You are on page 1of 38

Philippine Forests

Philippine Forests

What is a Forest?
A forest is an ecosystem where trees are the dominant life form and where the trees have overlapping crowns forming 60100% cover.
*US National Vegetation Classification System

Philippine Forests

LOWLAND DIPTEROCARP FOREST


Trees grow straight and tall, reaching over 100ft!

Very humid!

Remains green and vibrant throughout the year.

Philippine Forests

MONTANE FOREST
1,000m above sea level.

High rainfall - 2 to 3 times higher than at sea level. Trees are shorter, growing less than 100ft.

Philippine Forests

MOSSY FOREST
Very high rainfall over 5 times more than at sea level!

Temperature is quite cool at around 18C.

Trees don't grow very tall, only around 6 to 20ft high.

Philippine Forests

PINE FOREST
Lies moderately far from the sea at 900 to 1,500m above sea level and within the rainshadow of other mountains

Longer than average dry season.

Philippine Forests

MANGROVE FOREST

Found in coastal areas where sea water and fresh water mix.

Crucial breeding habitat of marine fish and shore birds.

Philippine Forests

LIMESTONE FOREST

Only a few species of trees can prosper due to parched conditions.

Plant diversity is low but plants present are highly restricted and unique.

What Services do Forests Provide?

Consumptive
Water for Drinking and Irrigation

Medicine Food

Fiber and Timber

Livelihood

What Services do Forests Provide?

Non-consumptive
Air and Water Purification Wildlife Sanctuary

Protection from Soil Erosion

Carbon Absorption

What is a Watershed?
A geographic area from which water drains toward a common watercourse (streams, lakes, etc.) in a natural basin

Watersheds are the basic building blocks of the natural environment Plants, animals, and humans are all dependent on watersheds for their survival

The Roles of Trees in a Watershed

Slow the fall of rain, reducing flooding and soil erosion Help filter out pollutants Increased deforestation, urbanization, and pollution mean increased flooding and ruined water supplies

Watersheds vs Dams

Stream corridors provide key connection across the landscape for various animals Habitat for animals

Dam walls block fish migration Extinction of fish and other aquatic species; disappearance of birds in floodplains

Carbon storage
Reduced vulnerability to floods and other natural disasters

Erosion of riverbeds downstream


Disrupted and altered water flows adversely affect the ecological web

Where Does Metro Manila Get its Water?

Umiray River, Gen. Nakar, Quezon

Angat Dam, Norzagaray, Bulacan

4
Novaliches Treatment Plant

Balara Treatment Plant La Mesa Dam, Novaliches, QC

Sierra Madre Mountain Range

1.5 million hectares


400,000 hectares of primary forest 1 of 221 global key sites for biodiversity conservation 10 Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Sierra Madre Mountain Range

Fauna
> 70 globally threatened & near threatened species
46 birds
Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)

13 mammals
Golden crowned Flying Fox (Acerodon jubatus)

7 herpetofauna
(snakes, lizards, turtles and crocodiles)
Pygmy Forest Frog (Platymantis pygmaeus)

4 mollusks
Giant Clams (Tridacna spp.)

Sierra Madre Mountain Range

IP Communities
Agta / Dumagat
Quirino at Aurora)
(N.Ecija, N.Vizcaya,

Bugkalot (N.Ecija, N. Vizcaya, Quirino at


Aurora)

Isinai

(N. Vizcaya: Dupax Norte at Sur) (N.Vizcaya, Isabela, Quirino at

Gaddang
Cagayan)

Ibanag Itawes

(Cagayan, N.Vizcaya at Isabela) (Timog Cagayan)

Kalahan
Yogad

(Kanlurang Caraballo,Gitnang Sierra Madre) (Isabella)

Mt. Irid-Angelo

Southern Sierra Madre

5 Provinces:
Bulacan Nueva Ecija
Quezon Rizal Aurora

Mt. Irid-Angelo

critical atershed w
primary source of clean water Angat watershed Kaliwa watershed Kanan watershed Umiray watershed

Mt. Irid-Angelo

Diverse Flora and Fauna


Philippine Eagle Philippine Hawk Eagle

Rufous Hornbill
Philippine Warty Pig

Philippine Brown Deer


Rafflesia Dipterocarps

Mt. Irid-Angelo: Flora and Fauna

Scale-feathered Malkoha
(Endemic, Luzon restricted)

Luzon Fanged Frog

Luzon Giant Cloud Rat

Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat

Mt. Irid-Angelo: Flora and Fauna

Rufous Hornbill
(Endemic, near threatened)

Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher

Blue-breasted Flycatcher

White-browed Shama

Mt. Irid-Angelo: Flora and Fauna


Bagtikan Pitcher Plant

Jade Vine Kapa-Kapa

Rafflesia manilliana

Gabing Tigre

Mt. Irid-Angelo: Forest Cover

1988

2003

There is an increase of forest cover by 7% in a period of 15 years


SOURCE: NAMRIA FOREST COVER 2003,1988 and PBCPP FOREST COVER 1987, 1999

The Case of the Vanishing Forest


1920s

1950s1960s

1970s

1980s

18M hectares 60% of TLA

15M hectares 50% of TLA

10.2M hectares

34% of TLA

6.9M hectares 23.7% of TLA

The Case of the Vanishing Forest

Threats to Sierra Madre Mountains

Mining

Mining claims in Sierra Madre cover an area 811,541 has Cagayan Valley Region: 32 exploration permit applications/ 333,989 has
source: UNDP-GEF-SGP Philippines (2006) The Sierra Madre Mountain Range: A Primer

Threats to Sierra Madre Mountains

Deforestation

LARGE SCALE INDUSTRIAL LOGGING


Mossy forest loss = 1,010 hectares / year Pine forest loss = 253 hectares / year Old-growth dipterocarp forest loss at 21,536 hectares/year
source: UNDP-GEF-SGP Philippines (2006) The Sierra Madre Mountain Range: A Primer

Threats to Sierra Madre Mountains

Deforestation

TIMBER POACHING / SMALL SCALE TIMBER HARVESTING

Threats to Sierra Madre Mountains

Deforestation

UPLAND AGRICULTURE and FOREST FIRE

Threats to Sierra Madre Mountains

Road Construction

Sierra Madre Range: Crossing: at least 6 roads Traversing: at least 3 trans-highways


source: UNDP-GEF-SGP Philippines (2006) The Sierra Madre Mountain Range: A Primer

What Have You Done for the Forest Today?

I NEED A HERO!

What Have You Done for the Forest Today?

Forest restoration - Rainforestation and ROAD to 2020

What Have You Done for the Forest Today?

Lobbying for effective Natural Resource Management

What Have You Done for the Forest Today?


Forest-friendly agricultural practices - Bio-intensive Gardening (BIG) - Rainforestation Farming

What Have You Done for the Forest Today?


Awareness Raising / IEC Campaigns Camp Kabataan para sa Kalikasan Radio plugs, billboards, etc

Salamat po!

www.haribon.org.ph

You might also like