A system dynamic approach on the effects of charcoal production and vegetable farming on the deforestation of Marikina watershed

• Main Authors: Salaveria, Marvin G., Tan, John-Patrick Nicholas Y.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2011
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/11749
• Institution: De La Salle University

According to a study conducted by the City Government of Antipolo and with technical assistance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – United Stated Agency for International Development (DENR – USAID), Since 1981, the forest cover of Marikina Watershed has decreased considerably at about 75% of its original trees because of the activities that is taking place such as illegal charcoal livelihood and housing. The study aims to first replicate the system within ISF which comprises both the residents and the jobs that the people within the ISF do which are charcoal production and vegetable farming. This system them is to be correlated to another replication of the available forestland to see whether distinct actions being made within ISF have a positive or negative feedback on the said forestland. The precise replication of the model has undergone several transformations for it to finally adhere to the real system of the ISF. The group has also enlisted help from the Antipolo City Government specifically City Environment and Waste Management Office (CEWMO), City Agriculture Office (CAO), and City Cooperative and Livelihood Office (CCLO) to give a broader understanding on the activities within the system. From the base runs and scenarios created, five (5) policies were developed which are to increase the selling price of charcoal, increase the selling of vegetable selling, allocate more space for charcoal production, increase trees planter per year, and the combination of increasing trees planter per year with the increase of charcoal selling price. The second and third policy did not fair too well since that the actions taken has no significant effect to the amount of available forestland while the other tree greatly the amount of available forestland and enables it to have sustainable development. Further studies can be recommended on the additional alternative source of revenue for the residents of the ISF such as soap making and other products and the behavior of people with respect to the migration inside ISF for these can yield to lessen the impact of the deforestation of the forestland.