The change was a victory for those who campaigned to save the forests, but it created a new set of problems. Many unemployed logging workers turned to illegal fishing with dynamite and cyanide. And without logging there's more pressure to create other new jobs for young people. Authorities in Palawan say many new jobs will be found in a growing tourism industry, based on a spectacular natural environment that is now protected. Much has already been lost here.
Stumps mark the site of what was once a dense forest of massive, ancient trees.
Philippine parrots, once common, are rarely found. But the people who live here are grateful that the logging company did at least build them a 10-mile road leading to town, more than the government ever gave them. The government's major challenge now is finding a balance between conservation and economic development, according to the late governor Socrates. Palawan is one of the few places in Southeast Asia where public and private efforts are working together to achieve that balance. Recipients should seek permission to reprint the article from the source listed above.