Section 19. Forest Research. — The Bureau is responsible for the design and conduct of a comprehensive program of forest research relative to the establishment, protection, perpetuation and utilization of the various resources and services available from the public forest. Such research shall be conducted in a manner which provides functional information in harmony with the concept of managing the forest as an ecosystem. The research program shall include such subjects as forest and grasslands, ecology, silviculture, range and wildlife habitat management, wildlife biology, forest soils, watershed management and protection of the forest from insects and diseases. Except for such research as may be conducted by educational institutions in furtherance of their academic programs, the Bureau is assigned the exclusive authority and responsibility for the conduct of such research in the Government sector.

Experimental forests may be established for the purpose of conducting coordinated research. Should such coordinated research require harvesting of timber or other forest products, the same shall be done solely by the Government but in no case shall it be carried on a commercial scale and any revenue realized therefrom shall accrue to the Bureau as part of its research and development trust fund.

Field research shall be reinforced by a Central Research Institute to be established on the campus of the College of Forestry of the University of the Philippines in which laboratory phases of forest research shall be conducted. The organization of this Institute shall be done by the Department Head upon recommendation of the Director.

The execution of the provisions of this Section shall coordinate with the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 48, dated November 10, 1972, establishing the Philippine Council for Agricultural Research (PCAR).