LEGAZPI—In celebration of the World Environment Month, volunteers, community leaders, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, government offices and media organizations led by the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists (PNEJ) joined in the annual mangrove reforestation activity and coastal clean-up this week in the town of Bacacay as well as in Cagraray Island in Legazpi.
Governor Joey Salceda, who supports this initiative, said there is a need to “ urgently address environmental issues in the country and that is to begin in our own backyard.”
Salceda has long been an advocate of environmental awareness campaign and projects locally as well as internationally in addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation.
In a small baarangay of Manaet in Cagraray island, it is known to be home to the endangered wild ducks and monkeys that are indigenous to Albay.
The area can be reached by motorboat in just 15 to 20 minutes from the port of Bacacay town. The village is inhabited by 800 people mostly dependent on fishing and farming.
The area, according to Edwin Belano, Manaet village chieftain, is highly threatened by landslides based on the study made by the Mines and Geoscience Bureau-DENR Bicol.
Even the village’s public elementary school, which serves as the evacuation center of the residents in times of natural calamities, is unsafe.
At least 5,000 mangrove propagules will be planted in the village.
Mangrove forests serve as storm surge protection and big waves and tidal currents breakers.
They provide nursery and habitat to fry of varied fish species as well as many species of shell fish.
Mangroves are also important to many local coastal species, both terrestrial and aquatic.
For numerous organisms, mangrove forests serve as the starting place for food web.
The mangrove reforestation by the inter-agency groups, provincial government of Albay and the mediamen is now on its third year, in line with government’s greening program of Bicol.
Text and Photo by RHAYDZ BARCIA
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