NIPAS system-wide Ecological Gap Assessment and Priority Setting to date:
For the past ten years, the Philippine Hotspot has undergone a series of ecological assessments to determine the adequacy of existing protected area system and over-all biodiversity conservation initiatives. Spearheaded by the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (PAWB-DENR) together with Conservation International (CI) and the University of the Philippines, the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priority-Setting Program (PBCPP) was completed in 2002 with 170 Terrestrial and 36 Marine Conservation Priority Areas (CPAs) delineated. The priority areas were identified based on combined experience of experts making the best use of available data and the consensus of the different thematic groups (plants, arthropods, herps, birds, mammals, inland waters and socio-economic). Although it was a critical and successful first step in identifying priority conservation sites in the country, many of the resulting priority areas were very large, and proved to be not practical from a manageability and funding availability perspective. Moreover, the priority areas lacked the quantitative data showing presence of target species for immediate action.
By identifying the Important Bird Areas (IBAs), Haribon Foundation and Birdlife International addressed the need for extensive data collection whilst going through the process of reviewing and spatially referencing all relevant existing information on birds to identify Key Conservation Sites. To address the shortcomings of the PBCPP, PAWB-DENR together with CI Philippines and Haribon Foundation began the process of applying the IBA framework for other taxonomic groups to refine the PBCPP priority areas into manageable areas or “Key Biodiversity Areas”.
The Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are sites that encompass habitat critical to the survival of globally threatened and geographically concentrated species. The identification of KBAs follows strict criteria followed world-wide based on the presence of viable populations of species requiring urgent conservation action. The fundamental criteria for identifying key biodiversity areas which we have used are:
1. vulnerability - defined as those that support geographically concentrated species; and
2. irreplaceability - defined as those that support the regular presence of significant numbers of one or more globally threatened species.
Emerging Conservation Priorities:
Using the two criteria, 128 Key Biodiversity Areas have been identified for the Philippines. One hundred and nineteen (119) KBAs overlaps with one or more CPAs and eight KBAs have been identified outside of the CPAs.
Out of the 109 protected areas (PAs) established under NIPAS as of 2009, only 61 PAs overlap with 52 KBAs. This means that only 41% of the KBAs benefit from official safeguard status in the Philippines. The remaining 76 KBAs (59%) lack formal government protection. In addition, 51 sites were identified as Candidate KBAs or research priorities based on historical data or habitat suitability. They are priority for field validation to determine the presence of the target species that will trigger the designation of such areas as KBAs.
System-wide Programmatic Priorities:
Typically, the approach for establishing the baseline and then advancing in each of these areas can be summarized as follows:
Element 1: Ecologically representative: Continue national ecological gap assessment taking off from the KBA initiative.
As outlined above, activities completed under the national ecological gap assessment include:
a. Assemble taxonomy of all key national ecological habitats, and of all classes of national protected areas (e.g. IUCN classes 1 through VI)
b. Assemble all existing data on national habitat distribution and National protected area boundaries, compile into compatible GIS data layers
c. Obtain / create data layers for missing habitats, protected areas, etc.
d. Create master national mapping system of national habitats and protected areas coverage
e. Analyze for representation of major habitats in national protected areas system
The following documents are included as addendums in support of above accomplishments:
1. Addendum B. Map showing the protected areas in the country including their classifications
2. Addendum C. The KBA Process
3. Addendum D. Key Biodiversity Areas in the Philippines
4. Addendum E. KBA/NIPAS overlay including a list of KBAs not included in the NIPAS
5. Addendum F. Republic Act 7586 – An Act providing the establishment and management of National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), defining its scope and coverage, and for other purposes
6. Addendum G. DENR Memorandum Circular 2004-09 –Amending DMC 35 series of 1993 re: Criteria and Guidelines for Categorization of Protected Areas under the NIPAS
7. Addendum H. Republic Act No. 9147 – An Act Providing for the conservation and protection of wildlife resources and their habitats, appropriating funds therefore and for other purposes (Wildlife Act).
8. Addendum I. Memorandum Circular 2007-02: Guidelines on the establishment and management of Critical Habitats
Activities still to be completed include:
f. Analyze the ecosystem services benefits of different current and potential protected areas (carbon sequestration, climate adaptation, freshwater management, etc.)
g. Establish meaningful national targets for biodiversity habitat protection, ecosystem service protection and climate mitigation & management for the national protected areas system
h. Prioritize management of current and creation of new protected areas to achieve representative national targets for protected areas system with strengthened ecosystem services values to the national economy
i. Identify Protected Areas for disestablishment under NIPAS for transition to a new management regime
j. Conduct further ecological studies within candidate KBAs to determine its eligibility as an important conservation area that necessitates formal protection
Thus, under program element 1, this project seeks to provide funding for the conservation and protection of KBAs that are not covered by the current protected area system. In line with the country’s commitment to the CBD’s Program of Work for Protected Areas (POWPA), activities f - j. will be completed: a selection process and criteria identification will be undertaken to prioritize KBAs that need to be declared as a protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS). This will be part of the key milestones in the national strategic protected area plan for the Philippine Hotspot to be developed under this project.
Element 2: Effectively managed: Conduct a national management effectiveness assessment.
a. Select a consistent management effectiveness assessment tool for protected areas and a service provider who can implement it or assist local protected areas staff to implement it
b. Select a representative sample of protected areas to conduct the assessments
c. Conduct the assessments to understand the standard of management and governance across the national protected areas system
d. Compile the findings, and analyze to establish the overall strengths and weaknesses of the capacity and management effectiveness of the national protected areas agency
e. Develop a capacity action plan to address the key areas requiring strengthening to secure the biodiversity, ecosystem service protection and climate mitigation & management objectives
f. Design and implement a program to strengthen targeted management and governance capacities
Element 3: Supported by key stakeholders and communities: Conduct a national protected areas system stakeholder engagement assessment followed by suitable interventions:
a. For a sample of key national protected areas system sites, assess the level of community knowledge, attitudes, engagement and behaviors toward the protected areas and their key conservation objectives,
b. Design and implement a series of social marketing campaigns and governance and management capacity building interventions at these sites to engage stakeholders and build support and engagement of these communities in the protection and management of the protected areas. Strengthen access, benefit sharing and participation of local and indigenous communities in the Protected Area Governance to support the sustained achievement of national protected areas’ biodiversity, economic, cultural and climate benefits.
Element 4: Sustainably funded: Conduct a national sustainable funding assessment:
a. Compile existing budget and funding data for the national protected area system and a suitable sample of its individual component protected areas
b. Estimate the overall cost centers and therefore budget needed annually to fund the protected areas system at differing levels of management effectiveness (status quo, low and high levels of effectiveness)
c. Analyze the adequacy and levels and diversity of current funding sources for the national protected areas system in comparison to the actual and alternative desired funding levels, determine funding “gap”
d. Conduct high-level analysis of the economic value and contribution of national protected areas system
e. Analyze key economic factors to propose alternative potential new funding mechanisms for further investigation (e.g. increased national budget allocations, introduction of fees, development of ecotourism, sale of carbon credits, etc.)
Element 5: Managed for climate adaptation and mitigation: Imbue work streams 1 – 4 above with climate analysis and expertise to:
a. Understand the carbon sequestration and storage, and climate adaptation value and potential of both the national protected areas system and key protected areas within the system
b. Target the expansion of ecological representation of national protected areas system, its management, governance & engagement and funding so as to maximize those benefits, for example by enhancing connectivity and adequate protected area buffer zones.
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