Bio-diversity

Project Description: Marufinas rich biodiversity is threatened by illegal logging, unsustainable harvesting of Non-Timber Forest Products, hunting and wildlife trading. Poverty and environmental degradation characterize the general situation of the community. They are driven to extract any forest products like almaciga resin, rattan, poaching of wild plants and animals or do illegal logging to be able to make cash. This project shall provide direct intervention by restoring denuded lati areas by planting permanent crops such as Rambutan, narra, tanabag and taluto. It is expected that with these activities, we would be able to produce a production forest that will cater some of the needs of the community. Biodiversity characteristics/ value: Marufinas has rich biodiversity although there is no concrete and accurate baseline data available. The flora of the site is characterized by dipterocarp forest mostly of dominant species; taloto, lawaan, narra, rambutan, ipil, tanabag, malabnang, almaciga. Local Barangay elders have identified monkeys, armadillo, wild boars, parrot (white catala) as examples of wildlife that were observed to be declining in numbers. Pressures on forest resource extraction resulting to loss of biodiversity are mounting due to rapid increase in population by migrants, and resource extraction. Proponent Qualification NATRIPAL has succesfully assisted 13 local partners in the issuance of titles or claims to their ancestral domains and is currently helping out 9 local partners for securing similar claims. Actively involved in the establishment of sustainable livelihood enterprises based such as collection of wild Apis dorsata honey and producing high-quality crafts made of rattan and other forest materials. Facilitated securing five Certificates of Ancestral Domain Claim (CADCs) and eight Certificates of Ancestral Land Claims (CALCs) with equitable management plans for each area. Sustainability of Project Initiative: The mechanisms that will ensure project continuity are: 1. Training and synchronizing the cropping plans for each participating households shall provide the necessary skills and knowledge of the community in programming their production. With a pre-determined production, the market is assured of enough supply of the community s products 2. The establishment of trading center provides a venue for marketing their products 3. Establishment of revolving fund from investments in the cash crops from the project. All participating households who availed project materials inputs are required to pay the equivalent value of the material inputs that they received. This would form as the initial funds after the culmination of the project; 4. NATRIPAL would continue to buy their products even after the project. The knowledge and skills that can be gained by the households from the trainings provided will give them the confidence in continuing the project on their own. General Objective: To protect the remaining forest diversity and control environmental degradation in Marufinas Specific Objectives: 1. Reduce pressure on remaining forest resources within the ancestral domain as part of PPSRNP 2. Provide supplemental livelihood to indigenous people who are also the natural forest stewards 3. Restore denuded lati areas by planting permanent crops such as Rambutan, Taloto, and other species that will increase the volume of honey production expected in ten years 4. Establish a nursery to provide planting materials to participating households 5. Assist the primary stakeholders in delineating production area ( lati area) from the forest area and/or protected area 6. Provide supplemental income to community beneficiaries through traditional agriculture of planting mongo, gabi, camote, and ginger in lati areas with assistance in marketing these products 7. Strengthen capabilities of local leaders of SPKTM in management of the project activities Project Activities: 1.Organizing Component *Project Launching and orientation *PO organization *PO strengthening and registration to SEC 2.Forest Enrichment component *Delineation of Lati Areas *Forest enrichment 3.Agricultural Production *cropping plans and synchronization *delineation of production area from forested area *Provision of initial support for planting materials *technical trainings on culutural practices*nursery establishment 4. Marketing Component *Construction of trading house *marketing of products 5. Advocacy and IEC *production of advocacy materials *campaigns and public mobilization 6. Capability Building *paralegal trainings *biodiversity conservation *organizational management Projected Output: 1. Forest Enhancement *watershed and forest areas for enrichment activities delineatied and mapped *Biological fencing of delineated watershed and forest boundaries *Biodiversity Conservation training provided 2. Agricultural Management Component *25 hectares planted with rootcrops intercropped with other cash crops 3.Marketing component *Marketing Center established *Local market outlets established *market outlets in the national level established

Philippines