In the preceding two columns, I mentioned that many successful conservation projects on marine biodiversity have been undertaken by local governments and local communities. Today, I would like to mention specific ones that have been judged successful, based primarily on the criteria of governance and improved biodiversity resources.
These examples will serve to inspire our coastal communities to devote part of their free time in projects that conserve many of our vanishing species that are needed to combat poverty in our coastal areas.
It only requires commitment and a caring attitude on the part of local government and local community organizations to save the species on which we depend so much for our food and livelihoods. At this point in the history of our nation when we are facing serious threats to the sustainability of our resources, we must practice conservation of our natural resources.
One notable example is the St. Paul Underground River in Puerto Princesa on Palawan. Since 1992, this natural area has been protected and managed by the city government of Puerto Princesa led by Mayor Ed Hagedorn. It was managed by the Protected Area & Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment & Natural Resources until I (as Secretary of the DENR) signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Mayor Hagedorn devolving the management of this unique site to the local government of Puerto Princesa.
Under a local government with a good track record of environmental protection, the underground river was well-managed as an ecotourism site, earning substantial incomes in the past 19 years.
As a result of good management, it is likely to be included in the “Seven New Wonders of Nature Foundation” list of natural areas with unique features.
Another notable example is the 16-year old Giant Clam Reserve at Cantaan, in Guinsiliban municipality on the island of Camiguin, off northern Mindanao. The reserve, which is about 5,800 m2 in area, is managed and protected by the Cantaan Multipurpose Cooperative led by Alona Cordero.
It is essentially a coral reef community with about 2,443 mature clams of six species, most of which are considered endangered. The largest of these species is Tridacna gigas, the individuals of which are now more than 90 cm long, and could weigh a hundred kilograms or more.
Most of the restocked clams are sexually mature, and many of them are spawning and producing baby clams. There are probably more than 500 of the small clams. About 300 of them were introduced into a marine protected area in Dapitan City in 2010.
This is the first report of restocked clams breeding naturally in a reserve. The clams have improved the coral reef structure of Cantaan.
Again, here is a conservation project that is successful because of the initiative of an NGO, with the assistance of a private foundation, an academic institution, and a foreign donor.
The third example is a No-take Marine Reserve on the island of Mantigue, a small island off the town of Mahinog on the island of Camiguin.
This reserve was established 11 years ago by the municipal government of Mahinog, which passed an ordinance setting up this small reserve.
A small community of fishers on the island, aided by a Pew Fellowship grant to an academic institution, and the town and provincial officials, managed and protected the biodiversity and the fishery resources of the island.
As evidence of the good protection, the fish biomass in the reserve became high, more than 100 tons/km2 in 2010. There is no doubt that the reserve exports adult fish and fish larvae to areas outside the reserve, thus, helping to sustain small scale fisheries around the island.
