View of Canlucani Marine
Sanctuary, Dapitan City. (Photo by J. Maypa)
Two new marine reserves in the Mindanao (Bohol) Sea within the territory
of Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte have been established by the local
governments of the two villages (barangays) of Canlucani and Napo (see map
on page 2: 11 & 14. These initiatives were led by their Barangay Captains,
Edna Abad of Canlucani and Vicente Sanico of Napo, assisted by Cyril Patangan
of the Office of the Agriculturist, Office of the Mayor of Dapitan City.
The reserves, both with areas of nine hectares, are no-take in nature, and
are intended to conserve biodiversity and to enhance fish yields for local
fishers. Community organizers of SUAKCREM are working to strengthen the
barangay people’s organizations, to educate the people on marine ecology,
and to plan for non-extractive income-generation activities.
This development brings to a total of five marine reserves in the marine
waters of Dapitan City established under the Pew Marine Conservation Program
of Pew Fellows Angel Alcala and Garry Russ. These marine reserves are Selinog,
Baylimango, Canlucani, Carang, and Napo. The sixth reserve to be established
in these waters by December 2002 is Aliguay Island.
Two more marine reserves are in the process of being
established in the Mindanao Sea: Baobawan Islets in Plaridel town, Misamis
Occidental province and Malimono reserve, in Surigao del Norte province.
Dr. Lowell Taclob, a practicing physician in New Jersey, has given financial
support for Baobawon. Dr. Teresita Tumapon, President of Surigao State College
of Technology, leads the project. Mayor E. Bulawin of Plaridel and Mayor
Sandigan of Malimono are solidly behind these two projects.
To summarize, the achievements of the Alcala-Russ Pew
Fellows Program in Marine Conservation as of September 2002 are as follows:
Number of marine reserves established in 1999-2002, eight (five in Dapitan
City, three on Camiguin); number in the process of being established, three;
number of old reserves assisted and/or strengthened seven (three in the
Negros-Cebu-Bohol area, two on Camiguin Island, and two in southeastern
Negros Oriental); a total of 18. Furthermore, the Program is linking with
more than a dozen reserves in the Mindanao Sea, Tañon Strait, and Sulu Sea
(see map). Most of these reserves are managed by local communities and local
government units.
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Pew Fellows Angel Alcala and Garry Russ have been working
on fish data from the marine reserves they have established. One paper has
been published (see list of publications), one has been accepted for publication
but being revised, and two being revised for future publication. Both Fellows
will present a paper on community managed marine reserves in the Annual Meeting
of Fellows at Bonaire on October 19-24, 2002.
Findings and New
Discovery in Southern Negros
Ely L. Alcala
Bent-toed
cave gecko - possibly a new species discovered in one of he Pinamayan
caves, Cauayan, Negros Occidental. (Photo by E. Alcala)
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The
recent surveys conducted in southern Negros identified the last remaining
limestone forest of Negros Island. The forest is estimated to be at least
one thousand hectares and exists as several fragments. It is located between
the towns of Cauayan and Sipalay, Negros Occidental, an area known for its
critical condition being a rebel lair and a watershed area.
Our studies show that the Negros
Cave Frog, originally discovered in Basay, is also present in the area.
Possibly a new species of gekkonid lizard was also discovered in one of the
limestone forest fragments in the area (see inset picture). In addition to
this, several species of endangered birds were identified during the study.
Birds are not part of the present study.
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Last remaining limestone
forest of Cauyan and Sipalay, Negros Occidental. (Photo by E. Alcala) |
These
findings have led the Silliman biologists to push for the protection of the
area in pursuing further the objectives of the project, which is to launch
an information campaign and advocacy training program in the said area. With
the modest grant from the ARCBC, the project is presently pursuing community
work in the study sites and has established linkages with the local governments
of Sipalay and Cauayan, Negros Occidental and with the Binhi Foundation, an
NGO doing advocacy work in the area.
ARCBC Mammal and Herpetofauna Project Donates Communication
Equipment for Forest Protection
The SUAKCREM ARCBC-supported project entitled “Responses
of the Herpetological and Mammalian Faunas of Negros Island, Philippines to
Fragmentation of the Tropical Rain Forest” recently donated communication
equipment to the municipality of Cauayan, Negros Occidental. The equipment
comprise of VHF transceivers and antenna worth at least 35,000 pesos. The
recipients of the units are the municipal Bantay Bukid Brigade (BBB) volunteers
based in the mountains of
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Ely Alcala (2nd
from left) turning over radio handset to Mayor Tabujara during the
turnover. Witnessing the event are Camalandaan kagawad Ledesma (left),
Rev. Porfirio Alcala (3rd from the left), Mr. Jemuel Dulla (4th from
left) and Camalandaan Brgy captain (right). |
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Penamay-an Cauayan. The equipment will facilitate
the monitoring of the forest by the BBB, and will provide communication services
for the hinterland Sitio of Penamay-an in Barangay Camalandaan, Municipality
of Cauayan, Negros Occidental. The ASEAN Regional Center for Biodiversity
Conservation (ARCBC) is based in College, Los Baños, Laguna. The turning over
of equipment was done on August 10, 2002. Project leader Ely Alcala, personally
handed over the equipment to Cauayan Mayor Jerry Tabujara, who in turn gave
them to the BBB. This ceremony was witnessed by the BBB group, and the Camalandaan
Barangay Captain.
