3rd Infantry Division conducts re-greening program to replace trees destroyed by 'Yolanda'

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 25): 3rd Infantry Division conducts re-greening program to replace trees destroyed by 'Yolanda'

Major Gen. Aurelio Baladad, commander of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, led his men in the planting of saplings which will eventually replace the trees destroyed by super typhoon "Yolanda" last Nov. 8.

The re-greening project was done at the unit's headquarters in Camp Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz last Thursday, Nov. 21.

Around 130 enlisted men and officers assisted Baladad in this endeavor. More than 500 fruit and non-fruit bearing trees were planted.

Camp Peralta, comprising 33,310 hectares, is the third largest base of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The 3rd Division occupies only about 1,000 hectares of the reservation, leaving most of it untouched.

Because of the rich natural resources, the camp has been labelled as a forest conservation and wildlife sanctuary area.

The reservation covers 27 barangays in the municipalities of Jamindan and Tapaz in the province of Capiz and Lambunao town in Iloilo.

These towns were among the hardest-hit areas by super typhoon in Panay Island.

“Panay Island has been hard hit by the super typhoon and several trees have been damaged. It is our commitment to protect and preserve our environment and biodiversity for the benefit of the next generations. We likewise encourage other stakeholders in the efforts to re-green Panay Island which was vastly damaged by the super typhoon,” Baladad said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=590508