Magellan Solutions Reforest Sierra Madres

24 February 2024,, UP Laguna Quezon Land Grant, Siniloan, Laguna. Founder and President, ABC, arrived 6am this morning to canvas the site prior to his 50 staff arriving from Magellan Solutions in Quezon City, including those who had just got off the night shift, packed the busses and headed out to the UP Laguna Quezon Land Grant (LQLG) to plant 200 trees by 730am warmup time.

Following a short welcome by FEED Director of Partnerships, Anne-Marie Mananquil Bakker, on FEED’s community-based Ridge to REEForestation approach, Forester Reynaldo Lorida (also heading up the LQLG), who has been in the forestry management practice since his graduation from the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) in 1997, spoke about the status of Philippine forests, the dissipating storm function of the Sierra Madres, and the hazards the permanent patrol team face when protecting the over 9,000 hectare protected forest site.

The warm up is needed to get everyone’s blood flow circulating in synch for a comfortable trek to the planting site, about 30 minutes away from base camp, where the 50 Magellan participants planted 200 trees within another 30 minutes – thanks the the site having been prepared in advance and half cleared by the forestry team, with holes dug, spacing assigned, and species allocated per hole.

We are very grateful to Magellan ecowarriors for their enthusiasm, commitment and joy expressed during the entire event, and that you have plans do do more as part of your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) advocacy – thank you and May the Forest be with you always!

Photo Collage and GPS Coordinates

About Magellan Solutions Outsourcing Inc.

Magellan Solutions Outsourcing Inc. (Magellan) is an inbound and outbound call center and business processing outsourcing provider in the Philippines. Combining unrivaled expertise and capabilities across industries and business functions, we bring fresh and new approaches to strategies and operational performance of business operations by delivering the right BPO and customer management solutions that span the entire customer lifecycle. We use our business-process knowledge and resources to create and implement solutions with and for our business customers worldwide. The company has 17 years of experience in providing best-in-class outsourced solutions to SMEs and as well as large global enterprises, which now include a Fortune 50 Telco Company.

As a leading business process outsourcing provider of customer management solutions, we are committed to delivering outstanding customer experience with every interaction. Our company believes that customer experience is key to establishing lasting value for both business and their customers. We do this by creating integrated platforms, which include multiple customer channels and process support. These platforms enable us to consistently build and deliver stellar service across channels and locations across the globe. Whether the company needs fully integrated customer service or medical transcription that can be bundled with medical billing and coding services, Magellan provides organizations with the right tools, best practices, and the most talented people to support them every step of the way.

For more details, visit: www.magellan-solutions.com

Empowering Communities: The Latest in Community-Based Forestry (CBF) in the Philippines

Source: Chat GPT

“I learned that mangroves are habitat for fish and protect us from strong waves. I am a fisherfolk from Hagonoy and I don’t usually have the time to plant mangroves but I do take part in protecting them. I encourage other fisherfolks to do the same and not to throw garbage in the river”. – Nazario, 44-year-old fisherfolk, Hagonoy

In the Philippines, community-based forestry (CBF) has emerged as a powerful tool for both conservation and sustainable development. Empowering local communities to become stewards of their forests, CBF initiatives have gained momentum in recent years, bringing about positive changes in forest management practices and enhancing the well-being of forest-dependent communities. Here’s an update on the latest developments in community-based forestry across the archipelago.

Strengthening Local Governance
One of the key advancements in community-based forestry in the Philippines is the strengthening of local governance structures. Through devolved forest management agreements and community-based forest management agreements (CBFMA), indigenous peoples and local communities are granted rights to manage and protect forest resources within their ancestral domains or designated areas. This decentralization of forest governance empowers communities to make decisions that are aligned with their cultural values and socio-economic priorities.

Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods
CBF initiatives in the Philippines prioritize the promotion of sustainable livelihoods for forest-dependent communities. By diversifying income-generating activities such as agroforestry, eco-tourism, non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvesting, and community-based enterprises, CBF not only reduces dependence on forest resources but also improves socio-economic resilience. These initiatives are often complemented by capacity-building programs and technical assistance to enhance the skills and knowledge of community members.

Enhancing Ecosystem Resilience
In addition to socio-economic benefits, community-based forestry contributes to the conservation and restoration of forest ecosystems. By implementing sustainable forest management practices, including reforestation, watershed protection, and biodiversity conservation measures, communities play a vital role in enhancing ecosystem resilience and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Furthermore, indigenous knowledge and traditional practices are integrated into forest management plans, ensuring the preservation of cultural heritage and biological diversity.

Challenges and Opportunities
Despite the progress made, community-based forestry in the Philippines still faces challenges such as limited access to resources, insecure land tenure, conflicting land uses, and inadequate support from government agencies. However, there are also opportunities for innovation and collaboration. Strengthening partnerships between government, civil society, academia, and the private sector can help address these challenges and scale up successful CBF models.

Looking Ahead
As we look to the future, community-based forestry holds immense potential for fostering sustainable development and environmental stewardship in the Philippines. By recognizing the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, promoting participatory decision-making processes, and integrating traditional knowledge with modern science, CBF can pave the way for inclusive and resilient forest management practices that benefit both people and the planet.

Community-based forestry is not just about managing forests; it’s about nurturing relationships between people and nature, fostering a sense of belonging, and building a brighter future for generations to come.

References:

  1. DENR. (Department of Environment and Natural Resources). (2022). Community-Based Forest Management.
  2. World Agroforestry (ICRAF). (2022). Community-Based Forest Management in the Philippines.
  3. USAID Philippines. (2022). Philippines Sustainable Forest Management Project.
  4. Catholic Relief Services (CRS). (2022). Community-Based Forest Management.

What can I do to stop climate change?

Ways to Conserve Freshwater

Source: CSR Wire

“As the world warms, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, sea levels are rising, prolonged droughts are putting pressure on food crops, and many animal and plant species are being driven to extinction. It’s hard to imagine what we as individuals can do to resolve a problem of this scale and severity.

The good news: We are not alone. People, communities, cities, businesses, schools, faith groups and other organizations are taking action. We’re fighting like our lives depend on it — because they do.

In a world of more than seven billion people, each of us is a drop in the bucket. But with enough drops, we can fill any bucket.” –  David Suzuki

Check out some of the ways you can take more climate change action.

For example, Climate Action groups are the local solution to a global crisis. Right now people just like you are coming together to develop practical, local solutions and make their towns and cities more climate-friendly. Are you ready to join them? Find out what’s happening near you.

More here: https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate-change/what-can-I-do-to-stop-climate-change

Contact FEED

In 2015, the Philippine government submitted to the United Nations the country’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The country committed to reduce its carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030. The carbon dioxide reductions will come from the sectors of energy, transport, waste, forestry and industry.  Join us!  Help us reverse the Earth’s “hothouse climate” tipping point.

Tree-Planting with FEED

Contact us at FEED for more details, to join our regular activities or to design your own tree-nurturing eventinfo@feed.org.ph or call/text +63 (0)917 552 4722.

© Fostering Education & Environment for Development, Inc.