Watershed rehabilitation and forest conservation programs have enabled SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP) to plant nearly half a million trees and restore hundreds of hectares of forestland, as the renewable energy firm intensified its environmental initiatives in line with World Environment Day.

The company said it has planted 487,775 seedlings across 408.34 hectares of watershed areas from 2008 to 2025, achieving an average survival rate of 91 percent. The effort forms part of its long-term strategy to strengthen biodiversity, improve watershed health and support the sustainability of hydroelectric power generation.

Among its flagship programs is the Partnership in Uplifting Upland Natural Resources Livelihoods and Assets (PUNLA), which focuses on watershed management in Ifugao. The initiative supports reforestation, enrichment planting and the restoration of the Ifugao Rice Terraces while providing livelihood opportunities to local communities.

Under the program, SNAP has rehabilitated 34.3 hectares in Mayoyao and Banaue, reforested and enriched 100.44 hectares of forest areas in Banaue and Hungduan, and established five hectares of agroforestry farms in Lagawe. The company said these projects have helped prevent an estimated 6,722 tons of soil erosion across the province.

In Benguet, SNAP continues to work with the National Power Corporation through a forest protection agreement covering areas surrounding the Ambuklao and Binga hydroelectric facilities. The program includes the maintenance of firebreaks and greenbelts, the deployment of community volunteers and the provision of firefighting equipment to reduce the risk of forest fires.

The company has also advanced reforestation efforts through the Aboitiz Passion for Agroforest and Reforest to Keep (A-PARK) program, which promotes the planting of native and fruit-bearing trees while supporting sustainable land management and community livelihoods.

As part of World Environment Day activities, SNAP-Magat conducted reservoir cleanup drives in Ramon, Isabela, while SNAP-Benguet employees joined eco-walk activities in Itogon and Bokod to promote environmental awareness and conservation.