GREENING THE SCHOOLS AND GREENING THE SCHOOLS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES: STRATEGIES THEIR COMMUNITIES: STRATEGIES AND GOOD PRACTICES FROM THE AND GOOD PRACTICES FROM THE

ACADEMEACADEME““THE WEST VISAYAS STATE THE WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE”UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE”

CRISANTO S. LOPEZ, JR., Ph. D.CRISANTO S. LOPEZ, JR., Ph. D.

West Visayas State UniversityWest Visayas State University

La Paz, Iloilo CityLa Paz, Iloilo City

Role of educational institutionsRole of educational institutions

Education of our students about Education of our students about environment and what they can do to environment and what they can do to help deal with environmental help deal with environmental problemsproblems

Should have environmental concern Should have environmental concern as a core value as a core value

Behavioral changes in Behavioral changes in individuals and societyindividuals and society

Necessary for creating Necessary for creating sustainable solutions for our sustainable solutions for our shared futureshared future

Educational institutions leading Educational institutions leading the way in bringing about the way in bringing about changes.changes.

Responsibility as educatorsResponsibility as educators

AcquisitionAcquisitionComprehensionComprehension

““knowledge about the knowledge about the environment”environment”

Acquisition of knowledge on the Acquisition of knowledge on the environment is never enough!environment is never enough!

Imparting values and attitudesImparting values and attitudes Saving the environment involves Saving the environment involves

changing values, attitudes, changing values, attitudes, lifestyle and behavior.lifestyle and behavior.

We do not stop in the We do not stop in the classroom……classroom……

Reaching out to the outside Reaching out to the outside community community

Application of what the students Application of what the students learned in the classroomlearned in the classroom

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

The College of Agriculture and Forestry The College of Agriculture and Forestry of the West Visayas State Universityof the West Visayas State University

Location: 64 kilometers away from the Location: 64 kilometers away from the city where the main campus is located.city where the main campus is located.

Sits at the center of 3,478 hectares of Sits at the center of 3,478 hectares of which 1,000 hectares are reserved as which 1,000 hectares are reserved as watershed area.watershed area.

ProblemsProblems

Encroachment of squatters Encroachment of squatters Lack of funds for monitoring their Lack of funds for monitoring their

activitiesactivities Growing number due to Growing number due to

intermarriages and the coming in of intermarriages and the coming in of the members of their extended the members of their extended families.families.

ProblemsProblems

Destructive activities like slash Destructive activities like slash and burn farmingand burn farming

Illegal cutting of treesIllegal cutting of trees

EffectsEffects

Water supplyWater supply FloodsFloods Wild-life population Wild-life population

Initiative of studentsInitiative of students

Reforestation project Reforestation project conceptualized by the conceptualized by the University Student CouncilUniversity Student Council

ObjectivesObjectives To rehabilitate open and denuded To rehabilitate open and denuded

areas of the reservationareas of the reservation To provide alternative source of To provide alternative source of

income to the squatters income to the squatters To serve as laboratory and research To serve as laboratory and research

area of the college area of the college To serve as a model reforestation To serve as a model reforestation

projectproject

StrategiesStrategies

Total student population during the first Total student population during the first semester of 2003- 2004semester of 2003- 2004

- 6,8766,876- Collection of an annual tree-Collection of an annual tree-planting fee from each planting fee from each student student

- Total amount: P343,800Total amount: P343,800

StrategiesStrategies

Tree-planting funds deposited Tree-planting funds deposited as trust fund subject to as trust fund subject to auditing proceduresauditing procedures

Site identificationSite identification

Affected areas within the Affected areas within the watershed reservation watershed reservation

Areas free from squatter Areas free from squatter encroachment activitiesencroachment activities

ActivitiesActivities Massive tree planting for all students at Massive tree planting for all students at

the identified area at the start of the the identified area at the start of the school year.school year.

Seedlings provided for by the College Seedlings provided for by the College of Agriculture and Forestryof Agriculture and Forestry

Clearing, sticking, digging and hauling Clearing, sticking, digging and hauling of seedlings by the CAF Student of seedlings by the CAF Student Council in coordination with the USC.Council in coordination with the USC.

Tree planting fee of P50.00Tree planting fee of P50.00

Covered the acquisition of Covered the acquisition of seedlings, clearing, sticking, seedlings, clearing, sticking, digging and maintenance of digging and maintenance of the areathe area

Maintenance and ProtectionMaintenance and Protection

Construction of watch – tower Construction of watch – tower manned by security guardsmanned by security guards

Regular foot patrol to monitor Regular foot patrol to monitor status of the projectstatus of the project

Re-planting of seedlings when Re-planting of seedlings when neededneeded

Monitoring and evaluationMonitoring and evaluation

USC officers and faculty evaluators USC officers and faculty evaluators carried site visits twice a year, one carried site visits twice a year, one per semester to evaluate the status of per semester to evaluate the status of the projectthe project

AccomplishmentsAccomplishments At the end of 2004…… At the end of 2004……

4 hectares within the watershed 4 hectares within the watershed reservation area were planted to:reservation area were planted to:

Rubber …………. 20,000 seedlingsRubber …………. 20,000 seedlingsDurian …………. 800 seedlingsDurian …………. 800 seedlingsMangosteen …… 120 seedlingsMangosteen …… 120 seedlingsLanzones………. 400 seedlingsLanzones………. 400 seedlingsNarra …………… 15,000 seedlingsNarra …………… 15,000 seedlings

Total 36,000 seedlingsTotal 36,000 seedlings

Problems encounteredProblems encountered

Opposition from squattersOpposition from squatters

Animals foraging on the areaAnimals foraging on the area

SolutionsSolutions Constant dialogue and consultationConstant dialogue and consultation Information dissemination on the Information dissemination on the

importance of forest trees in the importance of forest trees in the watershed reservation watershed reservation

Employment as laborers in the projectEmployment as laborers in the project Giving them a “sense of dignity” by Giving them a “sense of dignity” by

treating them as partners for treating them as partners for development.development.

SolutionsSolutions

Relocation of the squatters Relocation of the squatters outside the watershed reservationoutside the watershed reservation

Supporting their tree-planting Supporting their tree-planting activities in their own backyard activities in their own backyard with free seedlings from the with free seedlings from the school.school.

The “MARIIT” Conservation ParkThe “MARIIT” Conservation Park

Initial success of the student-led Initial success of the student-led activity in dealing with the activity in dealing with the environmental and social problems of environmental and social problems of the community brought the the community brought the establishment of the conservation establishment of the conservation park for breeding critically park for breeding critically endangered species in Panay Island.endangered species in Panay Island.

CollaboratorsCollaborators WVSUWVSU DENRDENR Berlin Zoo, GermanyBerlin Zoo, Germany Vogelpark Avifuna, the NetherlandsVogelpark Avifuna, the Netherlands North England Zoological SocietyNorth England Zoological Society South England Zoolological SocietySouth England Zoolological Society Royal Melbourne Zoo, AustraliaRoyal Melbourne Zoo, Australia Los Angeles Zoo/White Oaks Conservation Los Angeles Zoo/White Oaks Conservation

Center, USACenter, USA

CollaboratorsCollaborators

Zoological Society of LondonZoological Society of London San Diego Zoo, USASan Diego Zoo, USA Fauna and Flora International, UKFauna and Flora International, UK

ObjectivesObjectives

Breed in captivity critically Breed in captivity critically endangered species of Panay Islandendangered species of Panay Island

Serve as research facility in studying Serve as research facility in studying the biology of the speciesthe biology of the species

Serve as educational center for the Serve as educational center for the community for the advocacy of community for the advocacy of conservationconservation

ObjectivesObjectives

Serve as multiplier center for Serve as multiplier center for critically-endangered species critically-endangered species through captive breeding with the through captive breeding with the purpose of reintroduction of the purpose of reintroduction of the species in their former range. species in their former range.

Present statusPresent status

Foreign students and exchange scientists Foreign students and exchange scientists working on wildlife conservation doing working on wildlife conservation doing research and practicumresearch and practicum

Breeding program successful for Breeding program successful for Visayan writhed-billed hornbill Visayan writhed-billed hornbill

(Acerus (Acerus waldini)waldini)Spotted deer (Cervus alfredi)Spotted deer (Cervus alfredi)Warty pig (Suscepfirons)Warty pig (Suscepfirons)

The DBP-WVSU ForestThe DBP-WVSU Forest

P11,526,555.00 to cover 500 P11,526,555.00 to cover 500 hectares of reforestation activitieshectares of reforestation activities

One hundred hectares planted to One hundred hectares planted to 11,458 Durian seedling and 5,000 11,458 Durian seedling and 5,000 pomelo seedlings pomelo seedlings

ScholarshipsScholarships

One child per legitimate member One child per legitimate member of the organized group of of the organized group of squatters actively involved in the squatters actively involved in the project of the college.project of the college.

““GAWAD KALINGA” InitiativesGAWAD KALINGA” Initiatives

Identified the college reservation area Identified the college reservation area as seat for 300 mass housing project as seat for 300 mass housing project for the squatters who were already for the squatters who were already organized as partners for organized as partners for development.development.

Educational package, environmental Educational package, environmental awareness and responsibility to save awareness and responsibility to save the Mother Earth.the Mother Earth.

A small thing for the A small thing for the environment…..environment…..

At WVSU, our students showed us At WVSU, our students showed us the waythe way

We followed and everything fell into We followed and everything fell into their right places.their right places.

WE SALUTE THEM!WE SALUTE THEM!