Tree Planting to Improve Biodiversity in Misamis

Dear Friend,

Warm greetings and thank you very much for your generous support to our project improving the biodiversity of our province. Our biodiversity is being threatened by a number of factors such as farmers seeking out new land to farm, illegal wood cutters, severe dry weather due to climate change and extreme poverty in the uplands. This reporting period, we are introducing the planting of dragon fruits by small-scale farmers to upland, denuded lands. The dragon fruit belong to the cactus family and is a prolific grower. The fruits if grown in direct sun is exceedingly sweet and this will give the farmers good income. The lifespan of the plant is more than 40 years and this is indeed very excellent. Later on we will form a cooperative so that marketing of the fruits and other products will be centralized and good price can be negotiated.

Again, thank you very much.

Very sincerely yours,

Cora Sayre

Dear Friend,

Warm greetings and thank you very much for your generous support to our project planting trees in order to improve the biodiversity of our province. The dry season is now officially ending and with the start of the rainy season, we are focusing on the raising of seedlings to be planted in mountain slopes in 3 barrios here. We are fortunate because we were able to access seedlings of different fruit and timber trees during the dry season as it is during this time that the trees produce seeds. The procurement of seeds and seedlings is one of the factors why tree planting often fail here. This reporting period we are able to procure seeds of mango, durian, rambutan, moringa, teakwood and narra. We are aiming to reforest a total of 72 hectares within the next three months.

Hoping for your continuing support.

Very sincerely yours,

Cora