Environmental fees collection scheme works for Bago City

Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo and City Environment and Natural Resources Officer Vicente Mesias share results of the payment for ecosystem services scheme (PES) with B+WISER during a recent program visit. (Photo credit:  USAID/B+WISER)

      In February 2018, the Bago City local government unit’s (LGU) payment for ecosystem services (PES) scheme has collected more than one million Philippine pesos (about $20,000) according to Vicente Mesias, the City’s Environment and Natural Resources Officer (ENRO). This amount represents collections from 4,000 commercial and business establishments within the City alone. Read more: Environmental fees collection scheme works for Bago City

Plan for continuing Lawin application as national strategy for forest protection, formulated

DENR-FRM Director Nonito Tamayo shares how Lawin has modernized the bureau's forest protection program during a workshop in Batangas to assess the implementation of Lawin. (Photo credit: USAID/B+WISER)

Two years after it adopted the USAID-developed Lawin Forest and Biodiversity Protection System, the DENR held a national workshop to assess the results of the implementation of the system in 2017 and formulate a plan for its continued implementation. More than 200 participants from 16 DENR regions participated in the workshop. Read more: Plan for continuing Lawin application as national strategy for forest protection, formulated

Local governments in the Mindanao eastern seaboard step up forest protection in hotspot region

          The municipal government of Carmen in Surigao del Sur signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Cantilan of DENR in Region 13 for the protection of 13,000 hectares of natural forests. More than 80% of Carmen is covered in natural forests. These forests overlap with the 100,000 hectare forest conservation area of CENRO Cantilan, the biggest block of natural forest in the province. Read more: Local governments in the Mindanao eastern seaboard step up forest protection in hotspot region

Lawin Unit starts building capacity of other Forest Management Bureau staff

Forester Paulo Felipe (foreground) of the FMB Lawin Unit coaches other FMB staff on how to use the SMART software in analyzing patrol data. (Photo credit:  FMB-DENR)

     On February 6 to 9, the Forest Management Bureau (FMB) thru its Lawin Unit held a workshop to broaden understanding among their staff of the USAID-developed Lawin Forest and Biodiversity Protection System. Fifty FMB technical staff, Section and Division Chiefs from the bureaus two divisions, the Forest Resources Conservation Division and Forest Policy, Planning and Knowledge Management Division participated in the “learning event.” Read more: Lawin Unit starts building capacity of other Forest Management Bureau staff