DENR OKs felling of 136 'dead' pine trees in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines -  At least 136 “dead” Benguet pine trees are going to be felled at the Camp John Hay.

This after the environment department approved the more than a year permit application of the state run-BCDA subsidiary John Hay Management Corp. to cut the trees down which died owing to the Ips calligraphus beetle.

The infectious beetle burrows on the tree bark and eventually kills the tree. The insect has been infecting the trees since the  American  occupation  and has been infecting Benguet pine trees  in all of Baguio City, Benguet, Mt. Province and elsewhere in the highlands where resin-emitting pine trees abound.

The “dead” trees according to the JHMC has been threatening lives and properties inside the former American baseland, prompting them to seek the DENR's permit to cut the trees.

DENR-Cordillera chief Clarence Baguilat approved the cutting of the 136 trees this July 10,  the pruning of 14 more, but banned the earthballing of another 14 trees supposedly affected by a car park project.

There is no definite scientific answer yet to controlling the Ips, said Community Environment and Natural Resources Office for Baguio City Edgardo Flor before a stakeholders’ consultation inside the Camp Thursday morning as part of DENR’s requisites before the actual tree cutting and pruning process. 

“It is difficult to combat.  While we can minimize its spread," the government forester said  “there is no clear scientific cure yet.”

JHMC foresters said the situation at John Hay has to be controlled and “sanitation cutting”, a direct ntrol measure which involves the rapid removal of all infested trees,  must be done.   

While, sanitation pruning must also be done, they added that the proper removal of dead, pests-infested or infected branches of trees to eliminate breeding grounds of the pest, must also be undertaken.

The DENR said the felled pine trees should not be sold and should be turned over to it.