A total of 2,900 trees will be planted in an upland barangay ihn Naga City to replace 58 trees that were cut down in the premises of the Naga Central School last week for a track oval project.
Most of the trees or 60 percent will be Narra with Moave and Guyabano species for the balance, said Eddie Llamedo, spokesman of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7.
The trees will be planted in the mountain barangay of Lutac on Friday, Nov. 21.
Llamedo said he would invite environment advocates to join a multi-party team that will monitor the trees to ensure they are taken care of.
The invitation extends to Fr. Robert Reyes, the Movement for a Livable Cebu (MLC), and the Philippine Earth Justice Center (PEJC) , which heavily criticized the DENR for issing a tree cutting permit for Naga City without adequate public consultation.
The Naga city government will maintain the trees for the next two years and ensure a survival rate of at least 85 percent.
“Since we were the ones that issued a speciall cutting permit, this activity will ensure that we are serious in providing for replacements of those trees that were cut,” said Llamedo in a press conference.
Under the terms of the permit, 50 trees will be planted for every tree felled. The planting site, a forest and timber land,was identified from various sites under the National Greening Program (NGP).