CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has expanded its forest adoption program in Tarlac after forging new partnerships with the private sector to help restore and protect forestlands under the Enhanced National Greening Program (ENGP).
DENR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo led the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with eight new adopters and one renewal adopter, covering a total of 351.76 hectares of ENGP sites in the municipalities of Mayantoc and San Clemente.
The new adopters include Farm To Cup Philippines Association Inc., Forestcape Corporation, Jesus is the Lord Presbyterian Church Inc., and several private individuals.
“The initiative strengthens the government’s reforestation efforts by encouraging private organizations and individuals to take an active role in maintaining and protecting rehabilitated forestlands beyond the initial planting phase,” Pablo said.
DENR Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Jowell Dellosa said the adopters will undertake the maintenance, protection, and rehabilitation of their respective sites and ensure a minimum seedling survival rate of 85 percent.
Dellosa added that rehabilitation activities will include the establishment of bamboo, agroforestry species, and native forest trees to improve biodiversity and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
The DENR, for its part, will provide technical assistance, monitoring, and capacity-building activities to support the implementation of the adoption program.
Pablo said the ENGP contributes not only to forest restoration but also to climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction, and sustainable development.
He emphasized that protecting the country’s natural resources is a shared responsibility that requires the sustained participation of government agencies, private institutions, and local communities. (UnliNews Online)
