INVESTIGATING THE INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL-BASED TREE PLANTING

PROGRAMS ON ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AMONG COLLEGE

STUDENTS IN ST. MICHAEL’S COLLEGE

Presented to the Faculty of the Science, Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics Strand Senior High School Department of St. Michael’s College,
Basic Education Department

by

EDRIS, ABDULBARE B.
MENDEZ, CHANS YESUH Q.
NEGPARANON, XYRIL MAE G.
PEPE, JUNAID I.
VALIENTE JUSTINE JAMES T.

February 2024
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1.0 Introduction

The school-based tree planting programs have inadvertently led to increased

conflict among students due to disagreements over tree maintenance responsibilities.

Research found that some students have expressed frustration with allocating resources

towards tree planting programs, feeling that other issues within the college community

are being neglected. Students must be educated about environmental awareness and

the impact of small actions like tree planting through programs at St. Michael's College.

The researchers must study the enhancement of tree-planting programs for greater

effectiveness and efficiency.

It was found that planting trees has long been a major for environmental

improvement, conserve of biodiversity, and management activity (Miller, 2021). The

researchers intend to investigate the influence on the tree planting programs on

environmental awareness and engagement among College students. The researchers

want to see if getting involved in trees at school makes students more aware of

environmental issues and more likely to take action to protect the environment.

According to Balanac, M. M. (2020), the experiences of the participants in tree

planting activity was an eye-opener that made them realize that building small efforts

can be used to create greater impact to their lives, communities, and the environment.

Engaging the participants in this practice (tree planting activity) lets students take part

in improving the environment and expose them to have more awareness towards our

environment. The school-based tree planting programs can keep students connected
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with trees and teach them the value of trees, giving them more awareness. Nature

makes us healthier and more energetic, and stimulates our everyday life. Spending

much time around trees enhances students’ academic performance, awareness, mental

and physical well-being, concentration, and self-discipline as well as their love of

nature. The researchers aim to investigate the possible effects of tree planting programs

on environmental awareness among College students. By the end of the 2024 academic

year, the researchers will see changes in how well tree planting programs at St.

Michael’s College help students learn about taking care of the environment. The

researchers will see the perceptions of students about the program and see if the

students have learned anything useful.

1.1 Objectives of the study

The researchers aim to investigate the influence of tree planting on

environmental awareness and engagement among college students at St. Michael’s

College.

Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the perception of school-based tree planting on environmental

awareness among College students in St. Michael’s College?

2. In what ways does participation in tree planting programs contribute to changes

in their awareness towards the environment among college students in St.

Michael’s College?
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3. What is the influence of a school-based tree planting program among

college students in St. Michael’s College?

2.0 Methods

The researchers use a qualitative method in nature which employs a

phenomenological approach as a type of research based on the topic and goal of this

investigation. It follows the phenomenology type as it seeks to gather the experiences

among student-participants of tree planting activity. This research is situated at St.

Michael’s College, Iligan City. St. Michael’s College nurtures and builds up capabilities

of students towards moral and communal responsibility for a renewed society. It is a

Catholic, Filipino, and RVM School, that recognizes one’s role of exemplifying ethical

and corporate responsibilities in human societies. Researchers use a purposive sampling

to collect the data from the respondents. The researchers use interviewing to gather

information, participants will share their firsthand experiences, views, and insights on

the useful skills they learned during tree planting activities through open-ended

questions. Thematic analysis will therefore be used for analyzing the data. The increase

of environmental awareness and acknowledgement of tree planting will then serve as

the outcome of the research.

3.0 Results and Discussion

References
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Faddegon, P., 2005. The Kids Growing Food school gardening program :

agricultural literacy and other educational outcomes. [Online] Available at:

https://search.worldcat.org/title/kids-growing-food-school-gardening-program-

agricultural-literacy-and-other-educational-outcomes/oclc/351216344

Miller, D. C., 2021. Predicting the long-term social and ecological impacts of

tree-planting programs: Evidence from northern India. [Online] Available at:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305750X20304952?fbcli

d=IwAR21wNW29IRYSBusARKuWV07Gzi2tZW4K9pZxb3BFeYKgMKkeg0hs

6jvYdw

Punzalan, C. H., 2020. Students’ Participation in Tree Planting Activity:

Promoting the 21st Century Environmental Education. [Online] Available at:

https://www.susted.com/wordpress/content/students-participation-in-tree-plan

ting-activity-promoting-the-21st-century-environmental-education_2020_12/?f

bclid=IwAR2LHhYj6bZl_qmPWIkOmjhHOL3D3ewYWVXcO1Z2Glnu9m744

wETMxek0-8

YuJen, K. Y. K., 2011. Elevating student knowledge and behavior through

gardening programs.. [Online]

Available at: https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.5555/20113130462