Dr. Rex Victor Cruz, CFNR dean, marked the start of the celebration by welcoming the people who came to celebrate the College's reorganization and renaming from the College of Forestry to the College of Forestry and Natural Resources.

The celebration coincided with Philippine Arbor Day that is celebrated every June 25 through a proclamation issued by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2004. Dean Cruz mentioned that this year, Arbor Day is not just about planting trees but also about tree care and maintenance.

The celebration was attended by the CFNR Executive Committee members, faculty members, staff, students, representatives of student and environment organizations and two former deans, Dr. Romulo del Castillo and Dr. Ramon Razal.

The launching of the Arbor Square was also part of the morning program. Dean Cruz, together with Dr. del Castillo and Dr. Razal, led in the ribbon cutting ceremony to formally present Arbor Square and its site marker. This was followed by the symbolic planting of commemorative trees by Dean Cruz, the former deans, and other staff and faculty members. Some of the species that have been planted at Arbor Square are native tree species such as Tinaang Pantai, Almaciga, Yakal Saplungan, Dalingdingan, Bagtikan, Guijo and Palosapis.

Following the launching of Arbor Square were lecture demonstrations by CFNR faculty members on tree surgery by Dr. Ernesto Militante, and pruning and thinning by Dr. Armando Palijon and Dr. Jose Sargento. The last part of the morning program was devoted for the clean up of the Arbor Square by the CFNR faculty, staff, and students. The rest of the celebration was held in the afternoon at the Makiling Botanic Gardens. (KS Tendero)