PENRO Aklan provided 10,200 giant bamboo propagules, while the Aklan SAG Quarry Operators Association, Inc. provided the budgetary requirement for the establishment and maintenance of the communal bamboo plantation for three years.
PENR Officer Merlene B. Aborka who gave a brief on the project cited the success indicators of the bamboo plantation project. At year 2, the bamboo is fast growing in height at an average of 2 meters. The plantation’s survival is above the requirement of 86% with Site 1 in Monlaque, Ibajay at 94%.
The collaboration has delivered 50 hectares of Bamboo projects funded by the sand gravel permittees through the Mine Rehabilitation Fund.
PO members said that the bamboo plantation project helped 18 families providing them with income when the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected them.
The learning event marked a significant milestone in promoting collaborative efforts in achieving the vision of a stable environment through greening forestlands and other suitable areas as a way to develop climate change mitigation and adaptation systems.
It showcased the benefits of bamboo plantations as a sustainable alternative for economic development and job creation. Moreover, bamboo’s ability to sequester carbon dioxide and promote environmental sustainability makes it an invaluable tool in combating climate change.
Participants also gained knowledge about selecting appropriate bamboo species, site preparation, propagation techniques, and sustainable cultivation practices that they can replicate in their respective areas through the actual field visit. (AALAF/PIA6 Iloilo/MGB6)
