DENR set to restore Visayas mangroves

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) plans to restore mangrove and beach forests in some 380 kilometers of coastline in Eastern Visayas, including Leyte and all other portions ravaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda, to protect these communities against the devastating effects of future storms.

DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said the tragedy caused by Yolanda underscores the need to revive the region’s degraded coastal forests to make its coastlines less vulnerable to extreme weather events. 

Paje said a massive tree-planting activity under the government’s National Greening Program (NGP) would be undertaken in coastal areas in Tacloban City and Dulag town in Leyte; the municipalities of Guiuan, Llorente and Balangiga in Eastern Samar; and in the town of Basey in Samar to provide livelihood to residents and allow them to take part in building a ‘green wall’ against storm surges. 

“By reviving the coastal forests in these areas, we seize this golden opportunity to begin the journey of our people in Eastern Visayas from victims to victors on the right footing,” Paje said, adding that Yolanda “has practically seized the nation’s attention to the increasingly important role of mangrove and beach forest belts.” 

The environment chief said the DENR  is also looking at the â€œreversion of abandoned government-leased ponds to mangroves”  to boost coastal protection, food resources and livelihood opportunities for coastal communities. 

“The best way to protect the city from storm surge is through mangrove reforestation under the NGP,” Paje stressed. 

Relative to this, Paje said that the NGP implementation in Eastern Visayas may have to be reconfigured to give more priority to coastal intervention over reforestation in upland communities.                       

At the same time, Paje pointed out that keeping the affected shorelines off-limits to informal settlers is  key to such undertaking. 

He said the department would soon conduct ground validation to pinpoint what areas are viable for mangrove rehabilitation and those for beach forest within the 20-meter easement zone along the shoreline as provided for in the Philippine Forestry Code.