DENR ramps up forest protection, reforestation amid El Niño risk

MANILA, Philippines — Forests help keep water flowing to communities, particularly during prolonged dry spells. As El Niño recurs every few years, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is expanding forest protection patrols and accelerating targeted reforestation across critical watersheds nationwide to help forests retain water, regulate streamflow, reduce soil erosion and recharge depleted aquifers.

The effort combines the restoration of degraded and fire-damaged areas with measures to ensure the survival of newly planted trees and protect existing forests. The DENR is mobilizing local communities, civil society organizations, Indigenous Cultural Communities and field personnel to maintain forest cover and strengthen the natural systems that support water security.

“Forests are our most powerful natural infrastructure for water retention,” DENR Secretary Juan Miguel “Mitch” Cuna said, underscoring the importance of protecting and restoring watersheds as a safeguard against drought. He said the DENR is working with local communities, Indigenous Cultural Communities, civil society groups and other partners to protect forest cover and ensure that newly planted trees survive dry conditions.

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“While watershed restoration and forest protection efforts are not immediate solutions to the ongoing El Niño episode, they are critical long-term measures to strengthen ecosystems, improve water security and help communities better withstand potential droughts and prolonged dry conditions,” he added.

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READ: DENR ramps up measures to prepare communities for El Niño

The environment chief noted that these efforts build resilience to El Niño, a climate phenomenon that occurs irregularly, typically every two to seven years, and can lead to prolonged dry spells, reduced water supplies and drought.

In Central Luzon, DENR Region 3 is carrying out forest restoration activities across critical watersheds in Aurora, Bataan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales. In Nueva Ecija, the Manila Bay Site Coordinating and Management Office (MBSCMO) is inspecting established narra plantations to assess seedling survival rates and soil moisture conditions under high heat indices. These inspections help determine what additional care the plantations need as temperatures rise.

In the Bicol Region, DENR field offices are combining new tree-planting activities with measures to improve the survival of existing plantations. In Masbate, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) partnered with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Bicol Chapter, local government units and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Mobo to plant more than 16,750 indigenous and mangrove seedlings across 50 hectares in the province’s second and third districts.

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The effort also included planting 1,200 mangrove propagules of Rhizophora species and Avicennia species at the Buntod Reef Marine Sanctuary and along RM Robredo Boulevard. In Camarines Norte, DENR field officers require contractors under the Enhanced National Greening Program (ENGP) to replace dead seedlings and follow supplemental watering schedules to improve survival rates under dry conditions.

In Mindanao, the DENR is focusing on the recovery of damaged ecosystems and the protection of forests that help sustain local water resources. In the Caraga Region (Region 13), field units are prioritizing the rehabilitation of fire-affected peatlands, riverbanks and protected areas.

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Restoration teams are planting indigenous and wetland-adapted tree species, including bangkal (Nauclea orientalis), lanipao (Terminalia copelandii), putat (Barringtonia racemosa), mambog (Mitragyna speciosa) and narra (Pterocarpus indicus), selected for their ability to thrive in wetland conditions and withstand drought.

In the Davao Region (Region 11), DENR field personnel are intensifying LAWIN patrols against illegal logging while monitoring ENGP plantation sites for seedling survival, pest infestations and fire risks. These activities help protect recovering forests from further damage and identify threats that could undermine restoration work during the dry spell.

Protecting existing watersheds is also essential to securing water supplies. In Davao City, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office partnered with Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc. and the Obu-Manuvu Indigenous Cultural Community to conduct a comprehensive habitat assessment of the Panigan-Tamugan Sub-watershed, which serves as the city’s primary source of potable water. The assessment supports efforts to safeguard the watershed’s ecological condition and its role in supplying water to the city.

READ: Negros Occidental, DENR to rehab 547 hectares of Mt. Kanlaon forest

To sustain these interventions, the DENR continues to monitor ENGP sites weekly and provide logistical support to community-based forest management organizations for seedling maintenance and the establishment of protective fire lines. These measures aim to reduce seedling losses, prevent forest fires and help ensure that investments in reforestation translate into lasting forest cover.

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As El Niño increases the risk of prolonged dry conditions, the DENR, along with communities and local partners, is pursuing watershed protection, forest law enforcement, plantation maintenance and community partnerships to keep forests healthy and resilient.