MSBFI TODAY AFTER 30 YEARS
The vision-mission of MSBFI is geared to sharing and caring for the conservation of our natural resources, protection of the environment and developing a first class environmental center in the Philippines to provide livelihood to urban and rural communities to reduce poverty and unemployment.
MSBFI has famed its existence by a number of outstanding performances in the area of reforestation and plantation development, agroforestry and tree farming, production of seedlings, saplings and big trees, tree care and maintenance, balling and planting big trees, charcoal production, composting, environmental - garden center, seed center, consultancy services and research activities. The MSBFI's newest program: production of famous and historic tree seedlings.
Reforestation and platation development
MSBFI pioneered in the early 1980's the "nurse-climax tree" reforestation technology, a paradigm shift from the "usual and classical reforestation / forestation technique" practiced by the government. The "nurse-climax tree" technology involves the planting of leguminous or nitrogen-fixing tree with the climax species. The nurse-climax tree technology is based on the planting of fast-growing leguminous forest tree species such as Ipil-ipil, Acacia mangium and A. auriculiformis, while climax trees are timber species like mahogany, narra, molave and other indigenous forest tree species and fruit trees.
Records show that MSBFI has planted 14 million nurse tree seedlings and 3 million climax tree seedlings for the government and private sector. It has successfully reforested more than 5,000 hectares of open, denuded and non-productive areas in Luzon. In reforesttation and plantation development, MSBFI has contracted an aggregate area of more than 13,000 hectares for reforestation with MWSS, DENR, NAPOCOR and MERALCO located at La Mesa Dam, Marikina Watershed, Bataan and Montalban, Rizal, respectively. For the last 30 years, MSBFI has participated in the greening activities, reforestation and plantation development program of the DENR. Ironically, the capacity of MSBFI in reforestation has not been fully harnessed because the government sector has not fully availed of its services and potentials.
Agroforestry and tree farming
Through the concept of agroforestry, MSBFI creates forests with landowners. The concept of agroforestry introduced by MSBFI has gained interest by a number of private landowners from the provinces of Batangas, Nueva Ecija, Cavite and Bulacan by planting Acacia auriculaeformis as nurse tree and Mango as climax tree. The mango trees began bearing fruits profusely five years after planting. Since 1993, MSBFI has created agroforestry and tree farms for landowners. MSBFI's vast records of successful forest plantation development and agroforestry has attracted the attention of scientists abroad including number of firms who engaged its services for their reforestation and planting requirements.
Production of seedlings, saplings and big trees
MSBFI continues to produce quality forest tree seedlings, saplings and big trees and budded / grafted fruit tree saplings. Special concern has been focused to indigenous forest tree species such as narra, mahogany, bitaog, red lauan, Palawan cherry, molave and bagras in support to the Green the Phillipines program of the government. Grafted or budded fruit trees like calamansi, mango, chico etc. are available at a reasonable price.
Tree care and maintenance and urban tree planting
Like people, trees also need doctors to treat them. In November 1995, MSBFI opened the first and only doctors-clinic for trees. Services offered including consultations and assessment during site visits are treatment of sick and injured trees (tree surgery), pruning / trimming, balling and transplanting big trees, tree removal and stump removal, and identifying the right tree species for urban planting, For the last 12 years, MSBFI has served institutions and individuals, such as golf clubs, home and subdivision owners, and memorial gardens within and outside Metro Manila. The institutions served include, among others, the Manila Memorial Park, SM City, PAGASA, and Pacific Homeowners Association. In addition, MSBFI contracted the planting and maintenance of urban forest park with Winner Foundation (Arroceros Forest Park, Manila), Campus Park (Miriam College of Quezon City), and several government office compounds such as Philippine National Bank Financial Center, Pasay City, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Quezon City.
Charcoal making and composting
The thinning / trimmings removed were fed into charcoal, the leaves and small branches were converted into compost. At present, there are three Brazilian type of charcoal kiln being operated by MSBFI with an average total capacity of 2,800 sacks of charcoal every year. Also about 14 tons of compost is produced annually. Thirty percent of the income from the sale of charcoal is given to the nursery personnel as additional incentives.
Environmental - garden center
The MSBFI environmental center houses several garden centers - a group of nursery outlets that sells rare and collector's plants, large scale-landscaping depot and wholesaler of imported and local cut floweres. It is also the venue of orchid shows and international horticulture shows. At least once a year, the Philippines Horticulture Society Inc., present their ornamentals, orchids and other plant species exhibits at the Center. The King Louis Gardens is a group of nursery outlets that specialize rare and collector's plant and cut flowers grown in Baguio City. Green 2000 is a wholesaler of garden supplies and a landscaping depot. Most important showcase at the MSBFI environmental center belonging to Green 2000 is a collection of culinary, medicinal and other purpose herbs which is available to the general public at a reasonable price. Green 2000 has recently launched its "Pick and Pay" project where herbs and vegetable garden is housed in a huge greenhouse. Free lectures on medicinal herbs and trees were given including demonstrations on proper cooking and flower arrangements.
A pioneer in large-scale landscaping of government and private gardens, the Bulacan Garden Corporation is also a part of the garden center. The Flower Mart is also housed in the environmental center as wholesaler of cut flowers and florists supplies. Other garden centers include Purification Orchids that specializes the "most facinating" orchids like Vandas, Phalaenopsis and Dendrobiums; Vic's Orchids and Ornamentals from Los Banos that specializes the "most attractive" Euphorbia species and Hibiscus of different sizes and colors; Puentespina specializes Davao plants, fruits and cut flowers for big hotels and for special receptions; Vangie Company specializes on very rare but not expensive plants; Bonsai park established by Abundo Madraso for some "very facinating" bonsai trees. A very "famous bonsai master", Serafin Matilla has a collection of bonsai plants. He conducts lecture regularly to bonsai enthusiasts. Mega Orchids is the biggest distributor of rare orchids in Central Luzon. Jose Villa Garden also specializes in ornamentals and landscaping services. Several other garden centers specialize on other "most interesting" flowering and ornamental plants. One of the Greenhouses has been converted into a "mass-based", tiangge that offers more collection of plants and ornamental trees at a relatively low price.
Seed center
One of the projects of MSBFI is the seed center which is benefiting a lot of farmers and gardeners, not only in the provinces but also from the city where they can buy good quality but affordable forest and agricultural seeds. The seeds are available throughout the year for local planting and export. MSBFI has its own system of seed collection, processing in storage. Over the years, this activity has expanded not only species grown within MSBFI plantations but even those that have to be sourced from other areas.
Consultancy and research activities
Over the years, MSBFI has developed expertise in planning, development of nursery practices and plant propagation techniques, reforestation, agroforestry, tree farming projects including tree care and maintenance, balling and transplating of big trees, charcoal making and composting. With these credentials, MSBFI has offered consultancy and research services to non-government and government agencies and private land owners. Through research, MSBFI has developed a composting process through the use of organic activator to shorten the decomposition period of sawdust and chicken manure. MSBFI is now capable of producing organic fertilizer on a large scale for sale to the general public and for use of the Corporation.
Recently, MSBFI has constructed a greenhouse; open and shaded nursery sheds at the Boy Scouts National Headquarters, Ermita, Manila. As a complement, MSBFI shall conduct on the job training course on nursery practices and plant propagation. The Course is designed to provide the Scouts to have proper knowledge and awareness on nursery practices and plant propagation. One of the main concerns in the scouting program of BSP is forest conservation and environmental education. The BSP shall engage in nursery and tree planting activities. To achieve this goal, BSP has setup this "model nursery" at their National Headquarters compound.
Production of famous and historic seedlings
MSBFI newest program: propagation of progeny of famous and historic trees. MSBFI started the propagation of seeds of the Kalayaan tree (Siar) of Malolos, Bulacan, Imelda Marcos tree (Narra), President Corazon C. Aquino Tree (Kamagong), and First Lady "Ming" Ramos Tree (Kamagong), Planting of famous and historic seedlings will provide new beuty to homeowners / subdivision owners, schools and universities, environmental groups and individual family giving personal "sense of Philippine history".
MSBFI has since gone through the past 30 years of challenges but with the dedication and sincerity of its Staff and personnel, MSBFI has achieved excellent performance in reforestation, and environmental protection despite financial odds. Catering to the needs of Mother Earth Philippines, government and private institutions, MSBFI has sufficiently provided the needs for planting and greening activities.
The personnel are the heart of the Corporation. MSBFI operates like a "medical center" equipped with appropriate equipment and technology and personnel who are experts in their own fields of specialization in nursery and plantation operations, natural resources conservation and environmental management.
As a forest and fruit tree seedling producer, MSBFI has grown to an organization with diversified programs dealing with forest tree seedlings for reforestation and greening of the environment which has contributed significantly to mitigate the impact of global warming and sustainable development of the country's forest resources.
MSBFI is now paving the way to be a first class Environmental Center not only in the Philippines but also in the Region and it will continue to help bring back the ecological balance of planet Earth.
