DENR Introduces Innovative Planting Design for Mangroves, Beach Forest Plantation in CV

(PIA) – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) in Central Visayas introduces innovative planting design for mangroves and beach plantations in the region.

DENR-7 regional edirector executive Dr. Isabelo Montejo said there is a need to innovate our planting designs as there is a need to densify our planting of trees especially in mangrove and beach forest which are largely established for protection and ecological services to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change.

The new suggested planting design released by the DENR-7 shall be introduced in the implementation of its one billion mangrove and beach forest project that aims to reforest and establish around 3,454 mangrove and beach forest plantations in the region to provinces affected by typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in 2013.

“We opted to use the cluster planting design to ensure higher success in mangrove and beach forest development, number of seedlings per cluster may vary according to species but our goal is to plant 2,500 propagules per hectare,” Montejo explained.

As specified in the mangrove and beach forest planting design, implementers or the people’s organizations with the technical assistance of the Provincial and Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices, should ensure even spacing between clusters. The cluster sizes for mangroves may vary from 2×2 meters to 5×5 meters or larger to suit conditions of the planting site.

On the beach forest plantation on the other hand, requires even space planting of 2×5 meters between seedlings at 1,000 seedlings per hectare.

According to Montejo, beach forest planting should be done a few meters above the high tide waterline to avoid conflict with traditional use of beach by the community, usually it is established along the easement zone designated under the Water Code of the Philippines.

“It should be emphasized here that mangrove planting will not happen over seagreasses areas,” Montejo added.

One billion mangrove and beach forest is another project of the administration to rehabilitate coastal forests in line with the commitment of providing better and safer coastal communities against storm surges, coastal flooding and other adverse impacts of climate change. (mbcn/jsme/PIA7-Cebu/with reports from Dr Eddie Llamedo/DENR7)