Evaluation of Deforestation of Tropical Rainforests in Davao Region (Mindanao??

): Causes and
Implications
 Table of Contents
Abstract

Acknowledgement

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

Background and Significance of the Study

Statement of the Problem - will lay out the following chapter relevant to the answer to the
research question

Review of Related Literature

Philippine Rainforests & Historical Importance

Deforestation in the Davao Region/Mindanao and its Effects

Social Movements Affecting/Causing Deforestation

Important People/Groups against Deforestation (see Minda)

Theoretical Framework

Definition of Terms

Scope and Limitations

Research Methodology

Research Design

Unit of Analysis

Data Collection

Data Analysis

V. Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

Summary
Conclusion

Recommendations

Cited References

CHAPTER FOUR

Result and Analysis

4.1 Causes of Deforestation in the Philippines/Mindanao/Davao Region

4.2 Effect of Deforestation in Philippines/Mindanao/Davao Region

4.3 Future of Deforestation/Ecology in the Davao Region (Future Trends)

CHAPTER FIVE

Conclusion and Recommendations

5.1 Conclusion

5.2 Recommendations

References
 CHAPTER 1

Background of the Study

Tropical forests have an important role in the preservation and continuation of life in the

biosphere. They act as carbon sinks and take in excess carbon dioxide (Malhi & Grace, 2000) in

the atmosphere and help regulate carbon dioxide levels. They also yield around 40 percent of

oxygen along with cooling down the planet. The Amazon, the Congo River Basin, and the

Indonesian islands in Southeast Asia allows for the global carbon cycle to continue and supports

not only the indigenous flora and fauna of their respective regions, but also plays an important

role in maintaining the delicate balance of nature and humans (Seo, 2021). It is a source of

livelihood for native humans in the area and provides wood, shelter, and resources.

Tropical rainforest biodiversity is key to the delicate biosphere of the planet. In Southeast

Asia alone, Indonesia is the largest exporter of vegetable oil, but due to the increased

industrialization to cater to economic development, Indonesia’s rainforest area has decreased by

as much as 60,000 hectares given to private businesses by Indonesia’s government (Amindoni &

Henschke, 2020). States that previously have swaths of rainforest cover and then cut down large

areas for industrialization are at serious risk of droughts, floods, severe soil erosion, and even

desertification, among others. The serious risk of loss of habitat can also decrease the diversity of

the existing flora and fauna in the area, with extinction a very real possibility. In fact, kaingin

(swidden farming) or the indiscriminate burning of forest cover in order to clear out land for

agriculture and cultivation is an area of concern in Southeast Asia (Olson, 1980). This is a

common albeit destructive mode of farming practiced in Southeast Asian countries, and in

Indonesia and Malaysia, during the peak of the dry season in July to October, farmers take

advantage of the conditions to clear out land for themselves and their crops. However, this
system often leads to destructive forest fires that are hard to control. In 2019, around 328,724

hectares of forested land were burned in Indonesia (Balboni et al, 2021). In the Philippines, the

practice of kaingin is observed especially with small-scale farmers near forested areas. Given the

health and environmental risks, it is frowned upon, and yet some politicians back the slash-and-

burn practice. In Nueva Vizcaya, the indigenous peoples were backed by Flodemante Gerdan of

the South District in their practices. The politician reasoned that the IP method was eco-friendly

(Domingo, 2016), but fails to take into account other issues related to kaingin such as permanent

deforestation, health issues, and loss of habitat for the animals.

Aside from the slash-and-burn farming, a major contributor of deforestation especially in

the Mindanao Island is illegal logging. MinDA, the Mindanao Development Authority, has

estimated that the Philippine forest cover is down to 6 percent, and is a precursor for devastating

floods and other environmental hazards. This is already seen and felt in the worsening floods in

metropolitan areas like Davao City in recent years (Saron, 2021). The Tugbok district in Davao

City is elevated 522 feet above sea level and 31 kilometers away from the heart of the city,

which is arguably denser and packed with buildings and a confusing array of drainage systems.

On July 8, 2021, the water rose faster than residents could safely go to their designated

evacuation centers. By 2020, Davao City has lost 46.8kha (change in annual average

deforestation). By comparison, Davao City had 13.2 million hectares of natural forest in their

area (62%) in 2010 (GlobalForestWatch.org, n.d.). Even worse, the unregulated mining and

illegal logging have threatened the flora and fauna of Mount Busa, one of the most biodiverse

places in the Philippines. Only the higher elevations of Mount Busa are under protection, and the

areas near the foot of the mountain enjoy little to no protection. There are flora and fauna that

have been found endemic to the mountain, and sadly, there are no measures in place to protect it
from habitat loss and/or poaching. Perhaps even more concerning is the advent of the plantita

craze that created local demand for exotic flora and ship it to non-indigenous places. This has

further destroyed forest areas, and biodiversity (Sarmiento, 2021).

Statement of the Problem

Deforestation is a serious concern for the world, especially for states with extensive tropical

rainforest cover. However, due to industrialization, political, and other socioeconomic factors,

deforestation has become a polarizing issue. Effects of deforestation, such as widespread

flooding, disappearing flora and fauna, and other human health problems, will continue to

manifest unless sustainable methods can circumvent it. This study will evaluate the effects of

deforestation in the Davao Region (OR MINDANAO NA LANG?? liit lang studies for

davaoooo), the current methods for remedying it, and future implications of deforestation in the

region.

Or:

This study will evaluate deforestation according to the rate of deforestation, current methods to

minimize it, and future implications for the region

Review of Related Literature

Philippine Rainforests & Historical Importance

Deforestation in the Davao Region/Mindanao and its Effects

Social Movements Affecting/Causing Deforestation

Important People/Groups against Deforestation (see Minda)

Objective and Significance of the Study

The main objective of the study is to evaluate deforestation in Davao Region. The study seeks to

answer the following questions:

a. What are the historical changes in rainforest covers in the region?

b. How do the current methods for preventing and minimizing deforestation affect it?

c. What are the future implications for deforestation with the current policies?

It is important to answer these questions as it will help bridge the knowledge gap between the

general public and the institutions that have interests in the ecology of the Davao Region.

Furthermore, it will serve as a baseline for future researches studying deforestation in one of the

most verdant places in Mindanao.

Scope and Limitations

This study is only limited to the deforestation of the Davao Region and its surrounding

locale. The Davao Region is host to amazing flora and fauna that are at risk of disappearing and

dying out. The study will cover the effect, methods for abating deforestation, and the future

implications in Davao Region. Limitations include:

 Availability of existing studies of deforestation specifically in Davao City

 (((will include other limitations as we go))))

Definition of Terms

 kha - ‘kha’ is defined as the change in the average annual deforestation

(GlobalForestWatch, n.d).

 Deforestation??

 Will fill as we go along

Theoretical Framework

The Political Ecology Model is a critical research field that studies how structural forces,

individuals, groups, and organizations can influence environmental change in an interconnected

world. It looks at how structures can be a key role in delivering changes to the landscape around

us. Within the ever-changing power shift in local groups, it can affect the processes of economic

development and thus affect the interests for environmental protection and awareness itself

(Robbins, 2019).

To this end, deforestation as a concept is not an arbitrary human activity but is instead the

product of interests of multiple actors, be it individuals or groups. In light of limiting the

Herculean task of unraveling the complicated reasons why humans choose to continually exploit

their resources, the researcher is limiting itself into examining what social reasons are behind

deforestation, how the existing policies crafted by politicians (individuals) can affect the rate of

deforestation, and theorize how the status quo will affect the future.

The study aims to evaluate deforestation in the context of the Davao Region. Through the

interconnected relationships and influence of actors in the political and socio-economic scene of
the Davao Region, it will give us an insight into the current state of deforestation in the Davao

Region.

Methodology

Research Design

The methodology for this study will mainly follow a literature review-based methodology.

According to Snyder (2019), a literature review-based methodology is a “systematic way of

collecting and synthesizing previous research”, and is an “effective review that creates a

foundation for … theory development”. This process will involve collecting data in the existing

body of knowledge in literature and compiling it into a systematic and understandable way to

answer the research question.

Unit of Analysis

The unit of analysis used in this paper is the effect of deforestation in the Davao Region. The

effect is either maximized by existing industrial practices such as, but not limited to, slash-and-

burn farming, illegal logging, or flora hunting; or minimized by sustainable practices and

responsible urbanization.

Data Collection

Data shall be collected through literature review and/or library research. The researcher shall

compile a relevant body of knowledge pertinent to deforestation in the Davao Region, policies in

place to minimize it, and analysis on the future of the ecology of the region.

Data Analysis
This study shall utilize qualitative prescriptive analysis where the researcher will analyze the

collated text and give interpretation to the subject. According to Saad (2001), qualitative

prescriptive analysis is a type of data analysis that allows for predictions and context-customized

information. This is especially useful for predicting outcomes based on existing literati.
 References (To Be Sorted)

Malhi, Y., & Grace, J. (2000). Tropical forests and atmospheric carbon dioxide. Trends

in Ecology & Evolution, 15(8), 332-337.

Seo, S. N. (2021). Giving Forests: A Tale of Amazon Rainforests and Congo River

Forests. In Climate Change and Economics (pp. 43-61). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Amindoni, A., & Henschke, R. (2021.). Asiaʼs last rainforests T he bur Ning Scar: Inside the ...

BBC. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://landmatrix.org/media/uploads/the-

burning-scar_-inside-the-destruction-of-asias-last-rainforests-bbc-news.pdf.

Olofson, H. (1980). Swidden and kaingin among the southern Tagalog: a problem in Philippine

Upland ethno-agriculture. Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society, 8(2/3), 168-180.

Balboni, C., Burgess, R., Heil, A., Old, J., & Olken, B. A. (2021, May). Cycles of Fire? Politics

and Forest Burning in Indonesia. In AEA Papers and Proceedings (Vol. 111, pp. 415-19).

Domingo, L. (2016) Official backs Ips ‘kaingin’ system. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from

https://www.manilatimes.net/2016/12/07/news/regions/official-backs-ips-kaingin-system/

300504

Saron, R.G. (2021) Now floods stoke even in the uplands. Retrieved November 1, 2021 from

https://mindanaotimes.com.ph/2021/10/25/rough-cuts-now-floods-stoke-even-in-the-

uplands/

GlobalForestWatch.org (n.d.) Retrieved on November 1, 2021 from

https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/country/PHL
Sarmiento, B.S. (2021) Mining and logging threaten a wildlife wonderland on a Philippine

mountain Retrieved November 1, 2021 from https://news.mongabay.com/2021/04/mining-

and-logging-threaten-a-wildlife-wonderland-on-a-philippine-mountain/

Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and

guidelines. Journal of business research, 104, 333-339.

Saad, G. H. (2001). Strategic performance evaluation: descriptive and prescriptive

analysis. Industrial Management & Data Systems.

Robbins, P. (2019). Political ecology: A critical introduction. John Wiley & Sons.