CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has expanded its forest adoption program in Tarlac after forging new partnerships with the private sector to help restore and protect forestlands under the Enhanced National Greening Program (ENGP).

DENR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo signed in eight new adopters and one renewal adopter to cover a total of 351.76 hectares of ENGP sites in the municipalities of Mayantoc and San Clemente.

The new adopters include Farm To Cup Philippines Association Inc., Forestcape Corporation, Jesus is the Lord Presbyterian Church Inc., and several private individuals.

“The initiative strengthens the government’s reforestation efforts by encouraging private organizations and individuals to take an active role in maintaining and protecting rehabilitated forestlands beyond the initial planting phase,” Pablo said.

DENR Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Jowell Dellosa said the adopters will undertake the maintenance, protection, and rehabilitation of their respective sites and ensure a minimum seedling survival rate of 85 percent.

The rehabilitation activities will include the establishment of bamboo, agroforestry species, and native forest trees to improve biodiversity and strengthen ecosystem resilience, Dellosa added.

The DENR, meanwhile, will provide technical assistance, monitoring, and capacity-building activities to support the implementation of the adoption program.

On August 5, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Camiling planted more than 300 seedlings along the Maasin–Dueg Road in Mayantoc, Tarlac in partnership with Electa Tarlac Aggregate Corporation.

Amalia Fajardo, head of CENRO Camiling, the volunteers planted 200 narra, 15 dao, and 100 vetiver seedlings.

These species were carefully selected for their ability to stabilize soil, reduce erosion, enhance biodiversity, and help restore native forest cover along the roadside, Fajardo said.

“The initiative forms part of the DENR’s continuing efforts to address climate change by increasing carbon sequestration and building more resilient landscapes,” she added. ▲