The need to conserve our protected areas

With the them "Benefits Beyond Boundaries," the 5th World Parks Congress will be held this month in Durban, South Africa. If the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg last year was dubbed Rio plus 10. The World Parks Congress is Seattle plus 50.

The first World Parks Congress was held in Seattle 50 years ago. The first National Protected park declared was the Yellowstone National Park. This park will be delisted from the UNESCO danger list. World Parks make up 12 percent of the earth. The parks are in bad shape as poachers, miners, loggers and other continue to wreak havoc on these protected areas.

The total area of all parks is equal to the combined are of China and India. Over 44,000 protected areas provide people around the world with life sustaining material, spiritual and recreational values.

In the 20th century this made up over 10 percent of the earth. Many of these parks are now in a state of irreversible balanced ecology. They are no longer sustainable and cannot provide the people of the world with much needed natural resources.

In the Philippines we have 93 protected areas and many or most of them are in a similar state. We need the political will to conserve our protected areas. Why declare them as protected if we continue to mine, explore and cut our forest in the protected areas.

One good World Heritage Site is the Ifugao Rice Terraces. It has been conserved and its culture and natural heritage are being protected by Gov. Teddy Baguilat Jr. He has taken the path to protect the Ifugao culture.

There are few success stories and this is one of them. The irony of it all is that in this day and age we have destroyed our environment, inside and outside the protected areas. We need to be vigilant and must have the political will to protect our natural capital. With the World Park Congress it is hoped that many stakeholders will. There is also a need to protect parks for the future of generations still unborn, and as the theme states protect the environment beyond boundaries. If such efforts fail, then the earth may no longer be able sustain life.

(The author is the president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines.)