Patterns of local wood use and cutting of Philippine mangrove forests

Background

Harvesting for wood in mangroves is a common practice yet there has been limited studies. This paper takes a unique approach through integrating ecological and ethnographic methods in order to study local wood use and cutting of mangrove forests in two areas of the Philippines. 

Goals & Methods

The author conducted a series of 202 household interviews to determine how villagers used mangrove resources in North and South Bais Bay and Bindoy,  Negros Oriental, and on Banacon Island, Bohol.

Conclusions & Takeaways

The author found preferences in the selection of species for construction purposes, especially for use in fish corrals called bunsod. Overall, the study found that 90% of all stumps were the result of cutting, indicating the large influence of humand on the ecosystem. Through interviewing older villagers, the author found that mangroves were severely impacted by selective cutting over time, with trees reaching a maximum of 15m where they once reached 30m tall.