LOOK: Aeta communities in Zambales restore ancestral land through reforestation

An almost barren landscape has been transformed into a lush, green haven, thanks to reforestation efforts.

In a Facebook post by Raf Dionisio, a social and environmental entrepreneur and co-founder of MAD Travel, a before-and-after comparison of a Zambales mountain revealed a dramatic seven-year transformation.

According to Dionisio, the Aeta communities of Yangil and Banawen in Zambales restored their ancestral land through reforestation and built a "green economy based on agroforestry."

In case you didn't know, agroforestry is a land use management system that integrates trees or shrubs with crops and/or livestock to create mutual benefits for the environment, economy, and society. It also involves deliberately combining agriculture and forestry techniques to optimize the use of land while promoting sustainability.

Dionisio said this project is part of a "bigger plan to reforest 4,000 hectares of ancestral domain and to create wealth for farmers and indigenous people while healing the environment."

Through planting agroforestry products such as cashews, tea, honey, and calamansi, Dionisio said that the Aeta communities work hand-in-hand to build livelihoods while also restoring their ancestral land. This process also provides an income for them. 

"Maraming salamat sa katutubong Aeta ng Yangil at Banawen na kakampi namin para ibalik ang kalikasan sa kanilang lupaing ninuno. Salamat sa tulong niyo para mabuo ang kabuhayan na galing sa gubat, kung saan pwedeng yumaman ang tao sa pag-alaga ng kalikasan," he wrote.

Furthermore, Dionisio described their continuous restoration of the area. According to him, the forest trees they used were Kupang, Narra, Yakal, Tibig, Palosapis, and Lauan.

In terms of agroforestry, they also planted calamansi, cashews, bamboo, jackfruit, and tamarind. Madre de cacao was also planted close to the village.

According to the entrepreneur, the tree can grow back on its own after parts of it are used.

"The tree regenerates, so it's easy to use this for cooking instead of cutting native trees [where] its flowers [can] also be used for food."

How can you help?

The Facebook post, which has more than 21,000 shares and 38,000 reactions as of writing, showcased how the area looked in April 2017 compared to its current state, which has 62,000 trees planted. MAD Travel urged the public to join the initiative to raise funds for more trees and speed up the restoration.

Interested individuals can head on to its official website or send an email to [email protected].

"We need to raise funds for more trees and we need volunteers for different kinds of reforestation planning and work," it said.

Each P300 tree seedling not only contributes to reforestation but also supports a climate resilience and food security program.

This 20-year initiative aims to revitalize the province of Zambales while empowering its communities. Several environmental advocates, including Nadine Lustre, have joined the cause.

Through the permaculture model, the organization is "looking at minimal energy usage and investing in growing the soil, so that the soil energizes the trees to grow strong and bear fruit." They do it by growing "pioneer tree species that help create shade for the trees in the area and will create a lot of leaf waste which turns into fertilizer and topsoil."