The Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has deployed more units of Trex Vista Global Position System (GPS) to upgrade the capability of the foresters and land management personnel in monitoring log cuttings and squatting in timberlands.
The Trex Vista GPS is equipped with electronic compass heading which is important in gathering data. It also has a barometric altimeter with elevation computer and graphic profiles that provides altitude data to the GPS satellite tracking page when properly calibrated.
The barometric altimeter will accurately report elevations ranging from 2,000 feet to 30,000 feet.
The electronic vista GPS from the Natural Resources and Development Corp. (NDRC), marketing arm of the DENR, is necessary in the course of the daily operation of field personnel in defining the forest line, particularly in the close monitoring of logging activities, especially in Agusan del Sur.
The NRDC had funded the purchase of the equipment from the proceeds of the sale of more than 2,000 cubic metres of confiscated logs.
The units were distributed by DENR regional director Benjamin Tumaliuan to various Community Environment and Natural Resources Officers (CENROs) in Agusan del Sur.
The intensified campaign since early this year had been very productive as a result of several confiscations of illegally-cut logs and lumber towed along the Agusan River and those being transported in the highways through 20 footer vans.
"These GPS units will give more teeth to our campaign," Tumaliuan said.Asia Pulse via Yahoo News
