CBFM, Sibuyan, Philippines

P3DM of a Community-based Forest Management (CBFM) zone on Sibuyan Island, Philippines

pic_014_p3dmmap_loc_mggnp1:5,000-scale model of a Community-based Forest Management (CBFM) area located in the buffer zone of Mt. Guiting-guiting Natural Park, Sibuyan, Romblon, Philippines. The model was manufactured by members of the community in 1999 the framework of the National Integrated Protected Area Programme (1995-2001) funded by the European Commission and the Government of the Philippines via the department of Environment and Natural resources (DENR).

The process leading to the issuance of the CBFM included the manufacture of the 3D model, GPS surveying, the production of thematic maps and a report.

CBFM constitutes “a powerful paradigm that evolved out of the failure of state forest governance to ensure the sustainability of forest resources and the equitable distribution of access to and benefits from them”. In 1995, the Philippine government adopted CBFM as a national scheme to promote sustainable forest governance, in recognition of the negative impacts occurring as a result of widespread forest loss across the country. The scheme stresses the importance of involving communities in sustaining the forest through projects such as timber harvesting, agroforestry and livestock raising.CBFM therefore advocates an increasingly ‘bottom up’ – as opposed to the historically ‘top down’ and centralised – approach to sustainable forest governance involving a variety of stakeholders. By 2005, 5503 projects had been established across the country. For this reason the Philippines has been considered a pioneer within Asia for the successful implementation of CBFM as a nationwide tool of forest governance.