Ilog Hilabangan Watershed Forest Reserve (IHWFR) in Negros Island is the 11th largest watershed in the Philippines with an area of 10,400.06 hectares. It is one of the least known remaining forest patches in Negros Occidental. The Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priorities Project (PBCPP) considers the area as having Insufficient Data to establish its priority category.
The Resource Basic Inventory conducted in 2004, however revealed that IHWFR harbors habitat of Philippine endemic species of birds such as: the Philippine Hawk Eagle Spizaetus philippensis, White-eared Brown Dove Phapitreron leucotis, Pink Bellied Imperial Pigeon Ducula poliocephala, Blue-naped Parrot Tanygnathus lucionensis, Blue-crowned Racquet-tailed Prioniturus discurus, Philippine Coucal Centropus viridis, the Philippine Scops-owl Otus megalotis, the Tarictic Hornbill Penelopides panini, Walden?s Hornbill Aceros waldeni and White-winged Cuckoo-shrike Coracina ostenta, Of these Philippine endemics, four are identified as globally threatened and included the Blue-naped Parrot Tanygnathus lucionensis, the Tarictic Hornbill Penelopides panini, Walden?s Hornbill Aceros waldeni, White-winged Cuckoo-shrike Coracina ostenta. Likewise, all these threatened species are Western Visayan endemics. The two Hornbills are categorized as critically threatened and C. ostenta as presently vulnerable. While the Blue-naped Parrot T. lucionensis is considered as near threatened.
RBI results showed also that there are eleven species of mammals found in the area. These are Haplonycteris fischeri, Cynopterus brachyotis, Macroglossus minimus and Ptenochirus jagori, Visayan Spotted Deer Cervus alfredi and the Palm Civet Cat Paradoxurus hermaphroditus. The Visayan Warty Pig Sus cebifrons and the Visayan Spotted Deer Cervus alfredi are Western Visayan endemics and currently considered by IUCN as globally endangered.
The flora of Ilog-Hilabangan Watershed Forest Reserve is characterized by the presence of important endemic species such as: Almon Shorea almon, Apitong Dipterocarpus grandiflorous, Bagtikan Parashorea malanonan, Red Lawa-an Shorea negrosensis, Red Nato Palaquium luzoniense, Tangile Shorea polysperma and White Lawa-an Shorea contarta.
However, Negros also has one of the highest rates of tropical forest loss. Now it only has 4% of its original forest cover (Turner et al., 2001). Approximately 60% of endemic Philippine flora is now extinct. This poses a great threat to many endemic vertebrate species such as threatened hornbills (Penelopides panini and Aceros waldeni), the endangered Philippine spotted deer (Cervus alfredi), and the Philippine warty pig (Sus cebifrons (WCSP 1997). The latter two species have been extirpated from 95% of their former range (Cox 1987) having once been common throughout the West Visayas but are now extinct on the islands of Cebu, Guimaras and Masbate. Their status and distribution on Negros is very poorly known and information is urgently needed for effective conservation and management.
The Ilog-Hilabangan Watershed Forest Reserve is located within the political jurisdiction of the cities of Himamaylan and Kabankalan in the province of Negros Occidental. It lies between the mountain boundaries of Himamaylan and Kabankalan Cities, Negros Occidental. It is bounded in the north by the City of Himamaylan, in south by the City of Kabankalan, and in the east by the Municipalities of Tayasan and Ayungon of Negros Oriental. The greater portion of the project falls under the administrative jurisdiction of Himamaylan City leaving almost one third (1/3) on the side of Kabankalan City. This is specifically located within barangays of Tan-awan and Carol-an of the City of Kabankalan and Brgy. Buenavista of the city of Himamaylan.
Just like any watersheds in the Philippines IHWFR is already threatened and in a critical stage. Despite being a NIPAS initial component by virtue of the Presidential Proclamation No 602 issued on June 1990, it has not been effectively protected and managed.
The stakeholders of the IHWFR took an initiative to come up with a Memorandum of Agreement on the co-management of the watershed forest reserve with the Local Government Code as the basis for the protection, conservation and rehabilitation of the area. The IHWFR Watershed Council was thus created through a Co-Management Agreement signed by various stakeholders in October 6, 2005. Co-management strategy has been established through Joint DENR-DILG-LGU Memorandum Circular No. 2003-01 on the subject of strengthening and institutionalizing the DENR-DILG-LGU Partnership on Devolved and other Forest Management functions.
Cognizant of the threats at the IHWFR, in 2006, the NEDF in partnership with the City of Kabankalan and City of Himamaylan, CENRO Kabankalan and other stakeholders implemented the Ilog Hilabangan Watershed Forest Reserve Biodiversity Conservation Project funded by Haribon Foundation. The project was able to organize and capacitate 40 Bantay Gubat Volunteers and Ilog Hilabangan Watershed Forest Reserve Management Council (IHWFRMC) and formulated the Development and Management Plan and its Operating Guidelines.

All interventions of SGP project within the watershed are anchored on the Area Development and Management Plan of IHWFR. The SGP will cover the Capacity & Institution Building Component (PO level ? Cross visit of BGVs); Natural Resources Management Component (rehabilitation of 30 hectares denuded areas, support to foot patrol operations of BGVs ? acquisition of 10 heads horses, construction of watchtowers); Livelihood Component (Training on ube, yam processing and handicrafts using pandan, nito); and Advocacy and Networking (construction of permanent billboards in strategic areas within the watershed and the IHWFR stakeholders summit)

General Objective:
A peaceful, progressive, well-conserved and well-sustained watershed ecosystem co-managed by vibrant and committed community.

Specific Objective:
a. To strengthen and enhance the capacity of 100 Bantay Gubat Volunteers (BGV) in the 3 barangays.
b. To sustain forest protection initiatives within the Ilog-Hilabangan Watershed Forest Reserve.
c. To rehabilitate 30 hectares of denuded areas in the watershed areas thru rainforestation technology
d. To sustain forest protection initiatives within the Ilog-Hilabangan Watershed Forest Reserve.
e. To rehabilitate 30 hectares of denuded areas in the watershed areas thru rainforestation technology
f. To provide technology transfer on livelihood projects for women using ube and for processed food and abaca by-products, pandan and nito for handicrafts.
g. To increase awareness of the community on the importance of the IHWFR and its environmental and economic contribution to the community.

Activities:
1. Capacity Building
- Conduct Lakbay Aral to Balinsasayaw Twin Lakes Natural Park in Sibulan, Negros oriental and a Rainforestation Farm in Bacong, Negros Oriental to 100 BGVs

2. Area Resource Management
- forest protection - monthly foot patrol operations per bgy.
- provision of logistic support - purchase of 10 horses to be used in patrolling
- construction of 4 watch-towers serving as guard outost
- construction of 3 nursery sites
- 30 hectares rehabilitation

3. Livelihood Development
- Conduct training on pandan, nito and abaca-based handicrafts or ube based processed food with target 50 women participants
- Conduct skills enhancement training for the 25 women of Brgy. Carol-an

4. Advocacy and Networking
- Establishment of Permanent Markers - 6 units of installed billboards
- conduct IHWFR Stakeholders Summit for IEC awareness