1. Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative
and Rainforest Restoration
David Neidel, Ph.D.
ELTI Asia Training Program Coordinator
Mindanao Rainforest Restoration Forum
Malaybalay City, Bukidnon
December 6–7, 2010

2. INTRODUCTION TO ELTI
• Joint program:
• Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
• Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI)
• Capacity‐building and training program
• Audience:
policy makers, government and non‐government,
conservation professionals, community members,
and private sector actors
• Two geographical foci:
• Neotropics, based at STRI in Panama
• Asia, based at the National University of Singapore
• To date, trainings held in the Philippines, Indonesia,
Singapore, and Thailand
Version 4 corner only

3. “FOREST CARBON” TRAINING PROGRAMS
• National Conference and Training Needs
Assessment on Forests and Climate Change,
Manila ,with ICRAF
• 4‐day regional training programs on Forest
Carbon Project Development, Los Baños and
Davao City, with ICRAF
• Two 2‐day Introductions to REDD for NCIP,
Davao City and Quezon City, with CodeREDD

4. NATIVE SPECIES REFORESTATION
• Train the Trainers program on Rainforestation
conducted with Visayas State University
• Leadership Program provides support to our
most active trainers
• Taxonomy Training
• Monitoring Trips
• Other professional development
opportunities

5. RAINFOREST NETWORK FORUM
• Decided to work together as a united front
to further promote forest restoration and
the usage of native species in the Philippines
• Revitalized the Rain Forest Restoration
Initiative (RFRI)
• Developed an action plan to promote
Rainforestation in terms of advocacy and
increasing technical capacity
• Current members include:
ELTI, FPE, Haribon, NTFP‐TF, PEF, PNPCSI,
PTFCF, UPLB‐CFNR, and VSU

6. www.rainforestation.ph

7. MAINSTREAMING NATIVE SPECIES‐BASED
FOREST RESTORATION
• International conference:
held July 15–16, 2010, at UP‐Diliman
with simulcasts at UP‐Visayas‐Cebu and
UP‐Mindanao
• Scientific basis for native species
reforestation as well as the political,
economic, and social obstacles and
opportunities in the Philippines

8. REGIONAL FOREST RESTORATION TRAINING
• ELTI is currently developing trainings for forest restoration
in Indonesia and Malaysia
• One of our goals is to link innovate efforts throughout
the region
• Training held from November 22–26, 2010 with FORRU
in Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Participants from Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia,
and Malaysia

9. Visit to Doi Inthanon National Park

10. In the 1970s, Doi Inthanon National Park
was heavily degraded from:
• Fire
• Inappropriate forms of agriculture
• Poppy cultivation for opium
production
• Logging and forest degradation

11. His Majesty the King gave suggestions about forest restoration
“Study native tree species,
then plant these species…”
“…Do not plant exotic tree species.”
King Rama IX of Thailand
(circa 1970s)

17. Lessons from Doi Inthanon:
1. Large landscape level rehabilitation is possible.
2. Native species are better than exotics.
3. Restoring ecosystem services through forest restoration is part and
parcel of regional economic development
4. The goal for regional development should be to develop multiple
income streams from sustainable land use management
5. To enact such a large‐scale landscape transformation begins with
vision and leadership.
6. Landscape rehabilitation takes time and the efforts must be sustained.

18. Native Species Reforestation in the Philippines:
• Rainforestation as a scientifically‐based and proven technology
for native species reforestation.
• DENR Endorsement of Rainforestation (MC 2004‐6) and
increasing level of field implementation
• Increasing support from Academe, NGOs, Foundations and the
Private Sector (RFRI)
• Compilation and wider dissemination of information about
Rainforestation through the website (www.rainforestation.ph)
• Growing interest and involvement of LGUs
To date, however, native species reforestation in the Philippines has
been relatively small‐scale. How do we scale‐up implementation?
There is clearly an urgent need (biodiversity, watersheds, climate;
people)!

19. THANK YOU!
J. DAVID NEIDEL
Asia Training Program Coordinator
Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative
Department of Biological Sciences,
National University of Singapore,
14 Science Drive 4,
Singapore 117543
telephone: +65 6516 5426
e‐mail: david.neidel@yale.edu
website: http://www.elti.org