GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 12 (DENR-12), in coordination with the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), conducted a spot monitoring and assessment of National Greening Program (NGP) graduated sites in General Santos City, Banga, and Matalam from June 9 to 11.
The initiative aimed to track field implementation, verify accomplishments, ensure data accuracy, and strengthen reporting mechanisms. The evaluation yielded positive results and highlighted effective NGP implementation across the Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENROs) involved.
Key activities during the assessment included document reviews, focus group discussions, ground validation of NGP graduated sites, and evaluation of Forest Extension Officers’ field performance. Teams also collected harvesting data for potential enterprise development and reviewed the readiness of the Reforestation Information and Management System (RIMS) for data integration.
To further support reforestation efforts, the Regional NGP Operations Center of DENR-12 distributed 178 sacks of Mycorrhizal Inoculants to field offices and NGP partner people’s organizations this quarter. These inoculants, which enhance root development, are expected to boost seedling survival rates by improving nutrient absorption and increasing resilience to environmental stress.
The application of these science-based solutions in designated planting areas underscores DENR’s ongoing commitment to sustainable forest rehabilitation and community-based forest management. Field offices and partner organizations are set to monitor and report the performance of plantations following the use of the inoculants.