Municipality of Patnanungan, Quezon Province Biyo-Inusukan LCA The forests of Inusukan and Biyo have been identified as priority areas for conservation in Patnanungan, Quezon. Inusukan forest lies at the northwest portion of the island across the boundaries of barangays Amaga and Patnanungan Norte. Biyo forest on the other hand is found towards the northeast portion of the island, adjacent to Inusukan forest, and is situated between barangays Kilogan and Patnanungan Norte. The Biyo-Inusukan LCA spans the northern section of the mountain ridge of Patnanungan Island, and covers some flat low-lying areas on its western portion. It has a total land area of 614 hectares and contains about 339 hectares of forest (or 55% of its land area). It is situated over four barangays, namely: Kilogan, Luod, Amaga, and Patnanungan Norte. The largest portion of the total land Lumong-Tibalao LCA area of the LCA with 419.9 hectares (68.4%) is situated in Brgy. Patnanungan Lumong and Tibalao have also been identified as priority Norte, followed by Brgy. Amaga with areas for conservation in Patnanungan, Quezon. 159.3 hectares (25.9%), Brgy. Kilogan with 28.3 hectares (4.6%), and Brgy. Luod Lumong forest is situated at the central portion of the with 6.6 hectares (1.1%) of the total land island across the boundaries of barangays Patnanungan area of Biyu-Inusukan LCA. Norte, Busdak, and Patnanungan Sur. About 94% of the forests within the Tibalao forest, which is composed mostly of residual LCA are concentrated in barangays forest fragments, is located at the southern portion of the Amaga and Patnanungan Norte, the island in Brgy. Patnanungan Sur. latter holding the largest portion of forests covering 229.2 hectares (about 69%). The Lumong-Tibalao LCA has a total land area of 1,587 hectares, containing forest areas found over the mountain The LCA in Biyo-Inusukan serves as a ridges traversing from the central to the southern portion corridor that can address forest of the island. fragmentation, a result of continuous slash-and-burn farming in the area and Forty three percent (43%) of the total land area of the is similarly important for protecting the LCA is situated within the jurisdiction of Brgy. Patnanungan headwaters of critical watersheds — such Sur — the largest portion among the three barangays with as Panebagan, Amaga, Biyo, and an equivalent of 683.4 hectares, followed by Brgy. Inusukan — that supply the water to Patnanungan Norte with 492.9 hectares (31.0%), and Brgy. irrigate extensive rice paddies found in Busdak with 410.6 hectares covering 25.9% of the total several barangays. land area of the LCA. Municipality of Jomalig, Quezon Rizal Wetlands LCA Situated at the southwestern portion of Jomalig, the Rizal Wetlands covers the largest marshland found on the island. It is completely within the jurisdiction of Brgy. Talisoy, and is similarly confined to the Bigwangan Watershed. The runoff from relatively higher sections of the watershed drains into the marsh (at Bigwangan River) before flowing out into the sea. Rizal Wetlands has a total land area of 207 hectares, composed mainly of wetlands. The size of the marsh is approximately 118 hectares (about 57% of the total area of the LCA). Portions of the marsh include abandoned fishponds, formerly along the fringes where mangroves can be found. Some inland mangroves, grasslands, forest patches, and coconut groves are also found within the LCA, which surround the marsh. Grasslands are the second dominant vegetation within the LCA, covering 49 hectares (24%), while forests make up about 13 hectares (6%) and mangroves at 4 hectares (2%) of the Rizal Wetlands LCA. The marshlands are ideal habitats and one of the country’s last remaining strongholds for the endemic and vulnerable Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica), and also serve as a habitat for the resident Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata). The wetlands also support as a feeding The concept of a Local Conservation Area was originally ground for several migratory waders and developed in the Polillo Group of Islands to mainstream local shorebirds including various species of curlews, governments and other relevant stakeholders in the sandpipers, plovers, and the conspicuous Black- management of biologically important sites. The LCAs were winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus). assessed as to their importance in terms of habitat functions to endemic species and ecosystems services, such as watersheds, In early 2013, the local government of and declared through participatory approaches using the Local Jomalig declared the Rizal Wetlands as a Local Government Code as the main policy framework. The LGUs passed ordinances declaring these LCAs. Conservation Area. About 60% of or 958.8 hectares of the LCA in Lumong-Tibalao is forest land. Aside from its significance in establishing a forest corridor for habitat restoration, Lumong- Tibalao also plays a key role in maintaining and improving watershed functions since it holds sizeable forest areas within several watersheds. (Top photos, left to right) Polillo Forest Frog Platymantis polilloensis, Yellow-wattled Bulbul Pycnonotus urostictus, Polillo Trogon Harpactes ardens minor, (and Bottom, L-R) Philippine Sailfin Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus and Philippine Brown Deer Cervus mariannus, all photos by JCT Gonzalez. Polillo Island endemic land snail photo by Ryan de Chavez/UPLB. Biodiversity resources within Patnanungan LCA Biyu-Inusukan and Lumong-Tibalao LCAs in These include the Cream-bellied Fruit-Dove Patnanungan, Quezon are significant in (Ptilinopus merrilli), the Philippine Duck (Anas protecting the remaining habitats of the luzonica), the Philippine Brown Deer (Cervus Philippine Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), mariannus), the Large Flying Fox (Pteropus a critically endangered avian species endemic vampyrus), the Rufous Paradise-Flycatcher to the Philippines which can now only be found (Terpsiphone cinnamomea), the Truncate-toed in few areas in the country, including Chorus Frog (Kaloula conjuncta), the Luzon Giant Patnanungan Island. Frog (Limnonectes macrocephalus), the Woodworth’s Frog (Limnonectes woodworthi), and the Polillo The LCAs also support other Polillo Island Tarictic Hornbill (Penelopides manillae subnigra). endemic avian subspecies such as the Polillo The LCA further supports important species such Taricitic Hornbill (Penelopides manillae subnigra), as the Polillo Island endemic land snails, Helicostyla the Polillo Trogon (Harpactes ardens minor), the portei and Helicostyla poliliensis, which are Polillo White-browed Shama (Copsychus indicators of a healthy forest ecosystem. luzoniensis parvimaculatus), the Polillo Blue- naped Parrot (Tanygnathus lucionensis hybridus), To address the need for protection and the Polillo Crested Goshawk (Accipiter trivirgatus conservation of the rich and unique biodiversity castroi), and the Polillo Greater Flameback resources found in these two LCAs, the local (Chrysocolaptes lucidus grandis). government approved a resolution last February 25 (Municipal Resolution No. 32, series of 2013) The presence of several threatened species passing an Ordinance “declaring Biodiversity validates the importance of Lumong-Tibalao as Important Sites as Local Conservation Areas in the a stronghold for many threatened species, most Municipality of Patnanungan, Province of Quezon of which are either unique to Luzon or unique and providing for its Management, Appropriation, solely to Polillo Islands. and for other purposes.” AUTHORS: Errol A. Gatumbato, Lea-Jim A. Villanueva, Virtito C. Natural Jr./PBCFI FRONT PAGE: Lumong-Tibalao LCA photo courtesy of Ma. Flordeliza G. Dans/KFI NewCAPP Copyright©2013.