cfeuseaudbca Protecting the Biological Wealth of the Philippines

BY Lamudi 13 June 2018 Features

There are few nations richer than the Philippines when it comes to natural beauty and diversity, and the national government plans to keep it that way through the establishment of protected areas.

President Rodrigo Duterte recently declared the Philippine Rise to be one of the country’s marine protected areas. The Rise, long known to Catandues as Kalipung-awan, is an undersea and resource-rich volcanic ridge in the Philippine Sea, about 250km east of Isabela. Now that it is a protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992, the national government has recognized the site to be of unique physical and biological significance to the country. It has also pledged to provide all the necessary protection such an area should have.

The Philippine Rise is just the latest among many protected areas to be recognized as such. As of 2013, 240 sites covering 5.45 million hectares of land and sea have been declared to be protected areas. In celebration of Philippine Environment Month this June, here is an introduction to just a few of these special sites.

Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center

Found in the heart of Metro Manila, the NAPWC is a learning site for biodiversity conservation and education, and a relief of greenery for any city dweller looking for a break from Manila’s notorious pollution. The NAPWC has only 22.7 hectares of land, making it the country’s smallest protected area. But this modest park boasts more than 4,000 trees and 101 different animal species. The park also has an aquarium, a botanical garden, a lagoon, a playground, several event facilities available for reservation. Moreover, there is a Wildlife Rescue Center for injured, abandoned, or donated wildlife.

Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center. Photo by Ramon FVelasquez via Wikimedia Commons

Mt. Apo Natural Park

Mount Apocfeuseaudbca is the tallest mountain in the Philippines. It is named after Apo Sandawa, the great forefather of the seven indigenous groups who consider the mountain their ancestral domain. This is where the Philippine eagle comes to roost, and where the rare, wild waling-waling orchid clings. These factors have made Mt. Apo the number one hiking destination in the country, with thousands of climbers from all over the world lugging towards the mountain’s base to make their way up to the days-away summit. And throughout the long trail, hikers can find several mountain lakes and falls for them to rest in.

Mt. Apo. Photo by Bro. Jeffrey Pioquinto, SJ via Wikimedia Commons

Batanes Protected Landscape and Seascape

In 1994, then President Fidel V. Ramos declared the entire province of Batanes a protected area. It is home to seven species of flowering plants that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, and new species of flora and fauna are constantly being discovered in these islands. Batanes is home to the Ivatan, who have been there since time immemorial. Their familiarity with the land has led them to develop cultural practices that help them coexist harmoniously with their environment, like crop rotation with mushrooms and season-restricted fishing. Today, they coordinate with the local government in preserving the windswept beauty of these islands, now one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

Batanes. Photo by Allan Ascaño via Flickr Creative Commons

Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park

The NSMNP is the largest protected area of the Philippines. It is also arguably the most important, given that it is the richest in terms of genetic, species, and habitat diversity. Some notable species endemic to the region are the narra, almaciga, and kamagong trees; the Philippine eagle, Isabela oriole, sea turtle, Philippine crocodile, and giant monitor lizard. The landscape is just as varied, housing plenty of rainforests, mountains, rice fields, grasslands, white sand beaches, coral reefs, waterfalls, and rivers. The Agta roam the land, relying on the mountain ranges for their survival and well-being.

Sierra Madre. Photo by jojo nicdao via Flickr Creative Commons

Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape

Mysticism surrounds the twin mountains of Banahaw and San Cristobal. Mt. Banahaw is the holy mountain, where many pilgrims come to pray and heal themselves in its waters. Mt. San Cristobal is its eerie twin, with its false summits, strange sounds, and unexplained fires. Taken together, these two mountains make up the MBSCPL, straddling the provinces of Eighty percent of these plants have also been found to have medicinal value.

Mount Banahaw. Photo by Ramon FVelasquez via Wikimedia Commons

Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve

According to legend, the diwata (fairy) Mariang Makiling guards this mountain. She watches over the mountain’s creatures, blesses peaceful travelers, and dispenses justice to trespassers. While these may be myths, what is most definitely true is that Mount Makiling is a flourishing forest reserve, with over 2,000 species of flaura, 300 animal species, and 3,000 insect species. It is also the site of an inactive volcano, resulting in numerous hot springs scattered around the mountain’s base. Many resorts have sprung up to take advantage of this unique feature, making this place a prime weekend destination for Manila dwellers.

Mount Makiling. Photo by Patrick Roque via Flickr Creative Commons

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

There are few places more beautiful than the Tubbataha Reefs. It is home to 600 species of fish and 360 species of coral. Meanwhile, the islets surrounding it see up to 100 species of birds throughout the year. The reef is located in the middle of the Sulu Sea, making it quite isolated. The lack of nearby fishing towns has kept the reef relatively untouched for millennia. But now that the Sulu Sea has become an international maritime trade route, large ships are constantly plying its waters and occasionally ramming into the coral reef. Hence, management of this area has never been more important. Luckily, the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board has been able to cope quite well so far.

Tubbataha Reefs. Photo by q phia via Flickr Creative Commons

Sagay Marine Reserve

SMR is a success story of how political support and local expertise can rehabilitate an area thought to be already lost. Overfishing in Sagay City had led to the destruction of the coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds. Catches of fish began to diminish, which made people resort to even more extreme measures to feed their families. In the late 1970s, the local government decided to do something about it by partnering with the nearby Silliman University. Over the last four decades they have managed to reforest 100 hectares of mangroves and restore the reefs to almost pristine condition.

Coral reef. Photo via Depositphotos

The Philippines is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the word. Situated within both the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Coral Triangle, the nation is one of just 18 megadiversity countriescfeuseaudbca. Together, these countries make up more than two-thirds of the earth’s biological wealth. And since every other type of wealth relies on that, the national government’s efforts in establishing protected areas are a step in the right direction for our future.

Main photo via Depositphotos

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