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Six KBAs Top FPE’s Strategic Plan for 2015-2025

Posted on September 7, 2015

Reaffirming its commitment to respond to the conservation challenge, the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE) named six Key Biodiversity Areas – two each from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao – as the focal points of its priority conservation efforts for the next ten years, in accordance with its Strategic Plan for FY 2015-2025.

The KBAs were identified for the strategic focus based on an assessment of critical factors that determine the effectiveness and sustainability of the efforts that FPE and its PO and NGO partners will implement in the areas. These include existing and upcoming projects with which the Foundation and other conservation organizations has involvement; the presence of concerned and active stakeholders and prospective partners; the area’s inherent and potential biodiversity value; the prevalent drivers of biodiversity degradation; the impact of the sites to ecosystem connectivity; the level of participation of the local government towards sustaining the conservation efforts; existing or prospective sustainable financial mechanisms, and notable risk factors that will affect the activities and components of the conservation programs.

FPE is focusing its efforts on six priority key biodiversity areas (KBAs) across the Philippines starting FY 2015-2016. 

FPE’s strategic vision for the next ten years is grounded in innovation, meaningful community participation and stakeholder collaborations, strong policy advocacy, and resiliency in the face of the increasingly adverse impacts of climate change. The Foundation will champion its bottom-up biodiversity conservation and sustainable development (BCSD) framework by supporting projects that empower communities as front-liners in the conservation of species, habitats, and ecosystems. Working closely with the local communities, FPE ensures that the strategies and actions adopted and implemented are specific to the conditions and realities of the sites and the people who depend on the natural resources that they produce.

The six priority KBAs are as follows:

Kalbario-Patapat Natural Park in Adams, Ilocos Norte

Yellow bunting (Emberiza sulphurata) (Photo: Hiyashi Haka)

Kalbario-Patapat in Ilocos Norte province has panoramic mountainous terrains. The natural park was established on April 20, 2007 by Proclamation No. 1275, encompassing 3,800 hectares (9,400 acres) with a buffer zone of 1,930 hectares (4,790 acres). The park is now included in the national integrated protected area system in the Philippines requiring management enhancement. It is also classified as a KBA and a Conservation Priority Area in Luzon. A notable man-made attraction found here is the Patapat Viaduct in Pagudpud, an elevated bridge that winds around the mountainside to facilitate vehicular travel minus the dangers of landslides. It also offers a great view of Pasaleng Bay.

With a research grant from FPE, the University of the Philippines-Baguio is conducting a scientific baseline study on the state of biodiversity of Mt. Kalbario-Patapat and its environs. This will help in describing the anthropogenic profiles and the various socio-economic conditions that affect biodiversity in the area.

Sibuyan Island in Romblon

Sibuyan is one of the remaining bastions of biodiversity in the country. Dubbed the "Galapagos of Asia", it has high number of endemic species recorded, with approximately 77% of the species found in the area. Its dense forests covering 81% of the island, however, faces various threats from mining, charcoal-making, and unregulated harvesting of timber and non-timber forest products.

FPE has worked in the area in the past four years through the EU-funded Mainstreaming Indigenous Peoples’ Participation in Environmental Governance (MIPPEG) project. Under this project, several interventions were undertaken such as environmental defense, capacity-building, setting up of sustainable financing mechanisms to uplift the quality of life for the local Sibuyan Mangyan Tagabukid communities there. FPE also conducted a wildlife species survey in the area in collaboration with Flora and Fauna International.

Gigantes Group of Islands in Carles, Iloilo

(Photo: Akrosdayunibers.com)

There are ten Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites in the Philippines and one of them is Gigantes Islands in the northwestern tip of Iloilo province. As part of the Coral Triangle, Gigantes Islands contain some of the world's most biologically diverse and richest coastal and marine resources. The islands are endowed with limestone forests, caves, and white-sand beaches. The area is also known for being one of the most productive fishing grounds in the country. Recent surveys on the ecological conditions of the islands are positive, but reports of overexploitation of marine resources and biodiversity loss persist.

FPE and its partner organizations have developed a strategic action plan (2012-2016), which details the much-needed restoration of the open and degraded forests on the islands through five key strategies, namely, (1) sustainable fisheries, (2) livelihood, (3) healthy community, (4) biodiversity conservation, and (5) ecotourism. Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) will also be given attention. The local government units in Gigantes recently adopted the strategic plan and the newly formed ‘Island Sustainable Development Alliance (ISDA)’ for Gigantes’ coordinates the conservation strategies and initiatives on the islands.

FPE also supported research by the Philippine National Museum on cave fauna assessment in the area. There are positive signs of the research findings in cave management planning for Gigantes.

Mount Nacolod Range in Southern Leyte

Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) (Photo: Shankar S)

Rising up to 1,007 meters above sea level in Southern Leyte, Mt. Nacolod KBA includes 14,000 hectares of forests and two watersheds – the Buac and Hinabian-Lawigan. Both watershed reserves have patches of old-growth and mossy forests, including brushlands and cultivated lands.

Areas in Southern Leyte have been declared as High Conservation Value Area (HCVA) because of the presence of endemic and threatened species. Mt. Nacolod is identified as HCVA number 9 – it harbors 134 birds, 111 herpetofauna species, and almost all known mammal species recorded in this area – thus the conservation action in the area is vital in saving endemic species from extinction.

FPE's advocacy to use native tree species in bringing forest back to life had led to the successful restoration of 60 hectares of forest areas in Mt. Nacolod. This encouraged the start of more field research activities and socioeconomic studies. Added, this gave FPE the opportunity to assess and improve previously implemented conservation projects in the site. The evaluation allowed for the revision and improvements on short-term projects or those that lacked efficient BCSD measures.

Through the FPE-USAID Up-Scaling Forest Restoration Project (2011-2013), 3-D mapping technology was used in Mt. Nacolod, significantly aiding natural resource management planning and decision-making in the KBA. Local organizations received support in developing local financing mechanism to sustain project gains. Results of RSEA recommend restoration and expansion of the forest of Mt. Nacolod to cover suitable habitats of biodiversity, conduct a more comprehensive biodiversity inventory and monitor the trends of ecosystem biodiversity in Southern Leyte.

Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary

(Photo: Rolan Emboscado/ The Travel Teller)

The Agusan Marsh in Agusan del Sur provinces is the largest wetland in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. Stretching out to about 19,200 hectares, the marsh serves as a convergence point of nine major rivers, a delta to the Agusan River Basin, a natural catch basin for floodwaters and sediment runoff, and storage to approximately 15% of the country’s freshwater in the swamp forest. Agusan Marsh is also known as the home of record-setting Lolong, the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) that earned the distinction of being the world’s largest captive crocodile to date.

In 2014, FPE supported the conduct of a Resource and Socio-Economic Assessment (RSEA) in Agusan Marsh recommending the following: (a) an extensive study on crocodile survival in the marsh; (b) management action to address the proliferation of invasive fish species; (c) rehabilitation of riverbanks to prevent frequent flooding; (d) broader understanding and recognition of the Manobos' traditional management of resources; and (e) provision of resource-based livelihood, among others.

Ligawasan Marsh in SK Pendatun, Maguindanao

A conglomeration of three marshes, namely, Ligawasan, Libungan, and Ebpanan, the Ligawasan Marsh is a premier but critical wetland ecosystem where a number of endangered endemic species can be found. Being a repository of abundant fauna and flora, natural gas and oil deposits, and other natural resources, the marsh is coveted and targeted for development.

FPE has worked on conservation interventions in the area using the watershed approach alongside ULAN, AnthroWatch, Non-Timber Forest Products, and indigenous peoples’ organizations.