Private firm helps government in timber survey

Title

Language

English

Year

1951

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Private Firm Helps Government in Timber Fact Finding Survey of Unexplored Region For the first time in the history of the College of Forestry, forest inventory and field practice students were paid by a private firm (Nasipit Lumber Company) for performing the summer requirements of the College curriculum (April 17 to June 7, 1951) in the concession of the said company. The said concession is in a region hitherto unexplored -the Pacific exposed Isabela territory. The company wanted to know reliably and in detail the feasibility of commercial exploitation of that region. If the timber content and topography warranted, the survey party was to take detailed survey data for the preparation of logging plans. The party was headed by Forester Nicanor P. Lalog, instructor in Forest Management, with Foresters Rosario T. Cortes, assistant instructor in Lumbering and Mr. Rodrigo Valbuena, assistant instructor in Dendrology, as his assistanst. The forest inventory was to cover 29,000 to 82,000 hectares. The party found that the region contains only occasional patches of commercial stands. Most of it is non-commercial. The trees are short-holed and crooked, most probably due to exposure to Pacific typhoons, according to Forester Lalog. By proper verification, the company averted possible heavy losses in investments had it est"ablished a big sawmill there guided only by extent of the area, a front of seemingly wide good stands and commercial "look" of the region from the sea and air. The company, prior to the undertaking of the project, considered all the risks, and if findings would be adverse to their objectives, still they will have the satisfaction of having contributed to forestry science accurate knowledge of hitherto uncharted area~ of the SEPTEMBER, 1951 country for more reliable guidance in resources management and investment considerations by industrialists. This courageous venture is forestry history, for it marks for the first time the awakening to the possibility that our potential timber wealth may be far below our old and rough estimates, thus pointing to us the necessity of more accurate and up-todate appraisal of our timber wealth. For that accomplishment alone, the Nasipit Lumber Company of the Fernandez Hermanos have done a far-reaching contribution to the Nation. Editor's Note: A detailed report of the reconnaissance will be published in the next issue. Compliments of Davao Gulf Lumber Corp. 100% Filipino Capital Dealers, Builders and Contractors Dealers on Logs and Lumber, as Yakal, Apitong Molave Tanguile Guijo Lawaan Mangachapuy Makers of high grade Slidings Floorings Partitions Ceilings (Corrugated) Mouldings ISAAC RoBILLO Manager Yard and Office NICOLAS SANTOS President Tomas Claudio St., Davao City Mill Site: Magtuod, Davao City

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