The DENR-MIMAROPA, with the support of the UNDP/GEF Biodiversity Corridor Project -Mindoro Biodiversity Corridor (MBC) and GRIDS Inc., conducted the “Capacity Training on Monitoring Protocols for Tamaraw, Mindoro Bleeding-heart, and Biodiversity Assessment Methods Workshop” last October 8 to 10 at the Vizales Hotel and Guesthouse, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. The activity was attended by participants from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Offices (PENRO)-Oriental Mindoro, Mt. Calavite Wildlife Sanctuary (MCWS) and Mt. Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP) Protected Area Management Offices (PAMOs), Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENROs) of Socorro, Sablayan, and San Jose, DENR-Tamaraw Conservation Program (TCP), BD Corridor Project National and MBC Project Management Units.
Attendees participating in the hands-on demonstration and simulation of mist netting (top left), camera trapping (top right), species identification (bottom left), and cage trapping (bottom right).
The training aims to address efforts to keep key species populations stable or increasing from baseline values, with the Tamaraw and Mindoro Bleeding Heart Pigeon (BHP) as the project’s flagship species in the MBC. In particular, it aims to build capacity to implement a standardized monitoring protocol to assess the status and trends of the Mindoro BHP and Tamaraw, with learning sessions on Mindoro wildlife, demonstration and simulation of trap and survey methods, and group sessions on data consolidation and analysis.
Mr. Lobite presented the monitoring protocols for the Mindoro Endemic Species Tamaraw (left) and Mindoro Bleeding-Heart Pigeon (right).
Mr. Neil Jun S. Lobite, Resource Speaker from the University of the Philippines Los Baños – Department of Forest Biological Sciences, emphasized that monitoring of wildlife species is important as it provides crucial information about species presence, abundance, distribution, and behaviour. Beyond that, it also helps evaluate habitat quality and ecological conditions supporting wildlife, measure impacts of management actions, land-use changes, or human disturbances, guide adaptive management, and improve conservation efforts.
Group presentations on outputs of transect sampling simulation for birds (left) and herpetofauna (right) were conducted.
Forest rangers and ecosystems management specialists of the PAMOs and CENROs also shared their experiences in the field, highlighting the need to engage and coordinate with Indigenous Peoples (IPs) who live within or near these habitats and have traditional knowledge on wildlife. Additionally, they shared their experiences on difficulties encountered during biodiversity surveys, especially in double-counts contributing to count variation in Tamaraws and the elusive nature of the Mindoro BHP, making it difficult to spot. This sharing highlighted the importance of fostering collaboration and reflects the shared commitment to improving efforts towards conserving the rich biodiversity within the MBC.
Turnover Ceremony of Camera Traps
Recommendations for future workshops placed emphasis on: a) including participants from local government units (LGUs), Indigenous Peoples, academe, and the Philippine National Police; and b) adding topics on wildlife handling, tree and bird identification, GIS mapping, technical writing and data interpretation, and project management. To conclude the training, as part of GRIDS Inc.’s commitment to support field monitoring and surveys, ten camera traps were formally turned over to the DENR and received by the MBC-PMU representative for future field activities.
This story is published under the DENR-UNDP/GEF Project “Integrated Approach in the Management of Major Biodiversity Corridors in the Philippines” or BD Corridor Project, which seeks to operationalize integrated management of biodiversity corridors to generate multiple benefits, including effective conservation of globally threatened species and high conservation value forests, reduce deforestation and degradation, and enhance local biodiversity-friendly livelihoods.
The project is implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and funded by the Global Environment Facility 🦅🐾
