In recent decades, environmental challenges including forest fires, soil erosion, food insecurity, deforestation and climate change have degraded forest landscapes in the Carood Watershed, hindering local livelihoods, especially in the agricultural sector.
To address these challenges, the Carood Watershed Model Forest established in 2003 a multi-stakeholder Management Council that continues to pool the resources and expertise of international organizations, local government authorities, community groups and academics from Bohol Island State University.
“After over 20 years, the mission and vision of our Management Council remains as clear and important as ever,” says Christine Vale-Zambrano, Watershed Development Officer for the Carood Watershed Model Forest Management Council. “Through our range of programs and activities to improve the environment and livelihoods, we are achieving a watershed territory that is ecologically balanced and sustainably managed by committed stakeholders,” says Vale-Zambrano.
With support from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Model Forest Network (IMFN), the Carood Watershed Management Council is implementing comprehensive plans to tackle the area’s most pressing environmental challenges. This includes the support of the Government of Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI) funding to the FAO Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism (FLRM) through “The Paris Agreement in action” project.
The Council’s Integrated Watershed Management Plan has guided the development of a dam and fresh water reservoir in the upstream portion of the landscape that are addressing several needs: local farmers use the reservoir for their agricultural activities; the reservoir is providing an important water supply to combat local forest fires; fish cages have been added to the reservoir to create additional livelihood opportunities for local communities; the reservoir is helping to trap moisture to reduce soil erosion; and the dam is helping to decrease the level of water in flood-prone areas.
Assisting natural regeneration
The endemic and invasive cogon grass species (Imperata cilíndrica) has been an ongoing problem across upstream areas of the Model Forest. If left to spread, the species overtakes other more desirable endemic species, and contributes to soil erosion.
The Carood Watershed Management Council’s Forest Land Use Plans for each municipality are applying assisted natural regeneration (ANR) and sloping agricultural land technology methods to tackle the cogon grass problem, and advance forest landscape restoration.
Through the application of ANR methods, the Council has learned, for example, that it is more effective to press down, rather than cut cogon grass to stunt its growth and halt its spread. This pressing down technique is done carefully to avoid damaging other desirable species in the landscape.
“Assisted natural regeneration can be a costly method because the pressing down of grass needs to be done repeatedly, but we believe that if we cultivate endemic species in the area, this will help the restoration process in the long term,” says Vale-Zambrano.
Forest land-use plans have also guided the establishment of fire lines (also known as fire breaks) to reduce the spread of seasonal forest fires. These fire lines are also serving as narrow greenbelts in which local communities can plant cash crops to generate additional household income.
“Livelihood improvement is a priority for us,” says Vale-Zambrano. “When livelihoods are improved, local communities voluntarily become our partners in the restoration process.”
“The Carood Watershed Model Forest Management Council is a compelling example of how resiliency can be achieved through forest landscape restoration,” says Patrick Wylie, IMFN Senior Policy Analyst. “The Council’s achievements also shine a light on the importance of robust and long-term stakeholder engagement. With the right people and groups at the table, sustainable landscapes CAN be realized,” adds Wylie.
