Requirement for Timber Licensees, Lessees, and Permittees to Reforest or Plant Same Species of Trees Cut

February 24, 1979

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 818

WHEREAS, the government is now engaged on a full scale program of reforestation through the Profem and other allied projects; cd

WHEREAS, a more aggressive and stringent approach is necessary to enlist the full participation of existing timber licensees, lessees, and permittees, towards a partnership/co-managership basis in reforestation.

WHEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, do hereby direct:

1) That all holders of existing timber licenses, leases or permits having to do with the cutting of trees for any purpose shall reforest, planting the same species as the trees cut, on a spacing of three (3) meters by three (3) meters, one (1) hectare of open, denuded and/or brushland forest areas, for every hectare logged-over;

2) That failure to comply with such requirement shall be sufficient cause for the summary suspension of operation of the timber license, lease or permit; and if the violator is a log exporter, his log export permit shall be revoked, until such time that full compliance has been done or both; aisa dc

3) That the Ministry of Natural Resources shall organize a special team from neutral sources to undertake the monitoring of such activities. For this purpose, timber licensees, lessees or permittees are instructed to keep and maintain a logbook or planting schedule wherein it shall be recorded the number of trees cut as well as the trees planted, their locations and the maintenance and care thereof and other necessary information.

4) That the Minister of Natural Resources and the Director of the Bureau of Forest Development are hereby authorized to adopt and promulgate such measures and guidelines as may be necessary in the implementation of this instruction.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 24th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Nine.