Ten thousand more mangrove propagules were planted in a mangrove sanctuary at the West Cebu Industrial Park in Balamban town, southwest Cebu in celebration of the World Wetlands Day last Feb. 4.
The Cebu Park Developers Inc. (Cipdi) spearheaded the activity to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands as life-giving resources.
World Wetlands Day is observed Feb. 2 to mark the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in Ramsar, Iran, on the same date in 1971.
Cipdi’s 12-hectare area on the west coast of Cebu has been repopulated with various mangrove species since 2008.
This year, Cipdi gathered 115 volunteers to plant the native species bakhaw as part of its advocacy toward environmental protection.
Employees of Cipdi and its locators, as well as local government officials and organizations participated in the mangrove rehabilitation effort, bringing the total number of propagules planted in the area to 33,000.
Winmundo Charcos, Cipdi’s assistant manager for Operations, said the 11,000 mangrove propagules planted last year got an 88 percent survival rate.
Arpili barangay captain Primo Paulin, one of the volunteers, recalled that before the existence of mangrove rehabilitation project, bird hunting was rampant in the area.
Arpili is a host barangay of the industrial park.
“Life has gradually returned to the shores since the first mangrove seedlings were planted,” Paulin said.
Charcos agreed saying, “The thriving mangrove sanctuary is nurturing communities as we observed an increase in the population of indigenous bird species. Migratory species have again been sighted here too after many months of absence.”
“A collaboration between the local government unit, volunteers and Cipdi is a key factor in making the project a success,” Charcos said.
West Cebu Industrial Park is an industrial venture of AboitizLand and Tsuneishi Holdings Inc. of Japan.