B.F. Notes

Media

Part of Forestry Leaves

Title: B.F. Notes
Language: English
Year: 1954
Rights
Fulltext: B. F. ARANETA URGES CONGRESS APPROVAL OF MEASURES TO PRESERVE NATIONAL PARKS Gravely alarmed over the rapid despoliation of forest wealth and historic natural attractions in national parks, Secretary Salvador Araneta of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, in his capacity as Chairman of the Commission of Parks and Wildlife, is seeking approval of an urgent measure to adequately equip the commission to safeguard and preserve forest reservations and game refuges. Initial surveys ordered by Secretary Araneta of the 33 national parks throughout the country definitely indicate extensive and widespread destruction of Philippine forests in national park areas which cannot now be prevented for lack of personnel for inspection and guard duty in such areas. The chief enemies of the parks and forest reservations are the "kaifigineros" and the timber thieves who cut indiscriminately and steal logs without permit and without supervision. Reports already received by the Secretary show that, along the main roads traversing the Bataan National Park, the Aurora National Park in the Bongabong-Baler area and the Mt. Data National Park in · Mt. Province, strips of once dense forests on both sides of the highway to often a depth of one kilometer have not only been denuded of valuable timber but burned out altogether by "kaifigineros". Similar cases of vandalism have been found in the Makiling National Park in Laguna, in the Quezon National Park in Quezon Province, in the Mt. Apo National Park in Davao and in other parks. All these areas include valuable water sheds and forest cover so essential to conservation of soils, exotic landscapes and natural resources. With a view to meeting the critical situation, Secretary Araneta is seeking as an urgent remedy, approval of legislation of two bills which would amend existing national park and game laws to constitute revenue collected with national parks and wildlife areas into a revolving fund. This would make available the necessary means with which to re-enforce guard personnel and inspection services essential to the conservation mission entrusted to the Parks and Wildlife Commission. The commission is now limited to the expenditure of only a portion of such revenue September, .1954 Notes and, as a result, it has only a staff of 31, including office and field men, to police 33 national parks with an aggregate area of 200,000 hectares mostly mountain and forest countries, spread throughout the archipelago. It is estimated that it will require at least 200 field men with experience in forest work to properly equip the commission with supervisory and law enforcement personnel in all the national parks. It is feared that unless immediate remedial action is taken, delay in the adoption of corrective measures such as would be involved in a waiting legislation out of the regular session next year, will bring about disastrous results. * * * Modesto Farolan, President of the Philippines Tourist and Travel Association, suggested that our parks development program might profit from experiences in beach development in Waikiki, Hawaii. In Hawaii, he said, Waikiki's narrow beach i1 constantly eaten up by the surf and its aand washed off. The Federal government, he added, spends money not only to beautify the resort but also to restore the sand and protect the shoreline. To boost Philippine tourist trade, Farolan submitted to Araneta the following suggestions: (1) Expl~ ration, evaluation, reservation, protection and photographing, if possible, of such. wealths of nature as (a) the underground river of Palawan, (b) the marine gardens of Puerto Galera, formerly under th4' University of the Philippines, (c) Pagsanjan and Montalban gorges, (d) Mts. Apo, Sto. Tomas, Polis, Makiling, Mayon, Banahaw, Mariveles, Arayat and others, ( e) the caves of Montalban and Biac-na-bato, (f) the Big Game (tamaraw) area of Mindoro and important game (bird) bunting areas in other parts of the country, (g) fishing (hook and line) grounds, ( h) real virgin forests and stands of truly impressive trees and (i) beautiful land and seascapes, ri· vers, lakes and springs, gorges, volcanoe1, etc., (j) oyster pearl and coral beds, among others; (2) delimitation of national park properties with a view to avoiding their spoliation and preventing squatting and unsightly and insanitary constructions as in the case of the Tiwi Hot Springs in Albay ; ( 3) Restoration of historic and scenic spots; and ( 4) Encouragement of the culture of native ornamental Philippine trees and flower plants. ;F'ap47 REFORESTATION POLICY BARED Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta, in General Circular No. 33 released, directed Forestry Director Felipe Amos to implement the government policy on reforestation intended to improve the distribution and investment of the Reforestation Fund. The Circular embodies the following government policy on reforestation: 1. While heretofore most, if not all, the reforestation work has been done on denuded areas, more attention should be concentrated in the future on the lumbering areas to replace the cut-over portions with forest cover for the next lumbering cycle. 2. In view of the importance of the present ·reforestation sites and the large investment already made in them, there should be no sudden stoppage on the present projects. These should be continued to be extended that the available funds permit, until suitable financing is obtained from sources other than the Reforestation Fund. 3. In order to protect the costly investment involved in reforestation work, it is of utmost importance that a clear declaration be made by the government on the Permanent Forest Areas. 4. There is a need of a clearer declaration from the government of the criteria in deciding the final utilization of our public lands for (a) agriculture, (b) forest, or (c) pasture purposes. Once these criteria are accepted, an early investigation and declaration should be made, and these declaration should be final and not subject to frequent re-examinations. 5. For the work of land classification required for the declaration of the Permanent Forest Line, funds , from the Reforestation Fund may be utilized. Artificial reforestation should be resorted to only where adequate natural regeneration is not yet possible; and for natural regeneration to succeed, the first prerequisite is to establish the permanent line and '1teps should be taken to protect it against trespassers, in order to allow nature to replace the forest cover. 6. As an incentive for timber concessionaires to allli.st in the reforestation work, it is recommended that the system followed before the war of granting license agreement for 25 years, renewable for an equal period, be resumed. 7. To gain the support of the general public, it is recommended that a campaign to make the public forest-conscious be_ carefully planned and patiently carried out. It is in this respect that a program of establishing woodland parks in Manila and other Philippine cities might be of great assistance. * * * ARBOR DAY COMMITTEE SETS PLAN The Arbor Day National Committee has adopted the slogan "Plant Trees and Conserve the Nation's Wealth" for 1954 Arbor Day. The committee also Page 48 decided that this year's Arbor Day on September 12 will start an intensified campaign against illegal kaiiigin, the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources announced. Undersecretary Jaime N. Ferrer said that all Arbor Day Provincial Committees are to be circularized to make the celebration national in scope. These committees will help designate denuded areas where trees could be planted. It was also agreed that civic organizations like the 4-H Clubs, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts will be asked to undertake mass planting of trees. Other plans mapped out for the celebration • include radio programs and movies. Leaflets and posters in English and the major dialects will be published by the Office of Agricultural Information. The Committee formulated eight mortal sins against trees, I?amely: (1) burning, (2) cutting young trees, ( 3) illegal kaifigin, ( 4) indiscriminate use for decoration, ( 5) animal destruction, ( 6) destructive logging; (7) improper planting and care of seedlings, and ( 8) exposing young trees without fence. Director Cornelio V. Crucillo of Plant Industry has informed Undersecretary Ferrer that the Bureau of Plant Industry in Manila and suburbs will distribute up to 24 tree seedlings each. The Bureau of Agricultural Extension, will take charge of distribution of seedlings in the provinces. The Arbor Day National Committee is composed of Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta-Chairman; Secretary of Education, Pastor Endencia-Member; Director Felipe R. Amos of Forestry-Executive Officer; Exequiel Villacorta, Chief Scout Executive, Boy Scouts of the Philippines-Member; Miss Helen T. Benitez, Chief Executive, Girl Scouts of the Philippines-Member. The committee agreed to recommend to the President, Mr. Antonio de las Alas, President of the Philippine Loggers Association, as a member of the Committee since its membership is still short by one. Local Committees will be composed of the Provincial Governor, Chairman, Provincial Committee; City Mayor, Chairman, City Committee; and Municipal Mayor. Chairman, Municipal Committee. * * * LUMBER EXPORTATION TO JAPAN URGED The continuance of Philippine exportation to Japan stands to benefit the local lumber business, according to Director of Forestry Felipe R. Amos, in his report to Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta. Amos explained that if the Philippines abruptly stops the exportation of logs, many timber licensees without sawmills will be forced to stop operation due to lack of log market. On the other hand, lumbermen who have sawmills will concentrate on the production of lumber resulting in its over-supply in FORESTRY LEAVES the market. The decline of prices of lumber and the closing of eawmilla will eventually follow, Amoa said. He ezplained that during the first semester of the last fiscal year when log export to Japan was exceptionally active, lumber commanded higher prices in the local market. But during the second semester, when log export to Japan declined, the local market. was over-supplied with lumber and prices declined. "If we stop log exportation to Japan, many sawmills may be forced to stop operation unless we are able to develop active local market for our lumber," Amos said. He also observed that if we stop expo~tion of logs to Japan, that country may be forced to secure logs from other countries like Borneo where timber is similar to ours, in order to keep her sawmills running. Amoa, however, pointed out the problem that due to low cost of labor in Japan and the high utility Japanese sawmills obtain from local logs, the Japanese are now exporting to the United States lumber sawn in Japan at prices lower than those of the same kinds sawn in the Philippines. This problem may be solved if our producers can reduce their cost of production, reduce the freight rates on lumber shipped to the United States, and increase lumber recovery from logs, according to Amos. • • • URGE GRADING OF LUMBER FOR LOCAL CONSUMPTION The passage of a law requiring that lumber for local consumption be properly graded before it is offered for sale to the public, was urged the other day by Director Felipe Amos of Forestry, accotding to the Agriculture Department. Director Amoa noted that lumber for local consumption is very seldom graded because there is n0 law requiring it. Local consumers, he said, are not very scrupulous about the quality of lumber they purchase, which fact is taken advantage of by local lumber dealers, most of whom are Chinese, by selling defective and sound lumber at the same price. Oq _the other hand, Amos observed in lumber export business, in which most of those engaged are Filipinos, there is an existing law requiring that lumber and logs for export be subject to inspection and grading by authorized lumber inspectors of the Bureau of Forestry. This results in the maintenance of the good name of Philippine woods abroad. "It is ironical that in local lumber business, which is known to be dominated by Chinese, there i1 no law to impose similar regulative measures. This lop-sided situation calls for curative legislation," Amoa said. September, 1954 BUREAU CLASSIFIES LANDS DISPOSABLE There were 15,453 hectares of land no longer needed for forest purposes that were certified alienable and disposable and 66,201 hectares classified as timberlands last month, according to Forestry Director Felipe R. Amoa. Said lands are located in the following places: Butuan City, 774-928 hectares; Nuevo Sibagat, Agusan, 186-1,141; Dinaig, Cotabato, 320-38,304; Parang, Cotabato, 7,689-16,176; Tubaran, Lanao, 488; Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, 692; Balabac, Palawan, 2,416; Dumaran, Palawen, 1,160; Margosatubig, Zamboange del Sur, 332-5,020; Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur, 1,3964,632. The first figures represent alienable and disposable, the second timberlands. Amos revealed that of the 18 cases of individual land classification requests acted upon, 4 covering a total area of 347.90 hectares within the unclassified public forests were certified as not needed for forest purposes; 6 were found within areas already certified as alienable and disposable lands; 7 were found within areas certified for forestry; and 1 was cancelled due to lack of interest of the applicant. Of the 8 cases of public land applications acted upon, 4 were found within areas already certified es alienable and disposable; and 4 within areas certified for forestry. * * * P.I. LOGS COMPETE WITH P.I. LUMBER Logs imported by Japan from the Philippines are strongly competing with Philippine lumber exports to the United States, a returning Manila businessmen reported today. Miguel Eugenio, a representative of the Mickey Trading company of San Francisco, proposed that local log export• to Japan be curtailed, or else "the local producers will simmer in their own fat." "The situation is a vicious circle," he said. "We 19nd logs to Japan where they are converted to plywood and lumber. Then they tum up in the United States to undersell our own lumber exports." Eugenio, who arrived this morning by Pan American Airways from Sen Francisco, noted that Japanese exporters were able to undersell local exporters because of their advantage in freight charges. According to him, Japanese dealers could send lumber to the U.S. in their ships, thue minimizing the transportation ezpense. On the other hand, Filipinos have to ezport their goods on foreign bottoms et higher transportation rates, he said. Eugenio, who returned from a one month consultation trip with his company observed that while Japan was able to export 53 million board feet of lumber to the U.S. last month, the Philippines wa1 able to send a mere eight million board feet. Page 49 FOREST FIRE PROTECTION AREA SELECTED 20,000 hectares has been selected in the Mountain Province, according to Director Felipe R. Amos of Forestry in his report to Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta. As Project Director of the FOA-PHILCUSA Forest and Watershed Management, Director Amos revealed that this area forms part of the drainage area of the Agno River. He said that within this area are located three sites for the forestry look-out stations. Started sometime in February, 1954, the work of the pilot area is under the direct charge of the district forester of Baguio. There are 30 special firewardens employed and are strategically located in order to have a full coverage of the area. Director Amos also disclosed that so far 23 "pickup" trucks have been apportioned to the different districts where they could be of much use in forest protection work. The Forestry director likewise reported to Secretary Araneta that kaifigin or shifting cultivation is mainly responsible for the widespread total destruction of our forest. He said that "over 5 million hectares of open and grasslands or about 17% of the land area of the Philippines is the result of shifting cultivation. The area, according to him, is now impoverished and barren and subjected to erosion. He believes, that this forest destruction through kaifigin may be attributed to the desire of the people to own lands regardless of the character of the land itself. * * * LUMBERMEN ASK EXTENSION OF RATE Continuance of the emergency contract shipping rate for logs, lumber and unfinished lumber was requested by the Philippine Lumber Producers' Association, headed by Antonio de las Alas, in order to enable Philippine exporters of logs and lumber to increase their export to the United States. The communication of Mr. De las Alas to the Association Steamship Lines in Manila is as follows: "The Philippine Lumber Producers' Association, Inc. is seriously concerned with the impending termination on June 30, 1954 of the emergency contract rates on logs, lumber and unfinished lumber in packages to the United States. The continuance of the emergency rates is of utmost importance to the lumber industry, patricularly because of the necessity of maintaining the flow of exports of this commodity to the United States. There is at present a shortage of supply of Philippine woods to the United States, and American consumers have repeatedly complained that notwithstanding the increased demands for our wood products, the supply has been very inadequate. "I have consistently taken the view that the American market should be ~ntained if the lumPage SO ber industry is to survive. This can be attained if sufficient inducement to exporters from the Philippines can be given such that there would be a desire on the part of exporters to increaae their volume of shipments. This is not possible unless our woods enter the United States on a competitive basis. There is need for the present to counteract the inroads of other species coming from other regions of the world which have disastrously affected the preference and demand by consumers of our supply. "One problem the industry has to face at present is the consequence of the enormous outflow of Philippine logs to Japan, leaving the American market depleted of adequate supply. I would say that this in part can be solved if freight rates on shipments to the United States can be maintained on a level whereby it would be remunerative for exporters to divert their shipments to that country. Undoubtedly, this can only be attained, in no small measure, through the mutual cooperation and understanding of the exporters and the shipping agencies. Your Association can unquestionably play an important role in making possible the solution to this problem. "I, therefore, request in behalf of the Philippine Lumber Producers' Association, Inc. that the emergency rates as they are enforced at present and scheduled to terminate on June 30, 1954, be indefinitely e::rtended." * * * ARMY AID SOUGHT IN FOREST LAWS ENFORCEMENT The assistance of the Armed Forces in the enforcement of Anti-kaifigin Laws was sought in a memorandum submitted by Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta to President Ramon Magsaysay. This move was recommended by Forestry Director Felipe R. Amos who reported to the secretary that the country's forest areas are in danger of being depleted due to the practice of kaifigin. Amos decried the fact that limited funds and personnel do not permit the bureau to cope with the alarming destruction of public forests thru kaifigin. Moreover, he added that forest rangers are technical men whose services are urgently needed in relation to land classification, reforestation and similar specialized duties. Araneta, in his memorandum, cited the following reasons in support of his proposal 1. The detection, apprehension and prosecution of kaifigineros is basically a police job. Unsatisfactory peace and order situation in some parts of the country and indiscriminate entry of the people into the public forest require the cooperation of the Armed Forces. 2. The Philippine Air Force, in the course of routine and training flights, can readily detect kaiiigins and promptly radio positions to the ground forces FORESTRY LEAVES for prompt action. Leaflets and posters would also be dropped in kaiiigins, warning the violators to cease or face arrest. 3. Cooperation between the Bureau of Forestry and the Armed Forces can best be effected thru the District Foresters and Provincial or Unit Commanders of the Armed Forces. They can easily get together to thresh out the details involved in the detection, apprehension and prosecution of kaiiigineros best fitted for their partieular jurisdiction. * * * Agriculture Secretary Araneta also appealed to the local constabulary to assist in preventing and stopping the illegal destruction of public forests. This was contained in a communication sent to the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Army at Camp Murphy. The wide-spread destruction of public forests throughout the Philippines by squatters and "kaiiigineros," which have lately posed a big problem to the Bureau of Forestry, found confirmation in a telegram received recently by the Agriculture Secretary from Dr. Romulo Ramona, forest concessionaire at Dansalan, Davao. According to Dr. Ramona, squatters and "kaiiigineros" have destroyed about 2,000,000 board feet of commercial timber in his concession. He also disclosed that the local forester is desperately trying to ward off the encroachment but is powerless due to lack of personnel. * * * PC AID FORESTERS IN DRIVE VS. KAI:&GIN The drive against illegal kaiiigineros by the personnel of the bureau of forestry is ezpected to gain momentum with the assistance to be extended by PC units throughout the country. The cooperation of the Armed Forces in the campaign against illegal kaiiigin-making was pledged in a recent indorsement of Gen. Eulogio Balao, Vice Chief of Staff, to the secretary of agriculture and natural resourcea. The AFP headquarters is issuing a directive to all PC units to extend assistance to local officials of the bureau of forestry in preventing or stopping illegal activities of squatters and kaiiigineros, Gen. Balao stated in his memorandum. Under the present set-up, it was understood that local forest officers may request the help of PC authorities in the apprehension of squatters and illegal kaiiigineros, who are found arrogant and defiant to forest officers in their dutiea in stopping them from the wanton destruction of public forests. * * * "OF TREES AND MEN" H. B. MARcELO "The forest is not a mine that eventually will be depleted, but a cropland. Provided treea are harSeptember, 1954 vested as a crop and the forest is sustained by proper management, wood will forever yield all the material the human race can conceivably require".-Glesinger. And here is how we have been implementing same in Basilan City. Continuous Harvest from the Basilan Forest In our last issue, it was shown with figures that the biggest single item of business is on timber and thus--constitute the biggest sinews of Basilan economy. With this fact, the timber supply is a great concern of the city which Ex-Congressman Alano expressed last year by posing the question to Basileiios, "What will happen to Basilan City if the timber in the Basilan forest will be exhausted, in eight years?" But the timber supply in Basilan will not be exhausted, provided the forest is treated as a crop land, as they do in most European countries, in Canada, U.S.A. and in Australia, and not as a mine. Continuous harvests of timber from the Basilan forest is possible by proper management. And this is the real work of the forester which brings into play all his technical knowledge and skill and his field studies and observation. (Measuring logs for revenue, inspection of lumber, classifying lands and running after kaiiigineros which you commonly identify forest officers are largely ranger's work. Forest management and silviculture is the main work of the forester). The common idea we have of a forest is that it be cut and cleared to be converted to agricultural land regardless of the character of the land, or the needs of the industries. That is what we call, "liquidation cutting" or "timber mining". Regulated cutting such that there are left enough young uninjured trees to grow for the next cut is called ''timber harvesting". We aim at continuous timber harveating. This means that on the required tract of forest land of 33,800 hectares, timber extraction is systematized and regulated so that the timber supply is constantly replenished by growth, improvement and protection. To give an specific example, the area of 13,862 hectares of one logging company is divided into 30 cutting areas and so much volume is allowed to be cut in one cutting area annually. It is estimated from growth studies and regulation prescriptions that 30 years time is needed to tend below 50 centimeters diameter trees now to grow to harvestable timber, hence the division into 30 cutting areas. On the 31st year (1984) beginning of the second cycle, the 1st. cutting area ( 1953 logged-off) will be again ready to be cut, the 1954 logged-off will have its young trees,mature in 1985, etc., and the operation continues on indefinitely. This can be simply illustrated in miniature by a hectare of a .zacate field divided into 30 compartment&. The owner cuts one compartment a day. By the time the 30th compartment i• reached, the grass in Page 51 the first compartment has grown up t-0 cutting size again, then the second, then the third, etc. The difference is only in time; for forest, by 30 to 100 years and one thousand to hundred thousand hectares, while agricultural crops are grown and harvested yearly and on limited areas of one to a hundred hectares. Our kind of forest, however, has more similarity to an abaca plantation and bamboo groove where the mature stems are taken and the young ones are left to grow to maturity. The tending of those crops are siJJ?pler. Because of the longer time in the case of trees and the complexity of composition, various site factors and longer periods of observation and study to get working data, the growing and caring (silviculture) of timber crops is harder and more complicated. It takes 70 to 200 years to grow a tree from seed to maturity. That is why as many of the trees (Philippine Mahogany) not yet of harvestable size 30 to 50 years old are caused to be left by the logging companies 80 that we wait only about 30 years more, instead of 70 to 100 years, to have another harvest. But once the forest is organized and put under management, lumbering and other forest industries can be assured of continuous operation. Because of the c:Ontinuity of timber supply and logging operations, the area under management is called a ''working circle" and the period elapsing between cuts in one area is called a cutting cycle. The regulation of cutting is done in the field by marking trees to be cut out of the mature and overmature timber. The company is subject to penalty for cutting unmarked trees or carelessly damaging them. A cutting budget is also given tha companies to regulate cutting by areas, year, or period of years. Management has been started late in Basilan, 80 that difficulties are being met, such as the use of equipments and methods that are not suitable to the most workable plan that should be applied to the forest. (MRR) * * * FLS COEDS PRAISES BF PUBLIC RELATIONS SECTION Miss Dolores J. Blancaflor, a comely coed of the Francisco Law School, Manila, sent a warming-up letter dated August 24 praising the personnel of the Public Relations Section of the Bureau of Forestry. ''We have visited several bureaus during that day. Believe it or not your place is the best. The people there in your place are very friendly with us, especially you (I. Pacio) and Mr. Samonte (Estanislao) by the entertainment given us by the people in your place. And putting modesty aside, you are the best entertainers I've ever met. This does not mean flattering you. I'm telling you of what I really think of· you. I'm writing this letter with frankness and sincerity." Page S2 Miss Blancaflor, together with Mi- Eugenia Esteban, Flor Arire, Ana Maria Bustamante, Estefania Valbuena and Mr. Salvador Arevalo, all from the Francisco Law School, went to the forestry bureau to request for forestry literature on August 21. They were all ·given the necessary assistance and courtesy in obtaining those literature. It has been observed that several visitors of the Public Relations Section, the show-window of the Bureau of Forestry, have been satisfied by the splendid showing of the personnel of the said section. * * * RELEASE LANDS FOR FISHPOND AND GRAZING PURPOSES URGED Agriculture Undersecretary Jaime N. Ferrer recently requested the Bureau of Forestry to look into the possibility of releasing considerable areas of public lands in Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Occidental and Oriental Misamis, and Lanao for fishpond and grazing purposes. This was made with a view to asking the aid of the Reba· bilitation and Finance Corporation in the possible financing of the projects that may be established in those areas. Undersecretary Ferrer revealed that in his ~nt trip to the south he had discovered considerable areas of mangrove swamps and pasture lands that are well suited for fishpond and grazing developments. He said that proper uploitation of these areas is very timely considering that presently the Philippines is importing PIS million worth of fish preparations and P43 million worth of. dairy meat products yearly. He reported that mangrove swamps abound along the coastal lines of Zamboanga del Norte and of Occidental and Oriental Misamis, while Zamboaaga del Sur has a potential area of 50,000 hectares and Lanao around 1,520 hectares. . The Underaecretary diaclosed that Moros should be encouraged to go into cattle ranching and this can be done by releasing a potential area of 5,000 hectares of pasture land in Lanao located in the Moro region for their exploitation with the aid of RFC loans. FOA PENSIONADO Forester Rosales A. Juni, forester in charge of the cinchona plantation of the bureau of forestry, is leaving August 15 for the United States as a pensionado of the Foreign Operations Administration (FOA). He will visit forest stations in the United States and in Puerto Rico for 12 months 80 as to leam the modem trends in the administration of forest uperiment stations.-Free Pre•, Aug. 7, 1954 FORESTRY LBA'IU