MANILA, Philippines - Life, even in the harshest conditions, always finds a way. Even in the most densely populated concrete jungle, wayward shoots and leaves manage to bring greenery – bursting from tiny cracks on the hard cement – where it is often systematically wiped out in favor of polished floors. Concerned with the daily grind, it is easy to forget that it is precisely these greens that allow the city to breathe and, literally, make it livable for people to thrive.
At Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., the country’s largest homebuilder, there is a group of people actually encouraging nature to flourish. Where others would find mercy and allow an accidental tree to live, they would actually plant the trees and make its presence intentional. They are called Greenscape and it is through their efforts that the beautifully lush landscapes and rolling terrains that people value when finding a place to live continue to thrive even in the midst of human activities.
Greenscape, Landscape Management Officer Norina Ocampo explained, handles the landscaping of Brittany, Crown Asia and Vista Residences. So intense was the need to integrate nature in the developments that the group was created specifically to ensure it would be cared for and allowed to flourish.
Greenscape, she noted, is not an afterthought. Their involvement begins as early as the creation of the land development plan where their inputs are valued and integrated when determining which areas of the property will be built on or left as an open space.
“A good example is Georgia Club,” she said, citing a Brittany development in Sta. Rosa, Laguna inspired by the architecture of the American South. “You can see old trees with which we made an effort to work around with and leave untouched. In the very rare cases when we had to designate an area with a tree as a lot for building, we ball it out and transplant it.”
This effort has left the property with interesting roadways and walking trails which added charm to the graceful property that evokes the opulence of Scarlett O’Hara and the romance of Rhett Butler in the classic film, Gone with the Wind.
Ocampo shared that they have transplanted five trees and all are thriving well in their new homes. It costs at least P20,000 to transplant a single tree. While the cost is steep, the long term benefit is priceless.
Every effort is made to save existing trees – not just century-old ones. In the event that cutting is inevitable for the young and more common species, Greenscape plants at least three new trees to replace the old one. It is also mandatory to plant at least three trees per lot.
Indeed, tree-planting begins as early as the land development stage to ensure that every area receives a fair amount of foliage. During and after construction, the Greenscape team continue to assess the situation and are always called upon to add more and more trees that ensure and cleaner and fresher air in every property.