Programme of Activities
Profile of Speakers I Day 1 I Day 2 I Opening & Closing Programs

Synopsis of Papers

Timber Trade and Sustainable Forest Management
by Dr. Manoel Sobral Filho
Timber trade continues to be among the most debated issues in the discussion on sustainable forestry management. The paper discusses both sides of the debate. One side argues that trade has a lesser impact on the state of the world’s forests in view of existing data that points to other causes of deforestation and degradation. On the other hand, opponents argue of a continuing decline in world forests because of the growing production and trade in timber and forest produces arising from unsustainable consumption of timber and timber products especially in new industrializing economies.

The paper points out the need for a mechanism by which trade and sustainable forestry management can be reconciled and integrated to generate synergies in support of sustainable development.

Impacts and Effectiveness of Logging Bans in Natural Forests in Asia Pacific
by Patrick B. Durst
Ever since the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations published its study on impacts and effectiveness of logging bans in natural forests in Asia-Pacific in 2001, it has continued monitoring the experiences of six countries – New Zealand, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam – in implementing logging bans. The country case studies were selected to represent examples of major efforts to apply logging bans comprehensively to natural forests outside established protected areas under diverse circumstances. A coherent summary of regional experiences with logging bans serves as a means of guiding policy development, as well as understanding the impacts on both conservation and production from the natural forests, including the implications and strategies for timber supply.

Could Forests Stop Floods? The Case of Tignoan, Agos and Dingalan Watersheds
by Prof. Rex Victor Cruz, Ph.D.
An evaluation was undertaken to explore the likely cause of large-scale flooding that hit several provinces of Luzon last November and December after a series of major typhoons. Rainfall and topography, as well as pertinent data on land use patterns, were considered in establishing the cause of the resultant widespread disaster and damages. The study also focused on the condition of the watersheds of Tignoan, Agos and Dingalan – all in the Sierra Mountain range – and their possible roles in mitigating the floods that affected major portions of Real, Infanta, and General Nakar in Quezon and Dingalan in Aurora.

The study’s results are expected to provide a better understanding on why the disaster happened so that appropriate measures could be formulated to reduce the communities’ and households’ vulnerability similar flood events in the future, as well as minimize the occurrence of and damages arising from these disasters.

Contribution of the Forest-based Industries to Sustainable Development
by Dr. Prescila Dolom
Forestry is one of the major sectors in the country that has contributed to the national economy in the past several decades. This paper enumerates the contribution of forest-based industries according to the economic, social, and environmental pillars of sustainable development, a testimony to the importance of the industries related with the utilization of Philippine forests. However, much more needs to be done. The paper also discusses issues and problems, as well as recommendations, that will ensure the sustainability of our forests so that future generations of Filipinos may still benefit and enjoy from them.

Best Practices

Best Practices in Forest Management: The SUDECOR Experience
by Ricardo M. Umali
Surigao Development Corp. (SUDECOR), known as “Managers of Permanent Forests,” operates in more than 75,000 hectares in Surigao del Sur, located on the northeastern coast of Mindanao. The SUDECOR Forest Concession has been managed as a permanent forest for more than 40 years already since it started operations in 1959.

SUDECOR’s Timber Licensing Agreement is one of the few concession holders properly implementing sound forest management and development practices in their assigned areas. The company has been successively cited for their programs that strive to attain economic viability/sustainability of the forest resources, ecological sustainability of the forest ecosystem; and sustainable forest-dependent communities.

Best Practices in Forest Management: The Sultan Kudarat and Sirawai Experiences
by Antonio P. Avelino
The business models pursued by the Sirawai Plywood and Lumber Corp. in the Zamboanga Peninsula, and by M and S Co., Inc. and Silvicultural Industries, Inc. in Sultan Kudarat demonstrate an environmentally sustainable and financially viable approach to integrated forestry management. SPLC has shown that they can directly address poverty alleviation, contribute to job creation, as well as preserve and develop the forest resources.

SPLC’s tenurial holdings in the Zamboanga Peninsula is a mix of natural forests, reforestation species planted purely for their wood value and those planted for their combined crop and wood yields. Their 34,000 hectares of forest land represents today the biggest solid patch of forest in the Peninsula.

Best Practices in Forest Management Through the Co-Management Approach: The Case of Nueva Vizcaya
by Cong. Rodolfo Q. Agbayani
The province of Nueva Vizcaya was able to demonstrate that co-management initiatives in the protection and utilization of natural resources is helping address the issue of forest resource degradation, flash floods, drying of springs and creeks, and damages to property and livestock.

By combining expertise of the Department of Natural Resources in resource management with local government units’ capability in the delivery of basic services and skills in people management, “privatizing management” of local natural resources is a strategic alternative to outright devolution.

Plenary

State of Philippine Forests: The National Forest Assessmentof 2003
by Dir. Romeo T. Acosta
The presentation focuses on salient information gathered from land satellite images gathered by the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority and the National Forest Assessment Project by the Forest Management Bureau with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization on the state of Philippine forest resources from 2002 to 2004. Results of both studies were compared to an earlier inventory completed in 1989.

By establishing regenerative or degenerative patterns, a set of recommendations have been formulated, particularly geared towards where management of natural forests should be focused, where the initiatives on protected area management should be, where production forestry should be focused on, where plantation forests development should be concentrated, as well as where community-based forest management should be given more emphasis.

Way Forward Action Plan for Sustainable Forest Development of the Philippines
by Dr. Forentino O. Tesoro
The paper provides a comprehensive look at the issues and concerns currently facing Philippine forestry. There is a long and detailed listing of recommendations derived basically from a review of three recent major reports: Revised Master Plan for Forestry Development (2004) by the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources with Food and Agriculture Organization funding; the Governance of Natural Resources in the Philippines (Lessons from the Past, Direction for the Future) by the World Bank(2003); and Natural Resources Governance Way Forward Action Plan, also funded by the World Bank. The issues and concerns are broadly segregated into two categories. The first, on policies, refer to decision instruments aimed at facilitating governance. The other is about institutions, meaning the instruments or infrastructures for implementing policies.