TIMBER MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES OF THE MPSPC, TADIAN CAMPUS PINE STAND
Wileen Chiara T. Lasangen, Harvey Cawalo

ABSTRACT

Mountain Province State Polytechnic College is a tertiary educational institution. It has a pure uneven-aged Pine Stand in its Tadian Campus, which has potentials for income generating purposes for harvestable Pine trees while maintaining the Pine Stand for Forestry Laboratory purposes of the B.S Forestry Program. The MPSPC – Tadian Campus lies on an 8.2 hectare land area. The Pine Stand is an existing asset of the College and thus its utilization should be optimized. Timber Management focusing on tree marking and inventory was then introduced to optimize its utilization while protecting, and conserving the area. Tree marking and site evaluation was conducted for planning purposes. The study then aimed to come up with a permanent record for planning in the future. The Stand and Stock Table was created employing the 100% tally or the Complete Tree Tally. A total of 710 trees were marked and evaluated. It reports the individual number of trees, DBH in cm, basal area per individual tree, total tree height, tree volume, merchantable log length, diameter class, crown assessment and defects/recommendations. The averages for such are as follows: DBH in cm – 27.18; basal area per individual tree - .00427; total tree height – 8.11; tree volume – 3.84; merchantable log length – 6.27. Diameter Class was classified according to DBH from 0- 130. Crown assessment was estimated in percentages and defects/recommendations per tree were recorded as to whether the trees are for thinning, crooked, good, twisted, for immediate cutting, good for lumber, bent and branchy. Total counts for trees with their corresponding assessments are 310 trees or 43.66% for thinning, 138 trees or 19.44% with crooked defects, 82 trees or 11.5% marked as good trees, 55 trees or 7.75% observed as twisted trees, 43 trees or 6.05% identified for immediate cutting, 39 trees or 5.49% good for lumber, 31 trees or 4.37% are bent and 12 trees or 1.69% are identified as branchy. A volume table was also made to project wood volume in board feet estimates as baseline data. Trees within the 30 cm and above diameter classes were those computed in the projection table.

The results of the study, came out with a Stand and Stock Table as a guide in planning for the further improvement and conservation of the MPSPC’s Pine Stand. The Stand and Stock Table is a comprehensive record of trees to be cut and retained as support to wildlife habitat, forest cover and future valuation of the Pine Stand; the existing protection and conservation strategies are recorded as basis for enhancing care and maintenance measures for the Pine Stand; and the value or yield of cut trees were not recorded yet they could have been included as income for the College.

The following are then recommended based on the conclusions of the study. It is strongly recommended that a tree marking be conducted in the remaining Pine Stand of the college to come up with its Stand and Stock Table (Block 2). This will serve as a permanent record for the species and number of trees in the remaining Stand; the Stand and Stock Table should be used for planning purposes and to account for trees to be cut and retained and the sequences of how these should be done; protection and conservation strategies are encouraged to be strengthened or enhanced by employing other measures in addition to the existing ones; and the value of harvestable trees could be included as potential asset of the College.