Below is a complete, structured, and field-ready guide to DENR-Wildlife, DENR-EMB, and LGU requirements for Agarwood farms, inoculation operations, harvesting, and export.
This is tailored for your companies (PAFC, CAPI, CESI, AGAC, COPI, etc.) and for Aquilaria malaccensis / Aquilaria spp. projects.
✅ 1. DENR-WILDLIFE (BMB & Regional CENRO/PENRO) Requirements
Primary function: Wildlife protection, CITES regulation, plantation registration, harvest permits, and transport permits.
1.1. Plantation Registration (Mandatory)
All Aquilaria (Agarwood) plantations must be registered with DENR.
Requirements:
- Application form (from CENRO)
- Proof of land ownership or lease
- Location map (GPS coordinates)
- Plantation sketch map
- Number of trees (inventory)
- Species identification (Aquilaria malaccensis or other spp.)
- Photos of plantation
- Affidavit of ownership
- Barangay certification
Output:
✔ Certificate of Wildlife Registration (CWR) / Plantation Registration
Needed for harvest, transport, and CITES permits.
1.2. Wildlife Gratuitous Permit (If conducting R&D)
For activities such as:
- Resin induction trials
- Fungal inoculation (Fusarium)
- Organogenesis research (COPI)
- GC-MS sampling of resin
Some regions require this before allowing inoculation in field plantations.
1.3. Wildlife Local Transport Permit (WLTP)
Required when transporting agarwood trees, logs, chips, resin, oil, or seedlings from farm to another location within the Philippines.
Required:
- Plantation registration
- Inventory list
- Duly inspected materials
- Sales or transfer documents
1.4. Wildlife Export Permit (CITES Export Permit)
Required for all international exports of:
- Chips
- Powder
- Oil
- Whole logs / sections
- Seedlings
Prerequisites:
- Plantation registration
- Legal Acquisition Finding (LAF)
- Non-detriment Finding (NDF)
- Wildlife Export Application
1.5. Non-Detriment Finding (NDF) Requirements
Usually requires:
- Age of trees harvested (≥7–10 years)
- Evidence of cultivation, not wild source
- Photos of trees before/after harvest
- Resin induction documentation
✅ 2. DENR-EMB (Environmental Management Bureau) Requirements
Primary function: Environmental impact compliance (ECC/CNC), waste management from extraction, wastewater discharge, and air quality standards.
2.1. CNC or ECC for Agarwood Plantations
CNC (Certificate of Non-Coverage)
For:
- Pure plantations (agroforestry < 50 ha)
- Non-processing farms
ECC (Environmental Compliance Certificate)
Required if:
- Plantation area ≥ 50 hectares
- Processing/extraction facility is present
- Chemical storage or wastewater discharge involved
- You operate a Supercritical CO₂ extraction facility (CESI)
- You conduct fermentation, distillation, oil extraction
Requirements:
- Project description
- Site development plan
- Soil and watershed impact
- Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
- Solid waste & effluent management
- Community consultations / Barangay Resolution
2.2. PCO (Pollution Control Officer) Accreditation
For facilities like:
- Extraction lab
- Distillation site
- SCCO₂ extraction plant
Mandatory to have a designated Pollution Control Officer.
2.3. Hazardous Waste Generator Registration
If using:
- Solvents
- Cleaning chemicals
- CO₂ cylinders (industrial-grade)
- Lubricants or equipment oils
CESI must register under RA 6969.
2.4. Wastewater Discharge Permit
Extraction facilities must secure:
- Discharge Permit
- Quarterly effluent testing (DENR-accredited laboratory)
2.5. Air Pollution Permit (Permit to Operate)
Applies if you operate:
- Boilers
- Furnaces
- Distillation heaters
- CO₂ compressors
✅ 3. LGU (Barangay, Municipal/City, Provincial) Requirements
LGUs control local business operations, land-use approval, and community permissions.
3.1. Barangay Clearance
For:
- Plantation establishment
- Extraction facility
- Warehouse/storage site
- Transport of agarwood within the barangay
Often needed to support DENR applications.
3.2. Business Permit / Mayor’s Permit
Required for:
- Farm operation (agroforestry)
- Oil extraction facility
- Nursery production
- Trading/export office
Must be renewed annually.
3.3. Zoning Clearance / Locational Clearance
LGU Planning Office verifies:
- Land is suitable for agroforestry
- Extraction site is approved for industrial/light industry use
Typically precedes an ECC application.
3.4. Building Permit & Occupancy Permit
Required if constructing:
- Nursery infrastructure
- Storage & warehouses
- Extraction laboratories
- SCCO₂ building
3.5. Provincial Environmental Office (if applicable)
Some provinces require:
- Provincial Environmental Compliance
- Additional monitoring for agroforestry projects
🔰 4. Summary: What Each Agency Covers
| Agency | What They Regulate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| DENR-BMB (Wildlife) | Plantation registration, CITES, harvest, transport | All farms & exporters |
| DENR-EMB | ECC/CNC, wastewater, air emissions, hazardous waste | Extraction & large plantations |
| LGU (Barangay/City/Prov.) | Local permits, zoning, business clearances | All facilities & operations |
🔰 5. What YOUR Companies Specifically Need
For PAFC / CAPI (Plantations)
- DENR Plantation Registration
- CNC (if < 50 ha) or ECC (if ≥ 50 ha)
- Barangay Clearance + Business Permit
- WLTP (when moving harvested material)
For CESI (Supercritical CO₂ Extraction)
- ECC (mandatory due to processing)
- PCO Accreditation
- Hazardous Waste Registration
- Wastewater Discharge Permit
- Air Pollution Permit
- Business Permit, Zoning Clearance
For AGAC (Farmers Cooperative)
- Plantation registrations for members
- Consolidated WLTP for shipments
- LGU-based cooperative registration
For Exporting Chips or Oil
- CITES Wildlife Export Permit
- NDF + LAF
- WLTP
- ECC/CNC depending on facility
- Business Permit
- Packing List & Invoice
🔰 If you want, I can prepare:
📌 A full consolidated requirements checklist
📌 Step-by-step application flowchart (DENR Wildlife → EMB → LGU → Export)
📌 Templates:
- Barangay endorsement letter
- DENR LOI for plantation registration
- ECC project description
- CITES export application letter
- Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
Would you like these prepared?
