ENERGY firm Steag State Power Inc. (SPI) yesterday called for more vigilance in preventing forest fires amidst the long dry spell currently being experienced by the country today.
SPI president and chief executive officer Dr. Bodo Goerlich joined mounting calls for more vigilance in ensuring that forest fires are prevented by avoiding open burning or throwing cigarette butts in areas that are vulnerable to wildfires.
“We appeal to our program and community partners, including the general public, to help secure and protect the forests especially during this summer,” Goerlich said.
SPI, together with the E. Pelaez Ranch Inc. and DENR, is implementing a 1,200-hectare reforestation project in Sitio Mapawa, Cugman in Cagayan de Oro City. Dubbed as the Mapawa Carbon Sink Project, it is considered as one of the largest private-sector led forest development and forest protection initiatives in the country. The project is part of SPI’s comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) program.
The carbon sink project, which started in 2005, includes the planting and growing of endemic tree species to cover 500 hectares of denuded lands, conduct and sustain timber stand improvement of another 500 hectares existing forest plantation, and preserve about 200 hectares of natural forests over a period of 25 years. Mapawa is home to the 350 year-old Dao tree, which was declared as Cagayan de Oro’s heritage tree.
Mapawa has been put on red alert status since January 2016 and intensive prevention measures, like the establishment of fire lines and conduct of forest patrol, have been put in place to minimize risks of wildfires.
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