TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE — A collaborative environmental partnership uniting local agricultural workers, government agencies, and private sector partners will launch a 60-hectare reforestation project in Capoocan, Leyte, scheduled to begin field operations in December.
Watershed Protection and Targeted Native Reforestation
The three-year initiative focuses on ecological recovery within the Palaypay watershed and the broader Kahamtikan River ecosystem in Barangay Visares:
Targeted Native Planting: Operates under the broader Forest for Life: 5 Million Trees by 2028 program, planting 37,500 indigenous tree seedlings suited to local soil and environmental conditions.
Selected Native Species: Planting stock will consist primarily of indigenous Philippine species, including yakal, nato, manaybanay, and hindang.
High Survival Threshold: Project partners have established a target seedling survival rate of at least 85 percent across all designated planting blocks.
Strategic Planting Timeline: Initial field planting starts in December to leverage seasonal rainfall and high soil moisture, optimizing early root establishment and seedling survival.
Tripartite Governance and Community Livelihood Integration
The project relies on formal inter-agency cooperation alongside structured community-level stewardship:
Partnership Framework: Executed jointly by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), renewable energy developer Energy Development Corporation (EDC), and the Visares and Sto. Niño Farmers Association (VisFA).
Livelihood Generation: Provides sustained income opportunities for approximately 45 local farmers serving as key implementation partners.
Long-Term Forest Maintenance: Moves beyond one-off planting activities by incorporating three years of continuous field maintenance, protective forest patrols, and systematic growth monitoring conducted by VisFA members.
