About a year since it was launched in May 24, 2008, the Go Green! Go for the Real Thing! project of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) in partnership with the Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines has already gained a reputation for delivering results, so much so that many local government agencies and non-governmental organizations have since sought its assistance for their various environmental projects.

BSP was invited in the “10 @ 10″ project launch of Luntiang Pilipinas.  Agreeing to become a major partner of Luntiang Pilipinas in the “10 @ 10″ project, BSP pledged 10,000 planted trees planted by 2010. 

The Energy Development Corporation (EDC) invited BSP to become its partner.  In a draft proposal/MOA prepared by the EDC, BSP is invited to help the EDC produce endemic Philippine tree species  such as molave, lawaan, and several others.

More and more agencies are requesting the support of the BSP in various ecology projects and endeavors.

In 2008 a total of four Portable Scout Nurseries have been set up.  These four comprise the pilot implementation for the portable nurseries.  At least six other BSP Councils have so far been identified as candidate recipients of Portable Scout Nurseries in 2009.

With the portable nurseries regularly and sufficiently producing tree seedlings and saplings, tree planting activities can be easily and regularly organized at the grassroot levels.  The Portable Scout Nurseries are expected to supply the tree seedling/sapling requirements for tree planting activities of local BSP organizations, educational institutions, local government units, and non-governmental organizations in hundreds of towns and cities nationwide.

The Go Green! project office managed by the BSP Program Division will regularly send Seed Capital to sustain the tree seedling productions of the various Portable Scout Nurseries.

In 2008, the BSP Program Division shipped the first batch of “Seed Capital” to four BSP Councils for an aggregate total of 21,500 seeds.  These “seed capital” are to be used by the recipient Councils in putting up their own mini-Go Green! Tree Nurseries in their respective facilities.

The first recipients of the Go Green! Seed Capital are the following:

Quezon Council — 5,000 Mahogany Seeds

Manila Council — 1,500 Mahogany Seeds

Camarines Norte Council — 5,000 Mahogany Seeds

BSP Makiling Camp — 10,000 Assorted Seeds

Each shipment of Go Green! Seed Capital comes complete with plastic bags/pouches and basic tree nursery tools and implements.

Several other BSP Councils are scheduled to receive their respective Seed Capital in 2009.    There are currently 109 BSP Councils nationwide.

By the end of 2008, after only seven months since its launch, the Go Green! Go for the Real Thing! project has already planted 2,370 tree saplings in various localities in and around Metro Manila.

These 2,370 tree saplings came from the initial 10,000 seeds planted by the Boy Scouts in 2008 at the newly opened and first Go Green! Tree Nursery at the BSP national office grounds in Manila.

550 – Teresa, Rizal

1,020 – Palayan, Nueva Ecija

300 – Lopez, Plaridel, Quezon

200 – Angono, Rizal

200 – Taguig City

100 – Vitas and Intramuros, Manila

Figures lifted from the 2008 Go Green! Report

Subject:  Go Green Activities related to World Environment Day (WED)

Activity Date:  June 5-6, 2009

Publication:  Manila Bulletin

Publication Date:  June 20, 2009

Format:  Broadsheet Newspaper

Language:  English

Subject:  Go Green Activities related to World Environment Day (WED)

Activity Date:  June 5-6, 2009

Publication:  TALIBA

Publication Date:  June 20, 2009

Format:  Tabloid Newspaper

Language:  Filipino/Tagalog

Subject:  Go Green Activities related to World Environment Day (WED)

Activity Date:  June 5-6, 2009

Publication:  Philippine Daily Inquirer

Publication Date:  June 18, 2009

Format:  Broadsheet Newspaper

Language:  English

Subject:  Go Green Activities related to World Environment Day (WED)

Activity Date:  June 5-6, 2009

Publication:  Abante Tonite

Publication Date:  June 18, 2009

Format:  Tabloid Newspaper

Language:  Filipino/Tagalog

The Intramuros Tree Planting event is the latest in the series of tree planting projects undertaken by the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) under its “Go Green! Go for the Real Thing!” project in partnership with Coca-Cola.  All of the trees used in the event came from the “Go Green! Go for the Real Thing!” Tree Nursery at the BSP National Headquarters in Manila.

The Intramuros tree-planting is a joint undertaking between the Rotary Club of Makati West, the Intramuros Administration, and Lifestyle Asia Magazine. Delbros Incorporated (DELBROS) and Delbros Waterfront Leasing Co., Inc. (DELWATER) also donated trees and sent volunteers for this event.

The main proponents of the Intramuros Tree Planting Event were:  Mayor Alfredo Lim,  City Mayor of Manila;  Bobby Lim, President of The Rotary Club of Makati West; Anna Sobrepena, Editor in Chief of Lifestyle Asia Magazine; Bambi Harper, Director of The Intramuros Administration; Jose Paolo Delgado, Boy Scouts of The Philippines and DELBROS; Paolo Conconi, Project Oikos.

Related Stories:

• Walled City Goes Green with Scouts
• Delbros and Delwater join re-greening of Intramuros

/RUS

The BSP Tree Nursery can supply youth organizations, like-minded NGOs, private businesses, private individuals, and other entities interested in procuring tree seedlings/saplings for their tree planting projects.

Visit the BSP Tree Nursery at the BSP National Office in Manila.

Photos courtesy of Bong Saculles (http://awonderfulblog.com)