IT looks like good things are happening at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as it moves to solve some of the country’s age-old problems using the latest tools in science, technology and innovation.
Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia “Toni” Yulo-Loyzaga said government has always classified around 15 million hectares as forest land, but the satellite imagery of the Geospatial Database Office (GDO) showed that only seven million hectares are actually with forest cover.
Because of this huge discrepancy, the DENR plans to undertake massive reforestation by planting trees on 2 million hectares of land.
“We are looking at two million hectares that we would like of course to reforest once again,” Loyzaga said in a Palace press briefing.
It must be noted that a national natural resource geospatial database is important in adopting official policies and planning concerns especially in connection with climate change. Such a database is in the center of the “climate risk lens” thrust in planning that guides the government on official action needed in environmental protection and natural resource conservation.
‘Nothing short of a reliable and scientifically drawn roadmap is needed to accomplish these tasks adequately.’
Loyzaga said the DENR alone cannot reforest the 15 million hectares of land during Marcos administration, as the program requires partnerships with other government agencies and other stakeholders.
The GDO, she said, was organized after her first meeting with President Marcos Jr. following her appointment, during which environment officials recommended measures on how to manage natural resources by establishing a physical baseline.
The geospatial database will use satellite imagery and other tools to process the available natural resources to account for, value, and manage properly, the secretary said. She noted that with the help of the database office, the DENR could account for the country’s river basins, watersheds, and forests, and determine their current status.
“So, what this will do for us is it will allow us to identify the priority in terms of forestation, reforestation, or where should the water systems and infrastructure should be constructed in order to reach the most populations in need,” said Loyzaga.
The DENR is saddled with plenty of responsibilities such as the conservation of 248 protected areas, management of 400 inland wetlands and 864 classified caves for biodiversity conservation. It is also in charge of managing 33 marine protected areas that support the fisheries industry and provide jobs for several millions of Filipinos. Nothing short of a reliable and scientifically drawn roadmap is needed to accomplish these tasks adequately.
Secretary Loyzaga said the DENR will also monitor land management and foreshore leases if these are still being used for the purpose given to the lessees and if not, they can be taken over by the government for other productive uses. She also said the department will look into the situation of the country’s mineral resources with the help of new scientific data.
The database office will also assist the government with carbon dioxide sequestration from the atmosphere and mitigate climate change in addition to the uses mentioned earlier. Loyzaga said it would be crucial for beginning and maintaining community-based livelihood programs as a means of managing the nation’s forests, as well as for controlling soil erosion and flooding.
Seldom do we hear about what the DENR is doing from its secretary but this news that the department’s operations are science-driven is most reassuring.
