 1,842 cars.
He thanked the participants Rotary Club, CESB, and the SLTC partners in helping achieve their officers’ and members’ accomplishment of the task to plant the requisite 10 seedlings per individual per year and the efforts to have a ‘cleaner and greener expressway.’ (PNA)