jose don t de alban, state of philippine forest and important biodiversity areas (ibas)

State ofthe Philippine Forest

andImportant Biodiversity

AreasRound Table Discussion on the Resource Valuation Manual

Quezon City11 March 2005

Jose Don T. De AlbanConservation Science Research Department

Haribon Foundation

State of Philippine Forests

• The Philippines needs an ideal 54% of forest cover to maintain its natural ecological processes (Sajise, 1996)

• The Philippines has 23% of forest cover left (NAMRIA, 1988)

• 8.02% of remaining Philippine forest cover is under existing mining permits* & active timber license agreements**

• 37% will potentially be opened to mining if the mining industry is revitalized

State of Philippine Forests

* as of 29 February 2004** as of 30 November 2004

Important Biodiversity Areas

In the Philippines,a total of 117

important biodiversity areas (IBA)has been identified,

using a set of international criteria, to determine

globally significant areasfor biodiversity conservation

Important Biodiversity Areas

95 important biodiversity areas(81% of total IBAs)

are found on forest habitats

• 18 IBAs are threatened by existing mining permits*, 17 by active TLAs**, and 2 by both

• 82 potentially threatened by revitalized mining industry

Threats to IBAs

* as of 29 February 2004** as of 30 November 2004

• The Philippines has The Philippines has 1818 identified identified major river basinsmajor river basins

• 1313 out of out of 1818 major river basins major river basins have forest cover below have forest cover below 20%20% of of its total areaits total area

Major WatershedsMajor Watersheds

The Philippine forestis in a critical state

and the country is now in danger of

losingthis vital natural

resource!

THANK YOUVERY MUCH!