By Dona Z. Pazzibugan, Philippine Daily Inquirer
The world-renowned Tubbataha Reefs diving
site off Palawan and the Mt. Hamiguitan forest in Davao Oriental have
been officially recognized as among Southeast Asia’s most treasured
parks.
During their meeting in Vientiane, Laos, last month, environment
ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean) approved the inclusion of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and
the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary among the Asean Heritage
Parks.
The approval brings to 35 the number of Asean Heritage Parks, seven of which are in the Philippines.
Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said the designation of the
Tubbataha and Mt. Hamiguitan national protected areas as regional
heritage parks was long overdue since the two had been recognized as
Unesco World Heritage Sites.
The five other Asean Heritage Parks in the country are Mt. Apo
Natural Park, Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park and Mt. Malindang Range
Natural Park—all in Mindanao; Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park in Occidental
Mindoro; and Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve in Laguna.
“This latest recognition indicates that the natural characteristics
of both Tubbataha and Mt. Hamiguitan are so exceptional that they
deserve to be protected for the benefit of everyone in Southeast Asia,”
Paje said in a statement.
Asean Heritage Parks are marked off as areas “of high conservation importance” as key biodiversity areas.
Located 181 kilometers southeast of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan,
the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is at the very center of the Sulu Sea.
The park contains roughly 10,000 hectares of coral reefs and more
than 86,000 hectares of surrounding waters, lying at the heart of the
Coral Triangle, the center of global marine biodiversity.
The Tubbataha marine sanctuary is home to diverse marine life,
including at least half of all coral species in the world and about 80
percent of all coral species in the Philippines.
Green sea and hawksbill turtles, as well as rays and sharks, are
common in the reefs. Pelagics such as tuna, mackerel, jacks and
barracuda are observed in schools near the reef crests.
The Tubbataha marine sanctuary was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1993.
Established in 2004, the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary
covers 6,834 hectares of seven barangays (villages) in Davao Oriental.
Standing at 1,637 meters, Mt. Hamiguitan is surrounded by forest
land, including a bonsai field or “pygmy” forest of 100-year-old trees
on ultramafic soil.
The trees within the mossy pygmy forest stand an average of only 1.4
meters, with a diameter of eight centimeters. One of the dominant
species that can be found only in this forest type is the tinikaran or
red fig tree (scientific name Wendlandia nervosa).
Other rare plant species found on Mt. Hamiguitan include the slipper
orchid, nepenthes, staghorn fern, rhododendrons and Philippine
hardwoods, such as yakal and tangile.
