Management of Philippine forests

Title

Language

English

Year

1950

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

The Management of the Philippine Forests Senior Forester RAMON ACUNA The Philippine forests, which constitute 59 per cent of the land area of the country, is managed by the Bureau of Forestry which is charged by law with the administration, pr .Jtection, and conservation of all public forests. The forests belong to the State, and like other natural resources, with the exception of public agricultural lands, can not be alienated. The whole area of the Philippines from the t.:>ps of mountains to the seacoast might have been covered with forest, or similar vegetatation. SubjecteQ to cutting and clearing, over 5 million hectares, or about 17 per cent of our land area, is open grassland, abandoned by the original occupants due to loss .:>f soil fertility. This commercial forest of the Philippines covering more than 13 million hectares with an average stand of 9.0 cubic meters per hectare, has a volume of about one billion cubic meters. This forest wealth is w.Jrth more than two billion pesos in forest charges, and its commercial value is approximately 58 billion p~sos. These forest supports the Philippine lumber industry with about 48 million pesos capital investment, employing 70,000 laborers and supporting 350,000 persons, including their dependents. Our forests do not only produce mat.erials for construction purposes, wood for fuel, and .Jther useful products, but also prevent or reduce erosion and destructive effects of floods; increase watershed protection, and provide aesthetic or recreational grounds, and wildlife coverage. For these purposes, this Bureau regulates the exploitation .Jf our forests and the cutting rules are embodied in the licenses or permits issued. On mountain tops and steep slopes, as litAUGUST, 1950 tle cutting as possible is allowed, in order to retain the forest cover there .Jn for protection purposes. The retention of f~rest on critical areas prevents landslides and erosion, and minimizes the destructive force of floods. On potential agricultural lands, after the conditions therein had been carefully studied, the clear cutting method may be all.Jwed. Forest reserves are established for the protection of public interests and the preservation of valuable trees from being depleted. They are managed under strict application of rules and regulations. Likewise, timberlands are not subjected to entry except portions thereof far forest purposes. In other public forests, not reserved for definite purposes, where m.:>st of the Bureau's timber licensees operate, specific rules are imposed, whereby no trees may be cut below the minimum diameter set for certain species. Communal forests are set aside to provide free timber, fuel, and other minor forest products for the residents of the municipality ·for which they are established. They cann.Jt be exploited for commercial purposes or entered for cultivation. National Parks are established for their historical, geological, and aesthetic value. They are managed for recreational, educational. and scientific purposes . In the management of .Jur ·forests, only the annual increment is allowed to be cut and removed, based on growth studies and valuation surveys taken. in connection with the collection of other data for the preparation of forest w .Jr king plans. The Philippine forests are administered, managed, and protected by 120 foresters, 432 rangers, and 177 forest guards, whose time is (Continued ·on page 32) Page 11 SUMMER CAMPING ... (Continued from page 14) jungle, we saw what seemed like a city park ground, somberly lit by silvery sunrays filtering through the thick foliage overhead. Dead, brown leaves covered the ground like a soft golden carpet and there were numerous places where, save for the rippling murmur of a little stream, not a sound could be heard, not even birds or insects, nothing but the gentle moan of the wind or the scarcely audible cawing of a far-off kalaw---only those and the deep silence; that, and a vague awareness that there, one is in union with nature itself, in a state of oneness with the Infinite. Night in the giant woodlands is so different from the daytime. But before I proceed, may I beg your tolerance if I, in my greenness regard the trees we have seen as giants? If you have been used to nothing but coconut trees or santols in your backyards or to the acacias and banabas that line some of the city'l!I better streets, how else could you look upon three or four-log red lauans . usually about one meter in diameter and sometimes as wide as two meters. Those mammoth hulks, of course, we could not see at night. We could only feel their presence around us as we lie in our rude open hut an~ stare through the cracks in the anahaw roofing at the dark boughs above over which the pale starlight was glimmering. With the quick advent of nightfall the creatures of the forest gradually come to life, breaking the stillness of the daytime as the cool mountain air is filled with the myriad chirps and twittering of insects' in the dark mingled with the screech of night birds. Far away from the flickering campfire, a deer would bellow and a hunter's shots would ring out. We would talk in low tones and speculate on the origin of the phosphorescent bits of matter that litter the ground like so many green coals in the dark, but always that nocturnal forest trill Page 32 STANDARDIZATION ... (Continued from page 29) give us a salary commensurate · with our capability, education and training. We members of the forestry profes5ion must admit that the fault is partly ours. We have never been vociferous in our bid for better wages. We used to believe that "silence is the better part of virtue." It will be to the best interest of the employees of the Bureau of Forestry if the foresters' salaries will be standardized at once and those concerned will include in its calendar of activities a ca~paign, personal and othewise, to this end. It is with high hopes that our plea"standardization of foresters' salaries will meet proper recognition and reward very soon and the forestry profession raised to the standard in which it rightfully belongs. THE MANAGEMENT . . (Cont. from p. 11) devoted to protect~on, administration, and supervision of forest utilization. In view of the limited personnel and fund& available, it is y .:>ur civic duty as Filipinos tp cooperate in the prevention of unnecessary destruction to our forests, especially against illegal cai.11Ain-making. The conservation of our forests by wise use is the only means by which we can pass this great natural wealth from the present to future generations. Y .:>u alone can help to protect and save it from destruction; would prevail until, weary from the day's hard grind, we would be carried off into the deep oblivion of sleep. For the hospitality of the District Forester's Staff in the area under Forester Severino Nablo, we will always be grateful. So are we thankful to the different sawmills in the area where we met many alumni of our school who gave us much sensible advice and made our stay a very enjoyable one in spite of the hard work. Last but not least in our esteem are the kind people of Bahi, Tuaca and elsewhere where we were welcomed. FORESTRY LEAVES

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