CEBU, Philippines - A nursery establishment and tree plantation project was signed into agreement by Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), Fr. Saturnino Urios University (FSUU), and Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) last February 26.
TMI will allocate fund to FSUU through RAFI for the construction, maintenance, and monitoring of native nursery and tree plantation. The fund is utilized for the production of 8,000 seedlings.
FSUU will set up a native tree nursery that adopts and subscribes to standards and criteria, which includes seed beds, nursing area, hardening area, and vermi-culture area, indicated in the RAFI Nursery Operations Manual.
The university will also gather participants and provide necessary logistical support for them, including nursery management and tree plantation trainings.
On the other hand, RAFI will make eight quarterly visits to monitor the progress of native tree seedlings production and the number of seedlings planted in the plantation sites. RAFI will also submit to FSUU recommendations based on the nursery and tree plantation scorecards.
The construction of the native tree nursery is ongoing.
The native trees nursery establishment is an initiative of RAFI’s Generation REdemption, and Expansion of Natural resources INitiatives (GREENIN) Philippines Program to ensure environmental sustainability by reversing the loss of environmental resources through the utilization of native tree species in its interventions of restoring and rehabilitating degraded forests and idle lands.
GREENIN Philippines Program is one of the programs under RAFI’s Integrated Development focus area. It aims to address environmental problems by undertaking initiatives for the protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of our country’s forests. RAFI’s other focus areas are Micro-finance & Entrepreneurship, Culture & Heritage, Leadership & Citizenship, and Education.
For more information about the GREENIN Philippines Program, please contact 418-7234 loc. 515 and look for Bonifacio Amper, or visit www.rafi.org.ph/greenin-philippines or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph (FREEMAN)