From the Mail bag

Media

Part of Forestry Leaves

Title: From the Mail bag
Language: English
Year: 1956
Rights
Fulltext: BASILAN LUMBER COMP ANY Basilan Brand Mahogany Zamboanga Philippine Islands Manila, July 4, 1956 The Honorable Secretary of Agriculture & Natural Resources Manila Dear Sir: You. will find attached a digest of information./ covering the application of the Basilan Lumber Company for additional area at Milbcik, Cotabato. During the conference whic~ you have called I stand ready to pre¥mt and discuss accurate maps, produce aer1al photographic mosaics, and even to disfi>lay the three dimensional effects of ae)rial photographs when placed under a st reoscope, and in any way possible to h lp clarify the questions raised regarding th· s application. Since much of the moral force behind t e Basilan Lumber Company application 1ies in its fulfilhnent of a sustained yield /program for forest management, I sincerely hope that you will take the time before the conference to read the comments on sustained yield contained in the following paragraphs. To begin with, unlike such resources as minerals, coal, or oil, the forest is a renewable resource. Since the forests are managed by the Bureau of Forestry in your Department, they represent an investment by the people in a natural resource. When a forest reaches maturity and passes on into old age, it becomes subject to the diseases of old age and reaches a point where July, 1956 the loss through decay exceeds the rate of growth. As an investment it is like holding a bond that is matured and must be cashed and the proceeds put into another investment in order to earn interest. This is the condition of most of our so called virgin commercial forests which comprise the bulk of the present timber resources in the Philippines. But when an overmature forest is logged under a sustained yield forest management program, and the logged lands are left in good condition with many small trees still undamaged to grow and provide increment, and regeneration coming to add to the increment, then the forest, as an investment, is like holding stock in a company that is returning excellent dividends. This is the rightful heritage of the people. Therefore, the problem of your specialists in the Bureau of Forestry from the Director on down is to convert the present unregulated forest-and I am not including here forest land which is best suited to agricultural development-into one which is producing increment through regulation, by growth. To do this, the overmature forest must be cut as rapidly as possible, but at the same time at such a rate that it will maintain the maximum possible stabi.:. lity of industry and community support until the new crop is ready for harvest. The harvesting of the new crop, and the succeeding crops in a managed forest results in undreamed of benefits. For one thing, the volume per hectare of the new crop, if cut at the proper time, will far exceed that which was found in the virgin forest. A good example of the total benefits resulting is found in Gray's Harbor County in the State of Washington. The Page 75 forests in this county were exploited with reckless abandon to produce largely export logs, squares, and rough green lumber. Any way you look at it, this is representative or the Philippine lumber industry today. By the late 1920's it seemed apparent that most Gray's Harbor cities would end up as ghost towns, but for the last 15 years this county has enjoyed prosperity far beyond that experienced in the heyday of logging in the virgin forests. This came about through diversification in manufacture and through the forest regeneration and growth on logged areas favored by a heavy annual rainfall. A managed forest results in an assured timber supply. This in turn results in the bringing forth of venture capital for the construction of diversified manufacturing plants, and the secondary effects on community prosperity and the national economy are endless. Thus it may be seen that good forestry is good business, and good business is of inestimable value to the country. The problems of placing a forest under management are threefold: (1) The determination of economically feasible logging practices which will result in leaving growing stock, and the desired regeneration and increment; (2) The protection of the managed forest from destructive influences, from illegal clearings to insect epidemics; (3) The regulation of the cut during the initial cutting cycle in the virgin forest to maintain a stable industry until the new crop is ready. In the Philippines a good start has been made on the first two considerations. The third consideration is that which provokes bitter contentions for license areas. Since the first Philippine Conservation and Reforestation Conference in October of 1954, there has been an unprecedented timber license rush which has reached incredible proportions in the last two years. For example, the bulk of the years ago. Now there is no area on the entire peninsula Page 76 not licensed or applied for. Generally speaking, for the entire Mindanao area, the only unlicensed areas are either so remote from shipping points as to be inaccessible at this time, or they are strictly non-commercial for other reasons. Along with this issuing of licenses to new firms, and the procurement of additional licenses in this area by many existing firms from other parts of the Philippines, there is a rush of public announcements concerning the proposed establishID£nt of manufacturing plants. Several factors such as the need to justify license application, or the Japanese reparations agreement may have triggered these announcements, but the fact remains that there is now either a speculative bubble in forest industries here, or the forest industry in the Philippines is beginning to come of age. With increasing industry awareness of the Bureau of Forestry's sustained yield forest management program, it is more than likely that substantial industries willl be built around it. The full implementation of this program by the already undermanned Bureau of Forestry will be fraught with difficulties, but the merit and benefit of such a program should never be questioned. Some companies may prove to be absolutely uncooperative, but the majority will probably endeavor to fit in the program to the best of their ability, and in some instances industrial foresters may contribute as much in research and experimentation as the Bureau of Forestry with its limited funds can do. The degree of industrial development during the period of liquidation of the virgin forests will be substantial, but in the historical sequence of events previously experienced in other countries, it will be far exceeded by the development and diversification which will come with the logging of the new crop in a managed forest. None of this is high.flying economic theory-it all has historical precedent, and the PhilipFORESTRY LEAVES pines is fortunate to be standing on the threshold of a new and proven era of industrial development through the wise use of a natural resource. Basilan Lumber Company has been fortunately in the forefront of much of the testing and development of the logging practices possible and practical for the implementation of this program, having committed its entire logging operation, representing an investment of nearly two million pesos to the Bureau of Forestry from August of 1953 to the present time for pioneering in the testing of untried practices, anp the weeding out and refining of applicable sound forest practices, and conducting independent coordinated research to evaluate the results of such practices and of previous logging practices. All of this simply for one reason. Good forestry is good business, and we look forward to continued good business in the Philippines. Sincerely yours, BASILAN LUMBER COMPANY Sgd. P. 0. DONALDSON Forest Engineer ----oOo---Office of the District Forester Tarlac, Tarlac March 24, 1956 D-10, Public Relations Director of Forestry Manila Sir: For information and record purposes: I have the honor to inform you that, in line with a Department Circular, the DANREATAR held its March, 1956, monthly meeting and community asembly in the far-flung bardo cf Iba, Tarlac, a distance of about 30 kilometers of bumpy, mountain road, on the night of March 23, 1956. For convenience of the audience, mostly farmers numbering about 200 from Barrios Sula and Iba who are busy at daytime, the meeting and com~ munity assembly was held at the Iba primary school July, 1956 from 8: 30 p.m. to 1: 00 a.m. All chiefs of the Bureaus of the Department in this province spoke on the missions of their respective offices. Deputy Forest Guard Alejandro de Leon of this Office who lives in Barrio Iba with quite a following in that barrio, delivered the welcome address for the guests. The undersigned, for his part in the gathering, spoke on free use privilege, forest conservation and evil effects of kaiiigin-making. After all the heads of the different bureaus in this province have spoken, there was an open forum wherein questions from the audience were answered by the Bureau heads concerned to the satisfaction of the audience. The party motored back to Tarlac, Tarlac at about 1: 30 a.m. arriving at around 3: 30 a.m. on March 24, 1956. Very respectfully, TORIBIO V. MANZANO District Forester ----<>Oo---MOST USEFUL GREEN LEAVES Upli is the common name in Quezon province for Isis (Ficus ulmifolia), Upling gubat (Ficus ampelos), Upling bontotan (Ficus caudatifolis), Pakiling (Ficus odorata) and Mala-isis (Malaisia scandens). Most common leaves being used is that of Isis (Ficus ulmifolia). The Green leaves of upli are being utilized for cleaning unpolished furniture and fixtures, unpolished floors, kitchen utensils and every pert of the house to the stairs except the posts, ceilings and walls. It is then rare to see a dirty house of a true Quezonian family. Upli leayes are best used for cleaning with the aid of water and not used with soap. It is the most economical cleaner for leaves of upli are free and abundant in backyards and in farms of Quezonians. Visitors to Quezon province walk in whiteclean floors ·end eat in shining dishes, the sheen the product of the green-scabrous leaves of upli. Cleanliness is indeed second to godliness! Respectfully submitted, TOMAS M. BINUA Ranger, B. F. NOTE: Because of the popularity of Upli leaves, the civic organizatic:ms and public schools of Quezon province are requesting the District Office to use U pli trees for reforestation and in forest planting during Arbor Week. Same, Rgr. TOMAS M. BINUA Page 77