I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree.
Dunno what was in the mind of Joyce Kilmer when she wrote this line from her prose “Trees” but I am sure she found the magical beauty of a tree.
But while she loved the poetry of a tree, the environmentalists among us think of the utilitarian use of a tree. That more than poetry, trees protect us, the human beings.
Right trees have vanished in the face of the earth. And what have we got: high humidity, floods, arid field, hunger and death. The ecological balance is gone. No more the magical sight of birds and wild animals.
Right the Happiness Project of Vitoline Multimedia Solutions is undertaking this Plant and Play project in Barangay Tawan-tawan, Calinan to reforest the Panigan River and protect Davao City’s aquifer.
In cooperation with the barangay officials of Tawan-tawan, the Bantay Bukid group of the city, the Knights of Columbus 9573 from Catalunan Grande, and the Philippine Sports Commission Mindanao, the Happiness Project will lead in today’s tree planting in the Panigan River.
August 10, today, Happiness Project mobilizes students, NGOs, civic organizations, government institutions to plant trees. And with the assurance they will PARENT them. Planting is easier but parenting those trees is harder. But it must be done if we want those trees to really grow.
I grew up in Monkayo surrounded with trees, huge trees, like century old Narra and other species. With trees around, the environment is a lot cooler and the balance is a lot palpable.
I see all kinds of birds from Hornbills to the Yellow-breasted Orioles to Bald Salings. Hummingbirds used to twit more than hum. And the snakes, ah they were aplenty because of the cool ambience.
But greed took over. Loggers cut those trees in wanton disregard for the environment. Money. Money. They raped nature with all its essential elements including Kilmer’s trees. For all the greedy loggers care. They don’t care if the ecological balance is gone as long as they have the money.
The Hornbills that I used to see and marvel when I was growing up are gone. Sarawak in Malaysia has preserved its forests, so it has all the Hornbills and the wild animals.
So today, some of well-meaning citizens of this country will drive themselves to Brgy. Tawantawan to plant trees. On the bank of the Panigan River.
Our aquifers must be preserved and protected. Let us plant a million trees.
