Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 15
Restoration of Philippine Native Forest
by Smallholder Tree Farmers
E.L. Tolentino, Jr.
Abstract
This chapter examines how indigenous tree species domesticated by
smallholder tree farmers can contribute to the restoration of the Philippine native
forests vis-à-vis the popular use of exotic species in many forest plantations. The
dominance of exotic tree species in the Philippines is attributed to the following
reasons: (a) wide adaptability and tolerance to stress particularly in marginal sites;
(b) fast growth and high yield; (c) available research and technological information
and; (d) abundance of and access to quality germplasm.
There are mounting interests and experiences in growing indigenous tree species
(ITS) as indicated by the planting initiatives documented in various parts of the
country. With community-based forest management as a national policy, the role of
smallholder tree farmers particularly in forest restoration has become more impor-
tant than ever. These two developments require important strategies to be put in
place to surmount the constraints of, and facilitate the domestication of, ITS
namely: (a) prioritizing the ITS by region; (b) increasing the availability of, and
improving access to, good quality germplasm which includes seeds, vegetatively-
propagated stocks and wildlings; (c) generating farmer-friendly technologies that
spans from production to processing; the strategy also includes the appropriate dis-
semination and adoption of these technologies to the end users; (d) strengthening
the use of ITS in biodiversity conservation programs; (e) improving access to mar-
ket information by tree farmers and establishing close links to the wood market and;
(f) reviewing and reforming policies and providing adequate incentives to promote
plantation development.
Keywords
Forest restoration, indigenous tree species, smallholder tree farms, tree
domestication
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