Saving the Philippine Rainforests
Cory was working as expedition leader and project manager for the Philippine NGO Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation Inc. (NFEFI). The project area was part of the North Negros Forest Reserve (NNFR), a mountainous patch of rainforest at 850m-1500m above sea level.
Project area
The Philippines are exceptionally rich in biodiversity with over 57% of species of fauna and flora being endemic. However, the Philippines also has one of the highest rates of tropical forest loss, declining from 70% to 18% cover in the last 100 years. Approximately 60% of the endemic Philippine flora are now extinct. The moist forests of the Philippines are the eighth most vulnerable forest eco-region in the world. Negros, one of the larger of the Philippines 7,000 islands, has only 3% of its original forest cover left compared to the Philippines. The NNFR is the largest remaining area of wet evergreen rain forest on Negros.
Project purpose
The project utilises trained volunteers to collect baseline biodiversity data in order to increase the understanding of the ecological dynamics and community composition of the different habitat types within the tropical montane cloud forest. This data will quantitatively underpin the development of integrated community-driven management recommendations for the conservation and sustainable use of the biodiversity of the region.
Project Role
To project manage Negros Rainforest Conservation Project, including the management of up to 45 Filipino staff, UK and Filipino voluntary staff. To ensure the project budget, plant and equipment are in line with organisational expectations and all buildings and systems are in good order. To ensure safe operating protocols are implemented and scientific data is collected with rigor. To develop environmental projects with the local community e.g. local farming schemes, health issues training, local school visits and eco-tourism initiatives.
Natural challenges
The Philippines is a country with more natural disasters than anywhere in the world. Remember Mt Pinatubo exploding in 1991 when ash thrown up from the explosion reached a height of 40km up in the atmosphere? El Ninio brings terrible winds and storms every few years, typhoons are common place, as are earthquakes. One night during Cory’s stay an earthquake measuring 5 on the Richter scale was recorded. There have been numerous other minor tremors. The site was only 40km to the nearest live volcano. In December 2003 there was 979mm of rain fall at the project site. The rain and accompanying wind brought down lots of trees locally, but on other neighbouring local islands, it brought devastating landslides and flooding which killed hundreds of people. These landslides were as a result of deforestation on the islands. Much of this is caused by illegal logging.
January 7, 2005
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Cory was working as expedition leader and project manager for the Philippine NGO Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation Inc. (NFEFI). The project area was part of the North Negros Forest Reserve (NNFR), a mountainous patch of rainforest at 850m-1500m above sea level.
Project area
The Philippines are exceptionally rich in biodiversity with over 57% of species of fauna and flora being endemic. However, the Philippines also has one of the highest rates of tropical forest loss, declining from 70% to 18% cover in the last 100 years. Approximately 60% of the endemic Philippine flora are now extinct. The moist forests of the Philippines are the eighth most vulnerable forest eco-region in the world. Negros, one of the larger of the Philippines 7,000 islands, has only 3% of its original forest cover left compared to the Philippines. The NNFR is the largest remaining area of wet evergreen rain forest on Negros.
Project purpose
The project utilises trained volunteers to collect baseline biodiversity data in order to increase the understanding of the ecological dynamics and community composition of the different habitat types within the tropical montane cloud forest. This data will quantitatively underpin the development of integrated community-driven management recommendations for the conservation and sustainable use of the biodiversity of the region.
Project Role
To project manage Negros Rainforest Conservation Project, including the management of up to 45 Filipino staff, UK and Filipino voluntary staff. To ensure the project budget, plant and equipment are in line with organisational expectations and all buildings and systems are in good order. To ensure safe operating protocols are implemented and scientific data is collected with rigor. To develop environmental projects with the local community e.g. local farming schemes, health issues training, local school visits and eco-tourism initiatives.
Natural challenges
The Philippines is a country with more natural disasters than anywhere in the world. Remember Mt Pinatubo exploding in 1991 when ash thrown up from the explosion reached a height of 40km up in the atmosphere? El Ninio brings terrible winds and storms every few years, typhoons are common place, as are earthquakes. One night during Cory’s stay an earthquake measuring 5 on the Richter scale was recorded. There have been numerous other minor tremors. The site was only 40km to the nearest live volcano. In December 2003 there was 979mm of rain fall at the project site. The rain and accompanying wind brought down lots of trees locally, but on other neighbouring local islands, it brought devastating landslides and flooding which killed hundreds of people. These landslides were as a result of deforestation on the islands. Much of this is caused by illegal logging.
January 7, 2005
« back