by Val Roque
Mga Fellow Fed Istambays,
Here is the report on the Makiling Conference on Mountain Ecosystems.
I hope that it will give you some interesting information on what has transpired
during the two day conference at Los Banos. The Makiling Center for Mountain
Ecosystems has informed me that the complete proceedings will be provided
to the participants at a later date. I will forward that to all of you
as soon as I receive it. All of what is written here just came from my
selection of findings which I think are relevant to the Fed (National Mountaineering
Federation of the Philippines), so I hope you will pardon the lack of comprehensiveness.
Val (valroq@usa.net)
The 1st National Conference on the Science and Management
of Mountain Ecosystems, held last May 28-29, 1999, provided a venue for
the sharing of research outputs as well as networking with groups
concerned with Philippine mountains.
While the papers presented were mostly scientific in nature
such as research methodologies and frameworks, there were many interesting
findings which prove to be of relevance particularly to the mountaineering
community.
Of the 120 or so participants consisting mostly of academics,
eight persons represented the mountaineering sector. These were people
coming from clubs such as the Ayala Mountaineers, Adamson University Mountaineers,
White Mountains, and the Loyola Mountaineers. Being mostly members of the
Federation, the mountaineers immediately became acquainted with each other
and shared key points that were noted during the conference. During the
sectoral workshops on the last day of the conference, the group clarified
and added points in the Makiling Declaration as well as identified ways
by which they can further concretize their commitment in preserving our
mountains.
The conference was divided into five session each with
a different topic of interest. The first session of the conference dealt
mostly with different approaches to the management of mountain ecosystems.
Of particular interest was the paper presented by Dr. Saplaco. His paper
discussed the watershed continuum which advocates for an integrated management
framework. He asserted that since the watershed is a continuum, any activities
which occur in upland areas will definitely have an impact on lowland areas.
Thus, there is a need for an integrated approach that involves all communities
in the watershed area.
For mountaineers, the implication of this paper is quite
obvious; it is a confirmation of what was known all along. It gives more
substance to the practice of not directly cleaning utensils or washing
with soap in the streams. The big picture is that the streams in the mountains
which are usually used as rest areas and lunch sites are part of the watershed
continuum. Any activity up there ultimately results into an impact to the
lowland areas.
In the second session, the presentations were mostly about
the plant diversity of Philippine mountains. There were two papers of interest
here. One, which was presented by Dr. Leonardo Co, was interesting not
just because of its research findings but also because of the way he described
the paradise that is Palanan, Isabela. While a lot of mountaineers have
been raring to go to Palanan, his research findings give a stern reminder:
the Palanan rainforest has a huge expanse of biodiverse species which are
endemic to the Philippines that extra caution should be taken in ensuring
that this pristine state is preserved.
The other paper of particular interest is the one presented
by Dr. Mandia. Her paper is similar to Dr. Co's inasmuch as she also identified
floral species. However, the interesting thing about it is her place of
study which is the summit of Mt. Halcon (Mindoro). Her findings on the
rare species of flora on the summit of Halcon surprised most of the mountaineers
who were not so much aware of the rarity of the plant species on the summit.
According to her, there is one type of fern on the summit which can only
be found on Mt. Kinabalu in Malaysia and that some other plants grow only
on the summit of Mt. Apo and Mt. Pulag. One mountaineer noted that perhaps
most climbers who have scaled Mt. Halcon never care much to appreciate
the plants up there at the summit because they are either too tired or
are simply apathetic.
The third session held on the second day of the conference
was a continuation of the discussion on the plant diversity of Philippine
mountains. Two papers were of particular interest here. The first, presented
by Ms. Belonias of the Visayas State College, discussed the species-richness
of the flora of Mt. Pangasugan, Leyte. Her findings indicate that there
is increasing species-richness of ferns in the montane region of Mt. Pangasugan.
There is an endemic species which she recorded that grows in the mountain.
Another paper of interest is the one discussed by Dr. Amoroso
of Bukidnon. What made it interesting and of shock value was his finding
that an endangered species of pteridophytes (a close cousin of ferns) exist
in the vicinity of the campsite at Mt. Kitanglad. This really bothered
most of the mountaineers in the group. Some asked out of concern what-if
questions like: What if some mountaineers decided to cut some grass for
cushioning and inadvertently cut off some of these species? Another question
was, Could it be possible that mountaineers were responsible for
the decline of this particular species since some of them do cut vegetation
for cushioning or other purposes? While these questions were speculative,
it came out of a real concern over the impact that we make in our activities.
Everybody agreed that efforts to provide more information to make mountaineers
aware and instill responsibility to them should be in order.
The fourth session of the conference discussed the animal
species found on Philippine mountains. Papers presented by Dr. Tabaranza
of Haribon Foundation and Dr. Diesmos of De La Salle University shared
two common findings. First is that diversity of animal species declines
with increasing elevation. Second is that endemicity of animal species
increases as elevation increases. The latter finding perhaps is relevant
for it compels mountaineers to be extra careful in dealing with animal
species especially at high elevations which is where camps are set up.
Given this knowledge, the justification to Leave No Trace (yes, even bio-degradable
ones) is bolstered by the possibility of these endemic (or even non-endemic)
species becoming dependent on leftovers. In addition, Dr. Diesmos says
that ferns and other plants form the microhabitat of these endemic animals.
He identified a type of fern which is the breeding ground of an endemic
species of frog. This information is important for it should make hikers
think twice about holding on to ferns and in the process inadvertently
uproot them.
In the fifth and last session, the presentations discussed
consisted mainly of field experiences. A common lesson is the importance
of a participatory approach in the design of strategic plans for ecosystems
management. Understanding cultural dynamics from the indigenous people
themselves would prove to be crucial in the success of conservation projects.
Finally, the socio-economic factors were recognized as critical factors
to be considered especially since these must be weighed along with conservation
objectives for a sustainable approach in managing mountain environments.
The conference ended with a workshop that gathered the
participants according to their sector. There were four sectors all in
all of which the mountaineering group was, not surprisingly, the smallest.
The objective of the workshop was to clarify and/or add points to the draft
document which the MCME formulated. The revised document will be called
the Mt. Makiling Declaration on the Conservation and Sustainable Management
of Philippine Mountains. Since the points of the Declaration were general
enough and acceptable, all mountaineers signed the document. The signatures
would serve as an endorsement for the Declaration as well as a symbolic
commitment to the conservation and sustainable management of Philippine
mountains.
Aside from discussing these general points, the group also
suggested specific means by which the Declaration can be concretized especially
with regard to our respective clubs. Suggestions like promoting the awareness
of endangered flora and fauna to fellow mountaineers through brochures
and other means were considered. Also, since mountaineers go to the mountains
more frequently than zoologists and botanists, it was suggested that they
help in documenting plant species in a simple way as taking a picture of
a particular place every time they pass through there. In such a manner,
changes can be tracked over time.
Finally, a proposal to create a secretariat for the exchange
of scientific information from the academics and field information from
mountaineers and NGOs was suggested. As if on cue, Dr. Edwino Fernando,
convenor of the conference and director of MCME, announced the creation
of the Philippine Mountain Forum right after the workshop. The Forum will
consist of the participants and other interested individuals linked through
an electronic network that will serve as a mechanism for information exchange.
It will facilitate the continuation of what has been started well into
the next conference in 2001.
Submitted by C.B. Razon <cbrazon@worldtelphil.com>
