CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Upland forest, considered as the most prevalent and extensive habitats, are land with

an area of more than 0.5 hectare and tree crown cover of more than 10 percent ( Philippine

National REDD-plus Strategy, 2010; Carandang, 2013; Walpole, 2016). It extremely variable

in vegetation, ages and sizes of trees, size of the forest patches, and character of the forest

habitats, but forests of all kinds can provide valuable habitats for common and rare plants and

animals (FAO, 2005). Upland forest ecosystem provides irreplaceable environmental services

such as water shed protection and carbon sequestration (Rex, 2003). Hence, it is a vital

component that regulates the water regime of entire landscapes. Yet due underlying

limitations, local upland forest like Landingan remains understudied (Carandang, 2013; Rex,

2003; Ploeg, 2011; Perez, 2004 & 2020).

One of the prominent geographical features of Quirino Province is the rolling hills on

the upland forest in Landingan. The forest is located atop a hill in the municipality of

Nagtipunan. The Toblerone Hill-like offers a majestic view of the town, and overlooking the

rivers. However, the now blooming upland forest used to be an unattended hill due to illegal

logging.

Illegal logging, the ‘most serious crime against our people’ according to the former

President Arroyo (Magallona, 2004), refers to the unauthorized occupation of public and

private forest lands, logging in protected or environmentally sensitive areas, harvesting

protected species of trees, woodland arson, wildlife poaching, unlawful transport of wood and

other products, smuggling, transfer pricing and other fraudulent acts (Contretas-Hermosilla,

2002). It poses a serious threat to biodiversity and rural livelihoods in the NSNP (Nordic

Agency for Development and Ecology & Department of Environment and Natural Re\
sources, 1998; Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 2001a) that takes place

when timber is harvested, transported, bought or sold in violation of national laws (Brack,

2007). Further understanding of the direct and indirect environmental impact of illegal

logging may aid the local governing agencies (DENR, 2013), specifically CENRO-

Nagtipunan, to a smooth coping on the aftermath bearings of illegal logging and avoid further

dent on the upland forest cover in the area.

Hence, to contribute to this outgrowing ecological concern academically, the

researchers delved to find out the environmental impact of illegal logging on the upland

forest of Landingan, Nagtipunan, Quirino through the perpective of CENRO-Nagtipunan

including problems encountered by the office. It is further found out that local study

undermining the topic is not yet steered, the researchers pursued the study.

It is on the foregoing that the researchers dive into this study.

Objectives of the Study

This study subjectively aims to:

1. Describe the socio-demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

a. age

b. job title

c. Gender

d. Office classification

e. Highest Educational Attainment

2. Determine the environmental impact of illegal logging in the upland forest of

Landingan, Nagtipunan, Quirino.

3. Identify management problems encountered by the local implementing regulatory

body, CENRO-Nagtipunan, in relevance to illegal logging and maintenance of the

upland forest of Landingan, Nagtipunan, Quirino.

4. Propose a development plan.

Importance of the Study

The findings of this study are expected to be of significance on the following:

 University. This may serve as a pilot study for basis on future rational motive and/ or

intervention of the university for environmental extension program, be-like, and may serve as

an intermediary to prolong the life of the upland forest in the province.

CENRO-Nagtipunan and other Environmental Governing Body. This study may serve

as a reflective reference for the policy makers at local level of the environmental actions

towards deforestation in the municipality and craft necessary policy actions to prevent their

occurrence and reduce the negative impacts of illegal logging through mitigation and

adaptation.

Local Community. The result of this study may deepen awareness on the local

importance of the upland forest.

Research Enthusiast. Aside from the curricular purposes, this study is a means of

exposing the researchers to the discipline of research and improving actual and more relevant

environmentalist experiences. Further, the characterization of upland forest from the

CENROs’ perspective may open new avenues for future research and may make researchers

more theoretical.

For the future researchers, the findings of this study give realistic basis on ecological

impact of illegal logging on the upland forest. Possibly, this may pave a way for the future

researchers to conduct in-depth studies along this line.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

 The highlights of this study are the environmental impact of illegal logging on the

upland forest of Landingan, Nagtipunan only and management problems encountered by the

CENRO-Nagtipunan. It focuses on the perspective view of the concerned CENRO-

Nagtipunan officials including local protection groups (Bantay Kalikasan and Bantay Gubat).

It does not cover the perspective view of the locals in the area. Social and other problems is

excluded in this study.

Moreover, this study will be using a case study approach and will be presented

quantitatively using a descriptive approach. It ensures that the issue is not explored through

one lens but rather a variety of lenses which allows for multiple facets of the phenomenon to

be revealed and understood (Baxter & Jack, 2018, p. 544).

Respondents are selected through purposive random sampling and data will be obtain

through a survey questionnaire adopted from the study of Isikhuemen (2020) entitled Okomu

Plateau Forest and Associated Wetlands in Southern Nigeria: Status, Threats and Significance

and modified to suit the needs of this study. The gathered data will be statistically test

through frequency- percentage and weighted mean.

Time and Place of the Study

 The study area revolves on the upland forest of Nagtipunan, Quirino specifically,

Landingan. This forest patch was a logged-over dipterocarp forest patched with agricultural

clearings (www.quirino.gov.ph).

CENRO-Nagtipunan served as sources of primary data for the survey. The area was

chosen based on the premise of historical conduct of illegal logging resulting to the naked

forest cover. It is expected to be done in a semester duration since the method to be use is

purposive sampling.

Operational Definitions of Terms

CENRO. Community Environment and Natural Resources Office(r).

Local Governing Agency representatives of DENR, municipal level.

Deforestation.

Deforestation is defined under the Kyoto Protocol as “the direct human-induced

conversion of forested land to non-forested land”. FAO (2001) defines deforestation as “the

conversion of forest to another land-use or the long-term reduction of the tree canopy cover

below the minimum 10 percent threshold”. According to Schoene et al. (2007), deforestation

“includes areas of forest converted to agriculture, pasture, water reservoirs and urban areas”

but it excludes areas where trees are harvested through logging and where the “forest is

expected to regenerate naturally or with the aid of silvicultural measures”.

Forest Degradation.

Forest degradation refers to “changes within the forest, whether natural or human-

induced, that negatively affect the structure or function of the stand or site, and thereby lower

the capacity of the resulting degraded forest to supply products and / or services” (FAO,

2006). While the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2003) has no specific

definition for forest degradation, it is described as the “direct, human-induced, long-term loss

of at least Y % of forest carbon stocks [and forest values] since time T and not qualifying as

deforestation”. Schoene et al. (2007) clarify that forest degradation occurs mainly from

“human activities such as overgrazing, overexploitation (for fuelwood or timber), repeated

fires, or due to attacks by insects, diseases, plant parasites or other natural sources such as

cyclones.”

PENRO. Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office(r).

 Local Governing Agency representatives of DENR, provincial level.

Perverse policy incentive.

Perverse policy incentive is an incentive that produces unintended and undesirable

result which is contrary to the intentions of the framers of policy. The complexity of forest

management in the Philippines from licensing, management, harvest, sale and renewal,

entailed different sets of policies and guidelines, some of which are considered perverse that

contributed more to deforestation and forest degradation than to conservation of forests

(DENR, 2013).