FMP trains Project Implementing Units on Rain Gauge Management

February 20, 2018
For. Hipolito Baldo of ERDB discusses the different parts of a rain gauge during the training of FMP

In support of its comprehensive site development activities, the Forestland Management Project (FMP) organized a training to capacitate its project implementing officers and staff in the proper management of rain gauges within its project sites.

The training sought to address gaps in the usage of rain gauges as identified during the 5th FMP Project Technical Committee of December last year. It was conducted in close coordination with the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) on February 14 – 16, 2018 at the Hacienda Gracia Resort and Hotel in Lubao, Pampanga.

About 60 participants composed of representatives of the FMP Central Project Management Office, Project focal persons and site management officers under FMP Field Implementing Units in Region 2, 3, 6, and CAR attended the 3-day training.

For. Hipolito Baldo, an expert from the Watershed and Water Resource Research Center of the ERDB, gave a lecture-discussion on proper rain gauge management. He discussed topics on proper site selection and installation standards along with correct data collection, processing, and interpretation process.

Functioning rain gauges, brought by FMP Project Implementing Units, served as actual demonstration units for the participants to operate the weather measuring instrument. Apart from familiarizing with its different parts and functions, the participants also had a hands-on experience in calibrating the measuring components of the devices.

Currently, there are about 15 serviceable rain gauges installed and for installation in select sites of the Project areas. To effectively operate and maintain these units, an action planning activity was conducted per Provincial Project Management Office to determine activities in properly managing the rain gauges. Protocols were also developed for the site selection, designation of the person responsible for its maintenance, along with collection, analysis, reporting of the observed weather data.

FMP PIUs has also agreed to closely coordinate with other concerned agencies in order to gather relevant weather data to determine the micro-climate conditions of certain areas within the project sites. This seeks to help the forestland productivity by providing the Project’s partner people’s organizations with weather information that they could use in their land preparation for their plantation development activities.


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