The musical film, “A Thousand Forests” is currently showing in selected Philippine cinemas in time for the nationwide Arbor Day celebration. This movie offers a compelling narrative of five children who joined a forest camp organized by Forester Bani (portrayed by Dominic Ochoa).

The five lead characters are children from diverse cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds who exchange stories about their experiences and discuss their indifference to climate change issues.

This movie is a product of a collaborative partnership between the UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources (UPLB-CFNR) and I.Syoot Multimedia Production (I.Syoot) to communicate science-based solutions to climate change and what the youth can do to help solve the problem.

Planting the seeds of hope

Dean Marlo D. Mendoza of UPLB-CFNR said that in conceptualizing the film, he was motivated by the need to influence the youth regarding their role in climate change mitigation and in lessening their carbon footprint.

The story, he said, was co-developed by the I.Syoot team, which is composed of his former colleagues from ABS-CBN Foundation who produced educational TV programs such as Sineskwela, Hiraya Manawari, and Math-Tinik. After a series of consultations and brainstorming with CFNR to ensure factual and accurate scientific and technical information, the I.Syoot team proceeded with the scriptwriting, casting, and shooting of the musical film.

The “A Thousand Forests” musical film promotes the following key messages: 1) the global call to limit warming up to 1.5 degrees; 2) the Philippines’ commitment to cut emissions by 70% in 2030; 3) the involvement of all able-bodied Filipinos aged 12 years old and above in tree-planting as mandated by the Arbor Law; 4) the importance of trees in carbon sequestration to lower global temperature; and 5) a call to action to lessening carbon footprint through lifestyle modification.

The University of the Philippines believes that this movie, through the lens of the children’s narratives, will be an eye-opener to the students and youth concerning climate change and its imminent impacts.

This musical film is part of a larger program of the same name, the “A Thousand Forests Program” or ATF which was developed by CFNR. The movie is only the first step to raising awareness about the project, which will be followed by the following activities: private sector and civil society engagement in tree planting; development of a monitoring and evaluation system for carbon measurement; and annual reporting of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regarding the greening activities lodged in the ATF.

Nurturing the seedlings

A movie preview and donor’s night was held at the Ramon Magsaysay Center on April 21, 2024, just before the Earth Day celebration. It was attended by members of the UPLB executive committee, representatives from UPLB CFNR, representatives of the private sector who are potential supporters of the ATF Program, the cast and staff of the film, and the I.Syoot production team.

Susan Afan, president of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF), gave a welcome message at the donor’s night where she encouraged everyone to be mindful of their actions toward the environment and its long-term impacts. On behalf of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, Afan pledged support for the ATF Project.

In his keynote speech, UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr. encouraged people in the audience to engage the younger generation in joining the climate change discourse by spreading awareness about it through the arts, like what CFNR and I.Syoot Multimedia Production did through the musical film.

Chancellor Camacho expressed his hopes that the nationwide tour of the movie “A Thousand Forests” in far-flung schools throughout the Philippines would spark a conversation among the students as change-makers of tomorrow.

He congratulated the artists and filmmakers of I.Syoot, the scientists and educators from UPLB CFNR, the DENR, and the partner agencies of the “A Thousand Forests Program,” for their shared commitment to addressing environmental challenges and enhancing collaboration across different communities.

Dean Mendoza then presented an overview of the ATF Program. He said that it is not a new greening initiative but a revitalized approach designed to ensure higher survival rates of planted seedlings. According to him, the goal is for the seedlings to mature into trees that can sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Enjoining the youth and professionals

An advance movie screening was held at UPLB CFNR on May 30, 2024, attended by nearly 800 people. Mendoza said that part of the proceeds of the advance screening would be allotted for students in far-flung and disadvantaged areas to watch the film for free.

Movie-goers expressed hope for the Philippine forests and a renewed sense of passion and action toward protecting natural resources.

Ma. Armie Janica R. Pleto, a university researcher at the UPLB Institute of Agroforestry, said that the movie popularizes technical concepts such as climate change, which is necessary to involve the youth in protecting the forests.

She said that she hopes to do the same in her institution by conducting extension activities focused on agroforestry, soil conservation practices, and sustainable forest management.

Graduate students and teaching associates from the Department of Social Forestry and Forest Governance also commended CFNR and I.Syoot for producing the musical film.

Justine A. Marasigan said it is high time to cultivate environmentalism among the kids. He mentioned that strengthening environmental education among primary and secondary school educators is necessary; hence he encouraged all the teachers to request their students to watch the ATF musical film.

Louise Bernadette C. Del Castillo said that she believed that the film could influence her fellow professionals, especially from the local government units, to collectively act and partner with local communities to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

A tool to influence people

Alfie M. Torres and Vanessa M. Palma-Torres, both licensed foresters and assistant professors at CFNR, watched the film with their son. Palma-Torres expressed her pride in her profession as featured in the musical film. She said that she looks at the film as a legacy of the UPLB CFNR–a useful tool to influence the public about the vision of the institution in the upcoming years.

She also mentioned that the inclusion of scenes such as the impact of landslides and dynamite fishing would be very relatable to ordinary people, most especially concerning the welfare of the younger generation. She said that she hoped such dramatic aspects of the film could mirror the situation of people in disadvantaged areas.

Torres commended the musical composition of ATF, saying that the lyrics were very remarkable. The couple urged all their fellow parents to watch the musical film to inform and educate their kids about the pressing environmental issues.

Finally, Angelo F. Matira, a BS Forestry student, shared his perspective on the movie. He believes that forest camps could provide a good venue to educate the kids about climate change and share their own experiences. He believes that the movie could influence the youth to lead in mitigating climate change, and encouraged his fellow students to watch the musical film.

Growing the trees, maintaining thousands of forests

The UPLB CFNR conducted a meeting with the Faculty of Management and Development Studies of the University of the Philippines Open University on June 3, 2024, for the potential development of massive, open, and online courses (MOOCs) on forests and climate change under the ATF Program.

A scoping project will soon be held together with professionals and other scientific organizations to integrate the soon-to-be-developed MOOCs in the Continuing Professional Development program, which aims to meaningfully engage professionals in tree planting and nurturing activities as well as to achieve carbon neutrality.

The UPLB CFNR is also set to talk with the Philippine Regulation Commission, the Philippine Forestry Education Network and its member SUCs, the Department of Education, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regarding the details of their program involvement.