DENR Conducts Critical Habitat Assessment at Mount Bandilaan

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is taking steps to ensure conservation and protection of significant endemic flora and fauna that thrive in Mount Bandilaan.

In an Infosharing with the Siquijor Association of Information Disseminators (SAID), DENR Information Officer Karen Vano shared that among these initiatives are DENR’s strict and close monitoring of the area and the conduct of critical habitat assessment, one vital prerequisite for the establishment of Critical Habitat (CH) in Mount Bandilaan.

Critical Habitat, she said, are areas outside protected areas (PA) under Republic Act No. 7586 that are known habitats of threatened species and designated as such based on scientific data taking into consideration species endemicity and/or richness, presence of man-made pressure/threats to the survival of wildlife living in the area, among others.

(DENR) DAO 2007-02 specifies the procedures in Critical Habitat Establishment, which include identification and validation of threatened species, population estimate and rapid habitat assessment, community consultation, review and recommendation by DENR, declaration of areas as CH by DENR and/or local government units (LGU) and ground truthing.

At present, Vano said DENR is working to comply with all the necessary documents and procedures needed for the approval of CH establishment.

Meanwhile, DENR and the provincial government are collaborating for the construction of six log cabins, trails and pathways in order to augment funds in ensuring the monitoring and guarding of the place.

Estimated cost of the said project is three million.

Mount Bandilaan, the highest peak of Siquijor Island, stands 1,394 feet and rises 557 feet above sea level. It is home to thousands of endemic flora and fauna and is considered one of the treasures of the island. (rmn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports from I.A.Abatayo)