QUEZON City has banned the cutting or destruction of trees declared as “century” or “heritage” trees, Mayor Herbert Bautista said Tuesday in approving City Ordinance 2638.
The ordinance states: “All trees declared as ‘Century and Heritage Trees’ shall not be subjected to any cutting or any form of destruction, except for medical, public emergency, public safety and botanical reasons and shall be preserved and maintained in its natural state.”
The prohibition shall also apply “to all plants and animals that live within or are dependent on said tree for their survival, including mammals, birds, reptiles or ferns,” the ordinance adds.
Bautista tasked the city parks development department to head a special technical committee to make an annual inventory of trees.
Trees identified to have lived for more than 100 years shall be declared as “century trees,” while those that have not yet reached 100 years but are considered ecological, historically, or culturally valuable or belonging to rare species shall be declared as “heritage trees” and shall receive the same protection as century trees.
Trees that are next to or near a water source and whose cutting or destruction will disrupt or destroy the water source shall also be declared as heritage trees and shall receive the same protection provided for under the ordinance, Bautista said.
The city government shall install a metal plate upon the declaration of a tree as a century or heritage tree, the ordinance ordered.
Century trees that are identified and found to be in a private lot shall be covered by a written agreement between the lot owner, the city government and the barangay government.
The agreement shall state that the private lot owner had voluntarily approved the trees to be declared as century or heritage trees, and shall enjoy the protection under the ordinance.
