In Yolanda damaged areas: Reforestation of geothermal fields undertaken

KANANGA, LEYTE , Philippines— The municipal government will be undertaking a project to restore or reforest the Yolanda-damaged areas within the Leyte Geothermal Production Fields (LGPFs) in this town. 

Mayor Elmer Codilla said the project is the LGU's act of gratitude to the Energy Development Corporation, which operates the LGPFs, and an initiative to restore the environment devastated by the typhoon.

Yolanda toppled down trees, timber and important vegetation of the forestland within the geothermal fields and the watershed areas of this town, and these should need replanting, he said.

Codilla said the LGPFs has been the main sparkplug of Kananga's economy as the EDC was the biggest donor to the LGU in the aftermath of the typhoon.

Forest cover in the geothermal fields is important, the depletion of which might cause decrease of water supply that supports geothermal plant operations, and reduction of steam supply that is highly dependent to groundwater recharge, said Codilla.

The mayor said the project, known as "Restoration of Affected Forest Cover in the damaged Forestland within Leyte Geothermal Fields in Kananga, Leyte," will be under DSWD's cash-for-work program and UNDP Philippines' typhoon Yolanda Early Recovery Program.

Codilla said the project, which starts this month until next month, is set to replace trees twisted and uprooted by Yolanda, in five barangays: Rizal, Hiloctogan, Tongonan, Lim-ao and Mahawan.

Residents of these barangays, under the cash-for-work scheme, will plant tree species, such as narra, lanite, lapnisan, toog, yakal, tanguile, lawaan and bagtikan, among others. 

Municipal environment and natural resources officer (MENRO) Gerardo Reyes Jr. said the scope of work for the hired residents will cover strip brushing, hauling of seedlings, hole digging and planting, to name a few. MENRO will provide the planting materials or seedlings. 

The LGU has been coordinating with EDC, via its Watershed Management Department headed by Marianne Paje, for the identification of target areas and affected forestland within the LGPFs. (FREEMAN)