Forester Nicolas P. Lansigan’s accomplishments in forestry were a legacy to the people in the forestry profession. Not content with that, he left a legacy that would ensure continuous discovery of knowledge in forestry.

Recently, Mr. Raymund Lansigan, the late forester’s grandson, represented the family in donating an additional P205,000 to UPLB for the Nicolas P. Lansigan Professorial Chair. The professorial chair was initially funded by interest earnings from a P300,000 endowment turned over by Mrs. Aurea Lansigan. The amount had since accrued interest earnings, bringing the total to P395,000. Since the endowment fund had to total P600,000 for it to support an annual professorial chair, the Lansigan family decided to pour in more funds.

Forester Lansigan was a scholar, a writer, an editor, a professor, and one of the foremost authorities on Philippine forestry. He was chosen as Outstanding Alumnus of the UP College of Forestry (now CFNR) in 1975 and served a long and illustrious career in forestry in both the government and private sector. Lansigan was a crusader for recognition of the forestry profession, but more importantly for the dignity of the Filipino forester.

Lansigan made his mark in 1959 with the article entitled, “An Appraisal of Forestry in the Philippines,” which stressed the urgent need for reforestation and forest conservation.

Lansigan is known as the father of the Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP) falcata (a valuable fast-growing multipurpose tree) plantation. He introduced the concept of the cut and plant program, which became the model of efficient management of a tropical rain forest in the entire country, and the “friendly” agro-forestry protection belt, in which farmers grew vegetable and farm products while waiting for the tree crops to reach harvestable size.

The Nicolas P. Lansigan Professorial Chair was awarded to Dr. Rex Victor Cruz in 2001. On May 12, 2002, Dr. Cruz delivered his Professorial Chair Lecture entitled “Implementing Watershed-Based Forest Land Use Planning.” He is the first and has so far been the only recipient of the professorial chair.

Professorial chair awards are given to faculty members to recognize their achievement in the academe. These aim to encourage the faculty to advance knowledge and learning in the various fields and disciplines. Regular members of the faculty are eligible for nomination to the award and are evaluated for outstanding achievements in teaching, intellectual productivity and service to the university and the larger community. A faculty member may be awarded at least P30,000, which is supported by interest earnings generated by special endowments such as this one.

According to Ms. Rachelle Lopez of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Instruction, the fund balance requirement to maintain a professorial chair has been increased by the UP System to P500,000. MOUs for professorial chairs need to be approved by the UP Board of Regents.

For the upcoming Centennial Celebration, UPLB has established a Centennial Faculty Development Fund to support the faculty members’ meager salaries through academic conference grants, faculty grants and professorial chairs. The Centennial Fund Campaign, spearheaded by the Office of Alumni Relations and the Office of the Chancellor, aims to raise P1.5 million or $30,000 for each professorial chair.#