![]() | Basic Concepts in Environment, Agriculture and Natural Resources Management: An Information Kit (IIRR, 1993, 151 p.) |
![]() | ![]() | Introduction |
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Many environmental issues involve complex and technical information and processes which are difficult to understand. Majority of the people do not yet understand the very basic issues related to, for example, ozone depletion or global warming or the loss of biodiversity.
The difficult process of simplifying such kinds of information for specific audiences is not systematically implemented on a large scale in the Philippines.
The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) believes that there is currently a great need for quality educational printed materials which can be used by teachers, trainors, educators, policymakers, key sector leaders and others throughout the Philippines in the area of environmental education. These printed materials will convey the difficult-to-understand concepts into more appropriate information kits for wider dissemination.
IIRR is aware that there are government and nongovernment organizations (GOs/NGOs) that are currently producing environmental education materials. Therefore, the primary step the Institute took was to network with these GOs and NGOs to establish the state-of-the-art for environmental education materials within the Philippines.
The information kit on the Basic Concepts in the Environment, Agriculture and Natural Resources Management was produced through the use of a workshop involving technical and communication experts. The workshop approach has been successfully implemented by IIRR to speed up and improve the production of various technology-focused kits, such as the Bio-Intensive Gardening, Regenerative Agriculture Technologies, Agroforestry, Low-lnput Rice Production and Integrated Agriculture-Aquaculture Technologies.
The workshop was held on September 14-19, 1992, at the IIRR Campus in Silang, Cavite, Philippines. The participants came from key organizations involved in environmental work, such as Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC), Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), Department of Education, Culture and Sports-EDPITAF (DECS-EDPITAF), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (DENR-PAWB), Department of Health (DOH), Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), Forum for Rural Concerns (FRC), Green Forum, Haribon Foundation, Institute for Environmental Sciences and Management (IESAM), International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), Marine Science Institute (MSI), Philippine Environmental Action Network (PEAN), Philippine Ecological Network (PEN), Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), Philippine Wetland and Wildlife Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PWWCFI) and University of the Philippines at Los Ba(UPLB). Because these participants consisted primarily of the practitioner-types, reflective of the intended user-audience, the potential relevance of the kit was improved. In addition, the papers underwent instant critical peer review and revision, a process which normally takes several days or even weeks. Finally, the presence of communication specialists (writers, editors, artists) facilitated the appropriate presentation and design of materials.
This technology information kit focuses on Philippine situation, is designed for learning about basic concepts, issues and problems related to environment and natural resource use and degradation and is intended for nationwide use by students, trainors and GO/NGO policymakers.
1. Mr. Rafael Almonte
Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC)
III-A Scout Lozano St.
Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City2. Ms. Maribeth Reyes-Baril
Haribon Foundation
340 Villamor Street
San Juan, Metro Manila 15003. Mr. Rusty BiBR>Sciences
UPLB, College, Laguna
Reconstruction (IIRR)
#48 Gatuslao Street, Bacolod City4. Mr. Emmanuel Carmona
Broad Initiatives for Negros Development
Green Alert Negros Environmental Network
2nd Floor, Door 1, Silos Building
Rosario St., Bacolod City~61005. Dr. Virginia Cuevas
Institute of Environmental Sciences and
Management (IESAM)
UPLB, College, Laguna6. Ms. Dolores Ariadne Diamante
Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR
Silang, Cavite7. Ms. Teresita Felipe
EDPITAF
Department of Education, Culture and Sports
(DECS)
University of Life Complex8. Ms. Estrella Fernandez
Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement
(PRRM)
Kayumanggi Press Building
940 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City9. Dr. Sandy Fortuna
Field Operational Research Division, IIRR
Silang, Cavite10. Dr. Julian F. Gonsalves
Vice-President for Program, IIRR
Silang, Cavite11. Mr. Juan Carlos Gonzalez
Wildlife Biology Laboratory
Institute of Biological
International Institute of Rural12. Mr. Fernando Hilario
Forum for Rural Concerns (FRC)
Room 336, Eagle Court Condominium
26 Matalino St.
Central District, Quezon City13. Mr. Eusebio Imperial
Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR
Silang, Cavite14. Mr. Greg Ira
Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR
Silang, Cavite15. Dr. Marie Antonette Juinio
Marine Science Institute.
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City16. Mr. Scott Killough
Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR
Silang, Cavite
Meralco Avenue, Pasig, Metro Manila
17. Mr. Ben Maata
Philgerfund
c/o IIRR
Silang, Cavite18. Mr. Eulogio Masilungan
Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR
Silang, Cavite19. Ms. Manolita Morales
Philippine Wetland and Wildlife
Conservation Foundation, Inc.
(PWWCFI)
Unit 2, -A. Sing Building
295 Duterte St.
Banawa, Cebu City 600020. Ms. Malou Moreno
Ecosystems Research and Development
Bureau (ERDB)
UPLB, College, Laguna21. Dr. Ismael Pastor
Department of Health
San Lazaro Compound
Tayuman, Sta. Cruz, Manila22. Ms. Thelma Perez
Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau
(PAWB)
Department of Environment and Natural
Resources
Quezon Avenue, Diliman
Quezon City23. Mr. Eseng Quintos
Field Operational Research Division, IIRR24. Ms. Nelia Quiz
ERDB
UPLB, College, Laguna25. Mr. Nestor Roderno
Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR
Silang, Cavite26. Ms. Dolores Rubio
Health and Nutrition Center
Department of Education, Culture and Sports
(DECS)
University of Life Complex
Meralco Avenue, Pasig
Metro Manila27. Mr. Romeo San Buenaventura
Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR
Silang, Cavite28. Mr. Teodoro Sevilla
Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR
Silang, Cavite29. Mr. Leland Taoingan
PAWB, DENR
Quezon Avenue, Diliman
Quezon City
Silang, Cavite
30. Ms. Meng Yaun
Field Operational Research Division, IIRR
Silang, Cavite
Technical/Communication |
Dr. Julian Gonsalves, Mr. Greg Ira, Mr. Scott Killough and |
Specialists: |
Mr. Jaime Ronquillo |
Editors: |
Ms. Donnie Diamante, Ms. Lyn Capistrano-Doren, Mr. Greg Ira, |
|
Mr. Scott Killough, Mr. Eseng Quintos, Mr. Jaime Ronquillo and |
|
Mr. Roger Villar |
Artists: |
Mr. Albert Ba Mr. Boy Belardo, Mr. Rafael Bordeo, Mr. |
|
Ric Cantada, Mr. Mitchell Doren, Mr. Bernie Remoquillo and Mr. |
|
Roger Villar |
Logistics/Administrative/ |
Ms. Lhai Kasala, Ms. Angie Poblete, Ms. Jel Montoya, Mr. Rolly |
Secretarial Staff: |
Ramos, Ms. Ely Paredes, Ms. Violy Alvez, Ms. Gemma Boado, |
|
Ms. Tess Aquino, Ms. Girlie Belen, Ms. Hilda Amon and Mr. Gerry |
|
Medina |
Air |
a mixture of invisible, odorless and tasteless gases that surround the earth |
Algae |
simple, free-floating water plants |
Ambient air |
any unconfined portion of the atmosphere; the outside air |
Aquatic |
growing or living upon water |
Aquifer |
sand, gravel or rock formation found below the earth's surface which is saturated with water |
Atmosphere |
the mass of air surrounding the earth held by the force of gravity |
Bacteria |
microscopic, single-celled plants |
Biodegradable |
a material that decomposes in the environment as a result of biological action by microorganisms |
Biomass |
the amount of living matter (plants and animals) in a given habitat |
Canopy |
leaf area of a woodland |
Carnivores |
animals that eat meat (other animals) |
Carrying capacity |
the maximum number of animals that an area can support |
Chlorophyll |
green photosynthetic coloring matter in plants |
Combustion |
the chemical process of burning which releases heat, light and chemical by-products |
Degradation |
lowering of the quality of a resource |
Depletion |
using up the total quantity of a resource |
Ecologist |
a person who studies the relations between organisms and their environment |
Ecosystem |
a unit of the environment comprising the interactions of all organisms and the physical components within a given area |
Emission |
pollutant discharged into the air |
Endangered species |
plants or animals in danger of becoming extinct through all or part of its range; plants or animals whose numbers have been reduced to a critical level or whose habitats have been so drastically reduced that they are deemed to be in immediate danger of extinction |
Endemic |
plants or animals which are unique to particular locality or place and cannot be found elsewhere, e.g., Philippine Eagle or Mindoro Crocodile |
Energy |
the capacity to produce motion, heat or light |
Energy conservation |
planned management of energy resources which conserves, protects and prevents waste |
Energy resources |
a measure of national wealth by the production of usable power, such as heat and electricity |
Environmental impact |
changes in the environment caused by some form of management or mismanagement |
Erosion |
the wearing away of land surface |
Exotic |
plants or animals which are not native to an area |
Extinct |
plants and animals which have not been sighted in the wild during the past 50 years |
Fauna |
animals |
Fertilizer |
an organic or inorganic material that is added to the soil to supply elements essential to plant growth |
Flora |
plants |
Food chain |
an arrangement of predator-prey relationship in an ecosystem |
Food web |
the interconnected food chains within an ecosystem |
Forage |
all browse and non-woody food that is available to livestock or game animals |
Forest |
a complex community of associated trees, shrubs, other plants and animals |
Forestry |
the art and science of managing forests so as to yield, on a continuous basis, a maximum in quality and quantity of forest lands to satisfy human needs |
Fossil fuels |
hydrocarbon compounds derived from the remains of organisms (plants and animals) buried millions of years ago |
Global |
involving the entire world |
Ground water |
water found below the earth's surface |
Ground-water recharge |
water which seeps through the earth's surface and into the ground water aquifers |
Habitat |
the area where an animal or plant naturally lives and grows |
Hazardous or toxic waste |
waste that poses a serious threat to human health even at extremely low concentrations |
Hazardous-waste site |
allocation where hazardous waste poses a potential threat to the environment |
Heavy metals |
metallic elements with high molecular weights; generally toxic to plant and animal life |
Herbivores |
animals that eat plants |
Hydrologic cycle |
continuous circulation of water between the oceans, atmosphere and the earth's surface |
Industrial waste |
waste generated by industries |
Irrigated lands |
agricultural lands whose water requirements are met by man-made or artificial structures rather than by natural means, such as rain; irrigated lands have water the whole year as against rainfed lands which have water only during the rainy season |
Limiting factors |
factors that restrict the population potential of a species |
Lowland areas |
rainfed or irrigated farming land that is flat or gently undulating and that is not very high above sea level |
Migrate |
to move from one region or climate to another for feeding or breeding |
Migratory birds |
birds which travel from one place to another depending on the season |
Mineral |
a naturally-occurring inorganic substance in the soil |
Mulch |
a layer of plant residue on the soil surface |
Municipal waste |
waste from cities, primarily sewage |
Nocturnal |
active at night |
Nonpoint source pollution |
pollution which enters the environment from a wide-area |
Nonrenewable energy |
resources which cannot be replaced once they are used |
Nutrients |
mineral elements and compounds (including water and air) which a plant uses for tissue growth and maintenance |
Omnivores |
animals that eat both animals and plants |
Organic compounds |
compounds composed of chemicals containing carbon; examples: pesticides, solvents, cleaning compounds, paints |
Organic material |
plant and animal matter in various stages of decay |
Ozone (O3) layer |
layer of the atmosphere that protects the earth from the harmful ultraviolet radiation in sunlight |
pH |
a scale which represents alkalinity or acidity |
Percolation |
the downward movement of water into the soil |
Permeabilty |
the ability of the soil to allow air and water to move through it |
Pesticide |
a chemical used to kill or control pests |
Petroleum |
a natural, thick, yellow-to-black, flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture found principally beneath the earth's surface |
Photosynthesis |
the process of producing carbohydrates from water, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll and sunlight |
Plankton |
suspended, floating, microscopic plants and animals in the water |
Plant nutrients |
elements essential for plant growth |
Points source pollution |
pollution which can be traced to a point of discharge |
Pollutant |
any introduced gas, liquid or solid that makes a resource unfit for a specific purpose |
Pollution |
the presence of matter or energy whose nature, location or quantity produces undesirable environmental effects; a reduction in the quality of the environment by the introduction of impurities |
Population density |
the number of people or animals per unit area; example: people per square kilometer |
Predators |
animals that hunt, kill and consume other animals |
Prey |
an animal taken as food by a predator |
Rare species |
plants and animals with very small populations that are not, at present, endangered but are at risk. |
Rainfed farming land |
agricultural land which depends solely on rainfall for its water requirements transforming barren mine areas as nearly as possible to their original condition |
Recycle |
to reuse or process waste for beneficial purposes |
Recycling |
transforming waste products into new products |
Refuge, reserve or wilderness area |
an area of land set aside for the protection of wildlife |
Renewable energy |
energy resources that can be replaced by natural regeneration or human efforts after they are used |
Resident |
wildlife found in a certain locality but may also be found elsewhere |
Slope |
the angle of the soil surface expressed as a percent of rise and fall |
Soil |
the outer portion of the earth's crust that supports plant life |
Spawning |
the process by which fish deposit eggs |
Species |
a group of organisms that resemble each other closely and that interbreed freely |
Succession |
the progressive development of vegetation which replaces one plant community with another in order to reach a climax condition |
Surface water |
water visible on the earth's surface |
Topography |
the physical features (natural and man-made) on the land's surface |
Transpiration |
the release of water vapor by leaves into the air |
Upland areas |
hilly to mountainous lands, including plateaus and table lands lying at high elevations |
Urbanization |
growth or expansion of cities |
Waste |
useless, unwanted or discarded material |
Water pollution |
water which is made chemically, biologically or physically impure or unfit for use |
Watershed |
the total drainage area where water flows to a common point |
Weathering |
the actions that break down rock into soil |
Wetlands |
swamps or marshes, especially as areas used by wildlife |
Wildlife |
plants and animals found in their natural habitat undisturbed by man or free from human interference; mammals, birds and fishes which are not domesticated or are free-ranging in their naturally associated habitats |
Windbreak |
a living barrier of trees and shrubs designed for protection from wind |
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