Trees for Magdiwata

More than 1,000 people celebrated International Earth Day in San Francisco town on Tuesday by planting trees at the partly denuded and landslide-scarred slopes of Mount Magdiwata.

“We need to sustain this activity if only to rehabilitate the area,” said Mayor Jenny de Asis, who also holds a master’s degree in environmental management.

The 1,652-hectare Mt. Magdiwata was declared a permanent watershed under Presidential Proclamation No. 282. It continues to be threatened by indiscriminate logging and mining activities.

The tree planting was held in San Isidro village, about 500 meters from the national highway. Hardwood tree species, such as toog, mahogany and acacia, were planted. Chris V. Panganiban, Inquirer Mindanao