Production

» annEx b InDICaTES Log PRoDUCTIon bY SPECIES fRom REgIon 8, anD CoRRoboRaTES ThE PRESEnCE of a nUmbER of ThESE SPECIES In ThE REgIon. ThE VoLUmE of YEmanE LogS PRoDUCED oVER ThE fIVE YEaR PERIoD aCCoUnTED foR a LITTLE oVER 70% of ToTaL Log PRoDUCTIon foR ThE REgIon, oUTnUmbERIng LogS fRom aLL oThER SPECIES CombInED bY a RaTIo of aLmoST 2.4:1.

Volume of the planted tree species*:

1) Gmelina (78.4%) 2) Mahogany (17.0%) 3) Giant ipil-ipil (3.4%) 4) Antipolo (0.2%) 5) Bagalunga (0.8%)

*A rough estimate based on the database of marketable volume of species from CTPOs in Southern Leyte compiled by CENRO Maasin resulted in the following ranking (»annEx C): Four of the five tree species planted in private tree plantations, with the exception of Bagalunga, have figured in the FMB-DENR data on log production in Region 8 for the period 2002 to 2006. Bagalunga is a fast-growing, medium-sized tree, and the properties of its wood make it suitable for furniture, construction, and for other industrial uses. (» annEx D: a SUmmaRY of ThE PRoPERTIES anD aPPLICaTIonS of SELECTED CommERCIaL WooD SPECIES In LEYTE)

Government financing of PO nursery establishments. As part of the CBFM reforestation project, the government financed the establishment of nurseries by the POs within their respective areas. These nurseries supplied the POs with planting materials. Apart from clearing the land on which the POs erected the nursery shed, farmers raise seedlings, select viable germinants that are transferred into plastic bags containing the soil media, water regularly, and weed and maintain the seedlings before transporting them to the planting sites.

Aside from seedlings as inputs for tree plantation establishment, fertilizers and

pesticides, are the other variable inputs needed. This study has found that none of the POs had used these inputs in planting or subsequent protection/maintenance activities. Land belongs to government as far as POs and IFMA/SIFMA holders are concerned, subject to tenurial agreements that give the tenure holder right of use over the resources therein for a specified period.

PRoDUCTIon This function involves the development of tree plantations, either under the DENR’s reforestation program for CBFM, or as the beginning of a long-term business activity by private small-hold tree farmers and by IFMAs/SIFMAs.