Community members plant Narra trees at the Pasonanca Watershed

With the theme “Towards a Greener and Cleaner Environment”, community members of the Tumaga River WQMA planted 100 Narra trees in the Pasonanca Watershed on September 19, 2019. The activity was initiated by the Tumaga River WQMA Governing Board as a move to bring watershed communities together to increase forest cover in the Pasonanca Watershed through volunteers planting trees.

The activity is part of the measures in the 10-year Action Plan for the Tumaga River WQMA to provide streamside vegetation to filter pollutants. However, trees do not only filter pollutants but also regulate the flow of water, in large part due to their leafy canopy that intercepts rainfall, slowing its fall to the ground and the forest floor. This in turn will decrease the flow of water to the streams, reducing flooding, stream bank erosion, widening of streams, sediment deposited in streams, loss of fish habitat, and decline in water quality. The removal or addition of trees can have an impact on streams in the watershed.

During the opening program, Kagawad Daisy Tangon of Barangay Pasonanca gave a welcome message wherein she thanked the Governing Board for conducting the tree planting activity in the Barangay. She also highlighted the importance of trees in preventing flood in the Tumaga River. For. Gerry Pollisco of the Office of the City Mayor also gave a message wherein he emphasized the Tumaga River as an important source of water in Zamboanga City. He also thanked the ZCWD for the support in the said activity.

The community members were also provided with IEC materials in the form of eco bags.