Project Detail

Enhancing People's Participation in the Conservation and Protection of Mt. Magdiwata Watershed Forest Reserve Area

The project is a community-based watershed protection and conservation of Mt. Magdiwata Forest Reserve Area thru strengthening the participation of the people's organizations and indigenous peoples. Mt. Magdiwata is a biodiversity rich area and an important forest reserve in Agusan del Sur.

One major problem of the community is the sustainability of the quantity and quality of its water supply. It is being threatened by the denudation of the watershed particularly in the surrounding areas of the spring. There is a need to plant and conserve the 50 hectare area of the water source.

The project aims to strengthen the participation of the people's organization and indigenous groups in the conservation and protection of the Mt. Magdiwata Forest Reserve Area by building and/or upgrading their skills and knowledge in watershed planning, local governance participation and in technical activities such as nursery establishment, conservation, and enrichment planting and protection activities. The project intends tro promote indigenous knowledge effective in conservation of the watershed.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

LEAF Foundation Inc.

Country:

Philippines

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

Phase 2

Grant Amount:

US$ 42,496.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 7,948.01

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 4,628.13

Project Number:

PHI/25/02 GEF-RNE

Start Date:

10/2002

End Date:

9/2005

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Mt. Magdiwata Watershed Forest Reserve Area is perhaps the only lowland intact dipterocarp forest that can be found within 2 kilometers from any populated town center. It drains some of its water to the Agusan Marshland- an area under NIPAS. The project will definitely contribute to the conservation of the remaining natural forest, preserve whatever flora and fauna in the area, minimize soil erosion and siltation to the creeks flowing downstream being used for irrigation, domestic and commercial purposes.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

The Manobo IP in Barangay Alegria has its own structural organization based on its cultural practices. In the project, they will be the beneficiaries-cum-implementor of the project activities within their claimed areas. Particularly on the management of the project, the Manobos shall form part of the Advisory Committee of the project. They shall also participate in the monitoring and evaluation, watershed protection activities, nursery establishment, planning of the watershed management plan and consultation meetings. All training activities shall include the IP group (Alegria Tribal Settlers Association) in Brgy. Alegria. A special training on financial management shall be undertaken for the IP association as part of strengthening their capability. The cooperative and the Manobo IP will be trained in the actual establishment of seedlings nurseries which wil gather and raise fruits and indigenous tree species.

Notable Community Participation

The community can participate even those who are not literate enough in identifying the present condition of the watershed, their observations and causes identified, as well as the solution with the use of these tools.

Capacity - Building Component

The project will train and expose the watershed communities in watershed landscape planning, advocacy and governance on natural resource management, reforestation and protection activities; establish a people's nursery and forest tree species; formulate and implement community-based protection activities. To address the gap on management and technical skills, training on leadership, membership participation and financial management will be provided to the coop. Technical trainings will also be conducted particularly on the improvement and maintenance of the water systems and the planting activities.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

There sustainable livelihood is traditional farming.

Gender Focus

While the women in the cooperative constitute about 40 members and 3 women out of the 7 directors sit in the board of the coop. Women roles and concerns will be highlighted in the management plan of the watershed and any development interventions like in the nursery operations. The project will consciously define and document gender participation and reports will be gender differentiated.

Project Results

The project is a community-based watershed protection and conservation of Mt. Magdiwata Forest Reserve Area through strengthening the participation of the people's organizations and indigenous groups. Mt. Magdiwata is a biodiversity-rich area and an important forest reserve in Agusan del Sur.

The project was able to achieved the following results: The PO and IP group were actively participating in the barangay/municipal in the formulation of the watershed management plan.

Management zoning were established and delineated and mapped.

The project were able to seek approval and implemented the protection-related ordinances in the barangay level.

A 40 hectare of land has been reforested including the planting of the 20 kilometers watershed boundaries.

Ten hectares of land along forest edges were now covered with enrichment planting of indigenous tree species.

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