Sta. Lucia Land Inc., the listed property developer, has partnered with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to develop DENR’s arboretum project in Sta. Lucia’s Beverly Place Golf and Country Club (BPGCC) in Pampanga.
“In this business, it’s not enough to just build quality homes and vibrant communities. Looking after the land where you build and ensuring that there is little disturbance to the natural environment and nature are a must. For us at SLI, we always make it a point to care for the areas where we build as it has been a part of our DNA to ensure that we respect the environment, lessen our carbon footprint and initiate activities that could help counter the effects of climate change,” said Sta. Lucia Land Inc. president Exequiel Robles.
“We want to make significant contributions and to do this, we must look beyond serving the needs of our homebuyers and investors. This is why through the Sta. Lucia Foundation, we continue to partner with various groups, organizations and state agencies because we believe this will allow us to realize our goal of helping build a better, safer living environment for the Filipinos,” added Sta. Lucia Land Inc. chairman Vicente Santos.
An arboretum refers to an area where trees, shrubs, and other plant species are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes. It may be a collection in its own right or a part of a bigger botanical garden.
The goal of this initiative is to create a green space for every establishment wherein the trees will not only thrive but will further complement or enhance the area itself. This would also be considered as a significant basis for further studies on improving future conservation efforts.
The arboretum project was led by the DENR’s local implementation arm, the Provincial Environment and Resources Office (PENRO) and supported by the Provincial Government of the Province of Pampanga. The primary goal of PENRO and its partner organizations is to create strategies that will further propagate endemic tree species that are constantly exposed to risks such as climate change and illegal logging activities.
The partnership was officially established through the signing of a memorandum of agreement last February 11, 2022.
After the signing ceremony, a tree planting activity quickly followed wherein seedlings such as narra, bamboo, bitaog and ilang-ilang were planted. Beyond this project, all organizations will continue to monitor the growth and progress of the arboretum in accordance with the conditions set in the agreement.
The creation of the arboretum was in response to the Sustainable Development Goals that were set up by the United Nations General in 2015. It served as a blueprint to achieve a more sustainable future for all.
“The initiative was backed by the Sta. Lucia Foundation which provided the ideal venue within the province for the arboretum project. With the development’s sprawling fairways and open space, Beverly Place offers the ideal setting where endemic tree species can be planted and monitored,” Santos said.