Tubo?s watershed areas (Mt. Poswey, Mt. Buasao ,Mt. Sisipitan and Mt. Mugao) are endowed with rich variety of plants and animals of socio-economic importance. Through the years, these natural resources have been sustained, conserved, and protected through the LAPAT system. LAPAT literally means ?to prohibit? or ?to regulate? in local dialect. It is an indigenous practice of regulating the use of natural resources through customary laws, directing all community members to follow the practice, otherwise meted with corresponding penalties. However, in recent years, the decline in practice of the LAPAT system has been waning due to inter-marriage and influence of migrants with the Maeng tribe. The disregard of the LAPAT caused the gradual erosion of the indigenous resource management practices resulting to abusive gathering of forests products and uses of modern devices and gears that accelerated the exploitation of natural resources in the area. The weakening of the LAPAT also generates self-interest and dis-unity to some locals resulting in the application of six (6) mining claims in the area.

The proposed project aims to renew the LAPAT system to reinforce the biodiversity conservation goals in the natural resource management practice of the Maeng tribe. It intends to carry on the gains of previous community Lapat-based biodiversity conservation programs initiated in the Buasao Watershed and Mt. Poswey. This project also aspires to increase the awareness, consciousness, understanding and appreciation of the present generation about LAPAT as the indigenous environmental management of the Maeng Tribe of Tubo.

Biodiversity characteristics/ value:
According to the results of the Rapid Site Assessment conducted at Sitio Libang-Dawala, Alangtin, Tubo, Abra on April 2009, a total of 59 species of vertebrates belonging to 53 genera and 32 families were recorded. Out of the 59, 9 are mammal species; 43 bird species; 1 reptile species; and 6 amphibian species.

Some important species for conservation are Golden-crowed flying fox (endangered), Philippine warty pig (vulnerable), Luzon bleeding-heart and MontaneRac quell-tail (near threathened). For flora, the 1996 resource inventory yielded 103 tree species of high importance consisting of: Dipterocarps (ex. Palosapis, white Lauan, Apitong and red lauan) for housing purposes; premium wood species (ex. narra, dao, kamagong, kalantas and banaba) for furniture and construction; and lesser use species that are used mainly for fuel.

Sustainability of Project Initiative:
? The project will be integrated in the enhanced ADSDPP of the Municipality of Tubo. The DAP-AY (tribunal) will be monitoring the implementation of LAPAT.
? TULAS to make sure LAPAT system is practiced by community thru protection. They will sustain protection activities as they have the capacity to penalize violations of the LAPAT
? Reinforcement of LAPAT system thru LGU policies and ordiances. LAPAT shall ensure sustainability of Maeng-Tubo?s biodiversity resources