A potential starting point for environmental conservation as a response to climate change is the restoration of the island’s coastal forests. Mangroves and beach forests have been proven to offer protection against surge-tide damage and shoreline erosion brought about by severe storms while, at the same time, safeguarding water quality (FAO, 2010).

Unfortunately, resort development and other infrastructure built along the coastlines have resulted to coastal forest loss in Boracay. While local organizations like ours have been exerting efforts to plant mangroves and fruit bearing trees, less attention has been given to beach forests primarily due to the lack of understanding and appreciation on its importance.

Boracay Women Producers Cooperative in partnership with the Philippine Foundation for the Environment and JG Summit Petrochemicals Group will do series of beach forest tree education seminars and planting activities.

About 1,500 beach forest tree seedlings indigenous to the island such as Dungon, Agoho, Bitaog and Bituon will be planted in Tambisaan, Brgy. Manocmanoc where about 2 hectares of coastal side is denuded. We will coin the planting activity as “Project Pet Tree” for a spiritual and emotional attachment to the beach forest trees.

BWPC has more than 1,000 members that will be undergoing Beach Forest Trees educational trainings and will be allocated to plant one (1) set of beach forest tree seedlings each together with their family or children. The conservation trade off of FPE to BWPC is its support to finance the organic food production or farming livelihood of BWPC.

BWPC also sees the recent government-led demolitions of shoreline infrastructure in line with the stricter implementation of the 25+5 coastal easement zone as an opportunity that will support the activities of our beach forest trees project.

Given the significance of beach forests in biodiversity conservation and in protecting small islands against storm surges, apart from their aesthetic value, this project will significantly contribute to the aim of the National Government to rehabilitate the island. BWPC is seeking from DENR particularly in the drafting and entering into a MOA assigning us the areas where the beach forests can be established.

BWPC also requests to manage the beach forest sites as nature or natural park. BWPC may promote the beach forest site for tourism and educational purposes. Apart from taking charge of planting native tree species, BWPC is also committed to voluntarily maintain the sites in partnership with Foundation for the Philippine Environment to help out on its long term planning, sustainable use and agriculture.

The beach forest tree planting will become a regular environmental rehabilitation effort to restore the island’s coastal forests as a response to climate change. Its importance will be effected thru a series of beach forests IEC campaigns by the Foundation for the Philippine Environment and the Boracay Women Producers Cooperative. We also encourage other organization to be our active partner in this campaign.