The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) and the Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) renewed their partnership in nurturing the Ayala Land Davao Carbon Forest (ADCF) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) held in Bago Aplaya, Davao City on Tuesday.
The ADCF is a 50-hectare urban reforestation program by ALI and managed by the PEF.
Located in Bago Gallera, Davao City, ADCF is envisioned as a hub for experiential learning, biodiversity research, and climate action.
The MOU also aims to formalize the five-year partnership between Ayala Land, Inc., and PEF.
“The MOU is the continuation of the expansion. Expansion in the sense that it’s going to be a more intentional and more encompassing arrangement for the PEF to continue maintaining and enhancing the 50-hectare carbon sink to restoration, maintenance, and protection,” said Anna Maria Gonzales, ALI head of sustainability, in an interview.
Gonzales added that through the ADCF, ALI would like to showcase habitat and, more importantly, to show that it is possible to restore the ecosystem within a very busy urban site.
“That’s what is unique about this because it’s in the middle of the city, in the middle of warehouses and other subdivisions, but we’ve managed to restore an ecosystem and make it work,” she said.
Gonzales said they will continue to identify flagship species not just of trees but also other wildlife in the site.
“Because in the past years that we’ve been working there, because of our efforts, more species have been found there. The way we’re going to do that is we’re going to develop more programs and facilities, more volunteers, visitors, stakeholders engagement, other entities, including academe and armed forces,” she said.
ALI stated that over the next five years, ADCF is expected to serve as a permanent carbon sink, species sanctuary, and model site for nature-based urban forest management.
The activity also launched the “Pride of the Forest” campaign, highlighting ADCF’s biodiversity and conservation efforts, recognizing the support of key stakeholders, including site managers, LGUs, subsidiaries, academes, and volunteers; and promoting continued engagement of public and private sectors in the protection of ADCF.
The Pride of the Forest is a community education and public awareness campaign for the ADCF wherein over 30,000 native trees, representing 60+ species, many of them endemic to the Philippines, were planted and nurtured.
ALI stated that it will take the campaign to schools and communities to raise awareness and inspire action, as well as host exhibits that showcase the forest’s transformation and the wildlife it supports.
