Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Mount Kitanglad Range Proposed Forest Carbon Development

Raquel C. Lopez, Felix S, Mirasol Jr. *, Benedicto Golosino*, Rodel D. Lasco

* Office of the Protected Area Superintendent, DENR-CENRO Bukidnon

PROJECT GOAL To increase permanent forest cover in the

protected area by reverting open forestlands and grassland areas to forest, starting with 300 ha of the buffer zone. At same time, enhance the ecological services of the park while promoting socio-economic development of the indigenous communities who depend on marginal agriculture.

The project will deploy an agroforestation scheme.

1. Forest tree establishment on 200 ha (2mx3m spacing) intended for permanent protection forest. Rainforestation by planting endemic/native forest tree species.

2. Agroforestry development on 100 ha to support livelihoods. Integrating fruit trees (5m x 10m spacing) with annual crops during first few years. Coffee and abaca will be planted between fruit trees after annual crops. Forest tree species planted along boundary and bamboo along waterways (river/creek).

FOREST CARBON DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Native trees

Agricultura l crops

Grafted fru it trees

Boundary p lanting of native trees

Contour

BACKGROUND Mount Kitanglad Range (MKR) is located in the

north-central portion of Bukidnon, Mindanao, Philippines.

MKR has unique ecological features, such as connected landscapes and an immense natural diversity of flora and fauna, combined with a unique interplay of cultural communities that contributes significantly to the national economy and heritage. However, the ecologically important features are threatened.

To provide legal basis for pursuing actions for conservation and protection, the MKR area was proclaimed a national park by Presidential Proclamation No. 667 on December 14, 1990. It was reclassified as a natural park by Presidential Proclamation No. 896 in 1996. It became a fully fledged protected area as Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park through the Republic Act 8978, known as the Mount Kitanglad Act of 2000.

Figure 3. Land area design

Figure 2. Area of 62 land parcels within the three municipalities. Forty-four parcels have Certificate of Stewardship under the Community-Based Forest Management Agreement with DENR. Eighteen parcels have no tenure instrument yet.

COST ESTIMATE

TARGET BUYERS Countries and other entities looking for carbon

credits, environmental services reduction offsets either under CDM or VCS markets, or other payments for environmental services mechanisms. We will also possibly expand the project area under the REDD+ mechanism to encompass the entire park area.

TIMELINE FOR THE INSTITUTIONALIZATIONImplementation on 300 ha is planned for 2011 . The crediting period will be decided once the full PDD is prepared.

• Planting materials will be channeled by the municipal LGU through its annual funding to the Protect Area Management Board.

• Planting materials will be distributed and labour payments provided to land intended for permanent and protection forests. For land intended for agroforestry, fruit tree seedlings, abaca and coffee, bamboo and agricultural crops planting materials will be given to landholders as incentives.

• The Tribal Women’s Association will produce seedlings/wildlings of forest tree species in the nursery of each municipality covered by the project.

• Forest tree seedlings for agroforestry will also be grown at home by most participants while fruit tree seedlings (grafted) will be purchased from registered good quality producers.

Pre-project activities (awareness, consultation, strategic planning and signing agreement) will be conducted to ensure clear direction and understanding of the project.

Socio-economic arrangementsBenefit-sharing is still to be agreed on by stakeholders.

Site development

• Ensuring eligibility for the carbon market.• Unavailability of baseline land-cover map (e.g. 1990 and 2000) to

assess land-use changes over time. • Need to characterize the specific land and soil conditions of the area.• Ensuring ownership and validity of the tenure instruments for the

crediting period. • Ensuring alignment of the project with local land-use plans.

Resource use/mobilization

• Strengthening individual, household, community and other stakeholders’ participation and involvement in planning, management and decision making.

• Soliciting financial and in-kind support from various stakeholders for the pre-project phase and field implementation.

• Accessing appropriate technology and market information.

Socio-economic management

• Ensuring agreeable benefit sharing arrangement.

Environmental services

• Ensuring proper valuation of environmental services for appropriate payments.

• Need to learn cost-effective measurement and valuation methodology (e.g. carbon stock calculation, land cover and land-use changes impact assessment, land and soil quality analysis, water quality measurement, biodiversity monitoring).

More info: Raquel Lopez (rlopez@uni-bonn.de)PhilippinesWorld Agroforestry CentreSoutheast Asia Regional Office

KEY AREAS OF CONCERN

Technical arrangementsPROJECT DEVELOPMENT APPROACH The forest

carbon development project will be community-based. The majority of individual households are indigenous people who live in the buffer zone of the park.