Copyright © 2015 by Biodiversity Management Bureau - Department of Environment and Natural Resources All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to [email protected]. Citation Biodiversity Management Bureau. 2015. Guidebook to Protected Areas of the Philippines. Biodiversity Management Bureau – Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Philippines. pp. 100. Photographs All photographs by BMB-DENR unless indicated. ISBN 978-621-95038-5-3 Printed and Distributed Biodiversity Management Bureau Department of Environment and Natural Resources Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center North Avenue, Diliman Quezon City Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES Quezon City M E S S A G E Greetings from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)! As stewards of the country’s rich biological resources, we are privileged to see up close the treasures that make up the country’s natural capital. Where else can you find one of the world’s most majestic eagles? Where can you encounter one of the world’s smallest and most endangered water buffalo? Where is one of the most and diverse marine ecosystems in the world? These and many other natural wonders make up the unique environment of the Philippines. Our wildlife and their habitats are not only wonderful to look at, but they also provide vital services and benefits to humankind. The animals, plants, organisms, and ecosystems that constitute the nation’s biodiversity combine to provide clean air and water, food, medicine, clothing and housing materials, moderate our climate, support the foundation of the country’s economy and industry, and generate livelihoods for millions. Our interrelationship with the environment is also evident in Filipino culture, with natural elements interwoven into myths and legends, music and the arts. Increasing pressures, however, from deforestation, habitat loss, pollution, climate change, and many others, threaten the integrity of the country’s ecosystems and the wildlife they harbor. We are in a race to protect the country’s biodiversity, and various approaches are currently in place to ensure that more generations of Filipinos will continue to see the magnificent creatures as well as the exceptional landscapes and seascapes found in our shores. Ecotourism is a vital approach in protected and natural resources management, providing benefits to all involved – tourists looking for a breath of fresh air, local communities that nurture nature destinations, protected area managers and personnel tasked with the conservation of increasingly fragile natural resources, and more importantly, the wildlife and ecosystems that require protection and care. The Guidebook to Protected Areas of the Philippines is a step towards increasing ecotourism to the country’s protected areas. There are 240 Guidebook to Protected Areas of the Philippines i protected areas under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) covering a total area of about 5.45 million hectares, or 14.2 percent of the total area of the country. The book highlights a mere fraction of the country’s protected area system, featuring initial components of the NIPAS, Philippine ASEAN Heritage Parks, and the home of the Biodiversity Management Bureau, the main DENR agency tasked with the conservation of the nation’s biodiversity. The book highlights the biodiversity richness, research and conservation programs, and ecotourism destinations and activities one can enjoy in the parks. Envisioned as the first of a series, the publication will eventually feature all Philippine protected areas, so that more people can appreciate the natural bea uty of our country, and contribute to the conservation of our rich and increasingly rare biodiversity. I invite everyone to enjoy the Guidebook to Protected Areas of the Philippines. See more of what the Philippines has to offer and enjoy your trip to the country’s most precious natural areas! Ramon P.J. Paje Secretary Department of Environment and Natural Resources ii Message Republic of the Philippines S E N A T E Pasay City M E S S A G E he world in the 21st century faces daunting environmental challenges. AndT one of the major issues that confront the entire nation is the continuing need to protect and preserve our biodiversity in the midst of rapidly dwindling natural resources. The Philippines is considered as one of the world’s megadiverse countries, a group of nations hosting two-thirds of the earth’s biodiversity and about 70- 80% of the world’s plant and animal species. However, our forests, oceans and mineral deposits have come under intense human threat because of continuous neglect and exploitation. The most crucial step towards building a sustainable community, one that respects biodiversity, is to correct one of the biggest misconceptions about the environment—that natural resources are infinite. This guidebook by the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is a showcase of our country’s natural wealth. Not only does this remind us of the natural blessings that our country is endowed with, but it also urges us to veer away from the path of apathy, to act responsibly now before it is too late. I hope to enjoin everyone to conserve, preserve, protect and, if possible, rehabilitate the natural resources that have been damaged by irresponsible acts. Now is the time to do our share, for the greater benefit and welfare of the present and future generations. Let us all be worthy and responsible stewards of the Earth. Senator Loren Legarda Chairperson, Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Chairperson, Senate Committee on Climate Change Chairperson, Senate Committee on Cultural Communities UNISDR Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific Guidebook to Protected Areas of the Philippines iii i Messages 1 Introduction The Protected Areas of the Philippines 6 Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center 12 Batanes Protected Landscape and Seascape 20 Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park 26 Bangan Hill National Park 30 Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape 36 Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve 42 Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park 48 Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park 54 Sagay Marine Reserve 60 Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park 66 Central Cebu Protected Landscape 72 Mimbilisan Protected Landscape 76 Mt. Malindang Natural Park 82 Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary 88 Mt. Kitanglad Natural Park 94 Mt. Apo Natural Park Acknowledgment INTRODUCTION he world is finally catching on to what many Filipinos have known all along:T the Philippines has some of the world’s finest beaches, dive sites, lakes, and mountains, making the country one of the world’s best nature destinations. Palawan, Boracay, the Cordillera mountains, and many other sites have drawn and continue to attract thousands of visitors every year, and yet more exciting and previously inaccessible destinations are beginning to emerge in areas such as Mindanao, Cagayan Valley, Aurora, and the Babuyan Islands, among others. Secluded and pristine, and certainly breathtaking, these areas of extreme natural beauty are drawing local and international attention to the inherent wonders of the Philippines. 1 Introduction It is important to note, however, that these areas are not just picturesque, but are also storehouses of overflowing biodiversity. The more than 7,100 islands of the Philippines harbor some of the richest ecosystems and species in the world. The Philippines is one of the world’s 17 megabiodiversity countries that together contain two-thirds of the earth’s biodiversity and around 70 to 80 percent of the world’s plant and animal species. It is also located within the Coral Triangle, at the center of the highest marine diversity in the world, which accounts for the rich and colorful marine life that scuba divers have come to expect from Philippine waters. Scientists have noted that there is a higher concentration of species per unit area in the Philippines than anywhere in Indonesia and Wallacea, and that the Philippines is the center of the center of marine shore fish diversity in the world. There are even more figures that testify to the rich natural heritage of the country, with a staggering number of species that are endemic, or cannot be found anywhere else in the world. It is sufficient to say that the wealth of biodiversity found in the country is beyond imagination and comparable to the best that the world can offer. As repositories of rich natural capital, much of the country’s best nature destinations have become protected under various environmental laws, and are managed under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS). These ensure that the country’s unspoiled forests, lakes and beaches are protected, so that future generations may continue to enjoy the benefits from species and wildlife found in these areas. Photo by Eric Madeja Guidebook to Protected Areas of the Philippines 2 As of 2013, there are 240 protected areas covering 5.45 million hectares under NIPAS. These encompass 14.2 percent of the total area of the country, and include 4.07 million hectares of terrestrial (13.57 percent of total area of the country) and 1.38 million hectares of marine areas (0.63 percent of total area of the country). About 26 percent of the country’s remaining forests are found in protected areas. The Guidebook to Protected Areas of the Philippines aims to bring attention to lesser known sites endowed with extreme beauty, and rich natural and cultural history. Under the mandate of NIPAS Act, these sites implement ecotourism approaches and practices, thus, ensuring that travel benefits the environment, protected area management, communities that surround the protected area, businesses conducting various operations related to the park, and many other stakeholders.