ILOILO – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 6 ensures that forests are protected despite the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Forest protectors monitor forest areas but with limitations to secure their health and family at this time of enhance community quarantine.
DENR-6 employs 235 Lawin Patrollers composed of forest rangers, forest protection officers, forest technicians and park foreman. They patrol the forests and timberland including 14 Protected Areas (PAs).
In Aklan, Patrollers watch over the forest areas to reduce forest loss and degradation caused by kaingin, illegal cutting, fuel wood gathering, charcoal making, and illegal dumping of wastes within the natural forests, mangrove forests and National Greening Program (NGP) areas.
The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Aklan strictly enforces ENR-related laws, rules and regulations on conservation areas covering 46,650 hectares.
In Antique, Patrollers were assigned to maintain its “close forest”.
Close forest helps prevent water supply shortage for irrigation and domestic use, as well as habitat to wildlife population preserving endangered wildlife species in the areas such as the Visayan spotted deer (Rusa alfredi), Visayan warty pig (Sus cebifrons), birds such as Visayan hornbill (Penelopides Panini), Negros bleeding-heart pigeon (Gallicolumba keayi).
In Capiz, Patrollers are coordinating with local government units, nongovernment organizations and other law enforcement agencies, and forge agreements for the protection of conservation areas and forestlands to minimize floods, landslides, mudslides, soil erosion and siltation of rivers and estuaries.
They also preserve endangered species such as Dulungan or Walden’s hornbill (Aceros waldeni), and Banog or the Brahminy Kite Eagle.
In Guimaras, Patrollers reduce occupants within unclassified public lands including islands and islets, protect established NGP plantations, improve mangrove areas that serve as nursery grounds for fishes and marine life, and protect important species such as the Tabon bird (Megapodius cumingii), Philippine duck (Anas luzonica) and Philippine long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis philippensis).
In Iloilo, Patrollers aim to reduce kaingin, illegal cutting, hunting of fauna, collecting of flora species; maintain or enhance forest cover; increase the number of indigenous tree species within the natural forests; minimize land use conversion of open areas; and protect 31,970.7 hectares of the conservation area/timberland and mangrove areas to maintain water sources such as rivers and creeks for irrigation supply.
In Negros Occidental, Patrollers help increase the recorded forest gain, ensure continuous recovery of Dipterocarp species such as Almon, Apitong, Bagtikan, Tanguile and other high premium trees population as well as other important faunal species thriving in the area and maintain or increase the closed canopy forests within Northern Negros Natural Park and Mount Kanlaon Natural Park).
“The rising temperature during summer season could ignite fires in forest areas but here in Western Visayas, we are blessed with our courageous Lawin Patrollers that monitors our forest amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. They are also our unsung heroes that help in mitigating the effects of climate change that greatly benefit the present and future generation,” said Francisco Milla Jr., DENR-6 regional executive director. (DENR-6/PN)
