Forest Management in the Philippines

Forests play a major role in the development of the Philippines. They provide a livelihood for thousands of people, wood for domestic and export demand, leaves for livestock fodder and roots for erosion control. But uncontrolled exploitation of timber, Indiscriminate burning, overgrazing and other misuses have damaged the forests and upset the ecological balance. For the past several years the UN Development Program (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Philippine Government have jointly funded a program to train specialists in advanced techniques to rehabilitate and maintain this precious natural resource.
Upper Agno workers construct a "gabion" check dam made of rock and wire, which later will be planted with native trees and bushes to forestall erosion. In 1972 - 200 inches of rain fell in 45 days, damaging the gully which now threatens water supplies at lower elevations.