Mangrove conservation in Western Visayas

BACOLOD City Philippines  â€“ Two environment groups from London and Germany are funding mangrove conservation projects in various local government units in Western Visayas, including Negros Occidental.

These groups are the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), a conservation organization, and Deustche Gesselsschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), based in Germany.

The two groups, in partnership with the German Agency for International Cooperation and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), conducted last week a three-day forum on the conservation of mangrove, beach forests and fishponds in Western Visayas at Palmas del Mar Resort in Bacolod City.

The forum brought together about 100 participants from the DENR, DA-BFAR, local government units, non-government organizations, people’s organizations, academe, private sector and other research institutions.

GIZ chief adviser Patrick Schwab said GIZ and ZSL will identify sites for mangrove reforestation and will provide funding for the respective LGUs.

GIZ and ZSL have identified the cities of Bago and Sagay, both in Negros Occidental, to be included in their list for mangrove plantation/reforestation.

Bago City has a total of 425 hectares documented fishpond area of which 32.5 hectares are under FLA, 17.4 hectares are tax declared and 81 hectares are titled. Sagay City has a total of 2,809 hectares of documented fishpond where 575 hectares are under FLA; 1,071 hectares are tax declared and 755 hectares are with titles.

ZSL project manager Josephine Savaris said the forum aims to update developments in the regulatory framework and other government policies pertaining to mangroves and beach forests, and share findings of the GIZ-ZSL-DENR project results on mangrove conservation and rehabilitation and abandoned, underutilized, and undeveloped fishponds in Western Visayas.

The manual on Mangrove Reversion of Abandoned and Illegal Brackishwater Fishponds, Proceedings of the National Mangrove Conference was launched during the forum.

Savaris said they have assessed the sites in Pulupandan for their mangrove reforestation and will start the project in March.

ZSL consultant Wilfredo Yap disclosed that they are using technology on satellite imagery in identifying and plotting fishpond and mangrove sites around the country.