Warrior Pilgrimage

Featured at www.pinoyapache.blogspot.com on August 24, 2010

AS I WAS UPLOADING the pictures of my recent day hike down the Upper Kahugan Trail of December 27, 2009, people can't help but notice the bare trail which months ago have been thickly-populated by madre-de-cacao trees locally known as kakawate. These same people are people I know and they belong to local mountaineering groups. They love to pass by this trail going down to Napo then Guadalupe after a day of climbing Mount Babag.

It inspired me as they commented on the present situation of the Upper Kahugan Trail and it gave me a thought of how to revive the tree cover along that route. The idea of tree planting is foremost in my mind but to bring the seedlings to the site where it will be planted demand a lot of people, muscle, logistics and patience.

I will just simplify things and start the tree-planting activity from Ground Zero - at or near the site itself – without having to carry all those plants and soil inside those black little plastic bags from a long walking distance, most of whom are over steep and difficult terrain. The house of Manwel Roble is a perfect place for a seed bank considering its accessibility and in vicinity to the site.

Then I will be choosy with the kind of trees to be planted. I prefer fruit trees. With fruit-bearing trees, at least, the local residents will think twice of cutting the tree down for firewood or for charcoal when he could earn instead from the fruit itself during harvest time. Any tropical-fruit trees, except mango, is most welcome.

Why exclude mango? When you grow and care a mango tree you have to take special care of the buds, the flowers and the fruit by shielding it with different layers of chemical like insecticides and fungicides to protect it from...READ MORE (Press CTRL + mouse click)