16 may suffer the same fate as it has neither funding nor DENR affirmation FMB 2003; Castillo 2008.
Similarly, an executive order promoting SFM issued in 2004 was not put into practice as implementing rules and regulations were never completed Castillo 2008. The SFM Bill has recently
been revived and contains provisions giving the state, through the DENR, full control and management of forest lands including granting of tenure rights, licences and approval of management
plans. Provisions for collaboration with local government units, communities, private entities and other government agencies in forest management are also included Castillo 2008.
Box 2.5 Passage of the Sustainable Forest Management Bill in the Philippines
Problems besetting the forestry sector in the Philippines need comprehensive solutions. Forestry policy-makers have realized this since 1992 when they formulated and worked on the passage of a
new forestry law during the Ninth National Congress of the Philippines. This move was meant to provide support for implementation of the Master Plan for Forestry Development that was prepared in
1990. Unfortunately, the passage for a new forestry law reached an impasse over whether to allow commercial logging in the remaining natural forests. Ten years later this issue was still under
deliberation. Thus, the sector continues to be governed by an outdated law decreed in 1975 that pertains to forest management under large-scale harvesting.
Source: Quintos-Natividad et al. 2003. Despite the failure of the SFM bill to be passed, many policy measures have been launched in the
Philippines with greater measures of success in relation to assisted natural regeneration, enterprise development and plantation development.
1
2.1.11. Thailand
Thailand’s first comprehensive National Forest Policy was passed in 1985 RFDDNP 2009. The policy is based around the principles of SFM and emphasizes environmental protection. Agricultural
intensification and provincial land-use planning are supported to prevent forest conversion, as are measures to control shifting agriculture, forest fires and forest clearance by ethnic minorities.
Harmonized public and private sector management of forests is stressed as is reforestation for industrial wood production and protection. The 40 percent national forest cover target was originally
divided into 15 percent for protection and conservation and 25 percent for production. After catastrophic flooding in Southern Thailand in 1988, however, a logging ban was imposed and the ratio
of conservation to production was reversed Ongprasert 2008.
In 1991, the Royal Forest Department RFD began developing a Community Forestry Bill to allow involvement of local communities in managing forests in and around national reserves. The bill made
little progress despite being redrafted several times. Conflict has arisen between ‘the people’s movement’ which underscores communal rights and the ‘dark green movement’ which objects to
community forest establishment in protected areas Ongprasert 2008. A decision was eventually made that allowed community forestry where communities could prove that they had settled before 1993 and
could demonstrate that they protect their forests. The bill was approved in November 2007 and is awaiting royal approval before enactment.
Thailand’s forest-related policy, legislation and institutional frameworks distinguish protection and production forests. In 2002, the RFD was divided into three departments: the RFD responsible for
forests outside protected areas; the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department; and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. Decentralization and public participation in policy,
planning, and management of natural resources in Thailand are still rather limited. After the coup d’ etat
in 2006, however, a new constitution was drafted containing provisions for the promotion of public participation in environmental conservation and sustainable natural resources use Ongprasert
2008.
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Department of Environment and Natural Resources http:www.denr.gov.phsection-policies
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2.1.12. Viet Nam
Since nationwide introduction of free market principles in 1986, and particularly during the last decade, substantial changes have taken place in the forestry sector, including the re-organization of
state forest enterprises and changes in forest ownership and growth in wood products exports. Forests have been classified into three types – special-use conservation, protection and production forests.
State-forest enterprises are being dissolved or re-arranged into companies and Forest Management Boards. Legislation has been introduced during the past decade to allocate land to households and
individuals for sustainable forest production, conservation of flora and fauna and forest protection Coi 2008. Several major forestry programmes have been implemented including the Five Million Hectare
Reforestation Programme, which has contributed greatly to national forest restoration since 1998. However, forest degradation remains a serious problem and is widespread throughout the country.
Between 1999 and 2005, the natural forest area classified as rich declined by 10.2 percent; the area of medium-rich forests declined by 13.4 percent during the same period. The commercial value of natural
forests has also considerably declined and most rich forests are located in remote areas that are difficult to access.
Forestry has moved towards greater participation, improved forest protection, increased plantation establishment and increased timber processing both for domestic demand and export. Protection of
existing natural forest, greening areas of bare land, planting of production forest and sustainable use of forest resources is expected to increase the importance of forestry as an economic sector while
contributing to income generation, livelihood improvement and poverty reduction FSIV 2009. Four major trends are underway in the forestry sector FSIV 2009:
1. From forest exploitation to plantation development, protection, enrichment and maintenance of forest through forest reclassification, limits to exploitation, closure of
natural forest and expansion of plantation forests. 2. From extensive production and monoculture forestry to intensive and diversified forestry
including agroforestry and collective trading of forest products. 3. From public forestry to people’s forestry through restructuring of state forest enterprises
and the promotion of private forestry. 4. From state control to empowerment of local bodies with government withdrawal from
forestry-related production and trade. In 2007, the government approved the Viet Nam Forestry Development Strategy 2006-2020. The
strategy comprises five programmes MARD 2007: 1. Sustainable Forest Management and Development Programme;
2. Programme on Forest Protection, Biodiversity Conservation and Environmental Service Development;
3. Forest Product Processing and Trade Programme; 4. Programme on Research, Education, Training and Forestry Extension; and
5. Programme on Renovating Forest Sector Institutions, Policy, Planning and Monitoring. Viet Nam, although retaining only small areas of natural forests, has also become a leader in
developing REDD readiness and significant revenues could be secured if international agreement and associated funding are realized. The fact that only one forestry-related Clean Development Mechanism
CDM project exists in Viet Nam despite national focus on afforestation and reforestation does, however, suggest that expectations should remain conservative for the time being.
2.2. Policy effectiveness
Although forest policies in the region generally pursue SFM, they cannot be judged only by objectives or statements of intent Byron 2006. According to Byron 2006 when assessing a particular forest
policy the following three questions should be considered: i Is it delivering its stated aims? ii Is it doing so at reasonable cost to society? and iii Who benefits and who loses from this policy? There is
