Restoration of Philippine Native Forest by Smallholder Tree Farmers - Smallholder Tree Growing for Rural Development and Environmental Services - page 321

and natural resources and biodiversity rehabilitation (Göltenboth 2005) and specifi-
cally employs indigenous tree species in its planting programs. The details of plant-
ing and maintenance scheme which includes indigenous pioneer trees (e.g.
Samanea saman, Artocarpus blancoi, Melia dubia, Casuarina nodosa ), indigenous
shade loving trees (e.g. Dipterocarpus validus, Shorea contorta and Litsea leyten-
sis ) and fruit trees (e.g. Artocarpus heterophylla, Nephelium lappaceum, Garcinia
mangosteen, Durio zibethinus and Sandoricum koetjape ) were described by
Göltenboth (2005). The project reported about 1,500 ha under long-term trials using
this mode of farming in the islands of Leyte, Bohol, Palawan and Mindanao involv-
ing subsistence farmers and farmer cooperatives (EURONATUR 2002).
Technologies for wood processing and post-harvest practices suitable for the
production models of the smallholder tree farmers are required to assist farmers to
efficiently process their trees. There is a need for small sawmills for the processing
of small diameters and volumes of wood that are grown in most smallholder tree
farms. Farmers need post-harvest technologies to minimize losses due to poor han-
dling and storage. This will include wood drying and, if necessary, wood preserva-
tion technologies.
The experience of Landcare in the Philippines highlights how farmer participation
was promoted to adopt soil conservation measures. Although in another realm, these
principles appear to be a good model to follow when generating technologies for the
domestication of ITS by the smallholder tree farmers (ACIAR 2004; ACIAR 2003).
Appropriate and aggressive dissemination of technologies is part of the technology
generation program. Data banking of relevant information for ITS is vital to wide-
spread dissemination. The Agroforestree Database was developed by ICRAF and is
already on its second version. The database contains both exotic and indigenous tree
species. The Department of Forestry, Leyte State University (now Visayas State
University) is using software called ALICE which accordingly stores information
for ITS (Mangaoang, E.O., 1999). Both of these databases are undergoing regular
improvements and updates. It is also recognized that many information and data have
not been integrated into these existing databases and are just in some libraries,
research offices or in the communities. Thus, there is an obvious need to gather,
collate, analyze and validate the information before their inclusion in the data banks.
Knowledge management of these sources of information is critical to facilitate
adoption of the technologies by the smallholder farmers. More importantly, this
information should be easily accessible to the end users.

15.4.4 Strengthening the Use of ITS in Biodiversity

Conservation Programs

Indigenous tree species will find a good niche in the proposed biodiversity corridors
as advanced in the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (Department of
Environment and Natural Resources-Protected Area and Wildlife Bureau) (DENR-
PAWB), Conservation International (CI), & University of the Philippines-Center