This one's for Mother Earth

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Environmental sustainability is not an option, but a necessity! This thought pushes The FREEMAN Foundation to come up with environmental projects in efforts that might just be "gauzes or band-aids" to severe wounds inflicted on Mother Nature, but examples that hope to arrest the attention of the public on man's varied activities detrimental to nature's capacity to regenerate and sustain.

These environmental works conceptualized by The FREEMAN foundation will soon pave way not only to some kind of a printed legacy, but also one that would be shared and enjoyed by those who will come next in line.

As project coordinator, I am eyeing at a coastal reforestation endeavor in time for the Ocean Month in May, weeks after Earth Day (April 22). We will be planting propagules of "bakauans" or "bakhaw" which is the most important and popular tree species of the mangrove swamps.

Bakauans are highly preferred for fuelwood and charcoal because of their very high heating values. Charcoal derived from bakauan is the best among the Philippines hardwoods. Its heating value is comparable to that of coconut shell charcoal which is considered the best of non-wood charcoals.

Bakauans are also popular for their high strength and durability. They exceed the strength requirements for class C1 of the Philippine timbers, hence are suitable for structural purposes. In coastal villages, bakauans are generally used for posts, for skeletal framework of small houses and for poles of "baklad" or fish fence.

Based on a coastal reforestation project in Banacon Island, Jetafe, Bohol, thinning of 10-year-old bakauan-bangkau plantation with 0.5 meter by 0.5 meter spacing gave an estimated net income of P6,377; P3,826 and P1,913 per hectare at 50%, 30% and 15% thinning intensity levels based on basal area, respectively.

Still in Banacon island, a hectare of 15-year-old bakauan-bangkau plantation has an estimated gross stumpage value of P200,000 to P280,000, this according to a primer provided by Dr. Simeon Rosel of the City Environment and Natural Resources office.

In addition to this is the seasonal income from the sale of propagules. A person collects an average of 1,000 propagules per day which are sold at P0.10 each in the island. Thus, occasionally the islanders obtain an income of P100/day from propagules during fruiting season.

Established bakauan plantations provide physical protection of shorelines against erosion caused by the onslaught of waves, tidal currents, typhoons and other natural perturbations. The highly specialized root systems of the species trap sediments and siltation from the uplands favoring land building in coastal areas, enhancing water clarity and growth of corrals.

A study on soil displacement/accretion in established bakaun-bangkau plantations in Banacon island gave an average soil build-up of 936 cubic meters per hectare per year of the more than 15 year old plantation and 60 cubic meters in the less than 10 year old plantation. This means an average annual built-up/increase of 9.36 cms. and 0.6 cm. of the ground, respectively.

Bakauan leaves, flowers, fruits and twigs and organic matter input would finally find their way to the nutrient pool of the coastal ecosystem through natural process of decomposition. Bakauan habitat provides favorable breeding, refuge, and feeding ground to a number of important coastal water fishes and shells.

It has been observed that more fishes are caught and species are more diverse in areas with mangrove stands. Same is true for seashells and other forms of aquatic lives in areas with mangrove forest.

Experts reported that for every hectare of mangrove forest denuded is equivalent to 1.08-ton reduction in fish catch of our municipal fishermen.

DENR officials Dr. Simeon Rosel and Rose Saya-ang, community development worker, recommend that we first conduct an ocular inspection at Poblacion, Cordova town which has a successful ongoing coastal reforestation program. For this purpose, we would like to call on other community partners to guide us in this effort to do something worthwhile for an ailing environment. For your comments, reactions, suggestions, contributions, advices, and on how you can be of help to this particular project please text 0921-5323616. Or email [email protected].

TEXTPRESS URSELF! 18-Apr 09:29:33 "Hi Maria, God bless u richly. I like what u wrote. Yes, I agree wt u Life s d Cofee nt d cup, life is beautiful. Its us dat unmake it n nt life itself. - Jess