Rejuvenating old trees through tree surgery

Pedestrians couldn’t help but notice the new young look of the old and mature native trees at the Regional Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources along Santo Niño Extension in Tacloban City.

Old trees can be rejuvenated or rehabilitated. This is the answer given to satisfy the curious minds. Several staff revealed that tree rehabilitation which includes activities like tree surgery, sanitation cutting, pruning and cleaning has been conducted from January to February of this year.
 

Taking good care of trees is a must. If the owner does not properly care for the trees, the results are large ungainly giants that are completely out of control and are an unsightly mess. 

In many cases, these old trees can be brought back to a more manageable state. The primary means of renovating older trees is through judicious and properly selected pruning cuts.

Forester Carlito Buante, OIC Chief  of the Environmental  Research and Conservation  Division (ERCD) is the study leader of the research project on tree rehabilitation strategies being implemented by the Ecosystems Research and Development Service (ERDS) of the DENR in Region 8. 

To give them a young look, old and mature native trees were rehabilitated by pruning the rotten parts of branches and trunks infected with fungi; the decayed portions were cleaned out and chlorox, coal tar and fungicide were applied, Forester Bulante said.

Among the trees treated were agoho (Casuarina equisetifolia),  kamagong (Diospyrus philippinensis),  narra (Pterocarpus indicus), molave (Vitex parviflora), and other mature trees with their canopies shielding the streets,  causing hazard to big trucks plying the street,  and tangling up the electric and telephone cables.

Pruning operations were done by the personnel of the DENR Region 8 and treatments were made to remove the rotten parts of the branches and trunks that were infested with certain species of fungi, Forester Buante disclosed.

After cleaning out the decayed portions, chemicals like chlorox, coal tar and fungicide were applied to preserve the native trees and make them live longer, he added.   This will make pedestrians safe from the danger of falling twigs and other debris.

People in Eastern Visayas will see more tree rejuvenation activities as the group of Forester Butante has also slated for the application of tree rehabilitation activities are those along Magsaysay Boulevard and Benigno Aquino Avenue in Tacloban City, MacArthur Park and the Leyte Landing site in Candahug, Palo, Leyte.

Other places in Eastern Visayas like Samar are also targeted as sites of tree surgery operations of the ERDS.

 

This activity of the DENR is in line with the goal of averting disaster and fostering disaster-preparedness during natural calamities caused by the changing climate,  a worldwide phenomenon that causes sea levels to rise,  small islands to disappear,  landslides, flashfloods and tsunamis to occur, thereby  endangering   human lives and properties.

Under the National Greening Program (NGP), forests are rehabilitated, indigenous forest tree species and fruit trees are planted in open spaces and most of the upland areas, and old trees are saved to ensure that the life support systems that fed, clothe, shield and shelter people will continue to sustain the present and future generations, Forester Butane said.

The NGP goals include making the wood-based economy stronger and more competitive in the world market. 

The technologies that make this possible like tree surgery and the application of mycorrhiza and organic fertilizers on seedlings and plants are all being encouraged by scientists and researchers alike. 

Farmers and farming communities are encouraged to plant more trees to attain the target of 1.5 billion trees planted until 2016 to help promote green economy. (PIA 8)