Vegetation of Metro Naga Water Districts (MNWD) watershed rehabilitation project

The MNWD is one of the major stakeholders involved in the utilization, protection, rehabilitation and development of Mt. Isarog Natural Park's watershed resources in Camarines Sur. In 1994, the MNWD initiated a watershed rehabilitation project involving the reforestation of 317 ha of denuded forests through intensive tree planting activities. However, despite the effort to restore and rehabilitate the watershed, serious problems relative to illegal forest occupancy and squatting were encountered. To analyze the real condition of the project, Llesol and Estrella (CSSAC) conducted study from 2004 to 2005. The watershed rehabilitation project involved 317 ha subdivided into 53 blocks. As of August 2004, the entire watershed rehabilitation project was composed of 39 percent (123.63 ha) natural stand of secondary growth; 56 percent (177.52 ha) residual forest and man-made plantation of reforested area; and 5 percent (15.5 ha) open grassland/brush land and cultivated farm lots. The status of vegetation revealed that of the 53 blocks, 47 showed high percentage vegetation cover ranging from 80 percent to 100 percent, consisting of premium trees and shrubs; fruit bearing and agroforest; bamboo and grasses; and wild endemic and edible plants of various classification and sizes. Overall percentage vegetative cover was 84 percent. Areas with settlers and cultivated for raising agricultural crops had lower percentage vegetative cover with large proportion of plantable areas ranging from 23 percent to 56 percent with an average of 41 percent. On the other hand, sample blocks with no settlers and not disturbed by cultivation showed high percentage vegetative cover ranging from 80 percent to 100 percent with an average of 92 percent. Total plantable area was 32 ha or 10 percent of the total land area while non-plantable area was 18 ha or 6 percent. Plantable areas included open areas cultivated to agronomic crops estimated at 12 ha while the remaining areas were spread out to blocks requiring enrichment planting or areas that did not meet the minimum requirement in plantation density. While the MNWD was able to attain its goal of rehabilitating the denuded watershed, full regulation and control over the protected area from illegal entrants and settlers were not realized. A correlation study on settlers and communities' socioeconomic and cultural factors that are presumed contributory or associated to the success and/or failure of the MNWD's rehabilitation project should be conducted. Likewise, an impact analysis of the rehabilitation project to the community is recommended, as well as, quantitative measures of water yield in two springs in relation with the changes in vegetation.