Water and land use in the Busol Watershed, Baguio City, Philippines | |
| Author | Grospe, Antonita Regal |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no.NR-93-05 |
| Subject(s) | Water consumption--Philippines--Baguio Land use--Philippines--Baguio Busol Watershed |
| Note | A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Environment, Resource and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Research studies project report ; no. NR-93-05 |
| Abstract | This study was conducted in the Busol watershed, a 336-hectare rugged land located partly in Baguio City, Philippines. Busol Watershed supplies 20% of the city's potable water requirement. It was declared an exclusive watershed zone in 1922. However, the exclusion provisions have never been effectively enforced; lgorot communities and others residing in and dependent on the watershed have steadily increased. At present, there are an estimated 438 households living in the watershed and an estimated 235 families engaged in commercial agriculture and horticultural production. Seasonal scarcity of water is experienced in Baguio and the City government is concerned about rehabilitating the watershed and conserve water. This study is a component of a larger-scale case study conducted by an interdisciplinary team which aimed to examine the bases of community participation in resource management. This study focused on water and land use and aimed to investigate and asses its implications for water and the watershed itself, and to recommend a management strategy based on the findings. The team spent six weeks in the field using Rapid Rural Appraisal techniques to generate and validate information. Findings show that past logging activities left the Busol heavily deforested. Land cover has been further degraded as a result of the use of the watershed for commercial agriculture and residential purposes. The biggest problems for the watershed are human-related: land and water degradation through deforestation, erosion, and pollution; destruction of the forest to make way for commercial agriculture; reduction of the water holding capacity of the soil; soil erosion as a result of land clearing; surface water pollution from the use of fertilizers and chemicals; and seasonal reduction in groundwater availability. The presence of people with legitimate ancestral land claims make re-establishing the watershed as an exclusive zone that could then be all replanted to its original tree cover difficult, if not impossible to achieve. It was recommended that agriculture and settlement be restricted to less critical areas. Critical watershed areas should be re-greened and community participation in managing the watershed should be encouraged. Agroforestry was also recommended in less critical and nearly flat areas. Likewise, soil and water conservation measures are highly recommended in all human activities in the Busol Watershed. |
| Year | 1993 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Research studies project report ; no. NR-93-05 |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
| Chairperson(s) | King, David J.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Apisit Eiumnoh;Hussain, Md. Zakir; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA); |
| Degree | Research Studies Project Report (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1993 |