Bulacan gov't initiates steps to save mangrove forests

MALOLOS, Bulacan — Environment experts at the provincial government here started the initial stage of a study aimed at identifying possible solutions to the fast-diminishing mangrove forests in the coastal towns here, an official said.

Norberto Pulumbarit, chief of the protection, conservation and rehabilitation division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office at the provincial capitol, told The STAR yesterday they are currently conducting surveys and ocular inspections of mangrove areas to identify the problems that need to be addressed, like reforestation and other means of conservation or protection.

"We are looking into a lot of factors that contribute to the depletion of our mangrove forests. These include gathering of mangrove for firewood or construction purpose, the encroachment of fish cages and fish pens, and the influx of human settlements in those areas," Pulumbarit said.

He said their division, which is tasked to assess the condition of mangrove forests, hopes to determine what laws are needed to be created or amended at the provincial level to save the remaining mangrove forests as provided for in section 9 of the provincial development plan.

The DENR office, however, has yet to come up with the total area of mangrove reservation areas in the coastal towns of Bulacan, Obando, Malolos, Hagonoy, Paombong and Calumpit.

In Central Luzon, there are four coastal provinces — Bulacan, Aurora, Zambales and Bataan, which have a total estimated coastline of 800 kilometers.

The largest mangrove forest reservation, according to the DENR is found in Aurora province, with an areaz of 223 hectares. This was followed by Pampanga with 215 hectares and Bataan with 157 hectares.

Pulumbarit said other local government units, such as municipalities or even barangays, should back this move by the provincial government, as they are the ones directly affected by the loss of mangroves that shelter and serve as sanctuaries of their source of livelihood.