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[av_heading heading=’More endangered species sighted in Panay forests’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
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January 23, 2018
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ILOILO City – Sightings of five endemic but endangered species in the Panay Mountain Range (PMR) increased by 18.5 percent – from 65 in 2014 to 77 in 2017, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
These endangered species are the Rafflesia speciosa flora and the Visayan spotted deer, Visayan warty pig, Panay monitor lizard and Visayan writhed-billed hornbill.
The increased sightings were a sign that joint efforts to reduce habitat loss due to deforestation and forest degradation in the PMR and 23 adjacent municipalities were working, according to DENR.
The department has partnered with the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, and others to preserve the PMR.
The efforts were implemented under the Forest and Climate Protection in Panay Phase II project, which will end next month. It is part of the International Climate Initiative.
Almost 149,000 hectares of protected forests and 30,049 hectares of critical habitats were established (with 33,570 hectares more planned); 20 Forest Land Use Plans were drafted with local communities; and 725 community-based forest rangers were trained to enforce relevant laws.
To encourage the communities to sustain the measures, they were linked with income opportunities from agroforestry and upland agriculture.
Dr. Klaus Schmitt, principal advisor of GIZ, said 18,732 hectares of natural forests were covered by protection and rehabilitation agreements, including 1,500 upland farmers and forest-dependent communities.
These enhanced agroforestry assets, especially coffee, cacao and abaca, have high potential for income in the next few years, he said.
The agreements included the establishment of more than 1,600 ha of agroforestry and upland agricultural areas, and reforestation and enrichment planting more than 1,100 ha.
Climate-friendly and lower-cost biomass energy using rice husks was also introduced to power four rice dryers.
The forest protection, reforestation and enrichment planting efforts lead to reduced carbon dioxide emission from forest destruction in the Panay Mountain Range of 249,858 tons over the course of the last 3.5 years or 71,388 t annually.
These and other good practices will be discussed in detail in the project’s closing event today in this city. (DENR/PN)
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