Cover photo: Tamaraw amongst vegetation © Gregg Yan
Conservation and Enhancement of the Natural and Cultural Heritage of Mindoro
This program, run by the Filipino organization D’ABOVILLE Foundation, was initiated in 2012 by the French biologist Emmanuel Schütz on the behalf of the AWCSG.
This socio-environmental program primarily aims to support local stakeholders in implementing their mission and mandate in Mindoro. More specifically, the programme wishes to develop a Bio-Cultural Landscape Approach on Mindoro, integrating biodiversity conservation, sustainable development together with the rights and needs of the local communities.
The programme works in close collaboration with two local institutional partners, the Tamaraw Conservation Program (TCP) and the Protected Area Office for Mts Iglit-Baco Natural Park (PAO MIBNP), both under the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
This socio-environmental program primarily aims to support local stakeholders in implementing their mission and mandate in Mindoro. More specifically, the programme wishes to develop a Bio-Cultural Landscape Approach on Mindoro, integrating biodiversity conservation, sustainable development together with the rights and needs of the local communities.
The programme works in close collaboration with two local institutional partners, the Tamaraw Conservation Program (TCP) and the Protected Area Office for Mts Iglit-Baco Natural Park (PAO MIBNP), both under the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The program focuses its energy on the tamaraw sub-population of MIBNP, as well as those in Aruyan-Malati area and the newly identified population of the Upper Amnay Watershed Region.
Thanks to substantial progress since 2012 and strong collaboration with its local and international partners, the programme is now articulated around three main components:
Component 1: Support the TCP in its mission to protect the tamaraw and in designing and implementing the Tamaraw General Conservation Plan for the whole Mindoro Island
Main actions and activities are:
Component 2: Support the PAO to build, finalise and implement the Protected Area General Management Plan (PAGMP) for Mts Iglit-Baco National Park, ensuring that it:
The AWCSG supports its local partners and the Protected Area Office in drafting and implementing the PAGMP for MIBNP, with a specific contribution towards tamaraw conservation. The PAGMP document will be finalized in first half of 2019.
Component 3: Tamaraw ecological research to improve understanding about the species and its habitat
Thanks to substantial progress since 2012 and strong collaboration with its local and international partners, the programme is now articulated around three main components:
Component 1: Support the TCP in its mission to protect the tamaraw and in designing and implementing the Tamaraw General Conservation Plan for the whole Mindoro Island
Main actions and activities are:
- Conduct surveys in locations where the species is still suspected to persist
- Reinforce capacities of the TCP and tamaraw rangers through better equipment, methodology and by developing specific patrolling strategies
- Measure threats and human pressure in the three tamaraw locations
- Develop alternative assessment methods to monitor tamaraw population within Mts Iglit-Baco Natural Park and in the two other locations
- Help in organising and contributing to the next Tamaraw PHVA workshop
- Help define a long-term vision and conservation strategy for the species across Mindoro
Component 2: Support the PAO to build, finalise and implement the Protected Area General Management Plan (PAGMP) for Mts Iglit-Baco National Park, ensuring that it:
- integrates the rights and needs of the residing indigenous communities
- address the ecological requirements of the tamaraw
- increases potential distribution of the species and restore habitat quality
The AWCSG supports its local partners and the Protected Area Office in drafting and implementing the PAGMP for MIBNP, with a specific contribution towards tamaraw conservation. The PAGMP document will be finalized in first half of 2019.
Component 3: Tamaraw ecological research to improve understanding about the species and its habitat
- This component is developed in close collaboration with the AWCSG and is in line with the agendas of the two institutional partners.