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| A DPWH employee planted falcata tree seedling |
ILIGAN CITY – Tree
planting activity is a coping mechanism conducted by the Department of public
works and highways (DPWH) 2nd district Engineering office of Lanao
del Norte to replace the number of trees affected during the road widening project
along the national highways of Iligan City and Lanao del Norte, an information relayed
by Mr. Vincent Labial, public information officer.
Labial said the just recently tree-planting activity reforestation effort was conducted at barangay Rogongon by the DPWH employees planted 4,500 falcata seedlings. DPWH's "Tree Replacement Program" is in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) requiring DPWH to plant 100 trees for every tree cut.
“The on-going road-widening is a priority project of DPWH to improve access to rural areas and spread economic development to the countryside”, explained District Engineer Alykhan Ali.
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| DPWH employees posed during the tree planting activity |
The fast-growing falcata tree species was chosen for the program due to its nitrogen-fixing property which improves the soil condition and is well-suited for the high-elevation level of barangay Rogongon.
To ensure a high survival rate, DPWH has deputized local farmers to help cultivate the newly planted seedlings. A team from the Planning and Design Section led by Engineer Rachid Mudag, Jr. was created to monitor the replanted trees.
“Every time we implement projects, we are always mindful of the environmental impact and its effect on the community”, District Engineer Ali concluded.
Ali also vowed to continue the DPWH’s active involvement in different activities of DENR such as tree planting and clean-up drive. (VNL/DPWH-PIO, Edited by Jun Enriquez)