Community-based Forest Management

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has been encouraging local communities to preserve forest parks. Community-based forest management is a key to the rehabilitation and regeneration of what is left to our forests.

Studies show that only 4% of the country’s forests are intact. Some of the most depleted forests are Oriental Mindoro, Cebu and Batangas.

Forests, rainforests in particular, are abundant with thousands of plant species. They are the most structurally-complex and diverse of land ecosystems, with the greatest number of species. In the global setting, rainforests only cover 6% of Earth’s surface. Tropical rainforests produce 40% of earth’s oxygen. Hence, the continuing depletion of forests would yield to the dwindling supply of the air we breathe.

Forest depletion is a product of human activity. Among the causes of depletion are deforestation, slash and burn and road constructions.

Reforestation is the primary answer to forest depletion. One of the strategies of the DENR is the planting of past growing trees such as acacia and gmelina. These trees can regenerate forests within a year.

Let us take part in preserving our forests by joining tree-planting activities. Moreover, let us start in our own homes. Why don’t we try planting seeds in our yards and see how these tiny little seeds would grow into beautiful plants.