Biodiversity corridors in the Philippines play an important role in promoting not only species movement, but also providing communities living within these corridors the ecosystem services that they need. Protecting these biodiversity corridors is a shared responsibility and should engage dialogues and actions across all sectors, including the youth.
The Association of Filipino Forestry Students – UPLB (AFFS-UPLB) hosted its 2nd Philippine Forestry Youth Summit 2026 at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna on March 21 to 23, 2026, with the theme “Empowering Philippine Forests as Engines of a Green and Inclusive Economy. The main objective of the summit was to provide the youth with knowledge and awareness of the benefits from forests. It also served as an avenue to enhance technical understanding, research engagement, and leadership readiness of undergraduate and graduate participants as well as strengthen linkages between students, professionals, and related institutions. This summit became a platform for the youth sector to be recognized as key stakeholders in forestry and connect with various forestry professionals, examine existing challenges in the sector, and provide sustainable and innovative solutions with the forests at its heart.
Youth and Biodiversity Corridors
The DENR-UNDP/GEF Project on Integrated Approach in the Management of Major Biodiversity Corridors in the Philippines or BD Corridor Project, in collaboration with the Geographic Innovations for Development Solutions, Inc. (GRIDS) and the Palec & Amigos Urban Environ Forestry Support Services (PAUEFSS), provided support to this summit and also showcased their work in the two pilot sites namely the Mindoro Biodiversity Corridor (MBC) and the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor (EMBC) in a booth exhibit.
Participants pique their curiosity by engaging in the project’s booth activity
The booth was visited by various forestry students from local and international schools and organizations such as the University of the Philippines Los Banos, the Bicol University Guinobatan in Albay, the Don Mariano Marcos State University in North La Union, the International Forestry Students Association, RECOFTC in Thailand, the Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College, and the Apayao State College. The students participated in the project’s interactive activity entitled “What’s in the Corridor?”, a trivia game which involved various questions on biodiversity corridors and sustainable forestry. This provided the opportunity to raise awareness of the students on biodiversity corridors and the role forests play in connectivity conservation.
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. 🌄📢
