By CESAR JOLITO III
The Negros Occidental provincial government has restored 110 hectares of degraded forestland within the Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP) through its community-based reforestation and watershed conservation program, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said.
Diaz, who visited Sitio Tambara in Talisay City’s Barangay San Fernando for an inspection yesterday, said the provincial government has been safeguarding the protected forest for more than two years while carrying out rehabilitation efforts in damaged areas through the planting of native tree species and bamboo.
He was with members of the province’s SafeWater Team, job order and project order workers, who also serve as Lawin Patrollers tasked with protecting the park’s remaining old-growth forests.
Diaz said around 22 hectares within the Tambara site have already been restored, resulting in improved forest cover, increased carbon storage, stronger watershed functions, enhanced biodiversity, and greater ecosystem resilience.
Diaz also highlighted the role of regular forest patrols and community reporting in preventing illegal activities inside the protected area.
He noted that these efforts led to the early detection and prevention of attempted illegal structures, including one within the park’s strict protection zone and another near a waterfall.
Under the leadership of Governor Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson, the provincial government has planted a total of 1,306 native trees and 4,812 giant bamboo seedlings as part of its reforestation drive.
The province’s six nurseries have also produced 25,916 seedlings to support ongoing tree-growing activities across Negros Occidental.
The Tambara Project, one of the provincial government’s flagship environmental initiatives, combines watershed conservation, agroforestry, bamboo development, and forest protection while providing local communities with skills training, forest-based livelihood opportunities, and greater participation in conservation efforts.
Diaz said the program demonstrates that environmental protection and sustainable livelihoods can go hand in hand in building a more climate-resilient province.
Marking Environment Month, Diaz emphasized that the province remains committed to expanding its reforestation efforts, saying that concrete environmental action is more important than prolonged debates as the government continues to identify new areas for restoration./CCJ, WDJ