8 towns illegal logging hot spots in Cagayan

By Charlie Lagasca

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya– At least eight towns in Cagayan Valley have been identified as illegal logging hot spots.

This was disclosed during a recent regional multi-sectoral forest protection committee meeting in Tuguegarao City.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-led committee identified the towns as Cabagan, Ilagan, Jones, San Guillermo, San Mariano and Tumauini in Isabela, and Maddela and Nagtipunan in Quirino.

It was also disclosed during the meeting that several areas in Nueva Vizcaya and Cagayan are still prone to illegal cutting of trees as shown in various apprehensions of hot lumber in 2011.

Based on these apprehensions, the towns of Kasibu and Quezon in Nueva Vizcaya are still havens of so-called carabao logging wherein loggers utilize water buffaloes to haul illegally cut timber from the forests down to the nearest access roads.

Forester Bernardo Valiente said a total of 934 cubic meters of illegal cut lumber placed at P10 million were confiscated or intercepted during the second quarter of 2011.

Overall though, the DENR said illegal logs seized by the anti-illegal logging task force, composed of the DENR, local government units, police and military, last year were significantly less than in previous years.

The DENR attributed this to its non-stop crackdown, with the help of the private sector, including Bantay Gubat volunteers, on illegal logging in line with President Aquino’s order for a logging moratorium nationwide.

Forester Benjamin Tumaliuan, DENR regional executive director, said they would further intensify their ground and aerial operations to eventually rid the region of illegal loggers or timber poachers.

The northern Sierra Madre biodiversity corridor, home of some of the world’s endangered flora and fauna species, including the Rafflesia leonardi, said to be the world’s biggest flower species, lies in Cagayan Valley, especially Isabela and Cagayan.

The northern Sierra Madre also hosts one of the country’s remaining largest forest covers. However, it continues to be threatened by illegal logging, slash-and-burn farming and environmentally destructive practices.

“There are no sacred cows in the implementation of the logging ban in the region. We have to protect our remaining forest cover in the region,” Tumaliuan said.