Environmental burdens of one ton baled abaca fiber, which is exported as Manila hemp, were determined using life cycle assessment with three phases: plantation establishment and fiber harvesting, fiber trading, and grading and baling of fiber. Abaca fiber was organically produced in Catanduanes. One hectare abaca plantation produced an average of 830 kg fiber with a total mean discarded biomass of 5.7 t. A barangay trader can purchased 712 kg of dry fiber per week while Grading and Baling Establishment (GBE) procured and processed 250 t mo-1. One ton of baled fiber required 1.6 ha plantation with 2,132 undamaged abaca hills that produced 1,052.6 kg dry abaca fiber. Harvesting produced about 80.2 t of discarded materials and weeds which used as mulch, however, estimated soil nutrient loss was 0.5 kg N and 0.1 kg P and 5.4 kg K. Trading and baling produced 52.6 kg fiber by-product used for furniture making; more than 5 kg of fiber dust and a total global warming potential of 47.7 kg CO2 equivalent. The following are recommended to improve farm productivity: a) use of organic fertilizer to replace the nutrient loss; b) improve stripping device to enhance fiber quality; and c) utilize farm waste for soil conservation. Local policy on abaca trading was recommended to increase farmer’s share. GBE must provide mechanism to improve environmental work condition and strictly enforce the use of ear plug to avoid hearing loss of workers.
The combination of flood modelling and socio-economic analysis was used to determine the flood vulnerability of the towns of Santa Maria and Mabitac, Laguna, Philippines. Geograhic Information System (GIS)-hazard mapping and vulnerability-resilience indicator were used to assess the interaction of a flood hazard and the socio-economic conditions of the people in the area. The Hydrologic Engineering Center Hydrologic Modelling System (HEC-HMS) and Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) modelling system was used to derive the synthetic hydrograph and delineated the inundated areas in the flood-prone barangays (village) of Santa Maria and Mabitac. The flood modelling predicted the flood depths in seven out of ten communities and delineated the inundated barangays of the two towns. The social vulnerability analysis indicated that Barangays (village) Jose Rizal, Masinao, Adia and Coralan in Santa Maria and Barangays San Antonio, Libis ng Nayon, Bayanihan, Pag-asa, Nanguma and Lambac in Mabitac are very vulnerable to flooding. The study revealed environment-related aspects that are helpful in reducing the impacts of flooding such as, strengthening the flood warning system and emergency response capacity through flood hazard zonation mapping and rehabilitation of the watershed in Santa Maria.
Threats of water pollution, unregulated extraction of resources, and sprawling urbanization are some of the common issues of Mandulog River, a home for indigenous freshwater gobies. This study was conducted to assess the status of freshwater gobies and how the resident communities exert conservation efforts to the river and the inhabiting gobies. Standard method of collection of gobies was done. Interviews with semi-structured questionnaires were used to know the conservation measures of the residents. Ten goby species belonging to three families namely, Family Eleotridae (Belobranchus belobranchus), Giuris margaritacea, and Oxyeleotris lineolata, Family Gobiidae (Awaous melanocephalus), Awaous ocellaris, Glossogobius celebius, Glossogobius giuris, Periophthalmus barbarus and Sicyopterus lagocephalus, and Family Rhyacichthyidae (Rhyacichthys aspro), can be an alternative source of food and livelihood. They were caught by-catch, while employing some destructive fishing methods like cyanide fishing, electric fishing, and use of fine mesh nets. The awareness of the residents to the adverse impacts of water pollution, unregulated human activities, and destructive fishing had strengthened their conservation measures. A multi-stakeholder management approach is created through concerted proactive conservation measures like protection of the goby population, the river-riparian ecosystems, enhanced scientific information, and the legal intervention of the local government.
Tree resources in protected areas in the Visayas were mainly used for construction materials and firewood. Inhabitants inside prodtected areas harvested timber for their own light construction needs and for firewood mostly for household consumption. Illegal harvest of timber for commercial trade was still prevalent but perpetrated by highly influential people staying outside protected areas. Participation of local inhabitants was limited on the transport of lumber from the cutting area to the designated landing sites. Most preferred timber species for construction came from the Dipterocarp family, which are available only in secondary and primary forests. Owing to their being readily available in the locality, exotic species also proved a good source of construction materials. The most preferred firewood species wer gap species collected from nearby regeneration areas and woodlots. Local availability and abundance were the primary considerations with respect to preferences for firewood species.
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