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Man-Made Forest

Bilar and Loboc,

Bohol, Philippines

It was as though the surrounding landscape morphed from

farmlands to forests in an instant, as though our vehicle

drove through a portal into a parallel universe.

The manmade forest is a 2-kilometer stretch of mahogany

trees that carpet the sloping ground where the

municipality of Loboc meets Bilar. Travelers going

to the Chocolate Hills from Loboc will not miss this.

There are forests known as first-growth, the virgin forests.

Once cut and the trees grow back, it becomes a

second-growth forest. While a man-made forest is not

along that same categorization, maybe it’s a way of

indicating that the original forest cover here was wiped

out and, in its place, the trees were planted

by the residents of Bohol.

To see what’s impressive about the man-made forest,

you don’t only look at the place where the forest is located.

You look at the totality of Bohol. It’s a clean,

environment-friendly place. Boholanos consciously maintain

the cleanliness of the Loboc River. They purposely protect

their cultural and natural heritage. While others pay lip service

to conservation, Boholanos walk the talk, so to speak,

and plant trees — an entire stretch of trees. What’s more impressive

is their success in weaving an entire story around the

man-made forest which makes tourists go and see it.

And tourists, as you know, pump cash into

the local economy of Bohol. Generating income

while preserving nature.

The manmade forest is a 2-kilometer stretch of mahogany

trees that carpet the sloping ground where the municipality

of Loboc meets Bilar. Travelers going to the

Chocolate Hills from Loboc will not miss this.

Bohol is filled with countless attractions, both natural

and man-made. Mother Nature sure worked over

time in this side of the Philippines, blessing it with

abundance in almost every way. In the same case,

Boholanos worked hard enough to create their own

version of a provincial attraction. A good example

of Boholanos’ labor of love is the Man Made Forest,

located along the borders of Loboc and Bilar

municipalities.The Man Made Forest can be reached

by land, about a few minutes ride from

Tagbilaran City to close in on the 20-kilometer distance.

It is found along the margins of ‘Tina-I sa Manok’ road,

a winding pathway from Loboc to Bilar.

Bohol’s Man Made Forest is basically a two-kilometer

rainforest with mahogany trees as the main features.

Years before, the very site of the Man Made Forest

is populated by different

plant species, most of them are wild, until the

Boholanos decided it is time that they take control

of the forest. The Man Made Forest is notable for

its very orderly structure. The trees are uniformed

in height and in many other ways including the leaves’

design.

The real joy of exploring the Man Made Forest is

going all the way up the winding road, which is very

identical to a chicken’s intestine. As you drive up,

all that you can see behind is the luscious greens

that are uniformed in height and are spread out as

if they are guarding something down.

If what pleases you is taking a tour around the forest,

you may do so. The most notable difference

that you would be able to recognize upon entering

this man-made haven is the change in temperature.

Even when the weather is scorching hot outside,

you will be greeted with only cool breeze inside

the Man Made Forest. That is because the tall trees

are able to protect the insides from the sun’s rays

with its spread out leaves.

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