Scientists say it must be protected. Forests in the Philippines were once the richest and most diverse in all of Southeast Asia, before commercial logging and clearing for agriculture obliterated them. In the last century, nearly 90 percent of Philippine forests disappeared. The largest remaining block stands in northern Luzon, the Sierra Madre. Authorities are closing down sawmills, but the forest still faces serious threats.
Forest rangers keep constant watch for illegal loggers smuggling timber downriver.
Authorities are cracking down on illegal logging and sawmills in the Sierra Madre More than 30,000 people live in a few coastal towns in the Sierra Madre. Some of them want more development. But new roads and mining projects could endanger the forests and rivers. Conservationists are working with local leaders to avoid environmental damage. Meanwhile, the national government has proclaimed the core of the forest a natural park, although it still requires congressional approval.