Disaster Response Philippines Project #16736

Upland Forest Rehabilitation Project

by OISCA International

Project Report | May 17, 2016
To our project supporters

By Ma Grazen A Acerit | Project Coordinator

Purchased seedlings for the tree planting.

Through courtesy call and constant communication and meetings, the members of the local government unit and elders of Barangay Central, Ajuy expressed their strong commitment to the immediate recovery of the 20 hectares area of forest land damaged by typhoon Haiyan in 2013 by planting of local species and fruit bearing trees.

In respect with the request of the community leaders, the scheduled environmental seminar last December 2015 was postponed in first week of June, 2016. Since the scheduled tree planting activities is in last week of June, the community leader mentioned that it would be more effective to conduct the seminar few weeks before the actual tree planting activities to further motivate and inspire the local residents.

A total of 4,800 of local species of seedlings and 3,300 fruit bearing trees were purchased to be planted in the area of 20 hectares in Barangay Central. Local species of seedlings include tipolo (Artocarpus blancoi), bayog (Pterospermum diversifolium), bacan(Litsea philippinensis), bayoco(Artocarpus ovatus), narra (Pterocarpus indicus), agi (Ficus laevigata) while fruit bearing trees include cacao (Theobroma cacao), santol(Sandoricum koetjape), jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), camachile (Pithecellobium dulce ), mango(Mangifera indica) and mabolo (Diospyros blancoi).

OISCA Ajuy has prepared a total of 1,000 pots for sowing of madre de cacao (Gliricidia sepium). The madre de cacao seedlings are intended to be planted in open areas without shade at least several weeks earlier than the fruit bearing and local species of seedlings. It will serve as nurse trees and natural shade to the especially to the highly sensitive local species of seedlings. Moreover, since the leaves of madre de cacao are a good source of Nitrogen, it will serve as an organic fertilizer to the local species of fruit bearing trees. The actual tree planting activities is scheduled in last week of June, during the rainy season in Iloilo by the local residents and mobilized volunteers.

Meanwhile, fire lines were made by the project caretakers and local residents of Barangay Badiangan in preparation to the summer season to guarantee the survival of the seedlings planted in the first year of the project. Without rain and the temperature rises up to 37 degrees Celcius, the planted seedlings are vulnerable from forest fires and the fire lines will help prevent the fast spread of fires. Without rain, the caretakers and some of the residents have to water the seedlings individually to prevent them from dying.

The caretakers working in the nursery.

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Feb 17, 2016
To our project supporters

By Ma. Grazen Acerit | OISCA Project Coordinator

Maintenance of the project site by the caretakers

It is apparent that climate change has affecting our reforestation project in Ajuy, Iloilo, Philippines. Since the first week of January, 2016, the temperature has raised up to 37 °C or 98.6 °F with no rain so the caretakers have to pump and fetch water from the nearest well just to water individually at least twice a week the planted seedlings in the community forest of Barangay Badiangan, Ajuy, Iloilo. Luckily, these efforts have paid out since the survival rate of the planted seedlings since the start of the planting season in July 2015 is 80%.

The high survival rate of the planted seedlings is also attributed to the constant maintenance of the project site such as grass cutting at least four times a month, fertilizer application and cultivating the soil of the seedlings to promote good aeration and water permeability.

The established fire lines especially in the areas that are prone to forest fires are maintained in preparation for the summer season. Fire drill was conducted so that the caretakers will know what to do in case forest fire will happen. In some of the reforestation sites, bananas are planted along the fire lines to optimize the use of land. In a few months, the banana fruits will serve as food and income generating source of the caretakers. Some of the caretakers have planted leafy vegetables like local spinach and kangkong (Ipomoea aquatic) which they cook and eat for lunch when they do not have any food to eat.

With the unpredictable weather condition, raincoats and boots were given among the caretakers so that they could still work and maintain the project site even if it is raining. The boots are worn by the caretakers as protection from the poisonous snakes in the planting site.

Other than the good impact of the reforestation project to the environment, it is also helping in the provision of income source of the locals who were given with jobs in maintaining the project site. The wage that they are gaining are being used in their daily needs and sometimes used in sending their children in school.

On behalf of the locals of Ajuy especially the caretakers and their families who are benefitting from the project, I would like to extend my deepest and sincerest gratitude for the generosity of the GlobalGiving donors.

maintenance of the fire line

Organized fire drill by the caretakers

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Nov 24, 2015
OISCA`s Response After Typhoon Haiyan

By Ma. Grazen Acerit | Project Coordinator

Group photo of the caretakers in Nueva Vizcaya

“I cannot explain the excitement that I felt when Project Manager Rojas announced that I will be part of the group of caretakers who will be cross visiting the reforestation project of OISCA in the Northern part of the Philippines,” said by Mr. Elpidio (61).

With an objective to further inculcate among the minds of the project caretakers the importance of the Upland Forest Restoration Project, OISCA Ajuy organized the two-day educational tour in the 500 hectares flagship reforestation project of OISCA in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.

Elpidio is one of the pioneer caretakers in the reforestation project before the site was hit by Typhoon Haiyan. He commented that before Haiyan, the upland areas of Ajuy were almost the same as the site that they have visited in Nueva Vizcaya.

Elpidio mentioned that the best learning that he had on his trip is the importance of establishing and maintaining fire lines in the forested areas to protect the established vegetation from wild fires. He also added that the most enjoyable part of their visit is when Mr. Lopez, Nueva Vizcaya Reforestation`s Project Manager allowed them to pick and eat rambutan and citrus fruits from the trees planted in the project site.

“Planting of local species of trees are also good but planting of fruit trees seem to be much better since in can be a good source of our income in the future,” Elpidio said. With a family of 6 and living in less than 300 USD a month, the extra money that he could get from selling fruits harvested from the project site can help in sending his grand children to school.

In preparation for the summer season in January, the project caretakers led by Elpidio will start clearing the boarders of the project for the establishment of fire lines in December. Along the cleared fire lines they are planning to plant banana, papaya and pineapple to create a natural barrier that could help lessen the fast spread of fire in case wild fires happen. Moreover, the profits that they could get from selling banana and papaya could add in their monthly income.

The caretakers during their visit in Nueva Vizcaya

Caretakers working in the site.

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