Module 4: The Culprits Behind

The Vanishing Emerald

Treasures

ROSE JANE J. PERAS

Prepared by” Elsa P. Santos and Floribel D. Paras

Department of Social Forestry and Forest Governance
A. Plunderers and Raiders
of Nature
Dipterocarp forest
Aerial view of a selectively logged
area of SUDECOR

Aerial view of a logged over area

 Aerial view of a selectively logged
area of SUDECOR

SUDECOR’s selectively logged forest in Surigao Sur

 The Philippine Forestry Sector in
Review
Philippine Forest Area (Million ha)

30
2003 Forest Area:
7.2 million hectares
25

20

M ha 15

10

1500 1900 1934 1988 1996 6

Year
 70 % 60 % 40 %

23.7 % 18.3 %
34 %

Source: Dolom, 2006 and Adapted from Environmental Science for Social Change, 1999 in Lasco ppt presentation 2008.
List of Suspects
Suspect 1: Slash and Burn Farmer
• Crime: Cutting down trees,
burning it down and clearing
the forest to establish a farm
• MO: He abandons the area
after he used it and transfers to
another place to clear
• Status: Active
Suspect 1: Slash and Burn Farmer

Exhibit A
Suspect 1: Slash and Burn Farmer

Exhibit B
Suspect 1: Slash and Burn Farmer

Exhibit C
Suspect 1: Slash and Burn Farmer

Exhibit D
Suspect 1: Slash and Burn Farmer

Exhibit E
Suspect 2: Logger
• Crime: 2 types of logging—illegal and
legal logging. Illegal logging means he
has no permit and doesn’t replace them.
Legal logging means he has one but he
may cut down more than he ought to or
sell his permit to those who have none.
• MO: Illegal- he cuts down trees when
there is no one around, chops them to
pieces and sell it to the market/ use it.
Legal- oftentimes cut more than the AAC
and get others to use the permit
• Status: Active
Suspect 2: Logger

Exhibit A
Suspect 2: Logger

Exhibit B
Suspect 2: Logger

Exhibit C
Suspect 2: Logger

Exhibit D
Suspect 2: Logger

Exhibit E
Suspect 2: Logger

Exhibit F
Suspect 2: Logger

Exhibit G
Suspect 2: Logger

Exhibit H
Suspect 2: Logger

Exhibit I
Suspect 2: Logger

Exhibit J
Suspect 3: Commercial Farmer
• Crime: She converts vast
tracks forest lands into
agricultural lands which
decreases biodiversity and soil
quality
• MO: She puts in large amounts
of fertilizers and biocides for her
crops to flourish
• Status: Active
Suspect 3: Commercial Farmer

Exhibit A
Suspect 3: Commercial Farmer

Exhibit B
Suspect 3: Commercial Farmer

Exhibit C
Suspect 3: Commercial Farmer

Exhibit D
Suspect 4: Charcoal Maker
• Crime: Cutting down saplings
of timber species
• MO: He cuts trees regardless
of size and potentials; follows
the track of illegal loggers and
cuts what the loggers abandon
• Status: Active
Suspect 4: Charcoal Maker

Exhibit A
Suspect 4: Charcoal Maker

Exhibit B
Suspect 4: Charcoal Maker

Exhibit C
Suspect 4: Charcoal Maker

Exhibit D
Suspect 4: Charcoal Maker

Exhibit E
Suspect 5: Cattle Rancher
• Crime: Cutting down all vegetation
to grow grasses and fodder for
cattle raising
• MO: He cuts almost all vegetation
found and disregard biodiversity;
continued trampling on the ground
by the cattle could cause severe
alteration in soil texture and quality
• Status: Active
Suspect 5: Cattle Rancher

Exhibit A
Suspect 5: Cattle Rancher

Exhibit B
Suspect 5: Cattle Rancher

Exhibit C
 Threats to Forest Due to Unregulated
Forestry Activities
• Rampant cutting of poles and saplings for
charcoal making
• Continued tree-stump digging for furniture
purposes
• Continued timber poaching
• Continued poaching of wildlife and NTFPs
• Continued encroachment for cash crop
cultivation
• Simplification of forest resulting to loss of
biodiversity
• Destruction of mossy and old-growth forests
 Threats of Timber Poaching

• Degradation of forest will likely occur due to a

cutting series (from timber to poles and saplings
to clearing for kaingin-making)
• Illegal and unabated cutting of timber species is
done by individuals or groups of muscular men
throughout the year. This slows down after raids
but picks up momentum when the crackdown
cools off.
• The small diameter trees (pole and sapling size)
are harvested by charcoal makers who stay in
the forest for at least 10 days, enough to scout
for the next prospect.
 Threats of Timber Poaching
• Once the area is devoid of big vegetation, the
relatives or friends of the wood cutters come to
clear the remaining land cover and prepare for
crop cultivation.
• Characteristics of timber poachers: muscular
men born in the area; age ranges from 18 to 53
years old; most have not completed elementary
school; monthly income ranges from Php 5000
to 6000; also engaged in farming
• This implies that every male could be tempted to
engage in this practice – forest is a free for all
good – tragedy of the commons
B. Chainsaw
Massacre
 When is logging considered illegal?

• absence of legal documents

– permit to cut
– Transport permit

• Legal source of timber is not established

 Illegal logging is a major concern in many
tropical countries

 drives harvesting above planned legal limits,

thereby impairing efforts at sustainable forest
management, and is a powerful element of
organized crime
 According to World Bank and WWF
assessments, about 70 countries have
substantial problems with illegal logging, leading
to annual losses of government income
exceeding $5 billion and total economic losses
of about $10 billion (Pisarenko and Strakhov 2004).
Power from the Forest: The
Politics of Logging in the
Philippines
• A story of logging on the
exercise of power – who wields
it, benefits from it and how.
• It highlighted how forests were
used as a political tool by Pres.
Marcos in granting and
revoking logging licenses
• Depicts the violations
committed against forest laws,
and how these violators were
protected by politicians, the
military and even the New
People's Army (NPA)
 Illegal logging in Indonesia
• Local bureaucrats and politicians have much to gain
by allowing logging to take place outside official
concessions (Barr et al.2006) or by sanctioning the
transport and processing of illegally harvested logs
(Casson 2001a).
• On net, in many cases over 50% of the wood yield
involves some illegal action estimated at 60-80%
(CIFOR 2004).
• The reality on the ground shows the incentives that
local politicians and bureaucrats face to either protect
tropical forests or to allow their destruction.
 The dynamics of illegal logging
• Why does illegal logging prosper in the
country?
Illegal logging is happening
inside the CBFM area covered
by the individual CSCs
While waiting for the issuance of
the RUP (resource use permit),
some are already cutting their
planted timber
- Immediate need for cash
(money)

Timber Buyer
 Facts about illegal logging:
Illegal loggers remain poor
• Unfair pricing and scaling of logs by capitalist. A
typical logger is paid Php 8.00-10.00/bdft
depending on the species of wood.
• High price of konsumo (goods or food items
advanced to the loggers for their consumption
during the timber expedition and harvesting
period) dictated by the capitalist.
• Few managed to save and became the local
capitalist or middleman; most did not earn much
and remain workers for life.
 Facts about illegal logging
• Selection of trees to be cut depends on the
species and volume demand.
• Sale of wood ranges from Php 10.00-20.00/bdft.
• Logging capitalists and/or sawmill operators with
huge lumber trade deals find potential market in
Metro Manila, Laguna, Batangas and Cavite.
• Transactions are made three to four times each
year; net earning from each ranges from Php
30,000 to 300,000.
 Facts about illegal logging
• Collusion of public officials encourages the
practice. For tipping off information and
protecting the illegal loggers, they receive Php
5,000-10,000 (bribe money) excluding the snack
allowance for those at the checkpoints. Some
officials oblige the capitalists to provide wine and
“pangpulutan” during birthdays and special
occasions.
• Once caught, the lost shipment and investment
is easily regained by another round of timber
poaching.
 People engaged in the practice

Capitalists (local-fellow and outsider) – these are the persons

providing or investing money for the production of goods and
services.
Local-based agent – the one who serves as the “middleman”.
Local customer – resident of the area who consumes logs for
own use.
Logger – does the cutting of trees
Wood workers – the wood carvers or those engaged in design
and in furniture making.
Sawmill operator – the one who owns the sawmill where the
logs are cut into lumber.
 Logging Ban
Advantages
•Protect the critical watersheds or drainage areas of river
systems supporting existing or proposed hydroelectric
power facilities, irrigation works or existing water facilities
in need of immediate protection or rehabilitation (PD 705).
• Protect the forest cover of areas that are highly prone to
flash floods and hazardous flooding.
• Preserve biodiversity and protect threatened habitats and
sanctuaries of endangered and rare species.
•Allow natural regeneration and development of plantation
forests.

Impacts and effectiveness of logging bans in natural forests: Phillippines - Ernesto S. Guiang (2004)
 Logging Ban
Disadvantages
 Turned forestlands into open access areas that invited
the entry of illegal cutters in response to the increasing
demand for forest products
 Imposition of logging bans and subsequent
cancellation, non-renewal and suspension of logging
activities
 Causes more damage to the environment because
illegal cutters extract forest products without long-term
interests or accountability
 Burden the Government with more forest protection
efforts that are not as effective as those provided by land
holders.

Impacts and effectiveness of logging bans in natural forests: Phillippines - Ernesto S. Guiang (2004)
 Logging Ban
Disadvantages
Eliminated revenues from logging
charges that the Government would
otherwise collect.
Encourage illegal logging, which causes
market imperfections and imbalances in
the local prices for forest products.
Encourage illicit alliances among
financiers, illegal cutters, the military,
and DENR field personnel.
Impacts and effectiveness of logging bans in natural forests: Phillippines - Ernesto S. Guiang
Logging bans do not
guarantee forest
conservation as long as
domestic demand is strong
and access to the forestland
is open.
IMPACTS OF FOREST
DESTRUCTION