Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Loggers cut P.7M worth of banned trees within S. Cotabato watershed (4:00 p.m.)
TREES, including banned premium hardwood species, were illegally cut by timber smugglers within the 1,137-hectare Watershed Forest Reserve in Barangay Sarabia, Koronadal City in South Cotabato, a report from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Monday said.
According to the report, submitted recently by the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Surallah, South Cotabato to DENR-Central Mindanao Regional Executive Director Jim Oliveros Sampulna, a total of 64 planted and naturally-grown trees were cut illegally by local timber poachers, believed to be protected by armed groups.
Among the illegally cut trees were Yemane, Malabuyo, Tanguile, Malugai, Narra and Red Lauan.
The felled 64 trees had a combined volume of 33,597 board feet with a market value of P756,204 based on the DENR Forest Products Price Monitoring Report released in December.
The timber smuggling in the watershed area was discovered after authorities in the province seized 781 board feet of Lauan two months ago.(Sun.Star Davao)
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