Bush fire hits Buhisan Watershed

CEBU, Philippines - Thee first bush fire at the Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve happened Sunday night, a few days into March, which is fire prevention.

About half a hectare of seedlings, mostly planted two years ago, were damaged, Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) forester Flor Rosales told The FREEMAN.

“About 0.5 hectares greenbelt establishment or buffer zone was destroyed by Sunday’s bush fire,” Rosales said after verifying yesterday the initial report forwarded by PBSP-organized Toong Volunteer Farmers Association (TVFA).

Greenbelt establishment refers to the plantation intentionally lined up as marker of the protected area end-point.

Colorful leaves or flowers are usually used to serve as markers.

According to an assessment done by the PBSP forester, a total of 630 seedlings were affected by the bush fire.

About 70 percent of these were totally damaged.

Of the damaged young trees, 300 were nangka, lomboy 70, tambis 110, and fire trees 50 among others.

The fire, which started half past seven in the evening and was controlled by TVFA fire wardens 10:30 pm, Rosales added.

Right before the bush fire, the plantation has undergone its third passed maintenance, she said.

The area was about 20 meters away from the last bush fire in the area last year where thousands of fruit trees were burned.

As part of reforestation program, fruit-bearing trees were planted right below old teak trees.

Fortunately, teak trees planted a few decades ago stood alive and survived the bush fire.

TVFA president Boy Clamares earlier alleged illegal tree cutters initiate bush fires to gradually kill the tall trees.

Once dead, they can cut them for personal or commercial usage since under the law it is not illegal to cut dead trees.

But authorities reiterated even those dead and considered hazardous trees must not be cut without seeking government permits.

Regional environment spokesperson Eddie Llamedo said their office has sent a team from PENRO Cebu led by Raul Pasuc to determine the extent of damage to the area.

At least three bush fires were reported April last year in the area damaging over ten thousand fruit and non-fruit bearing trees mostly planted by non-government organization PBSP under a reforestation Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve is about 630 hectares that covers barangay Toong and adjacent barangays.

It is one of the five protected watersheds which are part of much larger Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) with area up to 28,000 hectares.

These five include Mananga Watershed and Forest Reserve, Sudlon National Park, Central Cebu National Park, Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed and Forest Reserve, and the Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve. —/MIT (FREEMAN)