Points to Ponder

The Bilar, Bohol Man Made Forest, the man-made mahogany forest in Bilar, Bohol established in the ‘50’s had been maligned heavily in the social media recently: that it’s a silent forest and that no wildlife dares to stay in it, etc., etc. Ergo, it’s an ecological disaster. But come to think of it, this should be treated more of a lesson than a mere problem. True, birds and other species of wildlife won’t nest and stay there as it has no fruits/food to offer. What really happened?

In the 50’s and 60’s exotic trees like mahogany and gmelina were very popular as it’s fast growing and very good substitutes for dipterocarp species like lauan, apitong, yacal and other local species that were being logged. These local species are slow growing that it takes generations before it can be utilized commercially. So what a great way of replacing the local trees cut for lumber, plywood and other building materials by fast growing exotic trees. The forest builders then must have thought they were doing the right thing as their concern was commercial not ecological.

Fast forward, 60 years after, the social media critics looking only at one side of the coin, see only the negative side of the forest-a disaster. Remember it was just at an experimental stage when these trees were planted. They never had any experience yet, whatsoever, in planting exotics. Is it not nice to look at Bilar forest as a laboratory to learn a lesson or two on what to do and not what to do on reforestation?

First, they did not consider the issues on wildlife. Will birds and other animals thrive in this forest? True it attained the purpose of regreening and the carbon benefits it would bring but there are no animal food which will make them stay. This is basically the problem with monoculture commercial planting. So what the forest builders should have done is to provide areas/spaces in the forest for trees that bear fruits for the animals, give it a semblance of biodiversity for them to stay. The local tree species to be introduced and mixed with the exotics though slow growing but after about 70 years, in the case of Bilar forest, they must have already symbiotically adapted to their surrounding environments. By now, they must already be providing for the needs of the local wildlifes.

It’s sad that sometimes we see only the negative side of what other people have done or are doing. We forget to see the good side in them. Bilar man made forest should be treated more of an experience and lesson for the present generation on the better ways to regreen the country. It was a success, not a disaster, after all!