ICA Japan - Philippines 1998

Reforestation of Penaranda River Forest Reserve and Building Nursery, Bunkhouse, Laboratory for Indigenous People
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Highland indigenous people living in Mt. Mapidya. Their future is with the forests.
Denudation
	1．Mapidya mountain range belongs to Sierra Madre mountain range which is located in the east of Luzon Island. Most parts of the mountain range have been denuded. There are various causes of denudation such as wild fire and slash-and-burn agriculture, and the worst is illegal logging. Mt. Pinanganakan and Mt. Kinubabawan belong to Mapidya mountain range. Those two mountains are called Mt. Mapidya in the project.
	2．Land slides are observed on the surface of the mountains. Denudation lessens the mountains capacity of containing water and made the ground unstable, and causing land slides.
	3．Illegal loggers are now targeting the remaining virgin forests. They believe that illegal logging is the only way to earn income. Alternative ways of living need to be established in order to conserve the virgin forests.
Pain left by La Nina Phenomenon
	4．Flush floods which occurred at various places in the project area caused land slides and eroded river banks. The photo was taken in the southern part of the project site.
	5．The river became shallow, because there are little gound leaves, humus soil, or tree roots to absorb and retain the water. The floods worsen the situation.
	6．This man made water embankment was destroyed twice by flush flood. It has not been reconstructed because of unstable weather condition. (March 1999)
Life of Highland Indigenous People
	7．Shelter of nomadic Dumagats. It is made of banana leaves. They keep moving and building new shelters in the forest looking for resources such as food.
	8．Dumagatss main foods used to be root crops such as cassava, and fruits from the forests. However, they can not rely on resources of the forests any more because of denudation. Most peopleﾕs staple food now is rice, and they need cash to purchase rice since they do not grow rice. Illegal logging is the only source of income for many people, so denudation has been accelerated.
	9．Typical house of Igorots. They have practised farming and settled down a long time ago.
Community Creation
	10．House of settled Dumagats. There used to be only one settled Dumagats family, but now 28 families are settled. Settling down enables them to practice agroforestry which brings them food and income.
	11．This community was created in the past two years, and settled by both Dumagats and Igorots.
	12．This Muti-Purpose Hall was constructed in 1997. The hall is used for various community activities such as agroforestry training and village meetings.
Virgin Forest
	13．Virgin forests remain on Mt. Pinanganakan and Mt. Kinubabawan. Trees which are difficult to find in the other areas of the Philippines, such as Brachea mutica and Celtis philippensis, exist in the virgin forests. Endemic spieces of birds such as Philippine serpent eagle, Philippine coucal, Luzon striped babbler, and mammals such as monkeys and wild cats also exist.
	14．Red ginger flowers found in Mt. Pinanganakan.
	15．Inside of the virgin forests. It is dark, because they are thickly forested.
Bio-diversity Research
	16．Bio-diversity research in the virgin forests and surrounding forests was conducted. Researchers collected samples or took photos and video of the plants which could not be identified easily. Those plants were identified at Wesleyan University.
	17．Highland indigenous people (HIP) know topography and plants of Mt. Mapidya well, and their cooperation is necessary for bio-diversity research. HIP started learning the importance of bio-diversity conservation through joining in the research.
	18．Collected palm trees and ferns were grown in a nursery, and planted in the demonstration farm beside the newly constructed bunkhouse. It is to see if the plants can survive at a place where they did not originate.
	19．Identifying plants collected in Mt. Mapidya. Wesleyan University students joined in the activity.
	20．Specimen making. Identified plants were glued on paper with descriptions.
	21．Students analyzing plant tissue, using microscope.
Bunkhouse
	22．Overview of the bunkhouse (left), and the green house (right). These facilities were constructed half way up a mountain, and located about 500m away from the community.
	23．Front view of the bunkhouse. Demonstration farm was constructed around the bunkhouse where HIP can observe farming technologies, and practice them.
	24．Inside of the bunkhouse. It is used as accommodation facility, class room, and storage for farming equipment and materials.
Green House cum Laboratory
	25．Front view of the green house cum laboratory.
	26．Five seed beds were made in the front side of the green house cum laboratory. HIP sowed Acasia Auri, Teak, and G-melina.
27．Half of the floor was cemented, and is used for research and lectures. Racks were installed to keep tree seedlings.
Irrigation Hose
	28．This water pipe is connected to a water spring higher in the mountain. It was swept away by rampaging flood water in October 1998.
	29．The water hose was reinstalled in December 1998. Now the water source is a water fall which is about 300m away from the community.
	30．The water hose enables people to get water for agriculture all year round. The water is also used for drinking and washing.
Agroforestry
	31．Children watering the seed bed at the propagation shed. Seeds of trees such as Acacia and Mahogany were sown there.
	32．Activities at the nursery. Geminated plants are grown at the propagation shed until they get ready for transplanting. After that, it is transplanted in plastic bags, and moved to the nursery.
	33．Tree planting in the community. Both children and adults join in activities regularly. Especially, children are enthusiastic about tree planting, and enjoying it a lot.
	34．Activities at the demonstration farm beside the bunkhouse motivated HIP to have their own demonstration farm in their community. Plowing with carabaos and plows. Maize and vegetables will be grown in the farm.
	35．HIP prepared nursery beds beside the bunkhouse. Coffee plantation was introduced; it is expected to bring cash income, and help lessen illegal logging in the future.
Environmental Education
	36．Mr. Nasino, dean of the college of agriculture of Wesleyan University, lecturing about the value of upland environment. He used a dummy model of denuded and reforested mountain to show the mountainsﾕ capacity of containing water.
	37．ICA JAPAN staff joined in environmental education. Ms. Hasegawa is discussing the effects of denudation and the importance of bio-diversity conservation with children.
	38．Materials of bio-diversity in the Philippines including Mt. Mapidya are shown at the bunkhouse and multi-purpose hall. I saw this one.I have not seen this animal. Children enjoy discussing with Mr. Moya, a project coordinator.
Literacy Education
	39．Literacy training using words related to agroforestry and forest resource was started in June 1998. Students of the adult class really listen and learn.
	40．Students of the childrenﾕs class. There used to be no education for children on Mt. Mapidya. Classes start at 7:00am, and children are always waiting for mornings to come.
	41．Classes are held at bunkhouse beginning in March 1999, since the muti-purpose hall is almost broken because of the bad weather.
Hope of the Future
	42．A child planting a tree. Childrenﾕs participation in the project is the key to success. The future of Mt. Mapidya is on their shoulder.
	43．HIP talking about the future of Mt. Mapidya and their community. Cooperation beyond tribes has been started through their participation in the project.
	44．Some people who used to be illegal loggers are now playing important roles in conserving the virgin forests. They understand the importance of the project, and are establishing ways of life which do not hurt the forests.