Saving the Forest to sustain Agriculture
On her farm visits in Atok, Usec. Evelyn G. Laviña, Undersecretary for High Value Crops and Rural Credit was disheartened as she noticed that almost all parts of the municipality is deforested.
She said that as they were roaming around farms, she is overwhelmed because Atok have potentials that is really needed by the market but her heart is squeezed noticing that most of the mountains are totally denuded. Thus, she recommended the farmers to give importance to their source of water not only to adopt with the climate change but also to sustain farming, because without water, farmers cannot plant and produce.
According to Joseph Domingo, an elder from the community, Atok was composed of a vast forest before. But when Franklin Haight, the first American who came to Atok started cultivating vegetables, the Chinese followed. They rented lands and cultivated vegetables until the massive forest was turned into an agricultural land.
Moreover, during the regime of Ramon Magsaysay, he disallowed the stay of foreigners making the Chinese leave. And as they leave, most of the trees were also gone, he added.
With the present situation, Usec. Laviña suggested the residents to revive their forest. First they should have a plan for their area and they should really set a certain area where water should be sustained.
She commended the Haight Family for allocating portion of their land for the development of the Sakura Park. The Sakura Park is a tie-up project between the Kochi Prefecture and Benguet Province. It is deemed not only to preserve the environment and natural resources but also to serve as a tourist destination once the trees will grow and bear flowers.
The 8.3 hectares Sakura Park as explained by Edward Haight which was rented for 25 years to be planted with cherry blossoms or in Japanese “Sakura” is owned by the community and everybody is welcome to conduct events or have a picnic on the said park.
