TRANCH 1 PROGRESS:
1. Before purchase of seedlings, there were three (3) stakeholder (seedling) suppliers identified that supplied 3 different tree species namely:
a) Western Highland Provincial Forest Office (PFO)- supplied Eucalyptus tree species,
b) Local seedling suppliers- supplied Pines tree species, and
c) Famous native tree species from local forest namely- ?Kraip? & ?Kuang?.
The CBO purchased seedlings from Provincial Forest Office (PFO) and also from local suppliers both outside of Mt Hagen town, while native seedlings collected by contracted youths from nearby forests back in the rural environment. PFO supplied with 4000 Eucalyptus species and local people supplied additional 4000 Pines species. While local youths from the community were contracted and collected further 4,500 native tree seedlings mostly of hardwoods (named locally as ?Kraip? & ?Kuang?) from the natural forest. Finally the total of 12,500 different tree species have been planted in addition to existing Sacred Forest Conservation area with native seedlings speeded around the same.
a) Eucalyptus species ? 4,000 seedlings,
b) Pines tree species ? 4,500 seedlings, and
c) Native tree species (Kraip & Kuang) ? 4,000 seedlings.
2.6. Phase 1 Development- (Planting of Seedlings & Nourishing)
With the first trench of funding, the organization?s (RCDFI) Tree Planting, Sustainable Management of Degraded Land and Sacred Forest Site and Conservation Awareness Project?s phase 1 development has been completed with 12,500 tree seedlings planted on 11.3hectares. Phase 2 developments will take effect immediately and hopefully with addition 12,000-15,000 mixture of same seedlings once the second trench of the Grant is released to the organization by GEF/SGP-UNOPs.