The urgent need to reforest our sparse mangroves, quickly and massively, has encouraged non-government organizations, local government units, people’s organizations, academe, and business sectors to do mangrove reforestation and rehabilitation efforts.
In response to the call of the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc., Harbor Star Shipping Services, Inc.(HSSI), an IMS and IMCA certified tug company operating in the Philippines started to participate in the Adopt-A-Mangrove project in 2011. “HSSI gives utmost consideration to environment protection particularly the coast where our business is dependent on, thus our CSR programs are geared towards achieving this goal of giving back to the communities and sustaining the coasts.”, Annalie Ventura, AVP for Administrative Services.
Harbor Star employees regularly monitor their reforestation sites. Shown above, several employees are making sure that the fence protecting the young mangroves is still complete.
Investing in environmentally sustainable management and development of the coast is more cost effective and makes perfect business sense. This is the premise that Harbor Star Shipping Services, Inc. wants to emphasize in its quest for innovative conservation initiatives that include mangrove rehabilitation and protection through its Corporate Social Responsibility project.
The company adopted a two-hectare planting site, equivalent to 20,000 mangrove seedlings, in Barangay Banoyo, San Luis, Batangas. To date, a total of 5,885 seedlings are in surviving stage with an additional 5,000 mangrove propagules planted on February 14, 2013 and 472 Avicennia seedlings propagated at the community sea-based nursery.
Mangrove propagules are planted in this secure site.
Community volunteers and employees of Harbor Star Shipping Services, Inc. regularly monitor the mangrove plantation and undertake care and maintenance activities – such as removal of green algae, debris and garbage, repair of the fence and replacement of dead plants. The barangay residents, as well as neighboring villages, have put more attention and effort to plant mangroves in Barangay Banoyo, thus increasing much-needed community participation in the initiative.
Harbor Star and CCEF believes that involving the youth is an important component of mangrove forest restoration.
Analeh Patindol
