FUTURE OF PHILIPPINE FORESTRY: TOWARDS SFM

OBJECTIVE 2010

Society of Filipino foresters, Inc.

56th Anniversary and National Convention27 to 30 September 2004, General Santos City

Who relies on trees and forests?

60 million indigenous people living in the rainforests of Latin America, Southeast Asia and West Africa depend heavily on forests

350 million people living in, or next to, dense forests rely on them for subsistence or income

1.2 billion people in developing countries use trees on farms to generate food and cash

Source: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) in its preparatory work for the World summit on sustainable Development (Johannesburg 2002)

Some Definitions of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)

• Forest resources and forest lands shall be managed and used sustainably to fulfill social, economic, ecological,, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations (UNCED, Rio de Janeiro, 1992)

• Process of managing forest lands and resources found therein to achieve one or more clearly specified objectives of management with regard to the production of continuous flow of its inherent values and future productivity and without undue undesirable effects on the social and physical environment (International Tropical Timber Organization, ITTO)

Executive Order 318 : Promoting Sustainable Forest Management in the

Philippines

PolicySustainable management of forests and

forestlands in watersheds which shall be managed in a holistic, scientific, rights-based, technology-based and community-based manner and observing the principles of multiple-use, decentralization and devolution, and active participation of LGUs, synergism of economic, ecological, social and cultural objectives, and the rational utilization of all resources found therein. It shall likewise be the policy to promote sound, effective and efficient, globally-competitive and equitable forestry practices in both public and private domains.

Guiding Principles

Delineation, Classification and Demarcation of State forestlands

Holistic, sustainable and Integrated Development of Forestry Resources

Community-Based Forest Conservation and Development

Incentives for Enhancing Private Investments, Economic Contribution and Global Competitiveness of Forest-Based Industries

Proper Valuation and Pricing of Forestry Resources and Financing SFM

Institutional Support for SFM

Current Efforts of Government

1. Delineation, Classification and Demarcation of State Forestlands

a. Forest Boundary delineation

b. Land Classification of unclassified

c. Identification of production and protection forests nationwide

d. Issuance of RA for A and D lands

Current Efforts of Government

2. Holistic, sustainable and Integrated Development of Forestry Resources

a. ENR Shell (Framework Plan)b. Philippine Forest Policy 2001 c. Philippine Master Plan for Forest Developmentc. Adoption of Watershed Ecosystem Management (WEM) Frameworkd. Comprehensive Management and Development Plans/Multi-Year Operational Planc. Urban Forestry

Current Efforts of Government

3. Community-Based Forest Conservation and Development

a. CBFM Program/Strategy/Approachb. CADT/CALTc. Resource Use Permit/Resource Access Rightsd. Joint Ventures with private investore. Partnership with LGU/NGO f. CLASP

Current Efforts of Government

4. Incentives for Enhancing Private Investments, Economic Contribution and Global Competitiveness of Forest-Based Industries

a. Rationalize/Harmonize policiesb. Streamline/simplify permitting systemc. Devolution/Deregulation in some

areasd. Forest-Based Industry Advisory Councile. Oil Palm Plantationf. Co-management

Current Efforts of Government

5. Proper Valuation and Pricing of Forestry Resources and Financing SFM

a. Environmental Users Fee

b. RA 7161

c. Environment and Natural Resource Accounting (ENRA)

d. Revival of Securitization

e. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

Current Efforts of Government

6. Institutional Support for SFMa. Philippine Environmental governance Project (EcoGov)b. Good Governance (principles of

transparency, accountability and participatory decision-making

c. Decentralization, Devolution, Deregulation, Streamliningd. Strengthening Partnership/Linkagese. Resource Management Course (RMC)f. FLUPg. C & I

Challenges of SFM

DENR as the primary government agency mandated to pursue the sustainable development and management of the country’s environment and natural resources it is generally perceived as inefficient and ineffective in the delivery of its desired services to the LGUs and communities

CONCLUSIONS ON CODE-NGO ASSESSMENT

PLUS POINTS DEGREE OF EFFORTS MADE. 

SOME IMPROVEMENTS MADE. 

REFORMS INITIATED.  NEGATIVE POINT NO IMPACT.

1.1 NOT ABLE TO ADEQUATELY PROTECT ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES.

1.2. NOT ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

1. QUESTIONS ON RELEVANCE:

2. QUESTIONS OF CREDIBILITY:

2.1. EFFORTS NOT HARD ENOUGH (WEIGH DOWN BY PERCEIVED VESTED INTERESTS).

2.2. LEVELS OF CORRUPTION AND INEFFICIENCY DROWNING GOOD ONES.

2.3. INADEQUATE RESOURCES AND LEGAL AUTHORITY.

2.4. INCONSISTENT AND UNSTABLE POLICY ENVIRONMENT.

3. QUESTIONS ON VISIBILITY:

3.1. NOT AWARE OF DENR EFFORTS.

3.2. DOES NOT UNDERSTAND DENR EFFORTS.

NOTE: HARIBON STUDY – LEVEL OF PUBLIC AWARENESS ON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IS 2 OUT OF 10,000 PEOPLE (0.02%).

HUGE POTENTIALS OF DENR:

1. EXTENSIVE REACH (UP TO MUNICIPAL LEVEL).

2. GENERALLY GOOD PERSONNEL:

2.1 HONEST, DEDICATED AND WILLING TO SACRIFICE.

2.2. HIGH LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE (MOST NUMBER OF PH D’S AND MASTERAL OUTSIDE DOST).

2.3. EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE (LONG-SERVING CAREER PEOPLE).

3. HIGHER LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE TO DENR IN ENVIRONMENT SECTOR (RELATIVELY EASY TO GET PARTNERS AND MOBILIZE SUPPORT).

4. DENR CLIENTS AMONG THE POOREST OF THE POOR (HIGH OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPACT).

5. ONLY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY IN THE UPLANDS.

6. THE PERFORMANCE OF OTHER SECTORS IS DETERMINED TO A LARGE EXTENT ON HOW WE PERFORM (AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRY, HEALTH, SOCIAL JUSTICE, TOURISM, SECURITY).

PHIL.

FOREST

COVER

Forest cover loss: 1950 - 1970

Forest cover loss: 1970 - 1987

Status of Philippine Forest

Land Classification (as of Dec. 2002)Timberland- - - - - - - 15,854,922 (52.85%)A & D- - - - - - - - - - - 14,145,078 (42.15%)

Forest Cover (as of 2003)Forest- - - - - - - - - - - 7,168,400 (24%)Current data used - - 5,400,000 (18%)Increase in forestcover - - - - - - - - - - - 1.8 million hectares

Map of the Philippines30 Million Hectares

Forestlands - 15M ha. (50%)

Unclassified - .88M ha. (2.94%)

Alienable & Disposable14.12 M ha. (47.06%)

Ideal Ecological Land Balance or Ratio

60 per cent as A and D - - - - 18 million has.

40 per cent forest cover- - - - 12 million has.

Deficit - - - - - 7.2 (24%)- - - - 4.8 million has. (16%)

5.4 (18%)- - - - 6.6 million has. (22%)

Forestry Sector Problem Tree

UNSUSTAINABILITY OF FOREST RESOURCES

LOSS OF FORESTRESOURCES

LOSS OFBIODIVERSITY

LOSS OF WATERSHED VALUES

FOREST DEGRADATION

UNCONTROLLED LAND CONVERSION

UNSUSTAINABLE LAND USES

ILLEGAL PRACTICES

LACK OF PRIVATE INVESTMENTS

FAILURES OF PFA IN FOREST MANAGEMENT

WEAK POLICIES &

PROGRAMS

UNDEFINED LIMITS OF FOREST

LANDS

CONFLICTS IN PFA ROLES

WEAK INTERSECTORAL PARTICIPATION

WEAK FOREST SCIENCE

FOUNDATION

Challenges to SFM in the Philippines

Effects of globalization both positive and negative, i.e. forest policies, liberalization of capital movements, corporate environmental management

Need for an institutionalized and legislated long-term policy on SFM

Forests for reducing poverty Redefinition of roles of major stakeholders like DENR,

LGUs, communities, private sector Movement from Forest Management to Forest

Governance Reengineering and Retooling the Bureaucracy

Challenges to Filipino Foresters

New Mindset ---local to global

forest to ecosystem

trees to forest

needs to rights

regulation to development forests for people

forests for the planet

Challenges to Filipino Foresters

Professional Foresters

increasing importance of biodiversity

ICT, GIS, data base

integrated ecosystems

urban forestry

knowledge-sharing and capacity building

new technologies

Challenges to Filipino Foresters

Private-Public Sector Dynamicsincreasing importance of

private forests or “trees outside forests”

accountability of resource users

fundamental right of indigenous people

mainstreaming stakeholders integrating forestry in rural and local

developmentForest Certification