Siargao mangrove reserve cited
THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has welcomed the recognition of the Del Carmen Mangrove Reserve in Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (SIPLAS) as a Wetland of International Importance.
DENR Asst. Secretary Marcial Amaro Jr. emphasized the importance of wetlands such as mangrove swamp forests in serving as communities’ barrier and first line of defense against natural disasters and effects of climate change.
The Del Carmen Mangrove Reserve was cited during the World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2023 celebration last February 2.
Anchored on the theme, “It’s Time for Wetland Restoration,” the national celebration of WWD 2023 was led by the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) and hosted by the local government unit of Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte.
The celebration showcased the ecological benefits of a restored wetland and the restoration efforts in the Del Carmen mangroves, reaping the fruits of wetland conservation, protection and restoration work with increased fishery resources, alternative livelihood from tourism, and increased protection from storm surge, especially during the onslaught of typhoon Odette in December 2021.
“The wetlands of Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape or SIPLAS serve as a testament to these ecological functions during the height of typhoon Odette. If not for these mangrove forests, the damage to the communities of SIPLAS could have been worse and more people could have suffered. This testament is one of the many reasons we should protect our wetlands from further degradation,” Amaro said.
According to the DENR official, the recognition of Del Carmen Mangrove Reserve serves as a precursor to its nomination for inclusion in the global network of significant wetlands known as the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance or Ramsar Sites.
The mangrove reserve has already fulfilled two of the criteria for being a Ramsar Site. Its rich biodiversity and the ecological benefits of 4,800 hectares of mangrove that cover one of the largest contiguous mangrove reserves in the country, and the presence of an assemblage of endemic, native and migratory species, make this part of SIPLAS globally important.
In 2010, the municipal government of Del Carmen worked to restore the mangrove forest and save it from illegal activities, such as mangrove cutting and poaching. The area now covers about 53 percent of Siargao Island’s total mangrove forest.
