Biodiversity Study for the 169-Ha Buffer Zone of the Mt. Kanla-On Natural Park

Biodiversity Study for the 169-ha Buffer Zone of the Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park PNOC-Energy Development Corporation 4 October 2007 Document No.: R07-052 Biodiversity Study for the 169-ha Buffer Zone of the Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park R07-052 Prepared for PNOC-Energy Development Corporation Prepared by Maunsell Philippines Inc 11/F Ayala Life - FGU Center, 6811 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Philippines T +632 843 6336 F +632 843 6125 www.maunsell.com 4 October 2007 51052707 © Maunsell Philippines Inc 2007 The information contained in this document produced by Maunsell Philippines Inc is solely for the use of the Client identified on the cover sheet for the purpose for which it has been prepared and Maunsell Philippines Inc undertakes no duty to or accepts any responsibility to any third party who may rely upon this document. All rights reserved. No section or element of this document may be removed from this document, reproduced, electronically stored or transmitted in any form without the written permission of Maunsell Philippines Inc. Biodiversity Study for the 169-ha Buffer Zone of the Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park 4 October 2007 Quality Information Biodiversity Study for the 169-ha Buffer Zone of the Mt. Kanla-on Natural Document Park Ref 51052707 Date 4 October 2007 Prepared by Pastor Malabrigo Jr., Phillip Alviola, Abba Grace Sanchez Reviewed by Jess Bayrante, Leah Bufi, Butch Aragones Biodiversity Study for the 169-ha Buffer Zone of the Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park 4 October 2007 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 Brief Review of Literature on Biodiversity in the Negros Island, Philippines 2 1.1.1 Flora 2 1.1.2 Fauna 2 1.2 The Biodiversity Study 4 1.2.1 Objective of the Study 4 1.2.2 Project Location 4 2.0 Methodology 7 2.1 Flora 7 2.1.1 Survey Method and Location 7 2.1.2 Collection of Voucher Specimens 9 2.1.3 Data Analysis 9 2.2 Fauna 10 2.2.1 Survey Location 10 2.2.2 Survey Method and Collection of Voucher Specimens 11 2.2.3 Data Analysis 13 3.0 Results and Discussions 14 3.1 Flora 14 3.1.1 Floral Diversity 14 3.1.2 Noteworthy Species 20 3.1.3 Conservation Status 22 3.1.4 Resource Use 23 3.2 Fauna 23 3.2.1 Avian community 23 3.2.2 Mammalian community 27 3.2.3 Amphibians and Reptiles 30 3.2.4 Noteworthy Species 31 3.2.5 Conservation Status 32 4.0 Impacts and Mitigating Measures 33 5.0 Environmental Monitoring Plan 39 6.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 42 6.1 Flora 42 6.2 Fauna 43 7.0 References 44 Biodiversity Study for the 169-ha Buffer Zone of the Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park 4 October 2007 1.0 Introduction In pursuit of reducing the energy dependence on the foreign market and meeting the increasing energy demand in the country, the Philippine National Oil Company – Energy Development Corporation (PNOC EDC) is continuing its effort to explore and develop alternative energy sources. In 2003, DOE drafted the Renewable Energy Policy Framework, which envisioned the country to be the world’s leader in geothermal energy. The Philippines is the second largest producer of geothermal energy in the world. In 2006, geothermal energy contributed about 18% to the country’s energy production. In addition to the five steam fields operated by the PNOC EDC, exploratory activities are still being conducted to locate untapped geothermal sources in the country. In Northern Negros, the exploratory drillings carried out in 1994 verified potential geothermal sources, which is projected to provide 40 to 80 MWe of power. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was prepared and submitted on 25 January 1995 for the development of the Northern Negros Geothermal Project (NNGP). The Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) was granted on 5 December 1995. The government entered into a Geothermal Service Contract (GSC) with PNOC EDC. Based on the contract, the geothermal block will cover a total land area of 4,650 hectares. Of this total area, 2,800 hectares were classified as alienable and disposable lands (A & D), while the remaining 1,850 hectares were part of Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park (MKNP). The initial geothermal development was established in the A & D lands, which generates 40 MW and targets to sustain power for 25 years. In order to achieve this projection, additional back-up maintenance and replacement wells will be needed, which can be provided by the areas inside the MKNP but covered by the GSC. As earlier cited, the GSC included 1,850 hectares inside the park but due to environmental concerns, the Congress, stakeholders, together with the World Bank park consultants of the Conservation of Priority Protected Areas Program (CPPAP), and PNOC EDC agreed to limit the development area to 169 hectares (out of 1,850 hectares), which is the minimum area needed to reach the geothermal resource. Consistent with NIPAS Act, Republic Act (RA) 9154 or the MKNP Act allotted the 169 hectares of Mt. Kanlaon’s land area for the establishment of buffer zone for geothermal development and utilization. In 2001, then DOE Secretary conducted a meeting with the environmental NGOs relative to the intent of using the buffer zone. While the use of the buffer zone is legal, during the meeting, it was agreed that PNOC EDC will conduct a comprehensive biodiversity study (both flora and fauna), which will precede the geothermal developmental activities. This will ensure that environmental and conservation measures will be identified to mitigate the impacts of the activity at the buffer zone. Biodiversity Study for the 169-ha Buffer Zone of the Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park 4 October 2007 Page 1 1.1 Brief Review of Literature on Biodiversity in the Negros Island, Philippines 1.1.1 Flora The moist forests of the Philippines, which include the montane and sub-montane forests of the Northern Negros Forest Reserve (NNFR), are now classified as the eighth most vulnerable forest ecoregion in the world (WWF 2001). This area contains the most endemic species that are ‘functionally extinct’or critically endangered within the whole of the Philippines. Less than 4% of the original forest cover remains intact in Negros, putting a huge amount of pressure on the remaining endemic species (Heaney & Regalado 1998). Considering most of the botanists’ claim that the Philippines is the most diverse country in the world on an acre per acre basis, it would be justified to assume that there could have been a high rate of species extinction in the island. Thus, the comparison of the previous documentations on the Negros biodiversity to the primary data generated in the current study is important. The few recent studies on the Negros forest are confined to the North Negros Forest Reserve including Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park (Turner et al., 2002 and Hamann et al.1999). Based on Merrill”s (1923-26) account and more recent revisions of Families in the Flora Malesiana, 614 species of seed plants belonging to 352 genera and 103 families are expected to be present in Negros, excluding those that have been recently cultivated and introduced. Of which 364 species (59.3% endemism) are reportedly endemic species (Lagunzad et. al. 2004). As cited by Lagunzad (2004), the previous plant collection from the Island of Negros and Siquijor include Cuming (1837), Steere (1875, 1888), Schandenberg (1881), Ch. S. Banks (1902), H. Long (1903), Usteri (1903), E. B. Copeland (1903-04), Muñoz (1904), Whitford (1906), Elmer (1908), H. D. Everett (1908), E. D. Merrill (1910), H. M. Curran (1933), Fairchild (1940) and Edaño (1947). The most extensive collection was done by Elmer in 1909 in Cuernos Mountains from March to June near the Bonyao River (Lagunzad et. al. 2004). Detailed botanical and floristic and ecological inventories are very disproportionately low, although copious collections have been previously done. Hamann et al. (1999) is the only published floristic study, which involved a one-hectare permanent plot and reported 645 individuals sampled belonging to 92 species, 54 genera and 39 families. The structure of the transitional forest type was determined by the dominance of species belonging to the following families: Lauraceae, Burseraceae, Sapotaceae and Icacinaceae. The family Dipterocarpaceae registered a low importance values. Other recent studies include that of the EIS of NNGP (PNOC EDC) in 1995 and a Biodiversity Inventory of Mt. Kanla-on led by Dr. Robert S. Kennedy from Cincinnati Museum of Natural History (CMNH), Cincinnati, Ohio. The reports contain information on vegetation types as well as a listing of plant species, conservation status and uses. There is however no single available published material on these studies. 1.1.2 Fauna As early as the 1750s, biological explorations have been done in the Philippines marking its beginnings with Pierre Poivre who visited Manila and probably Zamboanga between 1751-1755 and from it came the descriptions of 31 new species from the Philippines (Brisson, 1760 as cited by Dickinson et al., 1992). Through the succeeding years, several expeditions were made on several islands in the Philippines, focusing on several parts of Luzon, Mindanao, Panay, Mindoro and Cebu. Most notable among these early expeditions were the Cuming (from 1836-39) with the British Museum (BM) and Challenger Expeditions (1874-1875 in Tweeddale, 1877). Over a hundred years have passed before any explorations were done in Negros, starting with A.H. Everett in 1877-1878 which he also visited during that period the islands of Basilan, Bohol, Cebu, Dinagat, Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao and Palawan (Sharpe, 1877). Biodiversity Study for the 169-ha Buffer Zone of the Mt.

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