PARTNERSHIP FORGED TOWARDS PROTECTION, REFORESTATION OF MOUNT ARAYAT

 

PARTNERSHIP FORGED TOWARDS PROTECTION, REFORESTATION OF MOUNT ARAYAT. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Pampanga 3rd District Representative Aurelio Gonzales, Jr., the Kapampangan Development Foundation, Inc. (KDFI), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Samahan ng Magsasaka ng Ayala sa Mataas na Lupa Inc. (SMAMLI) to facilitate site adoption and boost reforestation efforts in the Mount Arayat Protected Landscape (MAPL).

 

Under the MOA, the KDFI will adopt two sites of National Greening Program in the Magalang and Arayat sides of MAPL, which covers over 70 hectares. These sites will be planted with agroforestry, fruit trees, indigenous forest trees, and bamboo with technical assistance from the DENR and the DA.

 

The KDFI also aims to establish livelihood projects that will benefit and uplift the lives of 45 upland farmers of SMAMLI and their families.

 

For their part, members of the peoples’ organization SMAMLI will facilitate site development, planting, maintenance, and protection of the adopted sites for five years, which shall be renewable for another five years.

 

Just recently, Mt. Arayat National Park was declared as a protected landscape under Republic Act 11684, which provides additional layers of protection for the protected area. (-30-)