The Washington times., 1915-02-19
TREES PROTECTED
. BY WILD TRIBES
But Civilized FiIlpinos Are Indif.
ferent to Forest Conserva.
ton, Says Worcester.

Dean c. Worcester. formerly secre-
tary Of the Interior for the Philippine
Islands, in reporting to the American
Forestry Association Of Washington on
forest conditions in the Philippines.
says that 40.00O acres. or more than one
third Of the land area Of the islands.
are covered by valuable virgin forests.
while second growth forests hold pos
session Of another 10000 acres.
Regarding the care Of these forests.
he says:
I'm view of the indifference which we
ourselves have shown towards the con.
servation Of our own forest resources In
the Immediate past we should not won
der that the Filipinos. by which term
I DESIGNATE the Christianized-civilised
residents OF the archipelago. should still
be utterly Indifferent to the preserva-
source Of wealth. Much less would a
similar attitude on the part of most OF
the wild tribes afford ground for sur.
prise. and It is indeed extraordinary that
Ieorots and the Bontoc Igorots. should
have been the only Inhabitants Of the
archipelago to appreciate the import :
ance of conserving their forests and
rules to accomplish this result, yet such
IL the case.
Wild Tribe Protects Trees.
"On my first trip to Cayan. Tadian,
and Basnin. in Lepanto. I was struck
by the peculiar appearance Of many
pine trees from which all Of the
branches. except few at the top. had
been carefully cut. found that the
individual trees were all owned but
that the owners were not allowed to
fell them until they had attained GER
tain minimum size, although they might
meanwhile cut the lower branches for
firewood. Noting the excellent repro
duction which was occurring on some
OF the hillsides found upon inquiry
that the young trees were being pro-
tected from grass fires:
unfortunately similar wisdom has
not. been displayed by the Inhabitants
and wanton forest destruction has been
practiced. with little interference, from
the time Of the Spanish discovery until
the american occupation.
Pest Holds Its Own.
One might suppose that the sparse
population Of the islands could at the
worst make comparatively little impress
sion on their vast forests. Unfortunate
ly this 10 not the case. The islands pro-
ducs several rank tropical grasses COM
monty known collectively as cogon. the
vind-driven seeds of which fly for long
distances. and promptly germlnate in
land cleared for agricultural purposes.
It It has been ;i difficult successfully to com
plements as have. heretofore, been avail
able. and for untold centuries there has
prevailed the custom OF obtaining land
fSs orass res, by NsHs cleared .S nG:
have been abandoned as soon as cogon
made its appearance. This pest is more
than capable OF holding its own against
all comers Its wide.spreading and
soil acid but bore through any moderate
" soft obstacles which they encounter
Eurthermorc. cogon burns readily and
fiercely during the dry season. destroy
ing any young trees which may have
established themselves. with the result
that deforested area which becomes
coganal remains a cogonal unless man
intsrvenes
pines with legislation forbidding the
making of unauthorized caingins or for
est clearings, and with motor-drawn
plows and disc harrows, which make
short work Of cogon roots.
Great Damage Already Done.
"Unfortunately incalculable damage
has already been done. The great island
OF Cebu is practically derorested and ex-
tensive areas on other islands nave
suffered similar fate with the result
that In these regions frewood is scarce
and dear. structural timber is almos
unobtainable save by Importation. art
tho run-on Of surface water after rain
fall Ia altogether too rapid. so that
stream-beds are Allied with rushing tor
rents one week and are dry the next.
But the damage has not ended here
In cutting molave and other especiaD,
valuable timbers. the Filipino has had
no thought for the morrow. The des r.
ability Of leaving trees for reproduction
has not occurred to him. and as a re-
suit there are extensive areas meas
tidewater from which the more valu-
able tree species have been practically
eliminated.
THE spaniards established q forest
service, known as the Inspection d,
Monies, but its officers made iittl,
attempt to stop forest destruction, con
tenting themselves with collecting reve
nue. which were chiefly derived from tn
timber cut and used locally for hous
construction
Mr.. Worcester pays high tribute t
the efficient work Of the Department o
Forestry established by the Unite,