2022 Annual Report

Empowering Communities toward Self-governance

Reaping the fruits of the Foundation’s earlier project with the Community Forest Foundation Quirino, Inc. (CFFQI) on empowering People’s Organizations to govern their respective Community- Based Forestry Management areas and ancestral domains, four out of the eight are now independently managing their own projects to restore degraded

Leveraging Private Sector Support for the Conservation of Forests

The Foundation continued to support Philippine Parks and Biodiversity’s project to rewild Mt. Balagbag through the addition of two more years to empower communities and forest rangers. In partnership with EcoExploration, the ‘Be a Forest Ranger for A Day’ campaign or #BFFTrek was opened for anyone to participate in a learning visit to the project site.

This paved the way for more partnerships, including the donation of tools and equipment, to support the forest patrolling activities of forest guards by Co Ban Kiat Hardware, as well as the provision of food and supplies, such as sleeping bags and first aid kits, to forest rangers by Keyword Studios.

Opening Spaces for Communities in National Planning Processes

In line with its commitment to inclusive and participatory policy planning, the Foundation worked with the DENR and Yakap Kalikasan Tungo sa Kaunlaran to facilitate island-based, multi-sectoral consultation processes to craft the CBFM Strategic Plan 2023-2032. 

Expanding Knowledge and Innovation with Institutional Partners

Forest Foundation continued building partnerships with local and international organizations to further expand its knowledge base and apply innovative approaches in its grantmaking and conservation work.

• Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and the Pacific (RECOFTC)
  This partnership with the Thailand-based NGO is in support of the second phase of the Explore Project (2022-2027), where the Foundation will provide grants to Philippine-based researchers to support capacity building and learning exchanges on forest landscape governance across Southeast Asia.
  
  
• Association for Asian Studies (AAS)
  Forest Foundation will provide grants from 2022-2026 in partnership with the international NGO to enhance the research capabilities of scholars and universities in the Philippines in cultivating the humanities and social elements of forest conservation.
  
  
• National Power Corporation (NPC)
  The partnership with the government-owned corporation will provide technical assistance and grants to community organizations in formulating, preparing, and implementing forest conservation and restoration projects within the watersheds of the NPC’s jurisdiction.
  
  
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippines
  The UNDP, through its Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) Project, identified a mobile gaming application as a finance solution to generate resources to support the Philippine Biodiversity Strategic Plan (PBSAP). The Foundation was tapped as a CSO/ NGO partner tasked to oversee the revenue generation and management of the game application for a year.

Inspiring Future Conservationists through Kwentong Kalikasan

The Foundation, together with its grantee, Association of Young Environmental Journalists, launched its video series titled Kwentong Kalikasan (Stories of the Environment), which aims to promote the works of conservationists and emerging forest advocates, and inspire more people to engage in forest conservation. Watch the videos here.

Forest Bathing Program and Nature Trail

The Foundation worked with the World of Outbound to develop a Forest Bathing Program and Nature Trail at the Ayala Land Carbon Forest in Alaminos, Laguna that will highlight the importance and health benefits of forests.

Starting Them Young with #EarthRangersPH

In partnership with Rags2Riches, its grantee, the Foundation published the Earth Rangers Handbook, which features information and activities related to the protection and conservation of the environment. Download the free worksheet here.