VOLUNTEERISM FOR DEVELOPMENT: A TREE GROWING PROJECT
More than 100 volunteers planted at least 1,000 seedlings of fruit and hardwood trees at Brgy. Talcon, T’boli , South Cotabato on September 24, 2011 spearheaded by SOCSARGEN Peace Network, Kapisanan ng Mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas and SAGIP 2000 Foundation.
The activity includes tree planting on the prepared holes and locations, medical and dental activities in the community and initial visitation of the place.
During a break, volunteers shared to Ms. Akiko Abie, a Japanese UNDP/UN Volunteer, their various volunteering activities such as advocacies on peace, environment, peace technology, interfaith dialogues, community immersions, etc.
In behalf of KBP-SARGEN, James Catalan expressed his support for the project and vowed to continue the partnership in the care for the environment.
Bro. Manny de Leon of SAGIP Ka Foundation thanked everyone who participated and encouraged everybody to “go back to the basics” that includes caring for the environment. He envisioned the place be rehabilitated with the help of various organizations.
Network of organization participated were: YCSC, NDDU Peace Partners, Katiyacap, Inc., PGO-Kalinaw Sarangani, RMMC, CET/WDS/SSG Volunteers, Peace Tech, ABTEK Inc. , Philippine Coconut Authority, Hearts and Brains Inc., Media (ABS CBN, DXCP, RPN DXDX, The Monitor, Wild FM, Abante Socsargen, Bombo, Home Radio), MINDA, 27th IB, JP Polomolok, Single Mother Organization in Koronadal Proper, MSU, Kalimudan), guests volunteers from Australia, Valencia Family, volunteer physicians (For Medical and Dental Missions)
Days before the activities, 27th IB transported the seedlings in the planting sites. The seedlings include Narra (500 pcs), Mahogany (670 pcs), Avocado (10), Jack Fruit (20) and Guyabano (100 pcs).
The activity is just the initial launching of the Agro-Forest Tree Growing and Community Development.
Introduction
There are many programs of reforestation in the different parts of the country but it has taken roots in the heart of our people because often it is only a one day event.
Moreover, it failed to take into consideration the economic sustainability of the community involved. Thus the people in the community continue to cut even the growing trees in the vicinity for their livelihood
The Agro- Forestry Tree Growing and Community Development has been replication of the attempts of some like-minded people who take into consideration the people in the area – their livelihood, social and cultural and even religious milieu.
The site is a 150 hectares under the stewardship agreement program in the boundaries of Brgy. Koronadal Proper in Polomolok and Brgy. Talcon in T’boli both in the province of South Cotabato.
Not only our area had been devastated with flash floods and landslides, the climatic conditions affected the world over.
The irrational exploitation of our forest for capital gains, the increase of population and its attendant pressure on land use, the expansion of urban development has significantly affected tree growth and forest size further worsening the effects of pollution and the depletion of the ozone layer.
The significant loss of forests and the increasing size of world population have made the effects of population to the ozone layer a potential danger for humanity. The rapid climatic change witnessed the world over and the melting down of glaciers and the ice lands is an important milestone in global climatic transformations which need collective efforts to cope with.
Thus SOCSARGEN PEACE NETWORK and KBP-SARGEN by its mission vision to sustainable development is motivated to adopt a mountain for agro forestry park development. We will be embarking on a tree growing activity in the boundary of Brgy. Talcon, T’boli South Cotabato and Koronadal Proper in Polomolok, South Cotabato. We planned to develop the place by planting fruit trees, hard wood and trees endemic to the place.
Project Motivation – Peace portal
The tree growing is another initial portal for peace and development. This portal will be open to convergence of various sectors including the media in highlighting best practices in community development.
Project Strategy
In order to sustain the tree growing, we are partnering with various organizations in the private and public sector to be part of this program. This will be a continuous and sustained program by committing to have tree nurseries, people in the private sector to augment the security of the growth of the trees, the media to invite various individual, group and organization to plant trees and commit also to propagate the advocacy to the community; and continuous convergence and networking will the major strategic approach to facilitate the mainstreaming of this “Agro-Forest Tree Growing and Community Development”.
Project Implementation............
While the overall implementation targets the media and SOCSARGEN Peace Network, KBP-SARGEN shall mobilize, sensitize and identify local stakeholders to jointly implement project goals. The project anticipates beginning with capacity building in the management and operation of tree nurseries (initially trees will be gathered from various sources) and later focusing on logistical supplies for operating nurseries and allocating areas for various group where to plant tree.
Project Impact....................
Created an Integrated Forest Park modeling how various groups like media, civic and religious organizations, LGU, academe, military, police and others groups/sectors partnered with private group in a sustainable tree growing activity.
The overall impact of this project will be the contribution to reduce the global climatic change and global warming which threatens human civilization. However, the project will contribute to the preservation of varied tree species (especially endemic to the place) thus contribute to the conservation of nature.
It will also give people and organization a sense of responsibility and love for our environment. Moreover, it will become a venue for convergence and solidarity among our people especially the youth. We envision as venue for promoting peace among different stake holders.
It will also enhance and create local awareness on the need to adopt environmentally friendly habit as part of a global commitment to human preservation.
The project will reduce soil erosion, increase the water table, improve the fertility and promote agro forestry in local communities.
Proposed Activities................
Site Development is very important step in the program. We do not want to commit error even in the implementation of the program especially on the variety of trees and vegetation that we are going to plant in the area.
Included in the site development is the landscape assessment of the 150 hectares area intended for the Agro Forest Tree Growing and Community Development. There are different layers of land assessment including the identification of the areas for crops, vegetation, charcoal and firewood, fruit trees, river banks and streams, hard wood and other estimation.
Nursery will be put up in the area to sustain the planting materials of all the institution who will be joining in the program.
