CENRO shares knowledge on LFBPS

COMMUNITY Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Baguio officer Rainier Balbuena shared their experiences in using the Smart Lawin and Cybertracker application to some employees of the Ministry of Environment of Indonesia.

The application, Lawin Forest and Biodiversity Protection System (LFBPS), aims to provide accurate information about the status of protected areas covered by Republic Act No. 7586, or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act.

Epler Pagnas, a forest ranger from the enforcement section of CENRO-Baguio said the sharing of experience using the mobile application was a success.

Recently, an experiential learning was conducted in the forested area of Camp John Hay attended by the Indonesian visitors together with personnel from the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), DENRCAR Enforcement Section and USAID using the cyber tracker application installed in android phones.

The participants trekked 3.89 kilometers where they have observed and recorded the condition of the forest. They have also seen different threats such as typhoon related damages, pieces of garbage, houses and other structures, landslide and mudslide areas and some wildlife within.

Participants have likewise taken photos of their observations such as the different threats and wildlife. Data collected were synched at CENROBaguio and transmitted to DENR regional office and the DENR Central Office at the same time.

The participants were also taught on some features like how to track the distance of the protected areas as well as the threats using the application. A procedure was demonstrated like reporting

illegal cutting in some protected areas to authorities.

Bryan Lachica from FMB said the application of records are also essential for the government to know the necessary actions against the different threats in protected areas.

The application was launched in the country by DENR and USAID last year which was used in recording necessary data in the different protected areas. CENRO-Baguio patrollers have been using also the application within its jurisdiction namely Baguio, La Trinidad, Sablan, Itogon, Tuba, Bokod, and Kabayan. CENRO Baguio Release