Nursery to grow 1.5M trees yearly for Metro Manila

The concrete jungle that is Metro Manila will soon have a supply of seedlings for its greening program aimed at curbing pollution and giving citizens a respite from the heat.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Thursday started constructing a clonal nursery in Taguig City. The P20-million facility is located on a 1.5-hectare lot at the DOST compound.

It will be capable of growing 1.5 million seedlings every year using tissue culture and rooting propagation.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje noted that Metro Manila’s plant needs are different from upland forests.

The DOST facility will grow endemic forestry species, fruit and flowering trees and ornamental plants.

Director Nilo Tamoria of DENR-National Capital Region said Metro Manila’s trees would aid in reducing in the metropolis air pollution which has become a health hazard.

According to the DENR, there was a decline in the level of total suspended particulates (TSP) in Metro Manila in the past year. From an average of 166 micrograms per normal cubic meter (ug/Ncm) at the end of the second quarter of 2010, the air contaminants have gone down to 116 ug/Ncm as of the third quarter of 2011.

According to studies, 80 percent of the pollution in the city comes from vehicles. Health and environment experts said the dirty city air has led to a high incidence of respiratory diseases among Metro Manila residents.

Tamoria also noted that the greening of the city could reduce the “Albedo” effect in the metropolis which could translate into lower ambient temperature.

The Albedo effect is a climate science concept that refers to the reflecting power of a surface. Urban centers, with their gray and white buildings and concrete roads, reflect a lot of heat from the sun, raising ambient temperature in the cities. Thus, trees, with their dark canopies, can help reduce the reflection of the sun’s heat, producing a cooling effect.