Political Ecologies in Action, Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Philippines
Case Study C0192
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| Date | October 2004 |
| Agency | GEF COMPACT Initiative |
| Donor/support agency | PANLIPI Cabayugan Underground River Multi-Purpose Cooperative Various local NGOs, cooperatives and community based organisations |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Protected area |
| Geographic coverage | Philippines |
| Locality | Palawan Province |
| Biodiversity focus | Ecosystem/landscape |
| Development focus | Local commnunities |
| Conservation goals | Conserve the bodiversity of Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park |
| Poverty reduction goals | Promote the development of alternative sustainable income generating activities |
Summary
Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park was inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1999 and covers a total of 20,202 ha. The WH site includes the national park, with a core zone of 3,901 ha, plus a buffer zone of 18,301 ha. The territory of the park is biologically rich in forest formations and features a limestone landscape, beneath which flows an underground river which has attracted visitors since the middle of the nineteenth century. Furthermore, the park protects 52% of the 305 species found so far on Palawan, and 50% of the 76 species endemic to the island. The park’s territory and surroundings are inhabited by the Batak people and Tagbanua communities. Most of the Tagbaunas practice swidden agriculture, and earn a livelihood through the gathering of rattan and almaciga resin for making varnish and paints. Tourism has also been developing in the area. Critical threats to the biodiversity of Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park identified in the COMPACT* baseline assessment include: (i) logging; (ii) mining of marble; (iii) over-harvest of non-timber forest products, such as rattan and resin; (iv) uncontrolled tourism development; and (v) damage to watersheds.
As a result of the problems highligted by the baseline assessment, between 2000 and 2004 COMPACT approved several projects that fall into the following main categories: (i) low impact ecotourism; (ii) agricultural intensification and crop diversification. On account of severe over-harvesting of certain key resources beyond their regenerative capacity, COMPACT also promoted the conversion of large forest areas into a strict protection area.
* In 1999, the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (SGP) joined efforts with the United Nations Foundation (UNF) to launch a partnership initiative entitled ‘Community Management of Protected Areas for Conservation’ (COMPACT). The goal of COMPACT is to demonstrate how community-based initiatives can significantly increase the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation in the co-management of globally significant protected areas by working to improve the livelihoods of local populations. COMPACT began in March 2000 and has been implemented at natural World Heritage sites in Belize (C0187), Dominica (C0189), Kenya (C0190), Mexico (C0188), Philippines (C0192) and Tanzania (C0191). (For more information on COMPACT see initiative n°36.)
Conservation impact
Some of the impacts of the project to date:
- COMPACT supported projects designed to promote more sustainable long-line fishing methods, to be used outside the overexploited Ulugan Bay
- Bamboo and fruit trees were planted to stabilize the banks of a major tributary of the underground river
- Data were collected on the impacts of over-fishing and destructive fishing methods, chemical pollution, waste disposal, and siltation
Poverty reduction impact
Some of the impacts of the project to date:
- More sustainable rice cultivation methods using organic fertilizers and pesticides, high-yielding rice varieties, and fish cultivation in rice paddies were adopted and are expected to reduce pollution of the river and to increase yields by over 60%
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Enabling local participation in policy-/decision- making processes
Ecoagriculture
Provision of alternative livelihoods
Reference 1
http://www.undp.org/sgp/download/publications/Partnerships%20for%20conservation%20-%20web.pdf
More information
Angelita B. Cunanan
Tel/Fax: (632) (48) 434-5684
E-mail: compact@mozcom.com
Related records above this one:
- Global Environment Facility (GEF) (Organisation O0026)
- COMPACT (Community Management of Protected Areas for Conservation) (Initiative I0036)