Abstract
In the Philippines, only a few farmers and plantation owners register their tree farms with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the office in charge of tree registration. One of the major reasons is their lack of knowledge of government policy on tree registration. To help improve the flow of information and understanding of tree registration policies among smallholder tree farmers and other stakeholders, a Primer on Tree Registration, Harvesting, Transport and Marketing Policies on Private Land was developed. Produced through the participation of stakeholders, including tree farmers, the DENR, and local government officers, police, and timber dealers, the Primer is highly visual and has been released in English as well as Waray–Waray and Cebuano dialects. This paper reports findings of focus group discussions conducted to gauge user reactions to the Primer. The Primer was considered as a valuable source of information about tree registration policies. Aside from being comprehensible, FGD participants found it attractive, perceived it to be intended for them and free from content that confused them. However, farmers suggested that illustrations need to be improved by making the persons portrayed more presentable and reflective of their actual tree farm operations. Participants said that aside from the Primer, the flow of information on tree registration policies could be improved through the use of multi-media including posters, radio broadcasts, and presentation in seminars for farmers.
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Acknowledgements
We wish to thank the farmers and staff of LGUs, CENROs, and other agencies who participated in the FGDs. We also express our appreciation to Domingo ‘Bebot’ Flandez for designing the illustrations based on the feedbacks generated in the FGDS.
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Gravoso, R., Mangaoang, E., Gerona, M.A. et al. Users’ Reactions to the Primer on Tree Registration Policies: Lessons for Designing Extension Materials and Improving Information Flow. Small-scale Forestry 8, 275–287 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-009-9083-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-009-9083-5