Revised guidelines for DENR Community Forestry

Initiate community-based forest development focusing on natural resource management in second growth upland and residual mangrove forests.
Promote social equity and prevent natural resource degradation.
Protect remaining primary forests with community assistance.
Enhance institutional capacity of DENR, LGUs, NGOs, and educational institutions in community-based forest management.

Assisting Organization (AO): Contracted organizations assisting in community training/organization.
Community Forestry Management Agreement (CFMA): Contract granting communities rights and responsibilities over natural resources.
Community Participants: Residents directly involved in the CFP activities.
Other terms: CRMDP, CENRO, PENRO, RED, PMO, and various DENR offices defined.

Organized communities in or near forest areas granted 25-year CFMA, renewable for another 25 years.
Program implemented in three phases: Pre-implementation, Preparatory, and Community Management.

Involves information dissemination, site selection, forest occupant census, selecting assisting organizations, orientation training.
DENR leads with active LGU and community participation.

CFP sites must offer livelihood options such as agroforestry, reforestation, TSI, fishing, etc.
Excludes critical watersheds, government reservations forbidding forest use, and areas under existing permits unless waiver obtained.

Sites must not be in prohibited areas, have nearby willing communities, potential for alternative livelihoods, and Municipal Development Council endorsement.
Priority to sites within 5 kms of roads, associated with expired timber licenses, partly forested, with prior community work, and receptive LGUs.
Initial project area limited to 5,000 hectares, with increases possible on managerial capability demonstration.

Projects require a credible AO committed to assist with community acceptance.
AO responsibilities include community organization, resource inventory, management planning, training, and livelihood support.
AO contracts are typically three years, subject to performance review and possible early termination.
Regional committees conduct AO selection through orientation, proposal submission, interviews, site visits, community presentations, and cost negotiation.

Complete census of forest occupants conducted and disseminated to local officials and posted publicly.
Orientation training for community leaders, DENR staff, and AO representatives to clarify CFP vision and roles.

Emphasizes participatory management avoiding non-participatory methods.
Community consultations identify project-relevant problems and initiate rapid rural systems appraisal.
Legal community structures formed early for CFMA issuance; existing groups strengthened rather than replaced.
Development of community rules on forest management and financial procedures.

AO and CENRO explain CFMA terms; applications filed with required attachments (map, registration, resolution).
Endorsement and approval process involves CENRO, PENRO, RED, USEC, and Secretary depending on area size.
CFMA tenure: 25 years renewable once; violations may lead to fines, suspension, or cancellation.

Comprehensive inventory of all forest and non-forest resources conducted as basis for management plans.
Detailed 100% inventory for initial operation areas; sampling possible for later stages.
Community participation and compensation for inventory work encouraged.

Annual updating of census by AO and CENRO.
Preparation of Community Resources Management and Development Plans (CRMDP) jointly by community, AO, and DENR guidance.
Plans must specify sustainable resource use, updated regularly, and forest extraction prohibited prior to approval.
Detailed application and approval process stated, including fees and timeline.

On-the-job training integrated into preparatory phase activities.
DENR and CFP Secretariat provide training for stakeholders.
Alternative livelihoods initiated preferably prior to forest resource use to reduce illegal extraction.
Livelihood opportunities beyond forest extraction promoted to alleviate forest pressure.

Encourages saving portion of income from forest resources and pump-priming activities into community capital.
Assisting organizations help in establishing guidelines for capital use and disbursement.

Managed by DENR Offices including USEC, RED, PENRO, CENRO, CFP National Secretariat, and regional distillation groups.
DENR implements program in partnership with communities and NGOs.

Participants must reimburse DENR costs via a Community Forestry Development Trust Fund.

30% of gross forest product sales deposited into trust fund.
Funds used first to recover DENR advances then forest rehabilitation activities.
Surplus funds may be invested by community for socio-economic/environmental improvements with DENR consultation.
Community administers the fund with required quarterly reporting and option for DENR audit.

Collected pursuant to existing laws and DENR Administrative Order No. 56, Series of 1991.

Projects closely monitored for outcomes, with lessons synthesized for policy refinement.
RED responsible for monitoring, preferably via contracted independent bodies.
Monitoring focuses on implementation improvements and replication.

USEC to issue further regulations and a detailed Manual of Operations within 90 days from effectivity.

1993 funding from ADB Project Loan and DENR funds.
From 1994 onwards, contracts funded through appropriate sources with DENR efforts to source other funds.

This Order supersedes DENR Administrative Order No. 123, Series of 1989 and inconsistent forestry regulations.
Takes effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.