So many things have been accomplished, and yet so many goals that need to be achieved. As the first and foremost environmental organization in the Philippines, the Haribon Foundation for the

Conservation of National Resources (or simply Haribon Foundation) is celebrating the month of November assessing its feats for the past four decades even as it still strives to fulfill much-needed goals while stewarding commemoration activities for its thousands of members, affiliates and supporters.

 Anabelle Plantilla, Haribon’s chief operating officer (COO), emphasizes this as she leads Haribon officers and members in the Million Hectare Challenge (MHC) 2012—this year’s version of their annual run-for-a-cause event slated today at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) grounds.

 “We can say that our anniversary is marked by a lot of achievements, especially as we successfully held our activities like bird-watching, tree-planting and our participation in some landmark activities such as the Darwin Initiative and the launch of its Hari Eco Van with some help from our friends and advocates from companies like Hyundai Asia. At the same time, we still see the need to stay and continue to educate people and encourage them to help us in our grand project, which is the Road to 2020,” shared Plantilla.

 Haribon Foundation was founded in 1972 initially as a group that gathers bird-watchers, specifically those who would love to see and rally support for the conservation of the Philippine eagle, whose name has since been integral to the environmental stewardship activities of the organization ever since.

From being a birdwatchers’ group, it later became a full-fledged non-government organization (NGO) in 1983 which advocates environmentalism in all respects and aspects.

Since then, it has become a key partner of the government and many international organizations in promoting causes of the environment. The steadfast and consistent participation of Haribon has also helped in the passage of key environmental laws and statures that have contributed greatly to the restoration and protection of key environmental sites and facets, like local Philippine flora and fauna.
 
Recovering forests
The ROAD to 2020, started in 2005, is an environmental movement to restore one million hectares of Philippine rainforests using native tree species such narra, apitong, lauan and many others and to sustain provision of ecological goods and services by year 2020 through an informed and engaged people. It provides an opportunity for all filipinos to come together and help bring back our natural forests.

Haribon is continuing monitoring and research endeavors on key conservation areas like watersheds, mangrove forests, restored forests, discovery and study of new species and subspecies of Philippine biodiversity, and climate change awareness activities with the help of many key partners like BirdLife International, The Darwin Initiative, Coca-Cola Foundation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Hyundai Asia Resources, Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program, Foundation for the Philippine Environment, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources—Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, the Global Environment Facility of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and many others.

 “Forest restoration remains our main advocacy at this time, because forests can help in restoring all the ecological processes and states in our country. We need to upgrade our current cover from 20 to 54 percent if we want our water and land resources return to normal, acceptable states,” Plantilla stated.

Forest restoration activities such as tree planting commenced on June 16 this year at Baras, Rizal. The forest restoration that Haribon started also calls for the planting of tree species endemic or found only in the Philippines. Plantilla further explained,

One of the crowning achievements of Haribon in conserving endangered local tree species is the Buhay Punlaan nursery in Lumban, Laguna, which was established in 2009, where they were able to grow about 28,287 seedlings of 62 native tree species, some of which are considered precious as it gets scarcer to see them in the wild. These seedlings are then replanted as part of the ROAD to 2020 forest restoration activities.

 Part of this year’s activities includes their yearly drive for donations, like the Adopt-a-Seedling and Nurture Card. Through a minimal donation of P200, supporters can adopt a seedling of any of the Philippine native tree species.

 Haribon is also encouraging students and young people to start growing trees through their Nurture Card. With a nurture card, a seedling that has been previously planted under the Adopt-a-Seedling Program will be nurtured in your name for one year, and you can continue to care for that tree with a yearly donation of P50 per seedling.

Raising awareness
Haribon is also continuing its bird-watching, learning sessions, data gathering and other worthy endeavors meant to encourage education and awareness not only of members and supporters but also communities where they initiate and conduct these activities.

As of October 2012, Haribon has recruited and retained 473 new members, while around 5000 volunteers have helped in mobilizing membership recruitment and other activities.

 Early this year, Haribon Foundation is privileged to be a project proponent of the UK-based Darwin Initiative, which will monitor local fish species extirpations in key sites of the country. It is the first international environmental project on Philippine marine biodiversity that gets the nod from the prestigious grant-giving body.

Join now and be a privileged member of one of the country’s most active environmental organizations.

For more information about Haribon Foundation’s continuing and future endeavors, you may visit their website (http://www.haribon.org.ph) or their Facebook Group page, (https://www.facebook.com/groups/haribonmembers/) and ask to be added to the group.