Mining firm locates, classifies 800 'mother trees'

MANILA, Philippines - A mining firm in South Cotabato has located and classified at least 800 “mother trees” in various areas in Mindanao as part of its continuing reforestation program.

Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI), the government contractor for the Tampakan Copper-Gold Project, identified 800 mother trees in Mindanao as seed sources for its tree nurseries and reforestation project.

A mother tree, also known as a seed bearer, is defined by the Forestry Sector Administrative Order No. 09 as “a tree selected from among the forest stand from which to gather seeds for propagation purposes.”

The same order aims “to establish well-adapted populations of forest trees which should provide a sustained supply of forest tree seeds and other planting stocks for the country’s collection, distribution and use of forest tree seeds and other forms of planting materials.”

Butch Sebua, SMI Biodiversity Management Team superintendent, further explained the importance of mother trees.

“We realized that the success of reforestation programs is dependent on seedling quality. This, in turn, begins with the quality of mother trees from which we source our seedlings. That’s the reason why SMI engaged consultants from the Visayas State University (VSU) and University of Queensland (UQ) to assist us in drafting the program plan to identify mother trees,” he said.

Mother trees were selected according to their phenotypic or observable characteristics. These traits include size, shape and color of the trees.

Sebua said, “The process of identifying mother trees begins with our engagement of various Municipal Environment Offices (MENROs), Community Environment Offices (CENROs), and tree nursery operators in Mindanao. They provide us with information on the location of possible mother trees.”

Afterwards, Sebua said they proceed to the area to visually inspect and assess the potential mother tree. “The height and diameter, among other things, are measured. The grid coordinates of the tree are also recorded. Once a tree has been classified as a mother tree, it is tagged and logged in our database. Finally, we coordinate with the local government to inform them of the existence of the mother tree in their area,” he added.

Sebua stressed, “This is an ongoing and long-term program. Each mother tree that is identified will be tagged and logged into our database. As the number of identified mother trees increase, the stability of our seed sources for our reforestation program will increase,” he said.

SMI’s ongoing reforestation program, which values the involvement of local communities, was awarded Best Mining Forest Award in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 by the Philippine government.

Under the Maleh Tu Kayu Program – named after a Blaan phrase which means “let us plant trees” – SMI together with its stakeholder partners committed to plant 250,000 seedlings over five years from 2005 in the denuded areas surrounding the Tampakan Project area.

To date, more than 500,000 seedlings have been distributed and planted throughout the project area and surrounding municipalities and provinces.