Sustainable harvesting, delivery and transport systems for malapapaya (Polyscias nodosa) in a coconut-malapapaya agroforestry scheme

A study was conducted to determine the cost-effective and ecologically-sound harvesting, delivery and transport systems for Malapapaya. Chainsaw is the preferred tool for felling and bucking malapapaya trees in the study sites. Based on the data collected a harvesting crew can cut and buck an average of about 800 bd.ft. or 1.89 cu.m. per day on an 8-hr shift. Data shows that the felling cost by chainsaw is about P2.00 per bd.ft. or P848 per cu.m.(1 volume=3 bd.ft.). Only one harvesting crew, who is operating in Atimonan site, was found to be using the handsaw which is locally known as 'kabig'. Data shows that the crew can cut and buck about 500 bd.ft. or 1.18 cu.m. of malapapaya trees. Calculation indicates that felling by handsaw costs P2.50 per bd.ft. or P1,060 per cu.m. Horse hauling is the preferred mode of transporting harvested malapapaya trees from the cutting site to the road site in Atimonan site while carabao skidding is the preferred mode of transporting harvested malapapaya trees from the cutting site to the road site in Lopez site. A horse can haul an average of 150 bd.ft. or 0.35 cu.m. per day. Calculation shows that the hauling rate by horse is P3.30 per bd.ft. or P1,399.20 per cu.m. A carabao can skid an average of 200 bd.ft. or 0.47 cu.m. per day. Calculation shows that the skidding rate by carabao is P2.00 per bd.ft. or P848 per cu.m. Data shows that chainsaw is more cost-effective than handsaw. Felling and bucking by chainsaw can produce 800 bd.ft. (1.89 cu.m.) of malapapaya trees at a cost of P2.00 per bd.ft. (P848 per cu.m.) while handsaw has 500 bd.ft. (1.18 cu.m.) at a cost of P2.50 per bd.ft. (P1,060 per cu.m.). Thus, using chainsaw in felling is cheaper by P 0.50 per bd.ft. (P212.00 per cu.m.). Calculation shows that carabao skidding is cheaper than hauling by horse by P1.30 per bd.ft. (P551.20 per cu.m.). This is based on carabao skidding rate of 200 bd.ft. (0.47 cu.m.) per day at P2.00 per bd.ft. (P848 per cu.m.) compared to hauling rate by horse of 150 bd.ft. (0.35 cu.m.) per day at P3.30 per bd.ft. (P1,399.20 per cu.m.). Based on ocular observations made in the study sites, the harvesting operations do not have significant environmental impacts. Similarly, hauling do not result in significant environmental disturbance due to the scale of the operation compared to commercial logging that employ heavy equipment. In particular, hauling by horse does not have adverse impacts to the site except for soil compaction that occurs along hauling trails. However, since of the routes used are existing trails, the impacts could not solely be attributed to the operation. Based on the result of the study, the existing practices in the study sites offer cost-effective and ecologically-sound systems for harvesting, transporting and delivering malapapaya trees. With regard to hauling, carabao skidding provides a mode cost-effective means of transporting harvested malapapaya from the cutting side to the road side. The animal can haul more logs compared to the horse. However, hauling by horse results in comparatively less environmental damage than carabao skidding. Seminars were undertaken to familiarize malapapaya farmers to adopt appropriate harvesting and transport practices. In particular, a harvesting primer for malapapaya is used as guide for farmers on the proper way of felling, bucking and hauling malapapaya. The primer is written in English and is translated to Filipino to ensure wider readership.