Philippine rainforest. Copyright 2011@ Ecolife
The Philippine rainforest, like any tropical rainforests, is critical to the ecological well-being of the entire planet. Our best natural defense against global warming, they absorb massive amounts of carbon dioxide, while generating over 20% of the oxygen we breathe. In the face of intensifying global warming and the loss of human lives arising from natural and man-made calamities, protecting the remaining Philippine rainforest has become more urgent than ever. Although there is an increasing number of organizations that have joined the struggle to overcome the causes and effects of deforestation in the country, there is a need to implement an effective strategy of rainforest conservation.
Eco-Life Foundation is dedicated to its mission of protecting the Philippine ecosystems through its Rainforest Conservation Convergence (RCC) strategy — an innovative concept that ensures accountable, participatory, socially rewarding and financially-viable rainforest conservation. This strategy has three (3) vital and interrelated components, namely: 1) Treebank; 2) Eco-products and; 3) Eco-education. The synergistic output and impact of this strategy is only possible if these three (3) elements are present and are dialectically interrelated with one another.
TREEBANK
As contrasted to the traditional and unsustainable “tree planting” scheme, our Treebank promotes a holistic approach in attaining sustainable rainforest conservation. Through the Protect-A-Hectare project, various sectors of society are mobilized to support in varying degrees the conservation efforts of the Foundation together with its affiliated upland communities. In return, the Foundation rewards these Treebank sponsors through a package of benefits. The Treebank serves as a catalyst in leveraging more sustainable development projects designed to preserve, reclaim depleted land and promote the entrepreneurial spirit of the people. This Treebank model has been successfully tested and proven in our 200-hectare forest plantation in Tarlac which forms part of our larger site of rainforest conservation, that is, the Zambales Rainforest. As we expand our tree plantation that directly supports our eco-entrepreneurs, our Foundation is now establishing a 5-hectare seedling bank of ‘jathropa curcas’ to support its pioneering cooperative-based bio-diesel enterprise. We plan to plant 5,000 hectares of jathropa plantation as part of its ‘bio-energy-focused reforestation’ program.
ECO-PRODUCTS
As part of the Rainforest Conservation Convergence (RCC) system, the Foundation utilizes part of the proceeds from the sponsorship of every hectare to fund ecologically-sustainable enterprises ensuring the future of the Zambales rainforest and its people. These enterprises include the production of ecology-friendly products– bio-degradable, renewable and pollution-free. These enterprises will economically compete with and ultimately replace environmentally-hazardous businesses such as logging (legal or illegal). To help the country solve its energy crisis, the Foundation is piloting a bio-diesel project that will supply the requirements of the various cooperatives in the country. The Foundation seeks to provide financial assistance to renewable-energy-based enterprises such as solar energy and bio-diesel enterprises and international marketing support for all their eco-products. By partnering with profit eco-friendly organizations, and several transport groups that patronize bio-diesel, the Foundation is assured of continuing funding support for the Foundation’s rainforest conservation program.
ECO-EDUCATION
Embarking on Eco-education as a knowledge-based rainforest conservation, our Foundation conducts eco-education as a continuous process of experiential learning, unlearning and relearning to ensure the continued people’s participation in rainforest conservation. We support ecology tours and organize tours to our reforestation areas. We also conduct seminars on how to protect the environment at home and at work. To institutionalize the eco-education process, we have established an Eco-lodge and Training Center (ETC) right in front of the La Mesa Eco-Park and Watershed. Through this website, the Foundation offers energy tips, technology breakthroughs and eco-news.
Through this Rainforest Conservation Convergence (RCC), the Foundation is assured of fulfilling its commitment to preserve the ecosystem that gives clean air and water, alternative livelihood opportunities, eco-friendly products, reduced global warming and an enlightened citizenry.
