FOREST RESOURCES

- The forest is an ecosystem comprised of a wide array flora, fauna, and microorganism
species that are in constant interface with the environment in which they occur.
- Forest ecosystem are vital life-support systems, in that they provide many benefits
that improve human life and experience.
- Since the beginning, the forest has been the major source of materials for food, water,
shelter, clothing, fuel, spices, medicines, and many other things needed by people.
- Forest resources are multi-purpose and multi-functional.
- The forest’ primordial role is serving as the “lung of the earth”, because of their
capacity to function as carbon sinks, sites where carbon dioxide is taken out of the air,
as well as their capacity to produce oxygen that humans need to breathe. They also
provide protective, regulative, and productive functions
FOREST RESOURCES
- The forest is an ecosystem comprised of a wide array flora, fauna, and microorganism
species that are in constant interface with the environment in which they occur.
- Forest ecosystem are vital life-support systems, in that they provide many benefits
that improve human life and experience.
- Since the beginning, the forest has been the major source of materials for food, water,
shelter, clothing, fuel, spices, medicines, and many other things needed by people.
- Forest resources are multi-purpose and multi-functional.
- The forest’ primordial role is serving as the “lung of the earth”, because of their
capacity to function as carbon sinks, sites where carbon dioxide is taken out of the air,
as well as their capacity to produce oxygen that humans need to breathe. They also
provide protective, regulative, and productive functions
FOREST RESOURCES
The forest is an ecosystem comprised of a wide array flora, fauna, and microorganism
species that are in constant interface with the environment in which they occur.
- Forest ecosystem are vital life-support systems, in that they provide many benefits
that improve human life and experience.
- Since the beginning, the forest has been the major source of materials for food, water,
shelter, clothing, fuel, spices, medicines, and many other things needed by people.
- Forest resources are multi-purpose and multi-functional.
- The forest’ primordial role is serving as the “lung of the earth”, because of their
capacity to function as carbon sinks, sites where carbon dioxide is taken out of the air,
as well as their capacity to produce oxygen that humans need to breathe. They also
provide protective, regulative, and productive functions.
The forest is an ecosystem comprised of a wide array flora, fauna, and microorganism
species that are in constant interface with the environment in which they occur.
- Forest ecosystem are vital life-support systems, in that they provide many benefits
that improve human life and experience.
- Since the beginning, the forest has been the major source of materials for food, water,
shelter, clothing, fuel, spices, medicines, and many other things needed by people.
- Forest resources are multi-purpose and multi-functional.
- The forest’ primordial role is serving as the “lung of the earth”, because of their
capacity to function as carbon sinks, sites where carbon dioxide is taken out of the air,
as well as their capacity to produce oxygen that humans need to breathe. They also
provide protective, regulative, and productive functions.
The forest is an ecosystem comprised of a wide array flora, fauna, and microorganism
species that are in constant interface with the environment in which they occur.
- Forest ecosystem are vital life-support systems, in that they provide many benefits
that improve human life and experience.
- Since the beginning, the forest has been the major source of materials for food, water,
shelter, clothing, fuel, spices, medicines, and many other things needed by people.
- Forest resources are multi-purpose and multi-functional.
- The forest’ primordial role is serving as the “lung of the earth”, because of their
capacity to function as carbon sinks, sites where carbon dioxide is taken out of the air,
as well as their capacity to produce oxygen that humans need to breathe. They also
provide protective, regulative, and productive functions.
- The forest is an ecosystem comprised of a wide array flora, fauna, and microorganism
species that are in constant interface with the environment in which they occur.
 - Forest ecosystem are vital life-support systems, in that they provide many benefits
that improve human life and experience.
- Since the beginning, the forest has been the major source of materials for food, water,
shelter, clothing, fuel, spices, medicines, and many other things needed by people.
- Forest resources are multi-purpose and multi-functional.
- The forest’ primordial role is serving as the “lung of the earth”, because of their
capacity to function as carbon sinks, sites where carbon dioxide is taken out of the air,
as well as their capacity to produce oxygen that humans need to breathe. They also
provide protective, regulative, and productive functions.

In the Philippine context,

forest provide many
economically valuable
products
including rubber, fruits
and nuts, meat, rattan,
medical herbs, floral
greenery, lumber,
firewood and charcoal
- In the Philippine context, forest provide many economically valuable products
including rubber, fruits and nuts, meat, rattan, medical herbs, floral greenery, lumber,
firewood and charcoal

As defined by the
Department of
Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR),
our forest resources
include major types such
as dipterocarp, molave,
pine,
mangroves, mossy and
beach forest
- As defined by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),
our forest resources include major types such as dipterocarp, molave, pine,
mangroves, mossy and beach forest

DIPTEROCARP FOREST
- Lowland rainforest
- Which are dominated
by at least 50% of
Dipterocarp species and
thus is a major
source of wood for the
lumber industry.
• MOLAVE FOREST
- Lowland rainforest
- Is predominated by
molave trees but other
tree species such as
✓ narra (Pterocarpus
indicus),
✓ tindaloo (Pahudia
rhomboidea),
✓ ipil (Intsia bijuga),
✓ akle (Albizia acle)
✓ banuyo
(Wallaceodencron
celebicum)
*DIPTEROCARP FOREST
- Lowland rainforest
- Which are dominated by at least 50% of Dipterocarp species and thus is a major
source of wood for the lumber industry.
• MOLAVE FOREST
- Lowland rainforest
- Is predominated by molave trees but other tree species such as
✓ narra (Pterocarpus indicus),
✓ tindaloo (Pahudia rhomboidea),
✓ ipil (Intsia bijuga),
✓ akle (Albizia acle)
✓ banuyo (Wallaceodencron celebicum)

- It is more open type of

forest than dipterocarp
forest and has less
volume of trees.
- Pine-type of forest is
mainly located in
mountainous region of
the Philippines such
as in the Mountain
Province.
• MANGROVE FOREST
- Is compose of
mangroves growing in
wetland along tidal
mudflats and shallow
water
coastal areas extending
inland along rivers,
streams, and their
tributaries with
brackish waters.
• MOSSY FOREST
- the lower montane
forest, the mossy forest
is generally found in
highly elevated
lands and mountainous
area with steep ridges,
and have trees that are
covered with
moss, ferns or orchids.
- It is more open type of forest than dipterocarp forest and has less volume of trees.
- Pine-type of forest is mainly located in mountainous region of the Philippines such
as in the Mountain Province.
• MANGROVE FOREST
- Is compose of mangroves growing in wetland along tidal mudflats and shallow water
coastal areas extending inland along rivers, streams, and their tributaries with
brackish waters.
• MOSSY FOREST
- the lower montane forest, the mossy forest is generally found in highly elevated
lands and mountainous area with steep ridges, and have trees that are covered with
moss, ferns or orchids.
• BEACH FOREST
- are composed of vegetation such as
✓ pandan (Pandanus tectorius) and other trees including
✓ Talisay (Terminalia catappa),
✓ dapdap (Erythrina variegate var orientalis),
✓ botong (Barringtonia asiatica),
✓ palomaria (Calophyllum inophyllum), and
✓ tawalis (Osbornia octodonta) along sandy beaches.
• DIRECT BENEFITS
- The direct benefits from the forest are timer and non-timber products or minor forest
products.
Timber products includes logs, lumber, veneer, and plywood.
- Examples of non-timber products include charcoal, firewood, tanbarks, palm
products, cutch and fibers, resins, gums, oils, rubber and gutta-percha, beeswax, and
medicinal plants.
• INDIRECT BENEFITS
- The indirect benefits or intangible benefits we derive from forest are those which we
do not feel directly.
- We refer to the use of forest for aesthetic, research, and recreational purposes as well
as for communicating with nature.
- These indirect benefits also include the protective and regulatory functions of the
forest ecosystem.
- The protective function can be local or global and include:
✓ Influence on climate
✓ Coastal protection
✓ Function as air pollution filters
✓ Protection of water resources
- The regulatory functions of the forest include:
✓ Maintenance of hydrological (water) cycle
✓ Climate regulation
✓ Soil production and fertility and protection from erosion

✓ Nutrient storage and

cycling
✓ Pollutant breakdown
and absorption
✓ Potential source for
genetic material for new
drugs and food crops
➢ THREATS TO FOREST
RESOURCES:
• LAND DEGRADATION
- Because the health of
the forest is very much
dependent on the soil
where it stands
on, land degradation is a
pertinent issue in forest
resources.
- The direct causes of
land degradation mainly
belong to different kinds
of processes
that account for some
95% of the havoc:
erosion (wind/water) and
chemical
degradation or
contamination, either
through exhaustion of
nutrients and/or trace
elements or toxicity from
salts such as sodium
chloride or other.
✓ Nutrient storage and cycling
✓ Pollutant breakdown and absorption
✓ Potential source for genetic material for new drugs and food crops
➢ THREATS TO FOREST RESOURCES:
• LAND DEGRADATION
- Because the health of the forest is very much dependent on the soil where it stands
on, land degradation is a pertinent issue in forest resources.
- The direct causes of land degradation mainly belong to different kinds of processes
that account for some 95% of the havoc: erosion (wind/water) and chemical
degradation or contamination, either through exhaustion of nutrients and/or trace
elements or toxicity from salts such as sodium chloride or other.

- Contaminations
usually results from the
mismanagement of
irrigation, over-
irrigation, lack of
drainage, inappropriate
utilization of water and or
soil, water-
logging and so forth.
- Soil erosion is the
movement of soil
components, especially
topsoil, from one place
to another. The two main
forces causing soil
erosion is water and
wind.
- The renewal of 2.54
centimeters (1 inch) of
soil takes from 200 to
1000 years,
depending on climate
and soil type.
- Erosion always results
from the denudation of
soil surface for long
periods of times
that makes it sensitive to
the degradation forces,
such as strong winds and
running
water, from soil takes
two or three times longer
to restore it self than that
of cropland.
- Other causes of
topsoil erosion are
logging, mining, and
urban development
carried
out without proper regard
for soil conservation.
- Contaminations usually results from the mismanagement of irrigation, over-
irrigation, lack of drainage, inappropriate utilization of water and or soil, water-
logging and so forth.
- Soil erosion is the movement of soil components, especially topsoil, from one place
to another. The two main forces causing soil erosion is water and wind.
- The renewal of 2.54 centimeters (1 inch) of soil takes from 200 to 1000 years,
depending on climate and soil type.
- Erosion always results from the denudation of soil surface for long periods of times
that makes it sensitive to the degradation forces, such as strong winds and running
water, from soil takes two or three times longer to restore it self than that of cropland.
- Other causes of topsoil erosion are logging, mining, and urban development carried
out without proper regard for soil conservation.

• DEFORESTATION
- Forest ecosystem
cover approximately 30%
of the world’s land area.
- Deforestation refers to
the massive clearing of
the planet’s forest cover.
- Clearing od forest
cover can be the result of
fires, conversion into
agricultural land or
ranching farms, logging
for timber, or simply
because land
degradation can no
longer
support plant life.
- A staggering 50
thousand square miles of
forest cover is lost
annually, which is
tantamount to losing
significant chunks of
carbon sinks.
• DEFORESTATION
- Forest ecosystem cover approximately 30% of the world’s land area.
- Deforestation refers to the massive clearing of the planet’s forest cover.
- Clearing od forest cover can be the result of fires, conversion into agricultural land or
ranching farms, logging for timber, or simply because land degradation can no longer
support plant life.
- A staggering 50 thousand square miles of forest cover is lost annually, which is
tantamount to losing significant chunks of carbon sinks.
- Deforestation is estimated to result in about 15% of greenhouse gas emissions.
- An alarming concern brought about by deforestation is biodiversity loss.
- One of the most valuable type of forest is the tropical rainforest where biodiversity
of plant and animals are most concentrated.
- Forest loss translates to habitat loss, making species vulnerable as they strive to
subsist in the fragmented forest. Continued harsh conditions eventually lead to
reduced numbers and eventually, extinction.
- In the Philippine setting, severely denuded forest lands as in Cebu and Iloilo are down
to around less than 20% forest cover.
- Areas with remaining old growth forest, or virgin forest, are found in the provinces
of Palawan and Isabela which still have an adequate forest cover of about 54%.
- The Philippine dipterocarp forest are believed to support one of the world’s richest
plant and animal life, and are home to diverse number of indigenous cultures whose
lives and well-being are anchored upon an ecologically sound forest ecosystem

MANAGEMENT:
- Forest resource
management basically
comes down to the
conservation, restoration,
and promotion of
sustainable forest
ecosystem use.
- The drastic and
continuing decrease in
world forest area is a
serious environmental
problem that directly
affects human survival.
- The management of
forest resources should
aim to maintain the
stability, health, and
the dynamics of forest
ecosystems.
- Interventions must be
put in place to ensure the
maintenance of the
forest quality,
the sustainable
production of forest
products, and the
preservation of forest
rights
- Deforestation is
estimated to result in
about 15% of greenhouse
gas emissions.
- An alarming concern
brought about by
deforestation is
biodiversity loss.
- One of the most
valuable type of forest is
the tropical rainforest
where biodiversity
of plant and animals are
most concentrated.
- Forest loss translates
to habitat loss, making
species vulnerable as
they strive to
subsist in the fragmented
forest. Continued harsh
conditions eventually
lead to
reduced numbers and
eventually, extinction.
- In the Philippine
setting, severely
denuded forest lands as
in Cebu and Iloilo are
down
to around less than 20%
forest cover.
- Areas with remaining
old growth forest, or
virgin forest, are found in
the provinces
of Palawan and Isabela
which still have an
adequate forest cover of
about 54%.
- The Philippine
dipterocarp forest are
believed to support one
of the world’s richest
plant and animal life, and
are home to diverse
number of indigenous
cultures whose
lives and well-being are
anchored upon an
ecologically sound forest
ecosystem
MANAGEMENT:
- Forest resource management basically comes down to the conservation, restoration,
and promotion of sustainable forest ecosystem use.
- The drastic and continuing decrease in world forest area is a serious environmental
problem that directly affects human survival.
- The management of forest resources should aim to maintain the stability, health, and
the dynamics of forest ecosystems.
- Interventions must be put in place to ensure the maintenance of the forest quality,
the sustainable production of forest products, and the preservation of forest rights
National and local level
governance, institutional
issues, and policies
- Improvement in forest
governance and
regulation in the form of
enforced legal and
regulatory reform, forest
valuation, price setting
and taxation, and
appropriate trade
policies for forest
products can all lead to
the fair and sustainable
use for forest
resources.
• Support at the
community level for
rights and livelihoods
- Forest are not only
home to flora and fauna,
but to the indigenous
people as well
National and local level governance, institutional issues, and policies
- Improvement in forest governance and regulation in the form of enforced legal and
regulatory reform, forest valuation, price setting and taxation, and appropriate trade
policies for forest products can all lead to the fair and sustainable use for forest
resources.
• Support at the community level for rights and livelihoods
- Forest are not only home to flora and fauna, but to the indigenous people as well

- The tribes that have

lived off the land have to
take care of their home
since the
beginning, thus their
knowledge, wisdom, and
their relentless effort to
care for the
forests should be
respected.
• Support for
sustainable production of
forest products
- The promotion of
sustainable practices in
the production of forest
product will go a
long way in ensuring the
continued survival of
commercially important
forest
elements.
- Practices such as
silviculture, agroforestry,
and natural forest
plantation are some
examples of forest-
related sustainable
production.
• Creation of
interventions for the
preservation of
environmental services
- Instruments that
protect the functions of
the forest can enhance
the environmental
services rendered by it.
- The tribes that have lived off the land have to take care of their home since the
beginning, thus their knowledge, wisdom, and their relentless effort to care for the
forests should be respected.
• Support for sustainable production of forest products
- The promotion of sustainable practices in the production of forest product will go a
long way in ensuring the continued survival of commercially important forest
elements.
- Practices such as silviculture, agroforestry, and natural forest plantation are some
examples of forest-related sustainable production.
• Creation of interventions for the preservation of environmental services
- Instruments that protect the functions of the forest can enhance the environmental
services rendered by it.

Establishment of
protected areas, habitat
corridors, and productive
landscapes are
crucial in the upkeep of
forest resources.
- Restoration efforts
such as reforestation and
afforestation are also
vital efforts in
restoring the integrity of
forests.
-Establishment of protected areas, habitat corridors, and productive landscapes are
crucial in the upkeep of forest resources.
- Restoration efforts such as reforestation and afforestation are also vital efforts in
restoring the integrity of forests.
AGRICULTURE RESOURCES
Agriculture is the breeding and tending of animals, plants, and fungi for products necessary for
survival of human life. Any natural landscape that is used in food production is referred to as an
agricultural resource. The primary service offered by agriculture resources is food production.

In the Philippines, agriculture holds a sizable share in the country’s gross domestic product
(GPD), amounting to an average of 20%. The agricultural output comes from four substances
 Forestry
 Farming or crops
 Fisheries
 Livestock
The leading agricultural output comes from products are rice, corn, sugarcane, coconut, banana,
mango, pineapple, cassava, coffee, sweet potato and eggplant
In terms of the occupied agricultural area, the main products are rice, corn, coconut, corn,
sugarcane, banana, cassava, coffee, mango, sweet potato, Manila hemp (abaca), tobacco, rubber,
peanut, mungbean, onion, garlic, eggplant, tomato, cabbage, and calamansi.
The major export products are coconut products, bananas, prawns, pineapples, tuna, seaweed and
carrageenan.
Crops Uses in Philippine setting
Rice (Oryza sativa)
Corn (Zea mays)
Coconut (Cocos nucifera)
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)
THREATS TO AGRICULTURE RESOURCES
SOIL EROSION
Agricultural soil is vulnerable to soil erosion as they have little protection from the action of
wind and rain. During dry periods or after harvest when the soil is least porous, the slow rate of
water absorption leads to increased runoff.
SOIL SALINITY
Excess salts contaminating soil could result from irrigation to croplands. As irrigation water
flows over and through the ground, it dissolves salts, increasing the salinity of the water. Such
accumulation of salts is called salinization. Salt build-up stunts crop growth, decrease yields, and
eventually kills crop plants, making the land unproductive
HABITAT DESTRUCTION
Agricultural biodiversity is threatened by the destruction of the environment that serves as their
natural habitat. Urbanization and industrialization bring about the destruction of many natural
habitats of plant species including the major and minor agricultural crops.
DESTRUCTIVE PEST AND DISEASES
Pest and disease infestations threaten the agrobiodiversity in the Philippines.
MANAGEMENT:
In many areas of the world, food productivity is falling and environmental quality is
deteriorating as human population expand and inappropriate development exceeds the capacity
to cope. Agriculture depends on land, water, and biodiversity but the ecological management of
these resources bases has not been fully recognized. In the most countries, the croplands are the
most important life support system but recently food production has fallen short of demand.
Preserving genetic diversity
Diversification rather than intensification should be the strategy for sustainable agriculture.
Diversity reflects ecological and cultural diversity. Only diversity can allow sustainability as it
ensures the survival of diverse food cultures on this planet.
Integrated pest management (IPM) and integrated cultural management (ICM)
The best way to control crop pests is through using a carefully designed IPM program. The
approach is based on the ecological system where the crops and the pests thrive (the
agroecosystem). To control a specific pest, a program is developed using a variety of cultural,
biological, and chemical methods to reduce levels of pest population at an economic threshold
level.
Developing higher-yield plant and animal varieties
Efforts at various international agricultural centers are geared towards the development of low-
input, but high-yielding varieties of agricultural crops.
Soil enrichment programs
To maintain soil fertility, use of organic and commercial inorganic fertilizers can be applied to
soil to partially restore and maintain plant nutrients lost by erosion, leaching and crop harvesting
and to increase crop yield. Crop rotation by planting nitrogen-fixing plants with main crops on an
annual basis helps restore the soil nutrients and reduces erosion by keeping the soil covered with
vegetation.
WATER RESOURCES
Water is a vital renewable resource that is recycled continuously through the water cycle.
Saltwater is essential to marine life and helps maintain the earth's climate, but it cannot be used
for drinking, for growing crops, or for most industrial activities due to high salinity. Most human
activities, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation, depend on the use of
freshwater. The world's freshwater supply depends on a natural recycling and purification
process. The two sources of freshwater are surface water and groundwater.