FOREST CHANGE DRIVERS AND IMPACTS POLICY BRIEF FOR PROVINCE

A key driver of deforestation and forest degradation in the is uncertainty regarding the exact drivers and sites of deforestation and forest degradation, which limits ability to develop targeted and effective conservation interventions. Forest figures are rarely available at the subnational level, more so at the landscape level. Forest cover estimates are available only up to the provincial level, while estimates for annual change rate in forest area is available only at the national level. To address this gap, ESSC embarked on an assessment of the drivers and impacts of forest cover change in Bukidnon, with particular focus on northern Pantaron Range, covering the municipalities of and Cabanglasan, and the city of . The assessment uncovered both negative drivers and positive drivers, which co-exist in Bukidnon.

KEY FINDINGS

1. Natural forests - critical to the sustainability of ecosystem services - are under pressure.

a. Natural forests experienced a net decrease of almost 13,000 ha over 13 years, or almost 1,000 ha per year, largely due to degradation of mossy and primary forests. This translates to forest carbon losses of 2.88M Ct.

b. Discounting the gains from natural regeneration in some areas, the province actually lost over 50,000 ha of mossy, primary and secondary forests over the period, or over 3,800 ha per year.

c. Over 32,000 ha of mossy and primary forests became secondary or open forests.

2018 LAND COVER UPDATE OF BUKIDNON POLICY BRIEF

2. Major forest losses are in four blocks. The most prominent losses are along the fringes of natural forests in: a. San Fernando, Valencia and Quezon (Mount Tangkulan) b. Malaybalay, Cabanglasan, Impasugong, Fortich, Malitbog (Northern Pantaron) c. , Malaybalay and Baungon (Mount Kitanglad) d. and Valencia (Mount Kalatungan) 3. Losses were mainly due natural forest degradation (78%). Secondary forests of over 28,600 were converted to other wooded land.

4. Deforestation occurred on almost 11,000 ha of natural forests that were converted to grasslands and agricultural lands. The top five crops that expanded into natural forest areas are corn, sugarcane, rice, rubber and coconut. Forest conversion in the north was mostly due to corn while in the south it was mainly due to sugarcane.

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2018 LAND COVER UPDATE OF BUKIDNON POLICY BRIEF

5. Mosaic agroforests are increasing. Other tree cover expanded by almost 31,000 ha, or 26% of its coverage in 2005. These “tree cover” gains are mainly tree species such as falcata, gmelina, as well as other fruit trees. The National Greening Program invested P30 billion nationwide over six years (2011-2016) on these species. These species may provide livelihood benefits, however they do not deliver the same level of ecosystem services as that of natural forests.

6. Regeneration of natural forests of 37,491 ha mainly occurred in areas that used to be shrublands (16,522 ha), other land with tree cover (10,737 ha), and grasslands (6,209 ha) in 2005. The significant positive changes are occurring along the northern and eastern fringes of Mount Kitanglad National Park, as well as in Freedom and Capinonan in Cabanglasan, along the boundary with Malaybalay.

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2018 LAND COVER UPDATE OF BUKIDNON POLICY BRIEF

7. Impacts of these land use changes on cultures and livelihoods are largely negative. The promotion of commercial crops in upland areas are driving subsistence communities into a cash economy with a market mechanism that causes indebtedness, livelihood insecurity, and weakening of indigenous knowledge and practices. As land management becomes individualized and use of chemical sprays (e.g. glyphosate) gets widespread, water security and soil health are threatened. The promotion of genetically-modified corn in the uplands has made farming families more vulnerable as they have lost food security derived from planting white corn along with other complementary food crops. Many farmers do not want their children to follow in their footsteps in working the land so they can avoid the backbreaking work and the small returns despite the risks involved.

For more information please contact:

The Geomatics Unit Environmental Science for Social Change (ESSC) Email: [email protected] Phone: +63 88 813-3840 Address: Paz dela Cerna David St. (Beside Shepherd’s Meadow) Sumpong, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon

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2018 LAND COVER UPDATE OF BUKIDNON POLICY BRIEF

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS How can Bukidnon sustain ecosystem services and still be ’s food basket?

1. Link the forest agenda with water needs at community and landscape levels.

• Assess community water sources and link support for community water system improvements with community forest management. Upper Pulangi Watershed along Northern Pantaron has over 65 sitios.

• Animate the Bukidnon Watershed Protection and Development Council and exchange experiences with other watershed alliances such as the Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council.

2. Update Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP) and Forest Land Use Plans (FLUP)

• Use the 2018 Bukidnon Land Cover Assessment as base map.

• Demarcate the forest line and provide incentives for forest protection.

• Consider slope characteristics when selecting sites for agriculture and infrastructure projects. Avoid promoting commercial agriculture and monoculture plantations on precarious slopes.

• Promote alternative sustainable land uses in upland areas planted with corn (33,000 ha) and in grasslands (73,000 ha)

3. Develop a scheme of payments for ecosystem services (PES) to communities in areas with potential for assisted natural forest regeneration.

• Prioritize sitios in or near secondary forests (88,000 ha) and shrublands (91,000 ha).

• Provide “no-fire” incentives during summer especially to barangays along the forest lines. Link incentives with barangay development plans.

• Engage the youth.

4. Support and promote Indigenous Community Conserved Areas (ICCA)

• Change the narrative about kaingin. Swidden systems, when managed in the right way, can allow forests to regenerate and provide farmers with a range of products that help to diversify livelihoods and increase resilience.

• Create incentives to encourage organic farming practices.

• Help safeguard the integrity of indigenous cultures.

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