ACTIVITY IN BUGASONG

BUGASONG MPC INDEPENDENCE DAY TREE PLANTING ACTIVITY

Updated about a year ago

BUGASONG MPC MANAGEMENT, OFFICERS AND STAFF on the roads hiking to the mountains of Sitio Uruyan, Ilaya, Bugasong, Antique for the TREE PLANTING ACTIVITY as we Celebrate our 116th INDEPENDENCE DAY.

Let us plant more trees in every barangay in the entire Philippines. It does not make any difference if the barangay is urban, partially urban or rural; we need more trees. Trees will prevent erosion, provide oxygen, prevent green house effect, and even a place of business for the shade tree mechanic.

The Philippines is a tropical country and practically anything will grow. The DENR has the planting trees project that goes on every year. Lots of picture taking for the media. Planting trees one by one is the "human" way of doing it. This individual planting of trees is good if done to "line" the roads and highways with trees or along fences or property divisions, or if you have a plantation.

                   To reforest the nation of the Philippines we have to plant trees the "mother nature" way. Sow the seeds during the rainy season. Go deep into "bald" forests and plant trees by sowing seeds. If there's not enough volunteers to do this, use the military helicopters to fly over the designated areas and sow the seeds.

I experimented on this "mother nature" way of planting in the 24 hectares that I leased in Curuan, Zamboanga City. I collected seeds of different types of trees that I can come by easily. I collected seeds of the following trees:

• Gemelina (Gmelina) - The tree is very sturdy. You can cut it down (from the trunk) and it will come back with a vengeance. Excellent for planting on hills to prevent erosion. The fruit of the gemilina tree is round and about 1 inch in diameter. Not great for a tree plantation because you have to pull out the stump in order to plant new trees. The gemelina stump will continue to grow but you won't be able to get a good trunk out of it. Fantastic for the prevention of erosion. Small seeds.
• Mahogany - The seeds are harvested from the pods. The seeds are also pod shaped and have extended wing like fan. Shape like bolo with a big handle. The extended fan is just natures way of helping move the seeds around.
• Rubber tree - I was taking siesta and I heard a pop and then another one. I was alone in the payak then I heard and saw another rubber tree seed pop. I laughed.
• Hanakdung - The seeds are so tiny. Like mustard seeds. The trunk of the tree can be 24 inches thick and the tree can be over 40 feet tall in less than 6 years. The wood is soft. And like the malangbuaya the tree will die within 12 years.
• Malangbuaya tree - the seeds look like berries. Small, the size of a pea. The tree grows to about 30 feet and dies at about 12 years. Great lumber. The bats love to eat the fruits.
• Ilang Ilang - seeds are flat (16th of an inch thick) and about an 8th of an inch in diameter. Very fast growing. The trunk of an ilang tree can be 10 inches in diameter within 8 years.
• Jatropha - Seeds are the size of almonds. The locals call it tangan-tangan.