IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES: A CASE STUDY OF CBFM SITES IN NUEVA VIZCAYA

Elizabeth T. CarigMay 16, 2011

Mt. Palali, Bansing, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya

INTRODUCTION

Community-Based Forest Management Program

Overall strategy for forest and forestland (FFL) managementObjectives: provide a healthy environment, develop the socio-economic condition of involved communities, encourage social justice and ensure fair access and distribution of benefitsThree-types of land tenure instrument issued: - Certificate of Stewardship Contract (CSC) – individuals/family, 25 years duration - Community-Based Forest Mgt. Agreement (CBFMA) – Peoples organization, 25 years duration - Certificate of Ancestral Land/Domain Title (CALT/CADT) – absolute ownership

Coverage: 5.97 million hectares of FFL, 66.3% of the 9 million hectares target of DENR for devolutionAbout 690,691 households beneficiaries from 2,877 people’s organizations

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1. To establish the ‘before’ condition of livelihood and income, forest condition and forest equity (LIFE) in the study sites;

2. To assess the impact of CBFMP implementation on LIFE several years after the issuance of tenure instrument;

3. To find out the issues and problems affecting CBFM program implementation; and

4. To put forward recommendations that would provide basis for improving site specific management in particular and the CBFM program policy in general.

METHODOLOGY1. Sample Size

Barangay (Village) Covered

No. Active of PO members (N)

No. of Sample(n)

Sample size as percent of population

Baresbes CSC 54 18 33.33Madiangat CSC 52 18 34.62Bansing CBFMA 108 27 25.00Buenavista CBFMA 151 38 25.17

Total 365 101 27.67

2. Data collection methods

Sample size of respondents for each village

Questionnaire survey Focus group discussions and Key informants interview Direct field observation Map overlay

Map of the Philippines

STUDY AREA

Barangay/Village

Tenure Instrument

Area (hectare)

Year Issued

Tenure Existence

Baresbes CSC 136 1994-1996 15 years

Maddiangat CSC 377 1994-1996 15 years

Bansing CBFMA 2,999 2003 7 years

Buenavista CBFMA 3,000 1999 11 years

Main Livelihood Before Tenure

IssuanceAfter Tenure

IssuanceNo. % No. %

No livelihood 17 16.83 - -Vegetable Gardening 36 35.64 49 48.51Rice Farming 27 26.73 33 32.67Poaching of timber and other forest products 7 6.93 - -Carpentry 6 5.94 7 6.93Regular Employment 4 3.96 6 5.94Others (Driving, rice milling, overseas works) 4 3.96 6 5.94

 Total 101 100 101 100

Impact of the CBFM Program on Livelihood

Before tenure Issuance: Vegetable gardening and rice farming are the major livelihoods Timber poaching prevalent in Bansing CBFMA

After Tenure Issuance: Withdrawal of forest resources was restricted – timber poaching and charcoal making

stopped Revert to farming; Diversification (agricultural crops, livestock and orchard) to cope

with change

Significant difference on Respondents’ no. of livelihoods before and after tenure issuance

Impact of the CBFM Program on Livelihood

No. of Livelihood

1. Increase in the no. of livelihood opportunities:

reforestation and agroforestry projects

non-forest-based livelihoods (livestock dispersal, fossilized flower production, agricultural trading)

2. Control of destructive activities – timber poaching, charcoal making, shifting cultivation

Total Income of Respondents Before and After Tenure Issuance

Impact of the CBFM Program on Income

Income Range Before Tenure Issuance After Tenure Issuance

(In PhP) No. % No. % No income 19 18.81 - -

< 10,000.00 1 0.99 - - >10,000-30,000 32 31.68 12 11.88 >30,000-70,000 42 41.58 60 59.41 >70,000-140,000 7 6.93 21 20.79 >140,000-250,000 - - 7 6.93 >250,000-500,000 - - 1 0.99

 Total 101 100 101 100Paired Sample t test df = 100 Sig. (2-sided) = 0.000

Perceived Income Change  No. % Slightly Decreased 7 6.93 No Change 26 25.74 Slightly Increased 66 65.35 Significantly Increased 2 1.98

Total 101 100

27 (39.71%) of 68 – CBFMP has no connection; income from other sources

41 (60.29%) of 68 – CBFMP affected income change

Perceived Change in Income

BarangayAverage

Family size

Approximate Income of Respondents in 2009

(In PhP)

Annual Monthly

Baresbes CSC 5.0 61,295.22 5,107.90Maddiangat CSC 4.39 91,855.22 7,654.60Bansing CBFMA 4.22 60,872.59 5,072.70Buenavista CBFMA 4.74 55,486.97 4,623.90 PhP84,205.00 - 2007 Annual per capita income required for a family of 5. PhP67,364.00 - 2007 Annual per capita income required for a family 4.

Majority of the respondents are still below the poverty threshold; Only respondents from Maddiangat CSC have income above the

poverty threshold.

Average Family Size and Mean Annual/Monthly Income of Respondents per Barangay

Impact of the CBFM Program on Income

Impact of the CBFM Program on Forest Condition

Forest Condition

Impact Remark

1 & 2. Forest Area and Land Use

Increased, improved

- Natural forest increased from 4,260 has. to 5,186 has.- 1,217 hectares tree plantation (734 hectares in Buenavista)

- Brushland/grassland decreased from 1,770 has. to 475.50 has.

3 & 4. Water Quality/ Quantity and Landslides/ Soil Erosion

Deteriorating - Potable water continue to dwindle- Water quality (turbidity) deteriorated due to human activities- High flows/river inundation - rivers became silted- Water easily gets muddy and murky after a rain- Intense surface run-off causing soil erosion and landslides

5. Forest Fire Improved - Enforcement of policies – no use of fire in land preparation- Coordinated burning/clearing of lands- Formation of Forest protection teams- Impact: Natural regeneration

6. Biodiversity Flora -Improved

- Higher elevation forest protected and conserved- Grasslands in lower elevation - converted to tree plantation

Fauna -Declining

- Wildlife seldom seen in lower elevation/individual claims- Higher elevation – no significant change; forest protection

activities

Impact of the CBFM Program on Forest Equity

Factor Before After1. Participation in PO activities

a. Community Meetings

No collective action Loose, no organizationNo constitution and by-laws (CBL) No local policies

Improved Associations formed and registered, CBL crafted80.25% - male participation; 95% - female participation

b. Forest Dev’t Activities

Favored men Improved Low participation in two CSC area (66%-89%) High participation in two CBFMA area (57-

100%) Women participation has increased

2. Access to Livelihood

Favored the rich and powerful (elite capture)

Employment in reforestation projects favored men

Needs improvement 77-83% from two CSC has not receive any

support or reforestation project 81- 86% from two CBFMA has received support Elite capture still exists

3. Access to leadership/

PO leadership

Leadership was held by the Barangay Council

Improved CBL - requirements, term of office, etc.Regular election of officers in two CBFMA projectIrregular election in two CSC project

Respondents’ Level of Satisfaction On the Impact of CBFMP to LIFE

Respondents’ Level of Satisfaction on the Impact of CBFMP to LIFE

 Indicator WMI  Level of SatisfactionLivelihood 2.93 Less SatisfiedIncome 2.99 Less SatisfiedForest Condition 3.56 SatisfiedForest Equity 2.93 Less Satisfied

Scale: 1.0-1.80 = No comment1.81-2.60 = Not Satisfied

2.61-3.4 = Less satisfied3.41-4.2 = Satisfied

4.21-5.0 = Strongly satisfied

Issues and Problems

A. On improvement of Livelihood and Income1. Livelihoods introduced were mostly short-term while

farm inputs (fruit-bearing seedlings, coconut seedlings, rattan

seedlings) are long-gestating;2. Development of alternative livelihoods not explored;3. Farm-to-market roads remained undeveloped;4. Local communities lack financial and management

capabilities5. Large areas (1,217 hectares) including individual land

holdings were used for tree plantations

Issues and Problems

B. Operational and Institutional aspect

1. Institutional partnership not installed, no involvement of local government units

2. Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Team not organized and M&E Tool not established

3. Vending or “selling” of rights over CSC areas is prevalent in two CSC projects

4. Unstable policies - suspension of issuance and renewal of tenure instrument is still in effect, timber harvesting, Resource Use Permit Approval, etc.

5. No clear roles/responsibility of DENR and ENRO of provincial LGU on the management and supervision of devolved areas

CONCLUSION

1. Issuance of land tenure instrument democratized the access of local communities to public lands.

2. Positive impacts on forest condition – increased forest area, improved land use, controlled forest fire, natural regeneration.

3. Forest equity has improved (access to leadership and distribution of benefits needs to be improved)

4. Improvement of livelihood and income is not a priority of the CBFM program - - - livelihood support is still bias towards forest cover improvement.

DENR/government emerged as winner;local communities as losers.

RECOMMENDATION

To Improve LIFE

1. Develop alternative livelihoods;a. Community-Based Ecotourism projects (Senora and Dayog falls) b. Tiger grass production in grassland areas – softbroom-making for womenc. Introduce farming techniques to maximise use of lands --- shade-loving

species to be integrated in existing tree plantations. 2. Skills development for women; 3. Limited funds should be pooled to sustain IEC and capability-

building trainings;4. Encourage use of traditional techniques on natural resources

management (muyong - woodlots);5. Create a policy environment that will allow tenure holders to

harvest planted trees.

RECOMMENDATION

To improve CBFM Policy

Alternative policy:

1. Partnership with municipal local government units should be strengthened;

2. Co-signatory to land tenure instrument:- Annual Internal revenue allotment- Various offices which could be tapped to cater to the needs of

upland communities

RECOMMENDATION

For Further Study

1. In depth study of water flow and discharge as basis for the collection of water users fee from end users (lowland irrigators and Ramon Hydroelectric power plant).

2. Analysis of the impact of climate change on upland livelihoods and adaptation measures adopted by upland farmers.

3. A study on the facilitating or hindering factors affecting Forest Land Use Plan implementation in the municipality of Quezon.

4. A comparative study on the institutional arrangement between a community issued with CBFM Agreement and co-management MOA.