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Beautify CNMI to plant more trees

By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

BEAUTIFY CNMI will conduct another tree planting activity on Beach Road this weekend.

The tree planting activity spearheaded by the group’s restoration subcommittee will start at 8 a.m. on Sunday.

Beautify CNMI group will be joined by members of MOVERS, an organization of Filipino workers on island.

They will plant trees in the areas between Saipan Gold Beach Hotel and the 13th Fishermen Pavilion.

This will be the third time that Beautify CNMI will plant trees along Beach Road.

The group’s first tree planting activity was held on June 19 near the 13th Fishermen pavilion. The plants were donated by the Division of Parks and Recreation.

On Sunday, June 25, the group and MOVERS planted seven flame trees in the area across from the Naked Fish restaurant.

Angelo Villagomez, public involvement coordinator for the Marianas Resource Conservation & Development Council Inc., said the volunteers had to break through a layer of compacted coral fill to get to the underlying soil.

Villagomez said the newly planted trees will replace those that have been damaged or destroyed.

The tree planting activity is part of the campaign to restore the natural beauty of the island.

Villagomez said they will work with local businesses and students of Northern Marianas College for their next tree planting project.

Their next target areas are along Middle Road, from Pizza Hut to the Chalan Monsignor intersection, the road to the airport from the Guangdong Hardware intersection, Airport Road, and the section of Middle Road going to Marpi.

Villagomez said they need more volunteers for tree planting activities.
Anyone who wants to contribute ideas, donate plants, drinking water, food or backhoes or provide any other assistance to Beautify CNMI can call the Marianas Resource Conservation & Development Council Inc. office at 236-0894.

Beautify CNMI is a coalition of government agencies as well as private sector and community organizations.