Planting and growing native trees are crucial not only in preserving the environment but also in recharging the geothermal resource that is abundant in our country.

To mark this year’s Geothermal Day, Lopez-led Energy Development Corporation (EDC) has donated 5,000 BINHI native tree seedlings to the province of Sorsogon today to help restore the greenery that was damaged by Typhoon Tisoy in December 2019.

The province of Sorsogon has declared March 05 as Geothermal Day last year in recognition of this source of clean, renewable, reliable energy’s importance in achieving a low carbon economy for the province as well as the contributions that geothermal leader EDC has made to empowering communities surrounding its 150-megawatt Bacon-Manito Geothermal Project (BGP) that straddles between Albay and Sorsogon.

Seedlings of Kamagong, White Lauan, Tanguile, and Narra were turned over to Sorsogon Governor Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero by the EDC team led by its BGP Head, Engineer Marcel D. Rosario at the Provincial Capitol.

The initiative is being undertaken in response to Governor Escudero’s request for fruit and forest tree seedlings request from EDC.

“We responded positively to our beloved governor’s request not only because we recognize him and the Province of Sorsogon as a valuable partner but also because it is aligned with our BINHI greening legacy and with our need to keep growing our forests to sustain our geothermal reservoir,” said Rosario.

BINHI is EDC’s over 10-year old forest restoration program that aims to bridge forest gaps and bring back to abundance 96 endangered Philippine native tree species. EDC has been able to reforest over 1,500 hectares within the BGP reservation apart from producing mother trees after 10 years of implementing BINHI in the area.

The program has likewise gotten global and national recognition for its achievements in restoring our Philippine forests. Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the world’s largest plant conservation network and the secretariat of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has tapped EDC as the first and only local partner for its Global Tree Assessment program (GTA). Most recently, as part of BINHI’s aim to upgrade the conservation status of 35 species, EDC submitted data on five endemic Xanthostemon species to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as well as the IUCN, which paved the way for the partnership.

To complete its Geothermal Day commemoration, EDC likewise gave a copy of its Wildlife Treasures coffee table book, which chronicles the wildlife that the company has been nurturing for over 10 years, to Governor Escudero.
EDC is a global pioneer in the geothermal energy industry and the world’s largest vertically integrated geothermal developer, generating 1,457.8 megawatts of clean, stable, and truly sustainable energy for the country.