This book is the first volume of two studies of Natural Resource Management by Self-Help Promotion (NRMSP) in the Philippines. The Asian Social Institute was commissioned by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) to identify, describe and analyse relevant characteristics and features of community-initiated endeavours in tree vegetation management, based on the experiences of its clientele network in the Philippines. The resulting study assesses to what extent success attained in terms of ecologically viable land use by the local communities may be attributed to the enhancement of the interests of the various user groups; the raising of the level of responsibility of the local population for the management of natural resources; and the active participation of local communities in evolving and applying ecologically viable land use methods. This case study is of the Libertad Planters Association in Antique province, where slash and burn cultivation has removed most of the original forest cover of the region and has resulted in serious soil erosion. The Libertad Planters Association was formed in 1988 by a group of tree planting enthusiasts in order to spur economic and social development of the area through the development of upland and lowland farming technology. Its initial project was the propagation of black pepper, but this was not too successful. They have since planted a wide variety of trees, the largest number being mahogany, but also coffee, coconut, cashew and other crop bearing trees. The paper discusses the development of the project, and the reasons for its successes and failures. There are lessons to be learned that can assist the development of other self-help groups.
