Conducted by VSU
, Started on 2024 -
Completed on 2027
Ongoing
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The project “CITIZEN-SDSS: Using Citizen Science Approaches and Spatial Decision Support Systems to Foster Nature-Based Solutions to Sustain and Expand the Remaining Forest Landscapes of the Philippines” is a four-year research project led by the Thünen Institute (TI), in collaboration with Visayas State University (VSU), Isabela State University (ISU), and Forest Foundation Philippines (FFP), and funded by the Velux Stiftung Foundation, Switzerland.
The project is being conducted in two regions of the Philippines: Cagayan Valley and Eastern Visayas. In Cagayan Valley, the study landscapes include Penablanca and Balasig—Penablanca was part of the LaForeT project coordinated by the Thünen Institute (TI), Visayas State University (VSU), and Isabela State University (ISU), while Balasig was part of the Balasig Watershed Project coordinated by ISU. In Eastern Visayas, the study sites are Silago and Maasin, both located in Southern Leyte. Silago was also involved in the LaForeT project, while Maasin was part of the REDD+ pilot project coordinated by VSU. The project is currently being implemented in 12 barangays—six in Maasin City (Lunas, Baugo, Bactul 1, Hantag, San Jose, and Cagnituan) and six in Silago (Catmon, Katipunan, Sudmon, Sap-ang, Salvacion, and Tuba-on).
The project will utilize existing spatial and non-spatial temporal databases from these previous initiatives (LaForeT, Balasig, REDD+) as reference information for conducting rapid rural appraisals, multi-criteria geostatistical analyses, co-design and feedback workshops, and for simulating spatiotemporal modeling scenarios across the four study landscapes and regions.
In Visayas State University, three studies are being conducted simultaneously under the CITIZEN-SDSS project, focusing on forest landscape management in Silago and Maasin City, Southern Leyte. The first study focuses on spatial analysis of land use using GIS and ground-truthing techniques to map land cover types and understand land use patterns across selected barangays. The second study aims to estimate the carbon budget of forests and plantations through field measurements and modeling, utilizing long-term ecological data from permanent plots in Mt. Nacolod and additional inventories in agroforestry and plantation areas. The third study investigates household perspectives on forest management, land degradation, and ecosystem services, examining the socio-economic conditions, resource use, and environmental perceptions of local communities to inform more inclusive and sustainable resource management approaches.