The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Guimbal is currently undertaking a bamboo inventory, targeting a total area of 3,416 hectares in Brgys. Dagami, Bolo, and Trangka in Maasin, Iloilo.

The area covered by the inventory is within the Community-Based Forest Management Agreement (CBFMS) projects in the three barangays and is contracted by the Katilingban sang Pumuluyo nga Naga-Atipan sa Watershed, Incorporated (KAPAWA-Maasin, Inc.).

It is in preparation for a project implementation funded by the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) entitled “Improved livelihood through increased income for Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP); Modeling scalable community-based enterprises in Asia” and was organized through a memorandum from the Director for Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Service of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Aligned with international standards, the project exemplifies the importance of community-driven conservation efforts and broadening sustainable forest management practices.

The activity is also a pivotal move towards sustainable forestry and aims to contribute to the global goals of increasing forest cover through the Paris Agreement for Climate Change.

Available data from the Enhanced National Greening Program (eNGP) shows that as of 2011 until 2022, bamboo plantations in Western Visayas covered an area of 24,615.85 hectares.

CENRO Guimbal said that the inventory is much likely to continue next year, 2024, until the whole target area is covered.

The consolidated data will guide future reforestation and conservation efforts, and programs that will involve the communities in the area. The bamboo inventory will also strengthen ecological resilience of the communities involved and the region in general.