Jessica Calfoforo SalasJessica Calfoforo Salas

Small Tree Farms in the Watershed: Small Tree Farms in the Watershed: An Overview of the Tree Farmers’ An Overview of the Tree Farmers’

CongressCongress

National ChairpersonPhilippine Watershed Management Coalition

November 6, 2000, West Visayas University, Iloilo City

•WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

•DO YOU KNOW YOUR ECOLOGICAL ADDRESS?

CHANGE IS HAPPENINGCHANGE IS HAPPENING

1. Because human tribes increase everyday.2. Their tools are lethal.3. Their ways are addictive.4. Their demands are urgent.

The Falkenmark model

Indeed, the Watershed is a Social Catchment

Watershed Protection and Management does not only mean physical restoration.

It has to address:

Population growth

Urban sprawl

Air quality

Solid waste disposal

Poverty

Watershed approach means:

• Addressing connections between water quality, quantity, wetlands, air quality and wildlife habitat.

• Educating adult decision makers• Allocating watershed resources among

stakeholders• Promoting environmental justice

A SMALL TREE FARM A SMALL TREE FARM

IS OUR COMPROMISE IS OUR COMPROMISE

TO THE FRAGILE TO THE FRAGILE

WATERSHED ECOSYSTEM.WATERSHED ECOSYSTEM.

The Ilonggo Watershed StoryThe Ilonggo Watershed Story

Tigum-Aganan Watershed map indicating headwaters of Tigum and Aganan Rivers and Iloilo City

Maasin Watershed Maasin Watershed ReserveReserve

Aganan Aganan HeadwaterHeadwater

Metro Metro IloiloIloilo

1991, the year of awakening

• Water quarrel between the irrigators’ association and the water district - 3,000 farmers, 60, households affected.

• Businesses procure their own water trucks.• Water delivery business became popular• Tigum river streamflow decreasing,

estimated at 5 M cu m in 10 years• Water demand increasing to 62 M cu m in

10 years.

IEC Result No. 1:

Participation of private

sector/civil society

LGU led task force

DENR technical

assistance and resource

mobilization

IEC Result # 2:

Head Waters Rehabilitation

Before After

Old growth 28% 28% Old developed areas 10% 10% Open/ grassland 62% -- Newly developed area 58%Non plantable 4%

IEC Result No. 3 – Social Restructuring

People’s organization in Barangays

Federation of 16 barangay

associations

Protected Area management Board

Watershed Management Council

Networking at Panay Island

Networking country wide

Continuing upstream-downstream tension:Continuing upstream-downstream tension:

“Why should we in the mountain town spend our money, time and effort in rehabilitating the riverbanks for the benefit of the people in the city? They have more money than us. Our meager IRA, instead of benefiting the mountain folks, goes to benefit the city people.”

SB Anas, Alimodian, Iloilo

“Our project with DENR will end this year and our source of major income will end. Ricefields are gone. The trees are not ready for harvest. Our intercrops are not enough, our livelihood projects are struggling. Is there a sure way to feed and support 10,000 people working in this head-water land? Nagasakit ang ulo ko.”

German Alleza, Manager, KAPAWA-Maasin

“If not attended to, it will be a matter of time and Maasin Watershed will be back to square one. This time, the explosion will be louder and harder. A time bomb indeed.

“The hope is the Watershed Management Council and the River Boards. They have to act fast.” NGO group

“Only two things could happen . Iloilo Watershed will be a world

model or another tragedy in watershed management.”

USAID, Environment

If we lost the Iloilo Maasin Watershed case, Philippines will be one level poorer. Where else shall

we look for another model? Ford Foundation consultant

The Socio-ecological Cycle

URGENT MESSAGE• LAND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS ARE IN FACT,

WATER RESOURCE DECISIONS.

Where to plant trees How to plant trees How to produce other crops• because Water scarcity comes from

human activities that alter landscapes and vegetations and disturb water flow.

Freshwater is the bloodstream of the biosphere.

The principal cause of water scarcity is water quality degradation.

What has to be shared in the watershed is not the water flowing in the river but the rainfall over the catchment.

Awareness had dawned among the Ilongos and the

Panayanons. In spite of the great odds for

hydrosolidarity,

the Spirit will prevail.

Let us be aware of what we are doing to our fragile habitat.

• Even as we plant trees, plant rice and raise animals to make a living.

• Even as we decide what to consume, what to build, how much to make.

Because …

• Not so much that we fear to be victims of our own doing

• But because we are human beings• created with dignity• created to be gentle and caring • to our earth and to others living with

us.

One step towards awareness --

• Our coming together• Our learning together and• Feeling each other with

kindness and reverence• as co-habitants of this

earth.