Adaptive collaborative management of community forests in Asia ...

186 • Herlina Hartanto
The group reasoned that these vegetables and root crops could be prepared
and served during the village meetings or community activities.
The two gardens prospered and began to attract the attention of community
members and visitors. Some commented that they had expected more
herbs; the women responded by propagating more herbs, especially those
most commonly used by barangay residents. The women also encouraged
residents to take some planting stock from the herb garden for their own
gardens. Others took the vegetables for home cooking. As more residents
started to make use of the gardens and some took plants without permission,
the group faced the issue of regulation. They decided to monitor use of the
plants by requiring users to complete a form, devised with the facilitation
of the ACM team (Table 6-3). The monitoring form revealed the high
frequency with which lagundi was taken for propagation purposes. Other
species in high demand were kalabo (Coleus aromaticus), comfrey (Symphytum
officinale), atay-atay (Graptophyllum pictum), and ganda (Curcuma zedoria).
The abundance of the information collected in the first few weeks was so
overwhelming that the group simplified the monitoring form.
Table 6-3. Example of monitoring form: herb garden
Beneficiary Herb Use
1. Consorcia Zulita Atay-atay For propagation
2. Pelinia Coliling Angelica Treatment of fever
3. Bads Bawing, herba For propagation
buena
4. Consorcia Zulita Bawing For propagation
5. Juanita Luna Lagundi For propagation
6. Merlyn Carpe Lagundi For propagation
7. Rosita Wacda Lagundi Cough treatment
8. Teresa Tinio, Juanita Petsay For cooking
Luna, Perlita Abando,
Merlinda Sinhayan
9. Glenda Zulita Lagundi Cough, fever treatment
10. Diana Sihagay Angelica Treatment for swelling
11. Narcisa Sanghid Kalabo Cough, fever treatment
12. Bong Gonzales Kalabo, herba
buena, comfrey Cough, fever treatment