会议名称：2023世界木材日研讨会暨第五届国际林联（IUFRO）林产品文化研究组讨论会
会议时间：2023年3月22日

报告嘉宾：Karl Abelard Villegas
嘉宾简介：菲律宾开放大学 副教授

摘要：
The utilization of Philippine forest products have been integral to the livelihood of Filipino rural communities as well as their culture and traditions.  From 1960-70s, the Philippines was regarded as a major producer and exporter of timber specifically the Philippine Mahogany group that belongs to the Dipterocarp family. Due to overharvesting, timber poaching and illegal logging in the natural forests, its production has substantially declined over the years.  For this reason, timber and other forest products are now sourced from tree plantations and other forest production areas. Many of these forest trees are exotic species such as: Gmelina arborea, Swietenia macrophylla, Acacia mangium, Paraserianthes falcataria and others.  With the decline in the availability of premium tree species, lesser-known native forest species are now used for timber and other forest products. Rural communities use them for light construction, furniture, novelty items, wood carving and other purposes. With about 3600 native tree species in the Philippines, of which 67% are endemic, its utilization as timber and other uses shows much potential. Tree farming, smallholder plantation and forest production have now shifted focus from exotic to native trees that are fast-growing, easy to manage and whose seeds and wildlings can be readily sourced from surrounding woodlots and natural forest stands. This could serve an alternative source of wood materials, aside from exotic species, for supporting and revitalizing the once flourishing forest-based industry in the Philippines. Despite these opportunities, the forest-based industry is fraught with challenges. From the silviculture cycle of planting to harvesting processes, national policies on planting of native trees provide disincentives and penalties that impede sustainability along forest-based supply chains. The opportunities and challenges in the utilization of Philippine native trees in addition to the identification of Philippine native trees showing great potential will be discussed in this paper.

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