ESP seeks more trees in watersheds

An environmental group is pressing the government to intensify its planting activities to improve the quality and quantity of water and protect the country’s watersheds.

Antonio M. Claparols, president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines, said tree planting activity should be carried out simultaneously in various regions as each region hosts important watersheds that should be protected.

Claparols explains that millions of seedlings should be mass produced particularly this rainy season as more plants and saplings can be easily produced during the rainy season. He cited the need to intensify planting at the Ipo watershed, which was proclaimed as such in 1968 by virtue of Proclamation 139. It covers a total area of 6,600 hectares and is situated in the municipalities of Norzagaray  (33 percent) and San Jose del Monte (62 percent) both in Bulacan; and E. Rodriguez (five percent) in Rizal.

Excellent species of trees which should be planted according to Claparols include narra, species of lauan, bignay, caballero, balakat gubat, earpod, pringon, and alibangbang.

Claparols explained that the Ipo watershed is an important planting site near Metro Manila because the Angat watershed and Ipo reservior provide irrigation water to some 50,000 hectares of rice lands in Bulacan, and Angat Dam diverts water to the Ipo dam which supplies water to Metro Manila, Rizal, and Cavite.