Download Polillo Islands - Foundation for the Philippine Environment

Polillo Islands
Address: Quezon
Description: The remaining forest in this site is classified entirely as a lowland evergreen forest, which serves
as a habitat to a diverse range of endemic species and sub-species of fauna and flora. Thus, the Polillo
islands are given due significance as a conservation area. Illegal extractive activities and the prevalence of
the kaingin system pose the key threats to its natural riches.
Status: Closed
Site Profile Summary
Ecosystem Types
- Lowland evergreen and mangrove forests
- Limestone forests
- Mangrove forests
- Aquatic and marine
Protection Status
Protected Area
Area
82,617.30 hectares
Biogeographic
Highlights
- Composed of 27 small islands and islets, the Polillo archipelago also hosts a
total of 145 watersheds.
- An important conservation area in the Philippines because of its remaining
forest (entirely a lowland evergreen forest), which is the natural habitat of
several Polillo-endemic animal and plant species and sub-species.
- Other habitat and ecosystem types, both terrestrial and marine, exhibit a high
rate of species diversity.
- The islands support important populations of globally threatened species such
as the Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), Butaan monitor lizard
(Varanus olivaceus), and at least nine endemic bird sub-species, including the
Polillo-endemic blue-naped and blue-backed parrots (T.l. hybridus and T.s.
freer).
- Common pathway of incoming and outgoing typhoons.
Flora
- Some important genera of plants found across the Islands: Pandanus,
Canarium, Grewia, and Gnetum.
Fauna
- Species first discovered and recorded in Polillo Islands: Polillo forest frog
(Platymantis polilloensis), Polillo green-scaled gecko (Pseudogekko
smaragdinus).
- Endemic species and sub-species: Polillo tarictic hornbill (Penelopides
manillae subnigra), Blue-naped parrot (Tanygnathus lucionensis hybridus),
Blue-blacked parrot (Tanygnathus sumatranus freeri), Crested goshawk
(Accipiter trivirgatus castroi), Pollilo trogon (Harpactes ardens minor), Polillo
greater flameback (Chrysocolaptes lucidus grandis),and the Polillo whitebrowned Shama (Copsychus luzoniensis parvimaculatus).
- Philippine Cockatoo, Blue naped parrot, Luzon bleeding heart, Red jungle
fowl, butaan monitor lizrd, Philippine brown deer, Philippine warty pig, Long
tailed macaque, Green sea turtle Hawksbill turtle.
Livelihood Resources
- Farming (including Nipa plantations)
- Fishing
- Forest products
Threats
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Environmental awareness and legal management interventions, particularly on forest protection and
are still low.
Lack of sustainable livelihood opportunities and local capacity.
Illegal activities in natural resource utilization such as illegal cutting of trees and mangroves, wildlife
hunting, gathering of dead corals for house and infrastructure construction, and unsustainable fishing
practices (using electricity, poison, dynamite) to support livelihood practices of settlers in the area.
Slash-and-burn cultivation for farmland conversion.
Insufficiency of available resources and support for capacity-building and technical expertise transfer.
Absence of appropriate institutional agreements to effectively protect and manage the remaining
forests.
Vulnerability to extreme weather events such as typhoons.
FPE-funded Projects and Initiatives
Project
Grant Type,
Strategy
Duration
Implementing Partner
Up-Scaling Forest Restoration
Efforts in Key Biodiversity
Areas Project
FPE Special
Project
2011-2013
- Polillo Island Biodiversity
Conservation Foundation, Inc.
(PIBCFI)
Key Outcomes
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Natural resource and socio-economic baseline profiling.
Scaled up earlier established conservation initiatives by implementing direct forest and habitat
restoration strategies, while providing additional income sources to local communities.
Formation, capacity-building (technical, organizationals, and financial aspects covered), and
mobilization of POs and Bantay Kalikasan volunteer groups to ensure self-sustaining, long-term
protection and restoration of forest habitats in the area.
Adopted Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) and Agro-Forestry approaches in the implementation of
habitat restoration efforts.
Staging of the first ever Polillo Group of Islands Biodiversity Summit in 2012, which gathered for the
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first time the key stakeholders from across the Polillo archipelago to discuss biodiversity conservation
initiatives, issues and challenges, directions, and recommendations for future action.
Production of an FPE knowledge product, volume 13 of the KALIKASAN BCSD Knowledge Series.
Reference
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Foundation for the Philippine Environment. 2014. RSEA Guidebook (Results Booklet). Quezon City,
Philippines: Foundation for the Philippine Environment.
Foundation for the Philippine Environment. 2013. Scaling-up Local Conservation Initiatives: Stories
from Polillo Islands (KALIKASAN BCSD Series Thirteen). Quezon City, Philippines: Foundation for the
Philippine Environment.
Foundation for the Philippine Environment
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