Why Watershed-Based Water Management Makes Sense

Due to the alarming increase in the scarcity of water in various parts of the world, there is a growing recognition from the supply side that efforts to manage the water resources should not only focus on the infrastructure that provides water but also on the ecosystems, in particular, the watersheds, that support said infrastructure. To this end, this Policy Notes argues that the most logical unit for planning water resource management is at the watershed level.watershed, water resource management

Valuation of Forest Resources in Watershed Areas: Selected Applications in Makiling Forest Reserve

The valuation of resources found in the watershed area is important in assessing the impacts of changes in the watershed. While the change will have positive impacts which are short-term in nature, there are long-term environmental damages associated with economic benefits. This paper gives a rational judgment on the soundness of such changes through cost and benefit analysis. The watershed approach is utilized to capture the effects that are relevant in the analysis.forestry sector, watershed, uplands

Valuation of Forest Resources in Watershed Areas: Selected Applications in Makiling Forest Reserve

The valuation of resources found in the watershed area is important in assessing the impacts of changes in the watershed. While the change will have positive impacts which are short-term in nature, there are long-term environmental damages associated with economic benefits. This paper gives a rational judgment on the soundness of such changes through cost and benefit analysis. The watershed approach is utilized to capture the effects that are relevant in the analysis.forestry sector, watershed, uplands

The On-Site and Downstream Costs of Soil Erosion in the Magat and Pantabangan Watersheds

This article report is a condensed version of “The On-Site and Downstream Costs of Soil Erosion,” PIDS Technical Report 87-04 of the Upland Resource Policy Program. It estimates the economic costs arising from indiscriminate exploitation of the uplands. It also offers a practical methodology for assessing the economic impact of soil erosion and illustrates the methodology with results from two major watersheds--Magat and Pantabangan.watershed, uplands, soil erosion, soil conservation

The On-Site and Downstream Costs of Soil Erosion in the Magat and Pantabangan Watersheds

This article report is a condensed version of “The On-Site and Downstream Costs of Soil Erosion,” PIDS Technical Report 87-04 of the Upland Resource Policy Program. It estimates the economic costs arising from indiscriminate exploitation of the uplands. It also offers a practical methodology for assessing the economic impact of soil erosion and illustrates the methodology with results from two major watersheds--Magat and Pantabangan.watershed, uplands, soil erosion, soil conservation

Realities of Watershed Management in the Philippines: Synthesis of Case Studies

This paper presents a synthesis of four case studies of watershed management experiences in the Philippines, primarily to provide insight on why watershed management approach has not gained wider recognition in the country despite being renowned internationally. A brief description was presented for each case study involving the watersheds of Maasin, Magat, Manupali, and Balian sub-watershed to account for their critical role as water supply support systems to downstream communities. It provides highlights on various initiatives undertaken by the Local government Units, NGOs, private sector etc. in their effort to protect these watersheds from environmental degradation. The case studies have shown that the effective implementation of watershed management requires some level of financial capital, a community or group of communities with good enough level of intellectual and social capitals, and the presence of a legal and institutional framework to support the watershed approach. The level of these various forms of capital vary across watershed, thereby leading to differences in the level of watershed management implementation as well. The study also puts forward the need for payments of environmental services as previous initiatives undertaken by national forest protection programs and other community-based livelihood activities and reforestation projects are just short-lived management initiatives

Realities of Watershed Management in the Philippines: The Case of the Iloilo-Maasin Watershed

The paper analyzed the presence or absence of elements needed to have an effective system of watershed management in the Maasin Watershed, Iloilo Province. IT concluded that: a) both the legal and institutional structures needed support watershed management effort are in place; b) there is evidence of a strong social capital existing in the upland and lowland communities; c) there is an adequate level of technical capital investment to sustainably manage the watershed; and d) there is sufficient financial resources to undertake various site development initiatives. Nonetheless, with the culmination of the project, the remaining gap would be to sustain the gains already made by the stakeholders in protecting the watershed, particularly in supporting upland communities who undertake watershed protection efforts so that they will not pose a threat to the Maasin watershed. One approach put forward is to tap Environmental Service Payments