Difference between revisions of "Southern Leyte Province, Philippines"

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Southern Leyte Province, Philippines (view source)

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 ==[[Southern Leyte News]]==
-'''Crown-of-thorns starfish damages coral reefs'''
+'''Mt. Nacolod needs protection'''
-*Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/tacloban/local-news/2012/03/09/crown-thorns-starfish-damages-coral-reefs-210358
+*Source: http://leytesamardaily.net/2012/03/mt-nacolod-needs-protection/
-*Friday, March 9, 2012
+*SATURDAY MARCH 10TH 2012
-:by sunstar.com.ph
+:by Sarwell Q. Meniano
-THE infestation of poisonous crown-of-thorns starfish damaging corals reefs in Southern Leyte’s diving sites has raised alarm among authorities who are blaming climate change and over-collection of the pest predators as the culprit.
+TACLOBAN CITY – Southern Leyte’s Mt. Nacolod is being pushed as one of the new conservation areas in the country and there’s a need to protect of its 14,000 hectares forested terrain, believed to be home of several endangered birds.
-The regional office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is now making assessment report after four divers inspected the area last week to check the extent of damage wrought by “noxious” starfish.
+ Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional chief of the protected areas and wildlife division George Guillermo revealed that there’s an ongoing assessment in the area since last year to find out the biological and physical characteristics of wildlife as well as areas in the terrain occupied by people.
-Justerie Granali, acting BFAR Eastern Visayas director, said the infestation has been noted in Maasin City, and in the towns of Padre Burgos and Macrohon.
+ “This mountain range is critical to biodiversity conservation. This is categorized as New Conservation Areas Project in the Philippines (NewCAPP).  Although it’s lower in category compared to existing protected areas, but not in terms of quality,” Guillermo told Leyte Samar Daily Express.
-“We will provide technical assistance to affected local government units. We have been meeting with local officials to discuss ways on how to eliminate this starfish,” Granali said.
+ The official said they are hoping to complete the assessment this year and it will be declared as conservation area next year. The study and consultation is being carried out by DENR, German Agency for International Cooperation and several local government units and non-government organizations.
-She said there are only two ways to stop the infestation – manual removal of the starfish and underwater injection of sodium bisulfate to the pest.
+ Basic activity under the project is the biodiversity assessment, to determine the extent of plant and animal species in the area for conservation and protection. The flora and fauna survey is being done by the Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and will be completed June 2012.
-The official lamented that the growing population of crown-of-thorns has been noted when people overexploited the collection of triton trumpet, the only known predator of adult starfish.
+ At 1,007 meters above sea level, Mt. Nacolod straddles the municipalities of Silago, Saint Bernard, Libagon and Hinunangan all in Southern Leyte, has been picked as one of the nine pilot sites in the country for the New CAPP.
-“The sudden change of temperature also attributed to the overpopulation of the number of crown-of-thorns starfish,” Granali said.
+ NewCAPP aims to expand and strengthen the terrestrial protected areas system in the Philippines by developing a new protected area conservation model and build capacity for effective management of the system supported by improved systematic and institutional capacities.
-In Barangay Mantahan, Maasin City, villagers have removed in their two-day extraction at least 10,000 poisonous starfishes, barangay councilor Jani Arnaiz said.
+ The result of the survey, Guillermo said, can properly guide authorities in planning for appropriate conservation strategies in the area.
-During last week’s launching ceremony of the Sogod Bay Sustainable Marine Management Alliance, Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado said the Provincial Government has allocated P600,000 for the procurement of spear guns, chemicals and finance information drive.
+ According to the DENR, several threatened and restricted-range species of the Mindanao and Eastern Visayas Endemic Bird Areas have been recorded in Southern Leyte, and are likely to occur in the remaining forests on Mt. Nacolod. These include the critically endangered Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi, Mindanao Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba crinigera, Philippine Eagle-owl Bubo philippensis, Silvery Kingfisher Alcedo argentata, Samar hornbill Penelopides samarensis, among others.
+ Mt. Nacolod is a municipal watershed supplying water to the surrounding towns. The two significant forests on the mountain are the Buac Watershed Forest Reserve and the Hinabian-Lawigan Watershed Reservation.
-“We plan to add more funding as soon as the detailed assessment is completed by BFAR. We are scheduled to launch the community removal of damaging starfish on March 23,” Mercado said.
+ The mountain range originally covered 18,688 ha of forestland. It was declared a Forest Reserve on 25 November 1966 by Proclamation No. 121.
-The governor said the infestation is a threat to the local tourism industry.
-“Each stakeholder should show concern about the crown of thorns starfish situation,” he said.
-According to Provincial Administrator Crispin Arong Jr., the infestation has affected the tourism industry and livelihood activities of fisherfolk.
-The Southern Leyte provincial tourism office reported that the Sogod Bay has been drawing local and foreign tourists. The bay has four existing dive shops with each shop attracting an average of 200 visitors every month mostly Europeans.
-Sogod Bay covers the municipal water of Padre Burgos, Limasawa, Malitbog, Tomas Oppus, Bontoc, Sogod, Libagon, Liloan, San Francisco, San Ricardo, and Pintuyan.
-The crown-of-thorns starfishes eat the coral through sucking. A single starfish can eat five to six square meters of coral per year.
-This starfish breeds around December to April and each female is capable of producing 60 million eggs per season. It has an average size of about 10 to 20 arms.
 ==Photo Gallery of Southern Leyte, Philippines==