Tree Nourishing activity aims to combat climate change by planting trees that will grow to act as carbon sinks – reservoirs that absorb and store the atmosphere’s carbon with physical and biological mechanisms. Forests, as part of our country’s cultural heritage and biodiversity, also help prevent floods and mitigate the damage caused by typhoons, as they store excess rainwater and prevent extreme run-offs, acting as a sort of protective barrier for the surrounding communities.
The Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) covers much of Rizal province and is among the many tributaries of Pasig River. Promoting conservation in this watershed area is vital in ensuring Metro Manila and nearby provinces’ water supply which has recently experienced water shortage. Despite the importance of UMRBPL as a watershed, illegal activities such as charcoal making, logging, and kaingin (slash-and-burn farming) are still rampant in the area. The lack of trees in UMRBLP that could have prevented flooding is evident during the 2009 Tropical Depression Ondoy. Despite being a relatively weak storm, the tropical depression had brought much rain causing the river to swell up to 23 m or as tall as an 8-storey building.
