The Interdisciplinary Studies Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Environment Management (INREM) at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) held the Fourth International Conference on Integrated Natural Resources and Environment Management (INREM 2023) on November 21-23, 2023, in Manila, Philippines. The conference aimed to facilitate sharing ideas and experiences on resilience-building, sustainable development, and integrated management of agriculture, the environment, and aquatic and natural resources in the Asia Pacific Region. It included plenary talks, workshops, parallel sessions, and poster presentations showcasing the importance of INREM in local governance and sustainable development.

This symposium discussed how the bioproduction system can develop sustainably, ethically, and efficiently within the evolving context of globalization, as well as the role of society, especially the youth, in addressing challenges and issues in bioproduction around the world. The number of participants who submitted abstracts was 46 participants with 30 of them being oral presenters and 16 of them being poster presenters. Full articles submitted by participants are published on the E3S Web Of Conference

This training seminar by Dr. Kumar showcased the use of the "Water Evaluation and Planning System" (WEAP) software package on 27th November 2023 (online). The participants gained insights into various scenarios produced with WEAP, enabling a comprehensive understanding and modeling of how population growth, infrastructure development, land-use changes, and climate shifts affect water quality and quantity. Additionally, participants explored the effectiveness of different adaptation and mitigation strategies for the responsible management of this invaluable resource. In total, eight participants and other project members attended the training seminar.

In this lecture by Elson Galang, he shared his insights about "Participatory Scenarios Planning" (PSP) as a collaborative approach allowing diverse actors to co-develop “storylines of the future” or scenarios. In this presentation on 20th December 2023 (online), he shared a PSP that he conducted to co-explore the environmental futures of Canada’s iconic Bay of Fundy landscape in Nova Scotia. Specifically, the presentation focused on (1) the participatory process of co-developing storylines, (2) four scenarios that re-imagine the landscape under certain 2072 conditions, and (3) further insights on how to organize and facilitate PSPs. With over eight participants, the lecture ended with an in-depth discussion on new ways of scenario building that are more inclusive of local stakeholders.

Dr. Suneetha Subramanian's January 17th, 2024 presentation highlighted the diverse ways biodiversity is conceptualized by different stakeholders involved in nature-related decisions, whether intrinsic, instrumental, or relational. The presentation highlighted key lessons from the Multiple Values Assessment of IPBES and linked them to ideas of potential pathways to achieve Sustainability goals and likely outcomes as discussed in the Assessment. Ten participants attended this lecture.

佐渡市におけるNFFシナリオの多面的評価とシナリオワークショップの結果について報告を行った。

In February, as part of Work Package 2, the project team organized a comprehensive two-day online workshop to develop scenario narratives for our case study site(s) using the Nature Futures Framework (NFF). The workshop started with informative presentations introducing participants to scenario analysis and planning concepts, frameworks, and relevant case studies utilizing the NFF. A concise summary of case studies where the NFF was used to create scenarios identified through the literature review was presented.
After the presentations, an interactive online exercise using a digital whiteboard called Jam board was conducted. The exercise focused on seven key questions designed to guide group work.

The 5th Conference on Sustainability Science (CSS) 2022 was held on October 11-12, 2022, in a hybrid way in Bandung. It was attended by more than 200 participants from 13 countries. The international conference with the theme "Sustainability Science and Glocalization" was held in collaboration with the Centre for Environmental Excellence and Sustainability Science (PULIK)/Centre for Environment and Sustainability Science (CESS) with the Graduate School of Universitas Padjadjaran (SPs Unpad) and the Greening Industry Network (GIN). The hybrid conference held keynote lectures in two plenary sessions and received 90 paper presentations in parallel sessions. More than 200 participants came from 44 institutions from within and outside the country and various groups, including scientists, students, business people, government, community, and media. The conference addressed academic, institutional, and social challenges and explored how alternative local approaches can ensure greater sustainability for people's lives in their interactions globally. For more information, please refer the following link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Oo8or5j5hYYIbC4bLDD3tIt1uXRGgxwG?usp=sharing

In preparation for implementing the Farmers Household Survey in Pagsanjan-Lumban Watershed, orientation and training were held with hired field enumerators and coordinators on October 6 and 7, 2023, respectively. The training was organized under the e-Asia ITMoB project, Interdisciplinary Studies Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Environment Management, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños. During the orientation, survey protocols, survey modules, and a brief lecture on choice modelling were discussed. To gain experience, pretesting with farmers from Lumban was also conducted. The accepted enumerators were deployed in the field for the survey on October 16, 2023, and are expected to finish by November or December 2023. It was attended by 16 participants.

Work Package 5, led by Dr. Asa Sajise, facilitated the enumerator's orientation and training for the Baroro Watershed Farmer's Survey from April 2 to 3, 2024. The event was held in the Old Sangguniang Panlalawigan Conference Room in the Provincial Capitol of San Fernando City, organized in collaboration with the Provincial Government of La Union. Twelve participants attended.

Three (3) community presentations were successfully held on April 18, 19, and 21, respectively, in San Gabriel, Bagulin, and Santol, in coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Districts in La Union. The meetings are part of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP) process for obtaining the Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) of the Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) within the Baroro Watershed. ICCs/IPs representatives from every barangay in the watershed were present at the conference. In the meetings, Dr. Juan Pulhin and Dr. Lorena Sabino presented the project details and sought the leaders of the IP to give their approval for the project's implementation in their regions. To recommend policy interventions for its management, they emphasized that the project will only seek information from the farmers and residents in the watershed. The discussions ended with the indigenous chiefs' approval of the project team's proposal by the indigenous chiefs, who also signed resolutions as proof of their agreements.

The internal FGD was conducted to construct storylines for scenario development using nature value perspectives. Storylines were prepared based on the seven key questions provided and discussed during the two previous workshops. Some secondary data supplemented the narrative explanation of the storylines, and empirical findings aggregated from previous intensive social and economy surveys in three main study sites (Rancakalong, Paseh, Jatigede), annual reports of the local and regional agencies, and previous studies conducted in recent years. Mainly, the narrative scenarios that need to be assisted by some of the secondary data are challenges and opportunities. The completed storylines can help decision-makers, stakeholders, and researchers to anticipate and prepare for future changes.

Stingless beekeeping training was held on Monday, September 4th, 2023, in Ciranggem Village, Jatigede District, Sumedang Regency, as a form of community service. It can help communities generate profits by selling bee products, namely honey, bee pollen, and propolis. Stingless bee cultivation does not require intensive care and is relatively safe. It can provide economic benefits and support nature conservation through pollination ecosystem services provided by bees.

Coordination Meeting with DENR CENRO Santa Cruz

The ITMoB project team members, led by project specialist Dr. Josephine Garcia visited the DENR CENRO Santa Cruz office on June 1, 2022. The purpose of the meeting is to touch base with the agency, and meet with For. Venerando Garcia, CENR Officer of DENR CENRO Santa Cruz, and his staff plan the upcoming project activities within the Pagsanjan-Lumban Watershed. It was agreed that in terms of planning for the upcoming clustered FGD, it is crucial to have an initial discussion with the MAOs and MENROs of the concerned municipalities. This led to the planned joint coordination meeting with municipalities within PLW and DENR CENRO Santa Cruz on June 15, 2022

Stakeholders Consultation Meeting

A Stakeholders Consultation Meeting was organized on March 14, 2022, to conduct an online preliminary identification and characterization of the bioproduction systems within Pagsanjan-Lumban Watershed. The workshop meeting had two activity sessions. The plenary session was primarily focused on defining the bioproduction systems, while the breakout session identified the key bioproduction systems present in each of the municipalities within the watershed. The online activity was attended by around 50 participants from different LGUs and NGAs.

Pagsanjan-Lumban Watershed Focal Persons Meeting

The Pagsanjan-Lumban Watershed Focal Persons Meeting was conducted on February 2, 2022. During the meeting, the focal persons from partner institutions and the project team were able to discuss specific actions on how to co-learn, co-develop, and co-manage the project during its duration and beyond. The meeting participants gave a positive response and committed to engaging in the project. The agreements are formalized with the different agencies through various means.

Pagsanjan-Lumban Watershed Kick-off Meeting

The Pagsanjan-Lumban Watershed kick-off meeting occurred on December 13, 2021. The event aimed to introduce the ITMoB project to key stakeholders from local government units, government agencies, civil society organizations, and the academic institutions located within and around Pagsanjan-Lumban Watershed and discuss collaborative efforts to ensure the success of various activities. Invited partners acknowledged the timeliness and need of the project, mentioned their willingness to collaborate and support project implementation, expressed commitment to allocate focal persons for the project, and guaranteed that the science-based project output will be used as a basis for crafting policy and input in planning and management. The virtual meeting was attended by 50 participants.

Baroro Watershed Kick-off Meeting

The Baroro Watershed kick-off meeting was conducted on December 1, 2021. It was co-organized by the Watershed-based Approach for Integrated Land Use Planning (WILUP) and ITMoB as both projects share a common study site: the Baroro Watershed in La Union. The event aimed to introduce the two projects to key stakeholders from local government units, government agencies, civil society organizations, and the academe located within and around Baroro Watershed and discuss collaborative efforts to ensure the success of various activities. From the meeting, it was evident that the long-withstanding partnership between UPLB, Baroro Watershed Management Council (BWMC), and San Gabriel LGU gives the projects an advantage. Other key partners also expressed their commitment to support the implementation of the project. The online meeting was attended by 58 participants.

FGD July 31, 2022

The FGD activity was attended by 24 people from various groups of bioproduction systems from several sub-districts in Sumedang Regency, namely farmer groups for sweet potato, coffee, rice, vegetables, cattle, goats, and sheep, fisheries, and forest farmer groups. The FGD began by filling out a questionnaire/questionnaire to compile an assessment of the Nature Futures Framework (NFF) to determine the perception of human relations with nature by assessing personal preferences and ideas about different value perspectives of NFF. Then, the FGD activities were continued by forming discussion groups from several farmer groups and estimating strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations from each group of bioproduction systems with various existing commodities.