15 July 2017, Mangrove Eco-Park, Taliptip, Bulacan. 37 zealous eco-warriors of Fujitsu Ten Solutions Philippines, Inc. sponsored the planting of 1,200 mangrove propagules at the Mangrove Eco-Park in the town of Taliptip in Bulacan, Philippines – as a part of their corporate and personal environmental advocacies. The passionate group raised funds amongst themselves from within the company’s Environmental Management Systems (EMS) division, the amount of which was then topped up by Fujitsu corporate to demonstrate their continued commitment to the group’s regular Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program of activities.

Given that this planting is Fujitsu’s second with FEED (the first was held last November 2016, see: “One Touch of Nature Makes the Whole World Kin” – Tree Planting Photo Journey of Fujitsu Eco-Warriors), another 1,800 propagules was committed by FEED to bring the total to 3,000 indigenous Philippine mangrove trees that will help protect Bulacan’s coastal communities from rising tides; the remaining 1,800 propagules will be planted by the local Taliptip community managing the as a part of their livelihood development program, also a fundamental requirement in FEED’s planting methodology.

The program was designed to be authentic, to enable participants to experience the lives of the Bulacan fisherfolk who have had to adapt to climate change in a very drastic way: from mainly rice farming 20 years ago, to fish farming today, facing rising floodwaters and the harsh challenges that accompany the Habagat (southwest monsoon, Jun-Sep) and Amihan (northeast monsoon, around Nov-Feb).

The experience was comparable to the inner workings of a mangrove, growing up. Mangroves must extract freshwater from the seawater that surrounds them. Many mangrove species survive by filtering out as much as 90 percent of the salt found in seawater as it enters their roots. Despite the rising tide at the time of planting, wading and struggling through the knee deep “putik” or mud, scraping feet, toes and legs against broken sea shells and thorns, rain and limited visibility through the waters of Bulacan’s coastline – the courageous Fujitsu tree planters braved the knee deep mud and waist high waters to plant their Living Legacies – the very same way Bulaceño fisherfolk do on a regular basis.

Thank you Fujitsu and its Courageous Eco-Warriors for Helping Restore a Carbon Sink and Contributing to the One Child, One Tree Nursery Establishment for Bulacan

Ancel John Tarras	Marinelle A. Gonzalvo
Arlene Jasmin S. Almacen	Marionne Pascual
Arlyne P. Taduran	Pauline Lasquite
Cryshna Bianca B. Padua	Rechell L. Mesina
Divine Gay del Rosario	Reynaldo Gayo
Fatima B. Camba	Rhenier C. Bonion
Grace Stephanie Abe	Richard R. Capulong
Jobal B. Docot	Riley Nathan Bernardo
John Paul O. Magat	Rommel C. Resurreccion
Jonalyn L. Nama	Rowena Glipo
Khamille C. Silvestre	Shinya Yoshida
Lolevic O. Suicano	Takashi Yonemoto
Ma. Gloria Joven	Timothy Alan A. Pascua
Marianne Camille D. Basa	Yuji Tsuruta

Another Nursery Establishment for One Child, One Tree

Founder of One Child, One Tree (OCOT) Ms. Natalia Sali issued a letter of thanks to Fujitsu for supporting the establishment of much needed mangrove nurseries in OCOT’s efforts to continue planting for coastal protection of Bulacan’s residents, stating:

“I am writing on behalf of One Child, One Tree Project and Fostering Education & Environment for Development, Inc. (FEED, Inc., for which I am an ambassador) to express our sincere appreciation for the donation of P4,500. One Child, One Tree is an environmental project that I founded in January 2017.

I am privileged to be working with 30 volunteers. Our first project was planting 1000 trees in 25 schools and training 4,000 students on environment protection. From that project, we identified the need to grow and nurture mangroves along our shoreline and mangrove forests.

Your donation will be used to purchase Aviccenia mangrove that will be planted in the Tibaguin Mangrove Nursery. The nursery is one of the four phases of the Mangrove Reforestation Project which includes research on mangrove species, environment education, and out-planting. In the next few years, we aim to plant 50,000 mangroves along the shoreline of Hagonoy, Bulacan.

The nursery has been started on 15^th July with the participation of OCOT volunteers and community folks, and with funding from the governor of Bulacan. It is aimed at nurturing young mangrove seedlings until they are ready to be planted in the forests/shoreline. In addition, it will also provide livelihood to community residents.

We will keep you posted on the nursery development.” -Natalia Sali

Click here for the full letter: Letter for Fujitsu Ten Phils Inc., July 2017.

Photo Journal

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Climate Change is Causing a Major Redistribution of Life on Earth

A study published early July 2017 in the journal Science shows, climate change is driving a universal major redistribution of life on Earth.

These changes are already having serious consequences for economic development, livelihoods, food security, human health, and culture. They are even influencing the pace of climate change itself, producing feedbacks to the climate system.

Species on the move

Species have, of course, been on the move since the dawn of life on Earth. The geographical ranges of species are naturally dynamic and fluctuate over time. But the critical issue here is the magnitude and rate of climatic changes for the 21st century, which are comparable to the largest global changes in the past 65 million years. Species have often adapted to changes in their physical environment, but never before have they been expected to do it so fast, and to accommodate so many human needs along the way.

For most species – marine, freshwater, and terrestrial species alike – the first response to rapid changes in climate is a shift in location, to stay within their preferred environmental conditions. On average, species are moving towards the poles at 17km per decade on land and 78km per decade in the ocean. On land, species are also moving to cooler, higher elevations, while in the ocean some fish are venturing deeper in search of cooler water.

Why does it matter?

Different species respond at different rates and to different degrees, with the result that new ecological communities are starting to emerge. Species that had never before interacted are now intermingled, and species that previously depended on one another for food or shelter are forced apart.

Why do changes in species distribution matter?

This global reshuffling of species can lead to pervasive and often unexpected consequences for both biological and human communities. For example, the range expansion of plant-eating tropical fish can have catastrophic impacts by overgrazing kelp forests, affecting biodiversity and important fisheries.

In wealthier countries these changes will create substantial challenges. For developing countries, the impacts may be devastating.

Knock-on effects

Many changes in species distribution have implications that are immediately obvious, like the spread of disease vectors such as mosquitoes or agricultural pests. However, other changes that may initially appear more subtle can also have great effects via impacting global climate feedbacks.

Mangroves, which store more carbon per unit area than most tropical forests, are moving towards the poles. Spring blooms of microscopic sea algae are projected to weaken and shift into the Arctic Ocean, as the global temperature rises and the seasonal Arctic sea ice retreats. This will change the patterns of “biological carbon sequestration” over Earth’s surface, and may lead to less carbon dioxide being removed from the atmosphere.

Redistribution of the vegetation on land is also expected to influence climate change. With more vegetation, less solar radiation is reflected back into the atmosphere, resulting in further warming. “Greening of the Arctic”, where larger shrubs are taking over from mosses and lichens, is expected to substantially change the reflectivity of the surface.

These changes in the distribution of vegetation are also affecting the culture of Indigenous Arctic communities. The northward growth of shrubs is leading to declines in the low-lying mosses and lichens eaten by caribou and reindeer. The opportunities for Indigenous reindeer herding and hunting are greatly reduced, with economic and cultural implications….

Internationally, the impacts of species on the move will affect our capacity to achieve virtually all of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including good health, poverty reduction, economic growth, and gender equity. Currently, these goals do not yet adequately consider effects of climate-driven changes in species distributions. This needs to change if we are to have any chance of achieving them in the future.

National development plans, economic strategies, conservation priorities, and supporting policies and governance arrangements will all need to be recalibrated to reflect the realities of climate change impacts on our natural systems. At the regional and local levels, a range of responses may be needed to enable affected places and communities to survive or thrive under new conditions.

For communities, this might include changed farming, forestry or fishing practices, new health interventions, and, in some cases, alternative livelihoods. Management responses such as relocating coffee production will itself have spillover effects on other communities or natural areas, so adaptation responses may need to anticipate indirect effects and negotiate these trade-offs.

To promote global biodiversity, protected areas will need to be managed to explicitly recognise novel ecological communities, and to promote connectivity across the landscape. For some species, managed relocations or direct interventions may be needed. Our commitment to conservation will need to be reflected in funding levels and priorities.

The success of human societies has always depended on the living components of natural and managed systems. For all our development and modernisation, this hasn’t changed. But human society has yet to appreciate the full implications for life on Earth, including human lives, of our current unprecedented climate-driven species redistribution. Enhanced awareness, supported by appropriate governance, will provide the best chance of minimising negative consequences while maximising opportunities arising from species movements.”

Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/04/life-on-earth-is-getting-a-major-redistribution-and-the-consequences-are-serious

About Fujitsu Ten Solutions Philippines, Inc.

Fujitsu Ten Solutions Philippines, Inc. (FTSPI) was established in 1999 by Fujitsu Ten Limited (FTL) and Fujitsu Ten Corporation of the Philippines (FTCP). Formerly called Fujitsu Ten Software Philippines, Inc., FTSPI develops software for state of the art technology in Car Audio Visual and Communication Equipment, Car Multimedia, Car Electronics and Simulation devices. It also carries out research and design of prototype units, electrical circuits, mechanical parts, printed circuit boards for car audio-visual equipments, car accessories and car electronic parts.

Together with FTL and FTCP, FTSPI has since evoked Innovation, Speed and Quality in fulfilling its mission to develop software and hardware that integrate various media and applications to provide entertainment in cars, to ensure safety and efficiency in automotive electronics, to explore innovative ideas for information technology, and to pursue a clean environment. At FTSPI, we strive to provide pleasurable commuting by continuously developing car audio and visual facilities to keep up with evolving technology and customer’s needs. Prototypes for next-generation car electronics are developed by our talented professionals to provide a one-stop-shop for car navigation and entertainment.