DENR, USAID to strengthen biodiversity protection in Aurora

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Aurora has tied up with the Protect Wildlife Project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to map out plans for the conservation and protection of the remaining biodiversity in the province.

Don Guevarra, information officer of DENR Central Luzon, said the Protect Wildlife Project is the first USAID initiative in the Philippines to align with the US government’s newly signed Eliminate, Neutralize and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Law of 2016, which addresses global wildlife trade.??

On the other hand, Alfredo Collado, PENRO Aurora chief, explained that the province of Aurora is covered with more than 70 percent of second growth forests and home to unique plants and animal species including the Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) and Raflessia consueloae, the smallest species of the biggest flower that can be found in the Sierra Madre mountain range.??

“This biodiversity needs our utmost protection because they maintain the balance of ecosystem and provides numerous benefits to local communities,” Collado noted.??He said the crafting of the Aurora biodiversity strategy and action plan anchored in the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP) will help boost the conservation of the province’s rich natural resources including the four newly legislated protected areas (PA).??

Under Republic Act No. 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System Act of 2018, these newly legislated PA are the Amro River (6,431 hectares) in Casiguran and Dinalungan towns; Dinadiawan River (3,366 hectares) in Dipaculao and Dinalungan towns; Simbahan Talagas (2,284 hectares) in Dinalungan town and the Talaytay Protected Landscape (3,598 hectares) in Dinalungan and Casiguran towns.??

Other important protected areas are the more than 5,000-hectare Aurora Memorial National Park in Maria Aurora and San Luis towns in Aurora and Bongabon town of Nueva Ecija; Calabgan watershed forest reserve (4,803 hectares) in Casiguran town; Dipaculao watershed forest reserve (1,786 hectares) in Dipaculao town; Aurora watershed forest reserve (430 hectares) in Baler; and Dibalo-Pingit-Zabali-Malayat watershed forest reserve (4,528 hectares) in Baler and San Luis towns.??

Meanwhile, Felix Mendoza, field site manager of Wildlife Protect Project, said the localization of the PBSAP in Aurora aims to contribute in the reduction of biodiversity threats, reduction of poaching and use of illegally harvested wildlife and wildlife products.??

“We need to localize our national strategy so that local folks would understand the importance of protecting our biodiversity and help in the improvement of ecosystem goods and services that will benefit our wildlife conservation efforts,” he said.??He pointed out that the plan will also deal with policy, governance and financing biodiversity in Aurora to better conserve its natural resources.??

Biodiversity is defined as the variety of life forms on earth and this includes plants, animals, fishes, insects, fungi and micro-organisms, and the interaction among them.