DISOP Philippines’ conscious effort to help mitigate the impact of climate change, prompted the Foundation to continue planting trees and partner with other people’s organization (PO) in Barangay Binaloan, Taft, Eastern Samar. Binaloan Upland Farmers Agro-Industrial Development Association (BUFAIDA), a PO in the area, is a recipient of a Community Based Forest Management Agreement (CBFMA), an instrument given to the organization which provides them tenurial security and incentives to develop, utilize and manage specific portions of the forest. The PO was awarded by this instrument from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) with approximately 3,000 hectares. Together with them, we forged a partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – CENRO Dolores, Eastern Samar. The project is to establish a 30-hectare plantation of indigenous trees inside the CBFM area.
After a year, the project was realized. The members of BUFAIDA planted a total of 32 hectares of mix endemic species of lauaan (Shorea contorta / negrosensis), yakal (Shorea astylosa), bagonito (Xanthostemon verdugonianus). These trees widely grow in the area thus people collected their wildlings, grow it back in the nursery, and planted it in the delineated plantation area.
DENR-CENRO Dolores, Eastern Samar was instrumental in the delineation of the area because the PO sought assistance from them during the ocular survey to mark the area to be planted. They also conducted monitoring during and after the establishment of the plantation. The members of BUFAIDA expressed their gratitude to the project because it did not only contribute to the protection and conservation of the biodiversity in the area, it also created employment for the community. The established plantation will become the mother trees in the future and create habitat for various flora and fauna species in the area. This is critical because the area is also one of the conservation sites and sanctuary for the protection of the Philippine eagle.
