By Ellalyn B. De Vera
Published: April 7, 2013
The Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) will establish a bird sanctuary and eco-tourism spot
in Corregidor Island
DENR-Region 4A Executive Director Reynulfo
Juan said the island will no longer be remembered just as a “battlefield”
because it will soon be an eco-tourism destination for bird-watching.
Juan pursued the idea after a
visit to Corregidor last year with Forestry
experts to assess the forest situation and plan out forest rehabilitation
efforts on the island as part of the Aquino administration’s National Greening
Program (NGP).
An assessment by forester Manuel
Escasura, then chief of the Forest Resources Development Division and
concurrent Regional Coordinator of the NGP, showed that 200 hectares of
originally forested area will be replanted with the forest and fruit bearing
trees, which are endemic to the island, with a mix of other forest tree species
and fruit bearing trees.
“We will plant fruit bearing trees
which will serve as food for the birds. RED (regional executive director) Juan
during his previous visit to the island last year, saw the need of introducing
fruit and forest tree species that are more attractive to bird,” Escasura said,
who has been designated early this year as OIC Regional Technical Director for
Ecosystems Research and Development Service.
Juan said the team of forestry
experts from the DENR-Region 4A will be conducting a more comprehensive
surveying, mapping and planning for the forest rehabilitation and tree growing
activity in the island.
He said initial discussions have
been done with concerned agencies including the tourism business establishments
in the area.
He noted that an agreement was
forged Sunday (April 7) among the representatives of Corregidor Foundation,
Inc. (CFI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and city government of Cavite Cavite
City in the Cavite
“Initially, 50 trees will be
planted in the selected area. The plantation area is preselected in
consideration of its proximity to the tourism establishments and which will be
tasked to take care and nurture the planted trees,” said forester William
Palaypayon, DENR-Region 4A Regional Technical Director for Forest Management
Service.
The forest and fruit tree
seedlings, such as bignay (Antidesma
bunius), lipote (Syzigium
curanii), kalumpit (Terminalia edulis),
aratiles (Muntingia calabura) and
duhat (Syzigium cumini) were
initially planted in the area.
“It is not yet the time to plant,
not within the searing hot summer time. We are still in the stage of
‘production and hardening’ of seedlings and ‘plantation site preparation.’
Actual planting will commence at the onset of rain in June and July,”
Palaypayon explained.
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