In fairness to pine and alnus trees

CEBU, Philippines - I am writing this simple prognosis in my capacity as a concerned private citizen in order to provide some insights on the issue of balling and transplanting of Benguet Pine (Pinuskesiya) and Alnus (Alnus japonica) trees at the SM City Baguio Expansion Project.

Tree Health Assessment

I was commissioned to conduct tree health assessment inside the SM Prime Holdings Property at Luneta Hill, the site identified for the SM City Baguio Expansion project sometime in February, 2012. Without hesitation, I did the evaluation of the 140 trees (43 Alnus trees and 97 Pine trees) that were given earthballing permit by the DENR. I intentionally did not include the 42 trees that were marked x (meaning trees to be cut). They were not included in the list of trees that was provided to me prior to the tree health assessment.

The need to change the Earthballing Permit to Cutting Permit

Permitting for whatever purpose should be science based. Science and practice of balling and transplanting Pines including Benguet Pine and Mindoro Pine have proven the unsuitability of the species.

Accordingly, the legal basis that was used in the issuance of the earthballing permit is the Executive Order 23 or the Logging Ban.

Earthballing permit should be rectified into cutting permit.

What SM is doing is basically compliance of the permit issued by the DENR. SM cannot just refute the earthballing permit because DENR is the agency that has the technical expertise. Therefore, SM assumed that the earthballing permit is correct, without realizing that it will become the source of controversy and will be the main focus of public outrage

Suitability of balling and transplanting of Alnus trees

Balling and transplanting of healthy Alnus trees can be successful even if the dbh is more than 20 cms as long as correct balling and branch pruning procedures are done. Alnus or alder (Alnus japonica) is a broadleaf species like Narra (Pterocaprusindicus), Mahogany (Swieteniamacrophylla) and Akasya (Samaneasaman). They are very versatile species. They respond very well to tree balling even if the size of the root ball is reduced to the minimum and the crown is reduced to more than 1/3 of its size. Roots of the balled and transplanted Alnus can easily regenerate even without applying growth hormones. They can fully recover from balling and transplanting shock. James (1983) and Harris (1999), both known certified arborists, classified alnus or alder as one of the species most adaptable to balling and transplanting.

Suitability of balling and transplanting of Benguet Pine

Pines including our own Benguet Pine and Mindoro Pine (Pinusmerkusii) are very sensitive species. They can hardly respond to balling and transplanting. They are generally classified as the least adaptable species for balling and transplanting by James (1983) and Harris (1999).

The typical root system of Benguet Pine is well developed tap root and long laterals which put down a series of vertical sinker roots (Cooling, 1967). This characteristic makes Benguet Pine sensitive to balling and makes balling difficult if the correct size of root ball has to be followed. The roots and crown of Benguet Pine when pruned do not regenerate even with the application of root and shoot promoting hormones unlike broadleaf tree species.

On SM City Baguio Expansion Project

On SM development, the DENR Secretary cannot subvert the right of the private land owner particularly if the land that will be developed is really legitimate private land. The land is located at Luneta hill and is not a heritage site, not culturally and historically significant area, and not a proclaimed greenspace.

Compensatory activities

The DENR requires SM to replace 30 saplings for every tree that will be removed from site or a total of 5460 saplings for all the 182 trees. A show of sincerity and willingness of SM to compensate the 182 trees to be removed from site, it committed to plant 50,000 saplings of Benguet Pine or other native species in and around Baguio City. Moreover, it is willing to adopt parks in Baguio City.

Accordingly, SM has already planted 2,000 saplings of B Pines at Busol Watershed and is supporting the maintenance of the trees and protection of the area.

Greenspace as required by law

The SM Expansion project if to be pursued, there will still be more than enough space in the premises of the property that will be saved and continuously be used as greenspace. SM Property at that Luneta hill has a total area of 8 hectares, the existing mall covers 1.9 hectares while the expansion area is only 1.1 hectares or a total of 3 hectares built up area. This means that SM has 5 hectares of open space or 62.5 % which is more than double than the 30% open space that is required by law (PD 953). From the inventory conducted by DENR, the SM property, at present, hosts diversity of tree species. There are 701 grown trees representing more than twenty species of trees, namely (listed according to number of individuals): Benguet Pine, 385; Alnus, 184; agoho (Casuarinaequisetifolia) 30; Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), 26; Norfolk Pine Araucaria heterophylla), 23; Bottle brush (Callistemon viminalis), 16; Mango (Mangiferaindica), 5; Pink shower (Tabebuiasp), 4; India rubber (Ficuselastica); Guava (Psidiumguajava), 2; Balite (Ficussp), 2; Camphor (Cinnamomumcamphora), 2; Cypress (Cupressussp), 2; unknown species, 14 . Some of these species have saplings numbering to about 310 individuals (DENR-CAR Inventory Report, undated).

Carbon Stock on Trees

Out of the 701 trees at the SM Property, there are 97 Benguet Pine and 43 Alnus trees or a total of 140 trees that were given earthballing permit. I computed the biomass and carbon stocks using Brown’s Allometric equation. The results of the computation on carbon stocks are as follows: 30.6 Mg for Benguet Pine while 4.98 Mg for Alnus or a total carbon stock of 35.6 Mg. These 140 trees constitute 20% of the total number of the 701 grown trees in the premises. The carbon stock of the other 80 % of the trees that will be left standing in the property is estimated to be 150 Mg. There are 310 saplings/seedlings that are growing aggressively and the 561 (701-140) grown trees can sequester carbon dioxide and supply the oxygen in lieu of the 140 trees that will be removed from site.

Green Architecture

The SM multi-function building is a green building. It has a sky garden that can compensate for the 182 trees in terms of CO2 sequestration. This skygarden can be a model for Baguio. It has rainwater harvesting, STP, park finders and others. It is, accordingly, an earthquake proof designed multi-function facility.

The presence of SM in Baguio City is changing the City’s image from ukay-ukay city to a more attractive city. Definitely, SM City Baguio is a threat to local businesses. However, it will provide friendly competition- a healthy environment for business and consumers. (THE FREEMAN)