1st Progress Report Highlights:
> Monthly meeting with the community members were done to discuss matters on project plans, implementation and cooperative concerns. Meetings were held last December 16, 2009, January 27, February 25, March 18, and April 28, 2010 where they convened community-based cooperatives. In the meeting last April, 42 upland farmers visited the NEDF to have a sharing on forest protection, LGU support and sustainability.
> Project orientation was held last January 7, 2010. 41 community members attended together with partners from BACIWA, MAO, PENRO-DENR, and LGUs.
> Trainings and seminars organized: organic coffee growing; banana propagation and pest control; biodiversity conservation education.
> Nursery development and operation: clearing and ground leveling of 700sq.m. of ANR nursery and Arabica coffee; construction of 2 nursery potting shed house; construction of rearing sheds in 200sq.m. area.; procurement of nursery inputs i.e. plastic bags; collection and transplanting of 16,000 wildlings of arracbica coffee; production of potting; endemic tree species nursery set-up; maintenance and procurement of other planting materials.
> Habitat Restotration: survey and mapping of ANR site last January 2010; Conduct of site inspection trips; purchase of digital camera; rainforestation, forest patrolling including purchase of patrolling equipment.
> Difficulties encountered: timetable for wildlings collection fell on summer months and during the height of the El Nino phenomenon employing extra tools to maintain the wildlings and minimize mortality among the plants.
> Proponent is seeking approval for the revision of project timetable to avoid planting in dry season and to use the savings from a training for the putting up of a billboard.

2nd Progress Report Highlights:
> Conducted 6 monthly meetings to discuss matters and issues on project implementation and coop concerns
> Conducted a 1-day project assessment to discuss priority concerns or activities of the project
> Conducted 2-days training on rainforestation attended by 30 community participants. It provided the participants additional understanding on the importance of forest and their role to sustainable resource management.
> Conducted biodiversity conservation education to 4 barangays; 4 public elementary schools; 1 High School. Discussion covered environmental mood, biodiversity conservatio0n, history of Negros forest degradation, and Clean water. A total of 187 (barangay officials and community members) 496 (elementary students and teachers); 80 students and faculty from high school participated the activity.
> Completed construction of 2 nurseries; The use of clear plastic sheets covering the whole plot minimized effect of intensified dry season and minimized mortality rate to 30%
> Care and maintenance of 25,000 indigenous tree seedlings and 27,800 Arabica seedlings for next year?s out planting.
> Procured 3,500 lakatan suckers. 2,200 lakatan suckers were planted by 18-farmer members. There was a high (37%) mortality rate or 1,300 lakatan suckers due to El Niño )
> Project has planted 4,650 suckers of saylan
> Conducted 2 site inspections with monitoring and evaluation of project implementation
> Forest Protection and patrolling was intensified and as reported there were no incidence of illegal forest activities during the period.
> Produced and installed billboards and tarpaulins in strategic places as requested in first progress report to SGP.

3rd Progress Report Highlights:
> Conducted 6 monthly meetings to discuss matters and issues on project implementation and coop concerns
> Conducted a two day training on project planning, monitoring and evaluation attended by 39 community participants.
> Produced fact-sheets on biodiversity conservation (5000 pcs in Ilonggo, 4000 pcs in English)
> Continued nursery maintenance activities. Indigenous seedlings available for out-planting: 25,500; 27,800 Arabica Coffee seedlings
> Continued care and maintenance of planted lakatan and saylan
> Cleared 1,365 meters of access trail aroung the ANR site. 25 community members participated in the activity
> 16,500 indigenous trees were planted in 10-hectare site with planting space of 3x3.
> Conducted 2 site inspections 07 Dec 2010 and 19 Apr 2011
> 10 community members were doing patrolling activities in rotation basis. No illegal activities were reported during the reporting period.
> Collaborated with Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development to expand production of organic coffee for continued conservation and providing sustainable alternative source of income to upland farmers
> 37 young people (project member?s children) enlisted to be a member of Youth for Environment. The group have undertaken tree planting activities in perimeter of communal area

4th Progress Report
>8 monthly meetings conducted during the reporting period.
>conducted 3 monitoring and evaluation
>conducted a strategic planning workshop. the training provided participants time to review their vision, mission, goals, and objectives of the organization and identifies strengths and weaknesses and assess if VMGO were still applicable or they decide to improve it. (reult resulting to five year strategic plan)
>13 community members joined the cross-visit to rainforestation sites in Leyte State University. The visit has provided additional knowledge and information to the participants on the different components of rainforestation farming undertaken by Leyte State University and its assisted groups. Farmer participants has the opportunity to share and interact with other farmers, exchange some ideas and experiences that they have in their respective areas.
>two ring - Ringweeding and maintenance activitties were undertaken in the ANR site to provide newly planted trees favorable condition by clearing out one meter wide around the base of plant.
>4000 seedlings consisting of depiterocarps and other indigenous trees in the reforestation area were undertaken in 16 different farm lots of coop members. These were planted along borders and bounderies of respective farms of members where the 24,000 Arabioca seedlings were planted.

FINAL REPORT

Project Results:
> Community Meetings - Undertaken 29 community meetings for the whole project duration with members of the communities directly involved in project planning, implementation, monitoring and assessment. Some of the results during the community meetings were: Creation of committee on livelihood and local monitoring group; Proper management of the endemic tree nursery and collection of wildlings; Routine schedules of nursery maintenance usually done by women and young people; Routine schedule of volunteers on forest protection/patrols; farmlot development; coop livelihood assistance to members and carabao dispersal.
> Project Orientation - Before the start of implementation project orientation was undertaken last January 7, 2010 attended by 41 community members. The orientation was conducted to present the project objectives, work plan, timetable and strategies of implementation on the different project components and the budget.
> Project Assessment - During the course of project implementation some issues and concerns were presented during the conduct of project assessments. A total of 6 project assessments were conducted attended by 25 coop officers and members facilitated by the concerned field staff David Castor and assisted by volunteers. The assessment activities undertaken has provided opportunity to take a glimpse of what has been done for the past several months since the start of the project implementation until its completion.
> Trainings and Seminar
- Project Planning and Management Training - Conducted a two day activity attended by 39 participants. The training has provided the community opportunity to realize the importance of equipping the capacity of their organization and harnessing the potential ability of its officers and members proper planning and management on resources management based on the principles of sustainable development.
-Strategic Planning - Conducted a two day activity attended by 33 participants. The training provided the participants more particularly the officers and members of the cooperative to look back and re-visit their vision, mission, goals and objectives and reviewed if these still applicable at the present times. Some presentation with focal discussion on activities emphasized that efficient and effective implementation of activities will be organized, systematized and bear compatibility with the structure of the organization.
-Rainforestation Farming - A two day rainforestation training activity was conducted attended by 30 community members; 1 NFEFI staff; and 1 documentor. The objectives of the training was to promote and develop rainforestation as strategy in restoration and biodiversity conservation in local communities and increase available habitat and resources with mixed species for threatened and vulnerable species of the protected area; enhance and train local farmers and community members for concepts and systems of rainforestation strategy; The training has provided opportunity to the participants that gained additional knowledge and understanding on the importance of forest and their role to sustainable upland resource management. As a result to the training, farmer-members have planted and maintained several species of indigenous trees within their respective farm.
- Organic Coffee Farming - 2 day training attended by 28 pax. The training enhanced understanding on the bright prospects of producing organic coffee and quality coffee beans based on Philippine National Standards (PNS) and NISARD Certification Services (NICERT) to qualify for certification.
- Banana Propagation and Pest Control - Conducted a 2 day seminar attended by 31 participants. The training provided additional prospect for collaboration between the ATFI?s program where they establish partnership with local banana growers for technical and marketing support.
> Biodiversity Conservation Education
-IEC, Advocacy to Four Barangays - The conduct of biodiversity conservation education to four barangays has been achieved with a total combined attendance of 187 participants. The different topics presented were : Environmental Mood, that showed how the forest from its pristine state was devastated after some destruction and human abuse that resulted to environmental backlash; Biodiversity Conservation, which provided information and understanding on the importance of biodiversity, the different levels of biodiversity and their role as life support system, the different issues and concerns for the conservation and protection of biodiversity; History of Negros Forest Denudation, portrayed how the thick and vast forests of the Island of Negros were reduced since the time of the Spaniards and up to the present state, how the island was affected in the aftermath of different logging activities in the past; The presentation on Clean Water that stressed on the different responsibilities of all stakeholders as water users, and the need for sustainable and clean environment; What we can do to help, a guide that suggested some actions and activities to undertake in response to all the issues and problems on the environment.
-IEC to Elementary Schools - Biodiversity Conservation Education was conducted to four (4) elementary schools with a combined total attendance of 574 participants. Topics presented were: State of Negros Forests; Importance of Biodiversity Conservation, Clean Water and What to Do were presented during each school visit. Before the end of each activity a Question and Answer portion were undertaken to check whether the student-participants understood and learned something from the activity. There were prizes courtesy from BACIWA consist of assorted school supplies were provided to student who answered the questions correctly.
- The project has successfully produced a total of 9,000 Fact Sheets on threatened and endangered wildlife of Negros. These materials were given to different schools, local government units, barangays, people?s organizations in upland communities and individuals
- Cross-Farm visit - 13 participants visited Visayas State University in Baybay, Leyte. The visit has provided additional knowledge and information to the participants on the different components of rainforestation farming undertaken in Leyte State University. The sharing of ideas and exchange of experiences between local farmers and the visitors has brought another level of learning to both groups.
>Nursery Site Development and Operation
-established 700sqm nursery area
-25,000 indigenous seedlings raised
-27,800 Arabica coffee raised
>Rainforestation farming undertaken by 19 cooperative members
-2,200 small lakatan suckers planted (35% mortality)
-22,775 saylan planted
-24,000 Arabica coffee
-13,500 gabi
-4000 dipterocarp
>Habitat Restoration
-16,500 indigenous trees planted within 10 hectares ANR
>Field Monitoring and Evaluation - The conduct of periodic Site Inspection and Monitoring & Evaluation of project implementation was conducted every quarter participated partners of NFEFI with their respective representatives.
> Forest Protection/Patrolling - The conduct of forest protection activities were performed by the community volunteers. Considering the risks involved and the critical nature of the work only male members of the cooperative were allowed to perform the work. There were 16 volunteers listed into pairs to take their respective work for three days and another pair of volunteers on the next three days each week until all the pairs have performed. The forest patrols were provided with meal allowance during their actual duty. Aside from the group of volunteers for the project, BACIWA tapped the services of other 10 coop members as forest patrol with 5 in Sitio Campuestohan and 5 in Sitio Managaksak-Sitio Anangue area. This brought the total number of forest patrol to 26 aside from the 8 Bantay Bukid Brigade from Brgy. Cabatangan.


Project Benefits:
1. Capacity Building

The watershed area has three people?s organization consist of the community members that worked closely with the project, namely: Campuestohan Upland Farmers Association, the Casa Grande Upland Farmers Association and Upper Caliban-Imbang Watershed Farmers MPC. These group of people?s organization has directly benefited from the trainings and seminars provided by the project that brought new dimension and experience to their officers and members. The trainings on technology, particularly the rainforestation farming system provided more interest to farmer-members to plant more trees and crops for food, utilization, and preservation on their respective farm lot.

The different trainings and seminars on technology has provided new dimension to community members for organic coffee growing. The promotion of civet coffee as new prospect for increasing potential source of income derived from the plan and at the same time the importance of conserving the wild animal in the forests.


2. Nursery Development and Operation

The establishment and operation of indigenous tree species nursery has brought great benefits to the members of the project particularly women and young people who directly involved in the operation and maintenance activities. Most activities in nursery operation were light work in nature aside from those that needs strength, women and youth engaged in weeding, sorting, watering, and taking care of seedlings. On the process of performing their duties, the persons involved learned many aspects of nursery operation that were applied particularly growing of native tree species aside from the extra income derived from the work.
Along this component, the community has continued in their own nursery operation in Campuestohan and Managaksak area where seedlings they raised were purchased by BACIWA in tree planting activities within the watershed area during the two-year period of project operation. The respective people?s organization and its members has directly benefited and earned additional income from the sale of seedlings and the different activities involved in plantation site preparation and guiding services provided during tree planting.
3. Rainforestation Farming

The promotion and adaption of rainforestation farming system in the watershed has brought another dimension to the respective member?s farm lot where fruit-bearing trees like coffee and others trees were intercropped with medium-term crops like banana, bisol and gabi. Combined with these trees and plants were assorted stort-term crops and vegetables that were produced on the season. The most notable within this component were the planting of indigenous tree species within the respective farms and preservation of other naturally grown trees. This has brought a higher degree of appreciation and need of each farmer member on the importance conserving these resources for long-term benefits.

3.a. Organic Coffee

Consequently, the planting of Arabica coffee and promotion of growing organic coffee has brought bright prospects and reinvigorated the enthusiasm of farmer-members. Coffee berries during the past harvest season has provided new opportunity to the cooperative and engaged in buying harvested coffee from members and sold them to NISARD who provided higher price than other traditional buyers. Presently, the buying of coffee is facilitated by the cooperative through some of its officers and will be continued every harvest season. The process of application for organic coffee facilitated by NISARD under the NICERT is on-going with its different requirements and standards for certification. It is envisioned that milled organic coffee produced from the watershed area shall be properly labeled with the name after the area and sold to the local market and even for export. In another development, the promotion of collecting coffee fruits during the season from collection of civet droppings has brought interest to many community members. This also highlighted the importance on the conservation of the wild animals for the benefit of the community and environment at the same time. Although the practice is just new to the area and few community members engaged into collection, the advocacy and promotion still has to be continued with the inclusion of collecting coffee berries eaten by fruit bats which also has higher price in the market.

3.b. Lakatan and Saylan

The planting of lakatan in the respective farm lots of members has revived the planting of banana in the area after the devastation and effects brought by bunchy top disease that hit banana seriously. Although several number of planted lakatan seedlings were directly affected, many still has successfully grown and some produced many suckers with some starts bearing fruit. This was after the conduct of training and finding some solutions to mitigate the problem that affect the local banana projects not only in the area but also to some other sites in the region.
Saylan production consequently has increased among the respective farm of members and provided additional source of food to the upland family or sold to the market for extra source of income. With the support from BACIWA and other concerned agencies the bright prospects of bringing value-added from saylan and taro project by processing the tubers and sold to market outlets. The conduct of training for saylan and taro into processed foods shall be undertaken within the first quarter of 2012.

4. Habitat Restoration and Forest Protection

The successful planting and rehabilitation of additional ten hectares of denuded area has increased forest cover in the watershed and within portion of NNNP. Since the site is part of the Bacolod City watershed this is beneficial not only to communities within but also to villages and communities underneath it for continued supply of water from the forests. The restoration program undertaken by the project has provided wildlife new area for refuge and habitation with the planted indigenous trees. Protection on the watershed area has intensified in the past two years that minimized the hunting and other illegal forest activities performed by poachers and intruders from nearby villages and communities below.

REMARKS / LESSONS LEARNED

1. It is never too late for the restoration of habitat and conservation of biodiversity after some devastation that affected our environment. This is everybody?s concern now with what has happened in different places of the country and even to many parts of the world as the result of environmental degradation. Everyone has to do their part in every way to contribute with whatever they can from young and old, from the high end of the society to the lowly individual in the community to be involved in biodiversity conservation efforts.

2. Our advocacy on the propagation and planting of indigenous tree species that was not so popular before is now widely accepted and practiced for restoration and has created new interest to many people not only in upland communities but also to private land owners in the lowlands.