The data about a certain area’s natural resources and indicators relating to their respective environmental conditions are necessary in the formulation of policies and programs designed to bring about a more effective environmental protection and resource utilization. There has been a growing awareness and national concern on the country's natural resources and environmental conditions for the past years. This resulted from the development vision long espoused by the national and local leaders which implies a balance between resource utilization and the development, protection and conservation of the country's environment and natural resources. In this fashion, development will benefit not only today's generation but the future ones as well. All these concerns underscore the need for more reliable, timely and comprehensive environment-related data. These pieces of information are critical to the government, private sector and even to the international community in their formulation of measures and related interventions to safeguard the environment and natural resources while at the same time remedy the destruction and degradation of these areas. 

The Provincial Government of Negros Occidental has also been doing its share in the protection, preservation and rehabilitation of its environment.   It has identified environmental concerns as one of its main priority in the HEARTS-PLUS agenda, an enhanced development perspective of the recent administration.  As a major thrust, it has allocated funds to support its various programs in the upland, lowland and coastal areas in close coordination with other Local Government Units (LGUs), national agencies and other non-government organizations.  These conscious efforts of the province have been acknowledged through the awards it has received locally and internationally.  To ensure future development initiatives for our environment more comprehensive and properly focused, the need for accurate and timely data are basic requirements to evaluate existing and implemented programs/projects aside from serving as bases for plans and future development directions.  Thus, data on environment are gathered for the sector.

This chapter contains data on existing/available land, forest, mineral, watershed areas and environmental programs/activities in Negros Occidental that are collected from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Regional Social and Economic Trends (RSET) for Region VI, and the Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO).