Our Response
We have started on a grass roots level by providing seeds and training locals on a variety of agroforestry and livestock management techniques. These include teaching them how to integrate a variety of species into their farms reducing the need for chemical pesticides and how to make organic fertilizers rather than having to spend the little money they have to buy the harmful chemical version. We have also incorporated Multi-Purpose Fast Growing (MPFG) trees into the equation which hold soils on barren hillsides and grow quickly creating a sustainable source of firewood. Many new fruit and vegetable species have been introduced as a way to provide a decent source of income as these ‘rare’ species command a premium at local markets.

Spring 2009
The Philippines program has grown significantly in the past few months as The Philippine Government unveiled a stimulus package which focuses on agriculture and aims to relocate the urban poor to mountains and hillsides where they would hopefully can create a sustainable life for themselves and their families. The Government has assisted us with land grants which are contingent upon us reforesting the land which they have allotted to us. Spearheading the work in the Philippines is Danny Zabala and other members of TREES Philippines, who are working extra hard to get seedlings in all of the nurseries out planted in the field as the rainy season has come a bit early for them this year. We plan to build our relationship with our working partners to enable us to expand the program even more in 2010.