The Importance Of Proper Urban Forest Planning

Tree species always matter. The desire to increase diversity and the selection of trees that are indigenous to the city should not overlap the critical requirement to select the right tree for the right place. This will add up to the creation and improvement of habitat for native micro and macro fauna. Moreover, it suggests that the tree is well suited to the overall prevailing climatic conditions. When considering the urban forest, it is important to consider the benefits of a successful, low maintenance tree that contributes to the overall forest composition.

Tree assessment is essential in making decisions on what species of trees to plant on a street. Local officials will also be guided on the proper management of the urban forest. It should also be monitored since this will serve as a guide to facilitate the data and to gauge proper and effective management. In the USA and in New York City, a program that enhances the conservation for habitats in roadsides was successful. This program was named as Adopt- A- Highway in which this was spearheaded by some private companies and conservation societies with the participation of the public on this environmental endeavor. Extensive management techniques are recommended for the sustainable survival of the species especially on trees. It is estimated by the conservation biologist that in the next 20 to 30 years, 25 percent of all species could become extinct. Urbanization is one of the main factors that lead to ecosystem disruption due to anthropogenic settlements. Factors such as the fragmentation of natural habitats and species loss were also considered as the main dilemma of anthropogenic effects to urban settlements. To be able to implement successful platforms, it requires great endeavor in maintaining global conservation to reduce habitat and species loss. It is a must for the trees to be managed, to preserve its biodiversity, especially in the urban areas where anthropogenic settlement is dense. In the urban ecological process, trees are important in preservation and affects wildlife diversity within anthropogenic area that is inferred as the most essential habitat component.

The predominant strategy for the conservation of biodiversity in the Philippines is by way of implementation of the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Law in year 1992 which provides a strong legal basis for the establishing and managing of protected areas. During the Ramos regime, he had implemented a program that is somewhat the same in the USA’s program named Adopt-A- Highway; however, in Ramos’ program it is named as Adopt-A-Street which mandated all government agencies, local government units (LGU) and non-governmental offices (NGOs) to participate actively by planting plant species along the streets and maintaining them for at least five years to achieve their objective which is to have a green streets in urban centers. It is more than three decades now that had past, and yet the question will arise, do their planting activities became successful like in the USA? In this regard, the current study will be inventorying the planted and growing tree species along the national roads and highways in Cebu City.

In 2003 president Arroyo made a proclamation that invited the active participation of the people in tree planting activity with the objectives to promote tree planting nationwide and to raise awareness to the public about the importance of trees in the environment, to the human life and to the biosphere as a whole. Within the Philippines, it is the responsibility of Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to manage the greening, landscaping and how to beautify the major roads and highways whereas the Parks Department or Environmental Services or Clean and Green Office which are either responsible for the municipal, roads of the barangay, waterway, parks in the city, plazas, and gardens in its own limits or territory within which authority may be exercised. Some parks are handled and managed by the Department of Tourism through its associated agencies namely, the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) and, by NGOs such as the Parks Development Foundation Incorporated in Quezon City. There are other agencies which are part of the committee’s different agency that are responsible in making plans and implements greening programs. It includes the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Department of Education Culture and Sports (DECS). In Metro Manila a program named OPLAN SAGIP PUNO Program which is launched on 2000 by the Forestry Management Services in NCR a division unit under DENR (FMS-NCR/DENR) to raise awareness to the public by saving the trees (as the name of the program suggests) through silvicultural treatments. Through this, it enhances and prolongs the life of the trees located along the streets and parks. The DENR then do an inventory and assessment to those affected trees to save by treating them. The LGUs assisted the DENR for wider dissemination of information and training the public on protecting, maintaining and caring for the trees. Some NGOs and private companies had taken an initiative to partake in the conservation and management of our local biodiversity. Such is the case of Energy Development Corporation (EDC) where in it took a partnership with the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) in their Adopt a Wildlife Species Program last 2016. The EDC had their own program as well named BINHI a corporate-led greening program which its target was on rescuing, preserving and propagating those selected threatened native trees. It has already reported successful rescue on some threatened native trees and had even still carrying the goals of their program. Some selected native trees are still under inventory and geo-tagging for the updates of their status in the DENR.

Also, the Aboitiz group in Cebu had a partnership with RAFI (Ramon Abiotiz Foundation Inc.) and Department of Education-Cebu with a goal to plant about 500,000 native timber and fruit-bearing trees within 2017-2050 which is in connection with Aboitiz Group’s A-Park program which is their initiative for reforestation in national level. This program also is the contribution of the group to the greening activities of the DENR.