By CESAR JOLITO III

In the wake of Typhoon “Tino’s” devastating impact, environmental group Green Alert Negros is urging authorities to strengthen law enforcement and accelerate reforestation efforts to avert future calamities.

Green Alert Negros founding member and adviser Rusty Biñas said that while existing laws and tree-planting initiatives aim to protect natural resources, these measures remain insufficient.

“Negros Island’s forest cover has stagnated at only 28 percent since the 1980s, far below the recommended 40 percent necessary to sustain biodiversity,” Biñas noted.

He warned that major forest ecosystems, including Kanlaon Volcano and the Northern Negros Natural Park, are no longer able to effectively absorb large volumes of rainwater due to deforestation and illegal structures.

Reforestation in upland areas has been slow, and regulations on business establishments and other structures have been poorly enforced, he added.

Provincial data shows that only four to seven percent of Negros’ upland areas are covered with trees, leaving over 400,000 hectares in need of reforestation.

Biñas emphasized that genuine reforestation requires consistent tree growing and care, not just ceremonial tree-planting events.

“The landslides of rocks and logs from the mountains are proof that political will is still lacking among current leaders,” Biñas said, stressing the urgent need for a long-term, committed approach to environmental protection./CJ, WDJ