Section 34May 19, 1975, Sec./Art. 34

Industrial Tree Plantations and Tree Farms.

A lease for a period of twenty-five (25) years, renewable for another period not exceeding twenty-five (25) years, for the establishment of an industrial tree plantation or a tree farm may be granted by the Department Head upon recommendation of the Director to any person qualified to develop and exploit natural resources, over timber or forest lands of the public domain categorized in Section 33 hereof, with a minimum area of One Thousand (1,000) hectares for industrial tree plantation and One Hundred (100) hectares for tree farm; Provided, That the size of the area that may be granted under each category shall in each case depend upon the capacity of the lessee to develop or convert the area into productive condition within the term of the lease; Provided, further, That no lease shall be granted within critical watersheds.

Scattered areas of less than One Hundred (100) hectares each may be leased for the establishment of tree farms to different qualified persons upon a showing that if developed as an integrated unit these areas can be economically exploited: Provided, That it shall be a condition of the lease that such persons organize themselves into a cooperative to ensure the orderly management thereof.

The lease may be granted under such terms and conditions as the Department Head may prescribe, taking into account, among others, the raw material needs of forest-based industries and the maintenance of a wholesome ecological balance.

Reforestation projects of the Government, or portions thereof which, upon field evaluation, are found to be more suitable for, or can be better developed as, industrial tree plantations or tree farms in terms of benefits to the Government and the general surrounding area, may be the subject of the lease under this section.