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Effects of Tenurial Arrangement on Forest Resource Management at Barangay Poitan, Banaue, Ifugao
Abstract:
The study aimed to identify the customary legal and usufruct practices to trees, and assess the resource utilization among the members of the community. Barangay Poitan in Banaue, Ifugao was chosen as the study site. It represents the resource use pattern that is found in other barangays of the town.
A concept of tenure “niche” by Fortmann (1987)* was adopted to describe property relationship with regard to land. There were two types of tenure in the study area: woodlot under private holding and forest managed by the community.
A rapid rural appraisal methodology was used to gather information on the physical aspects of the territory, use rights, and management of resources. It also involved small group discussion for participatory mapping, transect methodology, and calendar approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 52 households, from which 28 were woodlot owners and 24 were communal forest users.
In the privately-held woodlot, the planted trees were mostly endemic species used for carving purposes. Trees that were only used for firewood or soil erosion buffers were less found on this tenure. Size of trees in the private and communal forest were becoming smaller as a result of frequent harvesting, particularly endemic species used for carving. The alnus tree was fast becoming a dominant species in the forest landscape of the community.
Property rights in the private woodlot and communal forest were based on kinship and membership in the village, respectively. The customary rules resolved conflicts that arise from resources disputed within the community. The concept of exclusion between members was an important aspect on the use of trees in the commons.
The management of the forest lands was constrained by the policies imposed by the state to the existing customary law. The indigenous legal system reflected native wisdom accumulated over many generations of occupancy. On the other hand, the national property laws eschewed the indigenous concepts of communal ownership.
Despite the discrimination of the legal system, the indigenous concepts and values remained.
Recognition of indigenous land tenure systems by issuing Certificate of Ancestral Domain/Land Claims by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was a recent task. Although the community has yet to apply for a certificate, it would likely nurture their receptiveness to equitable development plans designed to increase sustainability and productivity of land.
It is recommended that an ecosystem management approach be incorporated in conducting development plans on resource use of the community. The concept uses a holistic analysis to guide the management of lands and water for products, services, and conservation of biodiversity. Sustainable forestry projects are suggested for private and communal forest management.
*Fortmann, L. 1987. “An Analytical Framework for Agroforestry Projects” in Land, Trees and Tenure, edited by John Raintree. Madison and Nairobi: Land Tenure Center and International Council for Research in Agroforestry.