Aeta leaders seek dialogue on reforestation in ancestral lands

Aeta leaders seek dialogue on reforestation in ancestral lands

SAN MARCELINO, Zambales — Almost 1,000 African talisay seedlings now stand on Mt. Bagang in Barangay Sta. Fe here, planted through two tree-growing activities aimed at restoring forest cover and strengthening the community’s resilience to disasters. For Aeta leaders, however, the growing forest also highlights the need to ensure that environmental efforts go hand in hand with respecting the voices of indigenous communities who have long consider…