The Butuan City Police Office (BCPO) launched on Saturday its “Bike and Plant” program, hoping to promote environmental awareness among its personnel, partners, and other stakeholders.

“The program also intends to foster unity among the partners and other stakeholders of BCPO in the conservation and preservation of our natural resources,” the city police said in a statement.

More than 50 participants from various organizations in Butuan City joined the launch that began with them biking 20 km. from the BCPO headquarters to Sitio Iyao in Barangay Anticala here, where they planted about 100 seedlings of indigenous and agroforestry tree species.

“The clean air that we breathe as we paddle in our bikes comes from these plants,” BCPO chief, Col. Excelso Lazaga Jr., said during the tree planting activity in Sitio Iyao.

He added that more areas in Butuan would be planted with different species of trees as the “Bike and Plant” continues.

The program is in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 13 (Caraga) and the Father Saturnino Urios University.

“We encourage the different sectors in our city, including the biking enthusiasts, to join and support the program,” Lazaga said. (PNA)