24 June 2023, Laguna Quezon Land Grant, Siniloan, Laguna. Thanks to the thirteen committed STANTEC Philippines Eco-warriors who made it out by 730 am to arrive at the over 9,000 hectares Laguna Quezon Land Grant (LQLG) to trek and plant 300 native Philippine forest trees, with guidance and support from local forest rangers managed by FEED’s longest Living Legacy partner, the University of the Philippines Los Baños – where STANTEC also contributed a partial scholarship contribution towards a deserving Filipino scholar pursuing studies in the fields of agriculture, environment, farming, fishing or forestry.
The LQLG protect forest in Siniloan, Laguna is situated at the foothills/start of the Sierra Madres – which is the longest mountain range barrier against the regular annual typhoons that strike the Eastern shores of Luzon, Philippines – and are also attributed to protecting both upland and lowland ares from flash floods, hurricane level winds and other hazards by diminishing heavy winds and storm strengths by half their original force.
“Sustainability is key” to Stantec’s purpose, promise, and values: “We envision a world where infrastructure gives back, water is protected, natural systems are valued, biodiversity is prioritized, economies are circular, nothing gets wasted, development is responsible, everyone can access renewable energy, and society is just.” And it was evident from the thirteen participants enthusiasm on arrival, dialogue during the early morning health, safety & security briefing before the trek to planting site, and of course during the planting itself.
Thank you STANTEC Eco-Warriors for your commitment to sustainability!
| 1 | Marj Adajar | 8 | Kigia Valbuena |
| 2 | Mary Camille Papitsol | 9 | Sedirk Aralar |
| 3 | Menchie Pontoy | 10 | Rhoda Mae Gomez |
| 4 | Regina May Abad | 11 | Harold Kenneth Herrera |
| 5 | Joseth Anne Maqui | 12 | Jan Michael Granatin |
| 6 | Jolly Mangornong | 13 | Emmanuel Augustin Benipayo |
| 7 | Julius Giron |
Photo Collage 1
Photo Collage 2
GPS Coordinates
Use any GPS (Global Positioning System) software / applications to input the latitude and longitude coordinates to be able to remotely see the location of your trees planted. Some examples include:
- https://www.gps-coordinates.net/
- https://gps-coordinates.org
- https://www.maps.ie/coordinates.html
- http://www.mapcoordinates.net/en
About STANTEC Philippines
Based in Manila’s vibrant business district, our office is bordered by green spaces, bikeways, and cultural precincts. For over a decade, we have provided engineering and project management support to our colleagues in Australia. We deliver a range of engineering design, business development, planning, project coordination, and functional services.
Here in Manila, we know the importance of being sustainable. That’s why we minimize our office’s environmental footprint through dedicated recycling initiatives and participation in Stantec in the Community Week activities. Meanwhile, our young professionals carry this dedication into their work with the Developing Professional Group.
We are proud to work with our Australian and New Zealand colleagues on diverse and community enhancing projects.
For more details, visit: https://www.stantec.com/en/offices/manila-philippines
On Carbon Sequestration – How Much CO2 can our trees absorb?
Trees are often referred to as the “lungs of the Earth” as they are able to store carbon and produce oxygen, which is essential to many life forms. Trees also stabilise soil and reduce air temperature and humidity, whilst also reducing flooding and improving water quality. Without trees, most fauna and flora would not survive, what more humans?
It is widely accepted that a typical tree can absorb around 22 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year when in fully grown status, meaning that saplings, seedlings and younger trees – whether mangroves or primary or secondary forest trees – absorb around half, so conservatively say 11 kgs per year (also widely used by most international forestry agencies around the world).
So, over a lifetime of a tropical tree (100 years), one tree can absorb around 1 tonne of CO2. Although this figure seems large, it should be measured in perspective: to date we humans generate around 40 billions tonnes of CO2 each year on Earth. Which means, that we need to plant 40 billion trees annually to offset these emissions.
NATURE IS SPEAKING (Narrated by Julia Roberts)
What can I do to stop climate change?
“As the world warms, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, sea levels are rising, prolonged droughts are putting pressure on food crops, and many animal and plant species are being driven to extinction. It’s hard to imagine what we as individuals can do to resolve a problem of this scale and severity.
The good news: We are not alone. People, communities, cities, businesses, schools, faith groups and other organizations are taking action. We’re fighting like our lives depend on it — because they do.
In a world of more than seven billion people, each of us is a drop in the bucket. But with enough drops, we can fill any bucket.” – David Suzuki
Check out some of the ways you can take more climate change action.
For example, Climate Action groups are the local solution to a global crisis. Right now people just like you are coming together to develop practical, local solutions and make their towns and cities more climate-friendly. Are you ready to join them? Find out what’s happening near you.
More here: https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate-change/what-can-I-do-to-stop-climate-change
Contact FEED
In 2015, the Philippine government submitted to the United Nations the country’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The country committed to reduce its carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030. The carbon dioxide reductions will come from the sectors of energy, transport, waste, forestry and industry. Join us! Help us reverse the Earth’s “hothouse climate” tipping point.
Tree-Planting with FEED
Contact us at FEED for more details, to join our regular activities or to design your own tree-nurturing event: info@feed.org.ph or call/text +63 (0)917 552 4722.
© Fostering Education & Environment for Development, Inc.