Members of the University of Baguio Management took up their gloves and workboots early on the morning of October 13 to conduct a fencing activity at Busol Watershed.
The activity is part of an environmental initiative currently being conducted by the Research Innovation Extension and Community Outreach (RIECO) office. Standing for Greening, Optimizing, Orchestrating, and Magnifying Mother Earth, Project GrOOM ME seeks to put forward direct climate action and improve the state of life on land within the City of Baguio.
Led by UB President Engr. Javier Herminio Bautista and RIECO Director Donna Marie Panday, the team was assisted by the Campus Planning and Development Office (CPDO) and the student marshalls of the university. Together, they finished building 96 fences for the tree saplings planted in the area of Busol Watershed.
Fencing off the saplings is an important step in protecting the young trees from elements of the environment that may otherwise be harmful to them. By providing a barrier around the saplings, they become protected against possible physical damage and are able to ward off unwanted waste from being left on the soil around the tree pit. Through this activity, the management team ensures that the saplings planted by students and faculty will be able to mature into healthy trees in the future.
The fencing activity is the second phase of the first year of Project GrOOM ME. The next phase of the project seeks to tag the saplings to monitor their growth.
The three-year program aims to mobilize the university’s offices and stakeholders toward protecting watersheds in the city and taking direct action in the fight against climate change. Through active involvement and participation in various activities with the goal of directly addressing prominent environmental issues, the initiative seeks to raise awareness of relevant environmental issues that are currently affecting the community.
As Project GrOOM ME continues its operations, the university hopes to continue making a positive impact on the local environment while also advocating for environmental education through its outreach activities.
