DMC to plant 1.2M trees amid nickel mining outside Sierra Madre protected area

The Dinapigue Mining Corporation (DMC) vowed to plant 1.2 million trees amid its ongoing nickel mining operations outside protected areas of the Sierra Madre mountain range in Dinapigue, Isabela.

In its environmental update posted Tuesday, the mining firm said it would plant 1.2 million trees under a 1:100 tree replacement ratio. With around 12,000 trees reportedly cut for the site preparation, the company said its tree replacement program and rehabilitation efforts would involve planting more than one million trees.

“Tree replacement program is only one of the measures to protect the environment — alongside this is continuous monitoring to ensure that every tree survives,” DMC stated.

The mining corporation stressed that, with the help of licensed foresters and environmental experts, it would explain its accomplishments and upcoming plans to comply with mining requirements.

The Daily Tribune attempted to contact DMC through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on 21 October. The DENR Central Office said on the same day that the company would send an interview invitation by email, but the reporter had yet to receive it.

DMC is a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corporation and operates a nickel mine in Dinapigue, Isabela.

The mining company maintained that all its operations are conducted outside the boundaries of the Sierra Madre Natural Park and that it holds the necessary permits and clearances from the DENR's Mines and Geosciences Bureau to operate.