FMB. Technical’ Bulletin FOREST LAND USE PLANNING iN @ The Technical Bulletin This technical bulletin provides a step-by-step description of the approaches in assisting Local Govern- ‘ment Units (LGUs), planners, implementers and other stakeholders to systematically formulate their forest land use plans (FLUP) within the context of sustainable forest management (SFM). It is aimed at provid- ing a concise roadmap, especially for the LGUs in developing their FLUP in adherence to their mandate to share with the national government the responsibility of managing forests and forestlands (FFL) within their area of jurisdiction @ Users of the Technical Bulletin The users of the technical bulletin are personnel of the DENR, LGUs, forest communities and other stakeholders who are primarily involved in planning, implementing and managing forest resources and forestiands. © Forest Land Use Planning Forest land use planning is a participatory process of allocating forests and forestlands as natural resource asset by the government under appropriate management, tenure arrangement and eventually putting these assets according to their best uses in order to harmonize uses of forest lands and to attain a balance of production activities with forest protection and biodiversity conservation. The FLUP shall be integrated in the LGU's Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPS). @ Forest Land Use Plan AFLUP is a document developed through iterative, transparent, accountable and participatory process to ensure sustainable management of forests and forestlands providing environmental, social and eco- nomic benefits to society. @ importance of the FLUP The FLUP provides direction to the LGUs, DENR and other stakeholders in managing FFL within their area of responsibility within the context of SFM, biodiversity management, vulnerability assessment/ci- mate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and management and the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. It also facilitates harmonized management of protected areas and ancestral domains/lands within FFL and integrated management of ecosystems. Consequently, it guides the LGUs and DENR as well as other stakeholders on how to organize, mo- bilize and utilize their resources such as money and manpower to achieve a specific objective or set of objectives in FFL management. It is a management tool for establishing accountabilities and promoting responsible forest resource management, by ensuring that production activities are in balance with forest protection and biodiversity conservation, using a ridge-to-reef framework. The FLUP also forms the basis, for monitoring, assessment and reporting which will give the LGUs and DENR a clear perspective and guidance on their management performance throughout the implementation process. @ Purpose and objectives of FLUP ‘The purpose and objective of FLUP is to build consensus and develop recommendations on the best uses of forest lands, including the important step of identifying open access areas and determining ap- propriate management and best resource managers for these open access areas. The FLUP provides the basis for allocating FFL under appropriate management and tenure arrangement and its consequent as- ‘signment to qualified and responsible stewards or managers with established accountabilities, @ Steps and Procedures Forest land use planning constitutes seven (7) major steps shown in the table, with the corresponding expected outputs, which shall be undertaken through participatory manner in order to build harmony on the preference by stakeholders with that of the government on decisions regarding best uses of forests and forest lands.The major procedures and expected outputs in FLUP. MAJOR STEPS [euro LE) Thematic maps (administrative, forest cover, land classification slope, hazard, erosion, vulnerability assessments, etc); + Status of FFL assets and their uses; + User of FFL or the stakeholders; Step 1: + Inventory of existing and planned development projects within the Data and Map Collection FFL, + Institutional arrangements including their responsibilities in the management of FFL assets; + Issues, problems, and threats affecting resource assets; and + Opportunities or potential for development + Current situation and recent trends in FFL; + Conflicting and complementary interest among stakeholders on FFL; + Extent of open access areas in forest lands; + Improperty- managed or abandoned allocated FFL; + Institutional gaps in the management of FFL; and + Relationship of FFL with other ecosystems using the ridge to reef Step 2 Situational Analysis approach + LGU vision, mission, goals and objectives in the management of FFL; Step 3 + Highlights in illegal cutting, conversion of forests and forest lands, boundary and resource use conflicts, causes of forest degradation Prioritization of and deforestation, and trends in losses or increase of forest cover; ‘Sub-watersheds and Allocation of Forests + Strategies on zoning the FFL into production and protection zones; and Forestlands allocation of open access areas, and sub-watershed prioritization: and + Set of criteria for allocating and zoning FFL. + AFLUP containing the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the LGU, including allocation of open access FFL into appropriate management arrangement by responsible managers. The FLUP Step 4: shall indicate priority development for each of the identified Plan Preparation sub-watersheds and other recommendations in FFL management. + A short-term plan (1-year work and financial plan), and a medium-term plan (5-year work and financial plan) must also be developed as part of the FLUP. + Final FLUP; + FLUP endorsed by the MICDC and subsequently by the Sanggunian; and Step 5 iepincaion + Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the DENR and the municipal LGU on how to implement the plan, including responsibilties of the DENR and the Municipal LGU in managing the FFL ee + Approved FLUP; and Approval of Plan bj DENARegion + Ordinance adopting the FLUP Step 7: Plan ImplementationStep 1. Data and Map Collection Data and map collection is critical in forest land use planning. Updated and reliable data, including maps such as watershed, forest cover, land classification, slope, erosion, geo-hazard, settlement, vulnerability assessment maps are crucial for an informed planning and decision-making The municipal/city forest land use plan-technical working group (TWG) composed of multi-sectoral representatives collects data and maps through GIS-based mapping, community profiling and map- ping, and other techniques. These data and information are significant to establish the existing situ- ation of FFL as well as the current condition and trends of its uses as influenced by different factors, From these, problems, issues, threats and opportunities are identified and analyzed, which will form the basis in developing strategies for effective FFL management. Step 2. Situational Analysis The situational analysis phase embodies the generation of preliminary recommendations based on the result of analysis from Step 1. Through map overlay analysis, simplified simulation techniques and other tools, the TWG evaluates the over-all picture of current conditions and recent trends in FFL and identifies conflicting and complementary interests and claims among stakeholders on the use of FFL. Italso involves identification on the extent of open access areas in FFL, improperly managed al- located areas and institutional gaps in the management of FFL. Watersheds shall be used as the unit of analysis and planning to demonstrate the relationstips of F =L with respect to the other ecosystems following the ridge to reef framework. Results of the analysis are used during the planning phase where stakeholders decide on zones, FFL allocations, watershed prioritization and other technical, organizational and financial strategies, Step 3. Participatory Prioritization of Sub-Watersheds and Allocation of FFL. Major or key findings Step 2 are discussed by the TWG. Taking into account the identified issues and opportunities, and the needs of the LGU, the TWG formulates the LGU's vision, mission, goals and objectives in managing the FFL. Strategies are subsequently developed, to include zoning of the FFL for production and protection purposes, allocation of open access areas and sub-watershed prioritization in adherence to the concept of multiple use and priority functions. The TWG initially agrees on a set of criteria for zoning and allocating FFL and in prioritizing sub-watersheds. Based on the agreed set of criteria, preliminary zoning will be done, and the development of allocation plan and prioritization of sub-watersheds is conducted. In formulating strategies, the TWG takes into account the key elements of SFM, biodiversity man- agement, vulnerability assessment/climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and manage- ment and the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Step 4. Plan Preparation The results of the succeeding steps are integratec throug’: a writeshop by the members of TWG, The members of the TWG are divided into groups where e ich group is assigned a section of the FLUP to work on - formulating the salient features and draffit g the body of the section. The outputs of each group are then presented to the TWG through a plenary session for consolidation by an inte- gration team, incorporating the comments and suggestions. (For the sample outline of a Plan, please see Forest Land Use Planning Training Guide, 2011.) The consolidated draft FLUP is then presented to stakeholders as well as the DENR-Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), the DENR-Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) and the DENR-Regional Office for purposes of validation and generating consensus on the vision, FFL allocation, prioritization of sub-watersheds and other recommendations in the FLUP. The draft FLUP includes a 5-year and 1-year budget and implementation work planStep 5. Legitimization Based on the comments and suggestions during these small-group presentations, the TWG final- izes the FLUP and presents it to the Municipality/City Development Council (M/CDC) for its approval and endorsement to the Sanggunian Bayan/Lungsod (Sanggunian). The Sanggunian, shall pass a resolution legitimizing and endorsing the FLUP to the DENR-Regional Executive Director (DENR- RED) and authorizing the Mayor to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DENR-RED for the joint implementation of the FLUP. To facilitate legitimization, small-group presentations with the Environment Committee (EC) and the Finance Committee (FC) of the Sanggunian may be necessary. Step 6. FLUP Approval Upon endorsement of the Sanggunian, the DENR-RED approves the FLUP and thereafter trans- mits it to the DENR Secretary for his affirmation. Upon approval by the DENR-RED, the DENR-RED and the Mayor executes a MOA for the joint implementation of the FLUP, with the DILG Regional Director as witness. The MOA emphasizes the roles and responsibilities of the LGU and the DENR, their joint partnership and complementation and resources sharing towards the plan implementation. ‘The FLUP shall need to be enacted as an ordinance by the Sanggunian as part of their CLUP. Step 7. Plan Implementation ‘After approval of the FLUP, the LGU and the DENR will proceed with its implementation. Among the activities that may require immediate attention are facilitating co-management of selected wa- tersheds, issuance of tenure instruments, resource management planning, recognition of individual property rights, investment promotion, formation and training of multi-sector forest protection teams or committee, and regular monitoring and periodic assessment, evaluation and reporting of on-site management of tenure holders. // «+ This was adapted from the Forest Land Use Training Guide published by the Philippine Environmental Governance Project (EcoGov). ‘This material is produced by the Forest Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, FMB Building, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City, Pl eS. April 2014 4