The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the Philippines has cancelled nearly 300 logging permits out of 8,200 forestry agreements.
The action follows an investigation which found that some permit holders have been cutting trees outside their permitted areas while others have not replanted logging sites.
More than 230 licence holders with community-based forest management agreements who were found to have become fronts for illegal loggers have had their permits cancelled.
The DENR has also cancelled at least 37 integrated forest management agreements and six industrial tree plantation lease agreements.
The department admits it has difficulty in monitoring 8,200 forestry agreement holders but said that local officials should be held accountable for allowing logging concessionaires and organisations to violate their agreements.
It is also hoped to cut logging permits by 90% next year which the DENR hopes will make forest management more efficient and effective.
