Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Assisted Natural Regeneration

Poblacion Norte, Batuan, Bohol
by Alan S. Cajes

In 1992, we started removing the Imperata or cogon grass that grew at the side of the hill where our house is located. We did this for safety reasons. We feared that fire would engulf the dry cogon grass, especially during dry season. This would put our family in danger because our house is located at the lower portion of the hillside.

In 2012, our hill side is now covered with trees – mostly mahogany and native trees like Molave or tugas. By removing the cogon grass, we hastened the natural successional processes. 

According to the Food and Agriculture Office (FAO), assisted natural regeneration (ANR) “is a method for enhancing the establishment of secondary forest from degraded grassland and shrub vegetation by protecting and nurturing the mother trees and their wildlings inherently present in the area”. The ANR:
  • Is a cost efficient way of regenerating forest.
  • Provides potential livelihood opportunities for communities.
  • Contributes to strengthening biodiversity,
  • Provides hunting areas.
  • Increases carbon sequestration and carbon sinks which contribute to climate change mitigation.
Reading: Advancing Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) in Asia and the Pacific

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