The growing recognition of the importance of forests in the environment led many developed
(donor) countries around the globe to provide aid or grants to developing countries for forest
development projects. However, the sustainability of these forest development projects often
faces uncertainty. A common problem is conflict of interests between the state, private
companies and indigenous peoples, particularly in relation to land rights. Traditional aid was
oriented towards neoliberal development (commercialization) which depended to a large
extent on individual property rights and this can conflict with indigenous people’s customary
land ownership and non-commercial use of forests. The Bukidnon forestry project in the
Philippines involves, a government owned or controlled corporation assisted by the New
Zealand government, establishing a demonstration commercial re-forestation project with
commercial production plantation forestry. The Bukidnon Forests Incorporated (BFI) is the
corporation established by the Philippines and New Zealand to achieve this goal. However,
since its establishment indigenous peoples’ claims to forest land access and ownership has
strengthened.
This study has explored the challenges facing Bukidnon Forests Incorporated (BFI) and
Ancestral Domain/Ancestral Land (AD/AL) claimants as they endeavour to achieve their
respective goals. It has also looked at the concerns, needs and interests of BFI and AD/AL
claimants purposely to find mutually beneficial arrangements for both parties once BFI’s
current land rights expires in 2016.
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The results of the study indicated that successful establishment and development of a manmade
forest plantation is possible in once-denuded and marginalized grassland in the
Philippines. However, the government style in managing commercial forest plantation is
ineffective in terms of attaining its commercial viability; the long-term sustainability of the
project is also uncertain primarily because of insecure land ownership and tenure rights.
Moreover, the concept of establishing a large scale industrial tree plantation is in conflict with
the objectives of AD/AL claimants in terms of how their ancestral land are being developed.
However, alternative institutional arrangements may offer mutually beneficial solution for
both BFI and AD/AL claimants.