Vol. 6 January 2015 Asian Journal of BiodiversityAsian Journal Vol. 6 ofJanuary Biodiversity 2015 CHED Accredited Research Journal, Category A-1 This Journal is in the Science Master Journal List of Print ISSN 2094-5019 • Electronic ISSN 2244-0461 Thomson Reuters (ISI) Zoological Record doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7828/ajob.v6i1.701 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainability of Initao- Libertad Protected Landscape and Seascape in Misamis Oriental, Philippines OLIVA P. CANENCIA ORCID No. 0000-0001-5372-7295 [email protected] University Professor and Director, Research and Development Division Mindanao University of Science and Technology BELEN O. DABA ORCID No. 0000-0002-8560-4414 [email protected] Former Regional Technical Director For Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 10, Cagayan de Oro City ABSTRACT Biodiversity is significantly contributed to food, shelter, medicine, water for domestic and commercial use, fuel/firewood, livelihood from by-products and ecotourism. Indeed, areas rich in biodiversity are proclaimed as protected area under NIPAS Act of 1992 (RA 7586).This study was conducted in Initao- Libertad Protected Landscape and Seascape, a protected area under NIPAS (National Integrated Protected Area System – RA 7586) which was proclaimed on September 16, 2002 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation no. 260, located in Tubigan, Initao, Misamis Oriental covering an area of 1,425 hectares. Based on the record of the DENR, a Resources Basic Inventory (RBI) and management effectiveness have not been undertaken in the park while the BMS has not been completed and updated, hence this study. The study used the Biodiversity Monitoring System as adopted by the Department of Environment and Natural 163 Asian Journal of Biodiversity Vol. 6 January 2015 Resources (DENR). Part of the study used the policy as provided in Memorandum Order No. 10 series of 1991 to document the analysis and synthesis of relevant information on the ecological, geological, physical, social economic and historic environment of the protected area and its vicinity or the RBI. General findings of the study provided a research-based data on flora and fauna thriving in the park which are economically important, endemic, rare and endangered species which are urgently addressed for realistic conservation and management and for planning purposes and sustainability. Keywords: Protected landscape and seascape, Biodiversity richness and endemicity governance effectiveness INTRODUCTION Biodiversity is important because it provides food, shelter, medicine, water for domestic and commercial use, fuel/firewood, and livelihood from by-products and ecotourism. As source of medicine, 40% of the medicines originated directly or indirectly from natural resources. About 25 thousand species of plants are destined for the production of medicines worldwide. The Philippines is one of the eighteen countries identified as containing 60 to 70 % of the world’s biodiversity, next to Brazil, Colombia and Indonesia. In 1999, the Philippines were identified as one of the 25 global hotspots country - 3rd for threatened birds and 8th for threatened mammals (Lim 2010). On a per unit area basis, the country is the top mega bio diverse country and hottest of the hotspots. It is important to conserve the biodiversity because it sustains life support system on earth that contributes to environmental stability and provides options for the present and future in terms of bio-resources. There are various threats to biodiversity. These are habitat destruction e.g. logging, fire, land conversion, siltation, over-exploitation, chemical or environmental pollution, and biological pollution. Protected areas are the way forward in the struggle against biodiversity loss. Based on the records of the Protected Areas Wildlife Bureau, the recent extinction rate is 100 to 1,000 times greater than the natural rate of 1-10 species per year. In birds, 40 times greater than rate of one per 100 years. As a reaction to rapid forest depletion, there has been an equally dramatic increase in the global coverage of terrestrial protected areas. Establishment of protected areas is an IN-SITU approach to conservation of biodiversity. 164 Asian Journal of Biodiversity Vol. 6 January 2015 The principles of establishing protected areas as provided in the law, the Republic Act 7586 of 1992, are for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. The effectiveness of biodiversity conservation in the protected areas however, depends on a number of factors, such as adequate funding, political will, support of the Local Government Units, NGOs and local people inside and near the PA, functional PAMB and the availability of trained staff and in-placed monitoring and evaluation systems on all aspects and planning among others. By virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 260 dated September 16, 2002, Initao National Park was proclaimed as Initao–Libertad Protected Landscape and Seascape. This is located in Tubigan, Initao, Misams Oriental covering an area of 1,425 hectares, 57 hectares of which is landscape and 1,368 hectares is Seascape. The landscape portion is located at Sitio Bubotan, Barangay Tubigan, Municipality of Initao while the seascape portion extends from Lower Tubigan, Initao to Taboo Creek of Gimaylan, Libertad. These two municipalities are in the Province of Misamis Oriental. It was in this juncture to conduct a comprehensive analysis on the performance of biodiversity conservation to the landscape and seascape ecosystem of Initao- Libertad Protected area using the guidelines for the conduct of Resources Basic Inventory (RBI). OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The research’s primary focus was the conduct of a Resource Basic Inventory (RIB) inside the Initao-Libertad Protected Landscape and Seascape. This was to give an understanding as to what maintenance and protection activities are suitable for a particular vegetative feature of the park. Another purpose of this study was to establish a Biodiversity Monitoring System and analyze the result as it is cost-effective and there is a standardized method in monitoring the trends in population of indicator and priority species and each uses in the protected area for reference of the Management. This research also aimed to provide database on floral and faunal assemblage of the park. Moreover, it sought to draw-out insights and recommendations in the management of Initao Protected Landscape and Seascape, the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) members and Protected Area Office (PAO) to obtain information for appropriate management strategies and measures that lead to the conservation and protection of Initao- Libertad Protected Landscape and Seascape. 165 Asian Journal of Biodiversity Vol. 6 January 2015 MATERIALS AND METHODS Resources Basic Inventory The conduct of this Resources Basic Inventory (RBI) was based on the DENR Memorandum Order No. 10, Series of 1991 entitled “Guidelines for the Conduct of RBI within Protected Areas”. In any attempt towards resource protection, management, development, and conservation, it is significant to know what resources are still present to protect, manage and conserve. In view of protected area compositions/vegetations, the availability of information of the present resource, floristic composition and association would give understanding as to what maintenance and protection activities are suitable for a particular vegetative feature. There is a need to conduct Resources Basic Inventory (RBI) of the existing resources for proper evaluation. This has not been undertaken in this park since its proclamation. The level of biological stability of the ecosystem is likewise indicated by the presence of wild animals. Wild animals also play vital roles in vegetation regeneration, seed dispersal and pollination while their dropping contributes to the humus accumulation towards soil enrichment. In view of creating awareness on protected areas and wildlife resources, an RBI of its fauna is likewise necessary. Floral Resources An intensive study of the vegetation was done following the conduct of RBI of the area to delineate its grassland and forest zones. For every study area, definite length of transect as well as number of stations were uniformly observed. 1. Line Intercept Method A 900-meter transect line was laid out on the ground and subdivided into 9 stations/intervals (six (6) Strict Protection Zone and three (3) stations at the Recreational Zone). Intervals per sampling station was established at every 100m of the transect length. This was purposely established to cover the different vegetations, elevations and water systems within an area. The number of transect lines and stations was dependent on the shape of the study area, its vegetative cover, water system and its topography. All floral and grass species including the seedlings, herbs, vines, rattans, saplings and other floral species of less than or equal to 3m tall that were physically intercepted by the transect/meter tape line or those species whose 166 Asian Journal of Biodiversity Vol. 6 January 2015 perpendicular projection of the foliage were intercepted by the transect/meter line, were identified, counted and recorded. For grass species, clump counts and intercept length measurements were noted and recorded. The intercepted length was important to estimate coverage. Whereas for the herbs, vines, rattans, seedlings and other woody plant, measurements intercepted length were confined to the perpendicular