15 Questions...

15 SATURDAYS TO HELP SAVE THE EARTH
2010 Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan

15 Questions You May Want to Ask Us About the Reforestation Caravan:

Why only 15 Saturdays?

PBSP will only plant tree seedlings for 15 Saturdays in line with the country's rainy season. This is to ensure that all the tree seedlings we planted will have an 85% survival rate. Your tree seedlings will only have a higher mortality rate if they are not planted during the rainy season.

How much does it cost to adopt a hectare for reforestation?

A hectare for reforestation costs PhP 40,000.00. This includes the cost for maintenance and replanting of the tree seedlings in case the need arises.

I do not have enough funds to adopt a hectare for reforestation. Can I still join the caravan in another way?

Yes, you can! Companies and other interested individuals can help us by becoming volunteer tree planters. You can also help us spread the word about our reforestation efforts!

How can I join the reforestation caravan?

Joining our caravan is easy! Just contact Miss Malu thru our phone line at 232-5283 or thru email at malu.b.largo@gmail.com or MBLargo@pbsp.org.ph to book  your Saturday.

When and where shall we meet for the activity?

It depends on where you want to meet. We could meet in front of Asiatown IT Park's The Walk, where we gathered during our kickoff, or to another location that is more convenient for you.

What tree seedlings are we planting?

For this year, we will be doing enrichment planting using indigenous tree seedlings such as the Cebu cinnamon plant or kalingag,  narra, almaciga, fire tree, kamatsilis, tipolo, bangkal and taloto, among others.

Why choose these species?

Our birds feed and nest on the bark and fruits of indigenous trees, making them the most suitable trees to plant in the forests.

What bird species can we see flourish because of our reforestation efforts?

A lot of them since all our birds feed on the fruits, seeds and bark of our indigenous trees!  The rarest and endemic among them are the Cebu black shama, also known as the siloy, and the Cebu flowerpecker.

When did the reforestation caravan start?

We launched the Cebu Hillyland Development Program (CHDP) on 1988 to encourage the business sector to be involved in our efforts to conserve the hillylands and reduce poverty in the communities. This was in line with the city government's call for the business sector's involvement in implementing development programs in the hillylands.

How many companies had joined PBSP's reforestation caravan since it started?

To date, we already tapped the participation of more than 100 institutions to join us. 

Since you started planting tree seedlings in the Cebu Hillylands, how many hectares have you already helped reforest?  

As of 2009, we already helped reforest 923.25 hectares of the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape. For this year, we will help reforest an additional 124 hectares of the Hillylands.

You already mentioned the phrase “Cebu Hillylands” more than once. What exactly does this term pertain to?

The Cebu Hillylands is actually another term for the Central Cebu Protected Landscape or CCPL.

Aside from saving the environment, what other benefits can we get from reforesting our Hillylands?

The Cebu Hillylands is Metro Cebu's main source of potable water. It has five watersheds, including the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve, where our Buhisan Dam is. The CCPL is also home to various plant and animal species. Reforesting it would mean more water and life for us.

How is your reforestation caravan helping the communities within the area?

Aside from our reforestation efforts, we also organized other social investment initiatives for the communities to make sure that they still earn more without harming the environment we reforested. One of the technologies we introduced to these farmers is the technique on agroforestry. With agroforestry, farmers are able to maximize the potential of their land by planting various high-value crops that project more income.

What makes PBSP's Reforestation Caravan different from the other tree-planting activities organized nationwide?

For one, the holes are already pre-dug, which makes it easy for our planters to plant more tree seedlings in the area. Our seedlings are also already placed near these holes so our planters will not have to experience the hassle of carrying tree seedlings to plant. We also make sure that all the tree seedlings planted will have an 85% survival rate.