GIS-Based Atlas of Selected Watersheds in the Philippines

Saplaco, S.R., N.C. Bantayan, and R.V.O. Cruz.  2001.  (M.E.E. Serrano and S.R. Saplaco, eds).  Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources and Research and Development and the University of the Philippines Los Baños - College of Forestry and Natural Resources.

The GIS-based ATLAS of four selected watersheds in the country is a major step towards providing basic scientific data or information about the country's watersheds. These watersheds are: Makiling Forest Reserve, Angat Watershed Reservation, Ambuklao-Binga Watershed and Pantabangan-Carrangalan Watershed. The ATLAS should serve as a basic reference for effective watershed management planning, project implementation, monitoring an evaluation to help ensure the conservation of the country's vital watersheds and resources.

Philippine Forests and the Kyoto Protocol:  Opportunities and Threats

Lasco, R.D., R.V.O. Cruz, and F.B. Pulhin.  2001.  J of Environmental Science and Management 3(1-2):53-63.

The paper  examines the implications of the Kyoto protocol, specifically the Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM), to Philippine tropical forests. It briefly summarizes the impacts of climate change to Philippine  forests and their role in mitigating  climate change. It also analyzes the key issues in the landuse change  and forestry  (lucf) sector relative to the CDM from the perpective of  Philippine forestry.  This is followed by a discussion of opportunities and  threats  arising out of the CDM. It is shown that there are many potential benefits that could come through CDM.  However, without adequate guidelines, these benefits could be negated. Finally, the it concludes with policy recommendations.

Secondary Forests in the Philippines: Formation and Transformation in the 20th Century

Lasco, R.D., R.G. Visco, and J.M. Pulhin.  2001.  J of Tropical Forest Sci 13:653-670

Secondary forests are the largest and most dynamic natural forest ecosystems in the Philippines.  This paper examines the characteristics and dynamics of secondary forests in the country.  In the last century, the country lost 50% of its natural tropical forest cover.  At present, the major land cover types in terms of areal coverage are upland farms, secondary forests, protected forests, brush lands, grasslands and tree plantations.  The two most dominant types of secondary are post-extraction secondary forests and swidden fallow secondary forests.  The former stems from legal and illegal logging, which are ultimately rooted in corruption, poverty and high population pressure.  At present, post-extraction secondary forests are the main source of wood products of the country.  Although secondary forests initially increase as a result of heavy commercial logging, they subsequently decrease due to degradation to brush land and conversion to agriculture.  Swidden fallow secondary forests are generally associated with indigenous cultural communities who derive many ecological and socio-economic benefits from them.  However, there are very limited quantitative data available on these forests, including areal coverage.  The paper emphasizes the need for research efforts directed at the sustainable use and conservation of secondary forests in the Philippines.

Assessment of GHG Inventories from the LUCF Sector of Annex-I Countries

Ravindranath, N.H., R.D. Lasco and P. Sudha.  2000.  Mitigation and Adaptation to Global Change Journal 00:1-22.

Reporting of CO2 emmissions and removals from the land use change and forestry (LUCF) sector is assessed in this paper based on the National GHG inventories and the National Communications submitted by the Annex-I countries.  LUCF sector is a net sink for 27 countries out of 31 countries and a source for Australia, Estonia, Lithuania and United Kingdom.  LUCF sector for Annex-I countries, as a group is a net sink of 2035 Tg CO2 (555 Tg Carbon).  The sink feature is largely due to CO2 removal by the existing forests, plantations and other trees.  Forest and grassland conversion (deforestation) is not a major source of CO2 in the Annex-I countries.  Many Annex-I countries have not fully adopted the reporting format of IPCC limiting the comparability and transparency.  Several Annex-I countries have modified the CO2 emission/removal estimates for 1990, but have not explained the reasons.  Reporting of uncertainty is very limited.  The methods adopted and particularly reporting is inadequate to meet the requirements for operationalising the Kyoto Protocol articles relevant to LUCF; comparability, transparency and verifiability.

A Leucaena Leucocephala - Based Indigenous Gallow System in Central Philippines:  The Naalad System

Lasco, R.D.  1999.  International Tree Crops Journal 10:161-174.

The Naalad system is an indigenous agroforestry practice developed by farmers more than 100 years ago in a small village in central Philippines.  This study is the first attempt to scientifically document and evaluate the system.  Six farm parcels at different stages of fallow and cultivation were selected as case studies.  Famers' practices were documented through interviews and record keeping.  Soil samples were collected and selected chemical properties and bulk density were analyzed.  Carbon (C) storage and sequestration were estimated by converting existing biomass data to C content.