DENR supports pruning of Carcar heritage trees

Environment officials recommended the trimming and pruning of the heritage trees along Carcar road whose wide branches form a green canopy for the travellers down south.

But the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) is still waiting for clearance from their Central Office before taking actions on the heritage trees.

“We only recommended for the pruning and trimming of the heritage trees,” Felimon Embalzado, chief of the Forest Utilization Unit of DENR-7 said.

Embalzado said they sent a report to their central office with their recommendation last December after completing an inventory of the 46 heritage trees along Naga and Carcar road.

The trees along Carcar road would be affected by the road widening project initiated by Rep. Eduardo Gullas.

Embalzado said the trees recommended for pruning and trimming pose danger to motorists.

But he emphasized that their recommendation did not include cutting down of the heritage trees.

The trees that will be affected by the road widening will either be earth-balled or may have to stay at the center of the road.

The trees along Naga-Carcar were planted in 1915 by the Bureau of Public Works, now the Department of Public Works and Highways.

With the launching of the Heritage Tree Program in 2009, the trees, which are mostly acacia have been declared as heritage trees by the National Historical Commission.

Under Presidential Decree No. 953 or the Guidelines and Procedures on the planting, maintenance and removal of trees in areas affected by government projects, the Environment Secretary would have to issue permits for the removal of trees that are are more than 50 years old.

Embalzado said only trees that pose eminent danger to the community are exempted from the law.

He said the community also needs to be consulted before taking any actions on the trees. Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya