Baguio city: Decomposing pine needles that accumulate in Baguio City and Benguet province may soon be repurposed as a soil enhancer while also helping reduce forest fire risks. The initiative, titled 'Unlocking the Potential of Dried Pine Needles: Applications for Agricultural Productivity and Soil Rehabilitation,' explores micro-organism-assisted decomposition to accelerate the breakdown of dried pine needles and convert them into a soil conditioner for mine tailings rehabilitation at the Padcal mine site of Philex Mining Corp. in Tuba, Benguet.
According to Philippines News Agency, this partnership seeks to address two pressing environmental challenges in the Cordillera region: pine needle accumulation in forest reserves and mine tailings rehabilitation. Manjit Singh Reandi, president and chief executive officer of the John Hay Management Corp. (JHMC), said the project also aims to mitigate fire hazards and improve nutrient cycling disrupted by excessive pine needle buildup in the Camp John Hay watershed. 'By converting waste into resource, the project underscores the importance of responsible forest management and sustainable waste systems,' he said.
The collaboration will support policy development, information materials, and community outreach to promote 'waste-to-resource' strategies. JHMC turned over 420 kg. of dried pine needles to Philex Mining for the project's initial phase. Rowena Blanco, Philex Mining environment office head, said the collaboration will run for one year starting June 26. 'We are testing composted pine needles for rehabilitation of the tailings pond, with the possibility of converting the area into a coffee plantation,' Blanco said. 'With UP Baguio, we will be planting coffee seedlings on the compost. It can be used for the decommissioning of the facility.'
She mentioned that if proven effective, the project could benefit communities by putting abundant pine needle waste to productive use. Blanco also stated that removing accumulated pine needles from forests could help reduce the spread of forest fires during the dry season.
