Tagaytay City—A total of 120 “endemic” or native trees were donated and planted during a tree planting event last May 25, 2022, as a result of a groundbreaking partnership between the SVD Laudato Si' Farm and the BINHI Foundation of the Energy Development Corporation (EDC).
The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the SVD Farm and the BINHI Foundation was conducted in the morning of the event. Rev. Fr. Samuel “Sam” Naceno-Agcaracar, SVD, Executive Director of the SVD Farm and Rector of the SVD-Tagaytay Community, and Rev. Fr. Ricardo "Jhon" B. Crisostomo Jr., SVD, General Manager of the SVD Farm, represented the Farm during the singing of the MOA.
The MOA formalized the partnership between the two organizations which governs the establishment and operation of a BINHI Arboretum in the Farm. (An arboretum is a “botanical garden devoted to a variety of trees.”) The arboretum at the Farm is one of the ten that BINHI established that year. The Farm was also designated as an official Planting Partner of BINHI, bringing together collective efforts to protect and propagate endangered trees.
The partnership between the Farm and BINHI marked a momentous occasion for both organizations, as they share a common mission of safeguarding the environment and preserving native trees facing extinction.
Before the tree-planting activity commenced, representatives from the BINHI Foundation toured the Farm, stopping over by the Farm’s Ecospirituality Center. After a short program, the tree-planting event witnessed the enthusiastic participation of more than a hundred volunteers, including priests, fratres, and brothers from the Divine Word Seminary (SVD), co-missionaries, friends from the Kiwanis Club, and other guests.
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A total of 120 native trees were donated by the BINHI Foundation and carefully planted in various locations across the SVD Farm. Each tree bore a label signed by the volunteers who planted them, symbolizing their dedication to this noble cause.
The tree species chosen for this joint project included kamagong (Diospyros blancoi), ipil (Intsia bijuga), molave (Vitex parviflora), banuyo (Wallaceodendron celebicum), narra (Pterocarpus indicus), and yakal malibato and saplungan (Shorea malibato and Hopea plagata). With the successful planting of these trees, it is hoped that the Farm would become a flourishing sanctuary of beauty and ecological significance in the years to come.
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Tree species which are classified as “endemic” are those which usually only grow in specific areas. Because of this, the challenge of conservation of these trees is more challenging because of their dependence on specific environmental conditions for thriving.
The significance of promoting these trees cannot be understated, as they play a vital role in supporting threatened flora and fauna species, according to the Forest Foundation Philippines. Endemic trees also help in the recovery and expansion of forest habitats, help recover and expand forest habitats for threatened native species of plants and animals, and ensure the livelihood of local communities, according to the Rain Forest Restoration Initiative.
The BINHI Foundation, which was launched back in 2008, is the flagship environment program of the EDC. According to the EDC, the foundation is “the largest private sector-led reforestation initiative.”
The BINHI Arboretum at the Farm is one of the 32 arboreta that has been instituted by the BINHI Foundation to date. To date, the foundation has partnered with 88 forest communities, including the SVD Farm, to plant more than 10,000 hectares nationwide, with an emphasis on “mainstreaming” threatened Philippine native tree species. The partnership between BINHI Foundation and the SVD Farm signifies a major step in the conservation efforts for these trees.
For those who are interested in learning more about the trees that have found their home in the BINHI Arboretum at the SVD Farm, these trees and their accompanying labels can be found all over the Farm. Otherwise, more information about these trees and about the SVD Farm/BINHI Foundation partnership is available on the foundation's official website, through the following link:
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For reservations and other information, including ways to support and connect with the SVD Farm, contact us through:
📞 0905-106-5499
📧 contact@svdlaudatosifarmfoundation.org.