SOCIAL FORESTRY & CBNRM

Unit 1

Rodriga G. Aguinsatan
FRM Dept. Faculty
CFES-CMU
 Introduction

• Social forestry & community-based natural resources mgt have been a

primordial approach used in addressing deforestation and rural development in
the uplands in many tropical countries.
• In the Philippines, since early of 1990s, Community-based Forest Mgt (CBFM)
had been used as a national strategy to ensure the sustainable development of
the country’s forest land resources
• In this subject, a general overview will be given about the various forestry dev’t
strategies & the socio economic factors which influence forest degradations.
Major attention will be given to the scope & potentials of various forms of social
forestry & community based natural resources mgt both within forests reserves
and on other lands.
 Topic Outline

A. MEANING & HISTORY SOCIAL FORESTRY

-Meaning of SF and CBNRM
-Goals/Objectives, Elements, & Principles of SF
-Importance of SF-reasons for its emergence
-Classification of SF Programs
 What is Social Forestry?

SF - Any situation which intimately involves local people in a forest activity and/or
a set of interconnected actions and works executed primarily by local community
residents to improve their own welfare .
It includes: a) the use of forests by individuals or households for subsistence and
cash, and b) community management of forest where a group of local people
collaboratively manage forests either independently or with external support.
- relates to a group of forest management strategies in which the aspect of local
participation with equitable distribution of forest products as the central
objective;
- mgt of forests for the benefits of local communities. It includes aspects such as
forest management, forest protection, & reforestation of deforested lands w/
the objective of improving the rural, environmental, & social dev’t.
 What is Social Forestry?

SF - branch of forestry which deals with the involvement of people in forestry

activities that are designed to promote the socio-economic well being of the people
themselves as well as the conservation of the soil, water and other forest resources
(Lantican,1982).
- The science and art of growing trees and/or other vegetation on all available land
and managing the existing forests with intimate involvement of people with a
view to provide a wide range of goods and services to the individuals as well as to
the society (Tiwari, 1983)
- an activity concerned with tree plantation in and around human habitation, the
objective being to make available within easy reach the basic needs of the
inhabitants with respect to wood, fuel, fruits, and fodder and to restore a
deteriorating ecological balance (Bachketi, 1984).
 What is Social Forestry?

SF - Weirsum (1984) has referred Social Forestry, "to all professional forestry activities that aim
specifically at the participation of local people in forest management and at the fulfilment of
the forest related needs and aspirations of these people”
Foley and Bernard, (1984) called Social Forestry as, "Farm-forestry and community - forestry"
and stated its aim as "to help to solve their own wood supply problems, meet their own needs,
and preserve the environment in which they live by planting trees on their farms and around
their villages.“
Hadley, (1988) has viewed that "Social Forestry as an "Extension-Forestry" which is an
informal, needs oriented educational process, carried out through individual and small group
communications, and characterized by audience participation.“
Vergara has summarized the characteristics of Social Forestry as follows: "Social Forestry is a
small-scale land use operation ranging from pure forestry to integrated agroforestry, and
planned and implemented by individual farmers or communities to yield products and services
for their primary use and benefits. The land use of Social Forestry Programmes could be sole-
owned, community-or-class-owned or Government controlled but made accessible to farmers
 What is Social Forestry?

Vergara has summarized the characteristics of Social Forestry as follows: "Social

Forestry is a small-scale land use operation ranging from pure forestry to integrated
agroforestry, and planned and implemented by individual farmers or communities
to yield products and services for their primary use and benefits. The land use of
Social Forestry Programmes could be sole-owned, community-or-class-owned or
Government controlled but made accessible to farmers
To sum up: Social Forestry is an activity of tree growing and harvesting and
processing either exclusively or in combination with food and fodder crops, either
individually or organizationally, either intensively or extensively by involving and
participating the people with the objective of meeting their needs, either
subsistence or commercial or environmental protection.
 What Community-based Natural Resources Mgt?

Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) is a people-

centered approach to the integration of conservation of the natural resource
base (water, soil, trees and local biodiversity) and dev’t to overcome poverty,
hunger and disease.
- refers to all types of natural resources mgt programs which primarily involve
community in all aspect of the program development in all management
processes (Rebugio 2003)
- envisions sustainable communities within healthy ecosystems.
- characterized by public, multiplicity of stakeholders with diverse interest
(forest production, critical watershed, protected areas or coastal areas mgt &
dev’t).
 Components/Elements of SF

3 components of a successful SF program

Effectiveness: outputs and benefits of social forestry
- Are social forestry practices producing outcomes and benefits that
contribute to poverty alleviation, empower communities and improve forest
conditions?
Efficiency: time and costs of social forestry
- Are social, environmental and economic objectives being achieved in a
timely and cost-effective way? Are trade-offs acceptable?
Equity: the ways benefits and costs are shared and distributed
 GOALS/OBJECTIVES OF SOCIAL FORESTRY
1. To increase the utilization of human resources for managing degraded
marginal lands to counteract the process of deforestation
2. To contribute to the general socio-economic development of rural people
through employment generation, institution building and by promoting
agricultural production.
3. To ensure that rural people can produce, or have better access to certain basic
needs in the form of essential forest and tree products and services.
4. To increase the participation of the rural people in the management of the
forest and tree resources as a means of increasing their self-reliance.
5. To address the needs and aspirations of specific underprivileged groups within
the rural population, such as subsistence farmers, landless families or other
sectors of the rural poor.
 PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL FORESTRY

1. People are the most important variables in upland conservation

2. Villagers should be seen as active partners, rather than passive
objects, of development.
3. Community members have the intelligence to study their own
problems, decide on solutions and implement these solutions.
4. Development of groups, rather than individuals, must be pursued.
5. People should be involved at all stages including planning,
implementation, maintenance and evaluation of conservation works.
 PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL FORESTRY

6. Development is achieved when community members and

institutions have transformed not conformed to status quo
7. Community problems can be solved only through a holistic
approach.
8. Simple, low cost and locally available materials should be used in
upland development work.
9. Individuals learn most from their peers, both from within and
outside the community.
10.Experience is the best teacher; doing makes learning easier.
IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL FORESTRY TO FOREST MANAGEMENT & PROTECTION

1. The failure or neglect of classical/traditional forestry approaches to

respond to the needs of rural communities
2. The futility or inappropriateness of government strategies to deal
with the growing number of forest dwellers or occupants
3. Realization that upland people are potential ally rather than
adversary in forestry development
4. Realization and recognition of the potentials of forestry as one of
the vehicles in promoting rural development
5. Realization that policies promoting industrialization were not
effectively attaching the problems of rural poverty.
 Classification of Social Forestry Program

1. a. According to Technology Used:

a.1. Physical Technology – refers to the land use practice employed
like agroforestry, silviculture, etc.
a.2. Social Technology – refers to the various strategies of
mobilizing people and communities to participate actively in social
forestry activities, like educational campaigns and community
organization
 Classification of Social Forestry Program

b. Programs Requiring Collective Effort

b.1. National campaigns
b.2. Special interest group activities
b.3. Community forestry

c. Programs Requiring Individual Action

c.1. Tree for farms – trees farming programs for individual and land owners
c.2. Trees for residential areas or homestead plantation– encourages
individuals or families to plant trees around homes and private lands in both
rural and urban areas.
 Classification of Social Forestry Program

d. Contractual Program
d.1 Participatory Forestry
d.2 Village Forestry
d.3 Communal Forestry
d.4 Farmer’s Forestry
Implicit in their formulation of a cost-benefitanalysis framework for Social
Forestry, Srivastava and Pant
(1979) also provided the following classified schemes.
i) Farm Forestry,
ii) Rural or Extension Forestry, and
iii) Urban Forestry.
 COMMUNITY FORESTRY and COMMUNITY-BASED
NATURAL RESOURCES MGT
Community Forestry – the process of making an effectuating decisions with
regard to the use and conservation of resources within the local territory with
the organization of related activities being based on social interactions and a
degree of shared norms and interest of the members living within this local
territory.
- any forest management activities undertaken by rural people as part of their
livelihood strategies.
- any situation which closely involves local people in a forestry activity
 COMMUNITY FORESTRY and COMMUNITY-BASED
NATURAL RESOURCES MGT
Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) is a people-
centered approach to the integration of conservation of the natural resource
base (water, soil, trees and local biodiversity) and development to overcome
poverty, hunger and disease.
- refers to all types of natural resources management programs which
primarily involve community in all aspect of the program development in all
management processes (Rebugio 2003)
- envisions sustainable communities within healthy ecosystems.
- characterized by public, multiplicity of stakeholders with diverse interest
(forest production, critical watershed, protected areas or coastal areas mgt &
dev’t).
 TYPES OF COMMUNITY FOREST MGT

• Indigenous forest management – originate from w/in a community; these

practices are generated by internal initiatives within a local community on
the basis of the prevailing norms and values on forest resources.
• Externally sponsored forest management – set up by outsiders. The norms
and values w/ respect forest resources & organization mgt are often based
on a different frame or reference from that of the community norms and
values.
• Traditional forest management – based on norms and objective from the
past.
• Adaptive forest management practices – developed in response to changed
conditions.
EVOLUTION OF COMMUNITY FORESTRY & PROGRAMS
IN THE PHILS.

• Definitive Forest Laws & Regulations (1889) - Slash-and-burn cultivation in

the upland areas was prohibited w/ heavy penalties awaiting violators.
• Kaingin Law (Act No. 274, 1901) - Kaingineros & other forest occupants were
to be punished and evicted from forest areas.
• Forest Law of 1917 or Act No. 2711 - Established communal forests and
pastures for the use of communities, but still under state control
• Revised Communal Forest Regulation (Forestry Admin Order No. 14-1)1941 -
The Sec of Agriculture and Commerce set aside communal forests
- residents of the municipality were granted the privilege to cut, collect
and remove free of charge, forest products for their personal use
 EVOLUTION OF COMMUNITY FORESTRY & PROGRAMS
IN THE PHILS.
• Kaingin Mgt & Land Settlement Regulations (Forestry Admim Order No. 62,
1971) - containment of forest occupants. Kaingineros were allowed to remain in
the public forestland provided they undertake soil conservation & tree farming
activities in fixed sites.
• Family Approach to Reforestation (BFD Circular No. 45, s. 1973 - The BFD
entered into short-term contracts w/ families to set up tree plantations in public
land.
• PD 705 – Protected Kaingineros, squatters, & other occupants who entered
forest zones before May 1975. Provided that they do not expand their clearings
and that they undertake forest protection activities.
• 1976 – FOMP was born- Allowed bonafide forest occupants to develop the
lands they were occupying or cultivating but with specific provision that the
subject land should not exceed 7 has. per occupant. Renewable two-year forest
occupancy permit issued to participating kaingineros.
EVOLUTION OF COMMUNITY FORESTRY & PROGRAMS
IN THE PHILS.
• Communal Tree Farming Program (Ministry Admin Order No. 11, S. 1979)-
Every city and municipality in the country was expected to establish tree
farms. Reforestation in open and denuded forestlands was undertaken
through the involvement of forest occupants, civic organizations, and
municipal gov’t units.
• 1982 ISFP was created thru LOI 1260 - Participants in the program are granted
the right to occupy & develop forest areas for a period of 25 years, renewable
for another 25 years, through the issuance of stewardship agreement.
• Community Forestry Program (DAO No. 123 s. 1989) - The CFMA is awarded
to organized upland communities for a period of 25 yrs, renewable for
another 25 yrs. Forest utilization privileges are given to the communities who
are expected to prepare a dev’t plan & adhere to the principles of sustained-
yield mgt.
 EVOLUTION OF COMMUNITY FORESTRY & PROGRAMS
IN THE PHILS.
• 1991 (RA 7160) The implementation of social forestry and reforestation
initiatives, the mgt of communal forests not exceeding 5,000 has., the
protection of small watershed areas, and the enforcement of forest laws are
devolved to LGUs.
• Delineation of Ancestral Lands & Domain Claims (DAO No. 2 s. 1993)-
Provincial Special Task Forces on Ancestral Domains (PSTFAD) are
mandated to meet w/ ICs for the purpose of verifying ancestral domain
claims & identifying forest boundaries. Once their claims are approved,
indigenous communities are granted CADCs
• 1995 EO 263 “Adoption CBFM as the National Strategy for the Sustainable
Dev’t of Forestlands” was issued
-
EVOLUTION OF COMMUNITY FORESTRY & PROGRAMS
IN THE PHILS.

• 1995 EO 263 “Adoption CBFM as the National Strategy for the Sustainable
Dev’t of Forestlands” was issued
- CBFM is the national strategy to achieve sustainable forestry and social
justice. Organized communities may be granted access to forest resources
under long-term tenure provided they employ environment-friendly,
ecologically sustainable, and labor-intensive harvesting methods. CBFM
integrates all people-oriented forestry programs & projects of the govt.
For the details: see DAO 2004-29
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION