Rainforestation: A Strategy for Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction

The potential for loss of life and destruction of assets through landslides is increasing in many mountainous and hilly areas of Asia due to climate change. Moreover, logging, residential and infrastructure development, and other activities continue to expand on slopes highly prone to landslides. Within the span of a few months, super typhoon Rai hit Leyte and other provinces in the Eastern part of the Philippines followed by tropical depression Megi, resulting in heavy flooding in the city of Baybay and hundreds of lives lost due to landslides.

To address this growing environmental problem, ITEEM, ViFARD-ELTI, and RISE, will conduct a Rainforestation training in Barangay Maganhan, one of the severely damaged areas of Baybay. The objective of the training is to increase the awareness of local communities on opportunities for ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction and developing more resilient farm plans as part of the rehabilitation process. The training will be conducted with the assistance of experts from VSU and local government officials.