Permanent field laboratory areas (PFLAs) for effective forest and natural resources management, conservation and development

Permanent Field Laboratory Areas (PFLAs) were develop in view of the need for permanent plots that will generate data useful in the understanding of the dynamics of a tropical forest ecosystem. This was affirmed during the discussions among the heads of Los Baños- based forestry research institutions, i.e. Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) and the College of Forestry and Natural Resources-University of the Philippines Los Baños. The establishment of PFLA was initially funded by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to CFNR as Center of Excellence in Forestry Education in May 31, 2002 to May 31, 2006 with support provided by PCARRD. The institutionalization of PFLAs allowed the conduct of centrally coordinated activities in the establishment, development, use and maintenance of a network of permanent field laboratory/ demonstration areas in Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve (MFR). Consequently, effective forest and natural resources instruction, research and management will be achieved through the continuous generation of reliably gathered data from permanent sites within the Reserve. The output from PFLA will also provide time series data of the biophysical aspects of watersheds that will enable scientist a better understanding of the dynamics of tropical forests. The PFLA responds to the longer and long term objective of activity using MFR as a training laboratory in producing highly capable and well-grounded graduates of forest and natural resources management. The PFLA project brings total of six permanent plots established within MFR. Accomplishments and studies conducted in the PFLAs include gridding, tagging and basic mapping, plant diversity assessment, carbon stock assessment profile diagram and regeneration studies, soil characterization, inventory and GIS mapping and data basing, forest gaps effects on foliage and soil insect diversity and severity and census of ground lizards. Six practicum and research reports and two undergraduate thesis uses produced by students of the Institute of Renewable Natural Resources (IRNR) and Department of Forest Biological Sciences (FBS) in 2004 to 2006. At present there are four on-going undergraduate and graduate thesis and dissertation researches being conducted in the permanent plots. The PFLAs will continue to be the laboratory/field site for instructional and research programs of the College and other interested units in the university.