ACEN grows beyond the goal: 1 million trees and counting
ACEN has achieved a major milestone in its reforestation and climate resilience efforts, surpassing its ambitious goal of planting one million trees by 2025—one year ahead of schedule.
Since launching its forest protection program in 2014, ACEN has remained steadfast in its commitment to protecting and restoring natural ecosystems, recognizing their vital role in limiting global temperature rise to below 1.5°C. In 2021, the company set a bold target to plant 1 million trees by 2025. As of today, ACEN has successfully planted over 1 million trees across 2,815 hectares of forestland.
Irene Maranan, senior vice president for communications and sustainability of ACEN, said: “This achievement reflects our proactive approach to environmental stewardship. By going beyond compliance and working closely with partners and local communities, we’re making tangible contributions to climate resilience and ecological restoration.”
Seventy-one percent of the trees planted in the Philippines are located within ACEN’s project sites, while the remaining 29 percent were planted in adopted sites under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) National Greening Program, in mangrove areas, and through other environmental partnerships.
Advancing reforestation efforts
ACEN’s milestone aligns with its recent pledge to support the DENR’s “Forests for Life: 5 Million Trees by 2028” initiative, a shared commitment with the Ayala group. This national reforestation effort aims to rehabilitate critical areas in six provinces—including Ilocos Norte, where ACEN operates four wind farms—and is expected to contribute to an estimated 3.5 million tons of carbon sequestration by 2038.
According to the DENR, the program will officially begin in 2025 with site preparation, seedling production, partner mobilization, and plantation establishment. The following years (2026–2027) will focus on planting, maintenance, and protection, while 2028 will emphasize sustainability through impact assessment, program evaluation, and ongoing protection efforts.
DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga emphasized the broader significance of the initiative at its launch: “The restoration of our forests is an urgent climate action strategy. Enhancing reforestation in priority areas will secure water supply and fortify the country’s defenses against flooding and landslides. This initiative also complements our ongoing efforts to expand mangrove forests and coastal greenbelts, which serve as natural barriers against storm surges and coastal erosion.”
Quantifying impact
ACEN is committed to protecting forests, fully recognizing their critical role in carbon sequestration and as natural carbon sinks.
Through its forest protection program established in 2014, the Ilocos Norte Conservation Estate now holds 94 kilotons of carbon, absorbing 345,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂)—helping clean the air, cool the weather and offset emissions. This impact is equivalent to removing the greenhouse gas emissions from 82,000 cars per year. These results reflect the cumulative effects of afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation efforts over the years, showcasing the significant climate benefits of forest restoration.
With the support of its forestry partner, the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Forestry and Natural Resources, and the dedicated North Luzon Renewables forestry team, the additionality of this carbon project was verified and granted ISO-14064-2:2019 (E) certification by independent auditor Carbon Check—affirming the integrity, measurability, and sustainability of the approach.
