Participatory Rural Appraisal in the Lowland Ecosystem of Mt. Malindang, Misamis Occidental, Philippines
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Eleven barangays were chosen for the PRA under the lowland ecosystem. These were predominantly farming communities that interfaced with the coastal and upland ecosystems. Two major river systems, the Langaran and Dioyo Rivers, run through most of these barangays, with several creeks and their tributaries which eventually drain into the Murcielagos Bay.

Four of the 11 barangays were generally flat to gently rolling and were situated near the coastal area; four were inland barangays with higher elevations west of Mt. Malindang and Mt. Amparo. Analyses of soil samples taken from major land use areas in the selected barangays revealed that acidity increased with elevation and ruggedness of terrain. Soil color is usually brown to dark brown and becomes yellower and redder as elevation increases. Soil erosion was serious along riverbanks used for agriculture and in kaingin and marginal slopes with inappropriate farming technology.

The lowland ecosystem barangays have four major land uses namely, settlement, agriculture, reforestation areas, and secondary forest areas. Agricultural areas are predominantly planted to coconut, along with rice, corn, and root crops. Mahogany and Gmelina are chiefly found in the reforestation areas, along with other timber species. Secondary forests are the main sources of firewood and housing materials of the residents, including nontimber sources such as rattan and nito. Although coconut has been grown in large areas, hectarage is now decreasing because of its use as a cheap source of lumber and with the establishment and development of irrigation facilities in the near coastal and inland barangays.

Rainfall is fairly distributed throughout the year in these barangays without a very pronounced dry season. Near coastal barangays are dry in February until March but higher elevation barangays are dry from March to April. In all the barangays surveyed, elevation ranges from 25 to 610 m above sea level (asl).

Some primitive vascular plants are endangered and highly threatened due to habitat destruction by the local people. In addition, wild animals, which used to abound in these areas, have now disappeared due to overhunting. Few of these wildlife, however, could be sighted in Brgys. Siloy and Sinampongan. High-value fruits like mangosteen abound in small farm lots. Vegetable gardening is becoming an important feature of the landscape where high-value vegetables are grown and sold in the market.

Fertility rates in the barangays have remained unchecked although the delivery of health services and the increasing supply of potable water have also drastically reduced infant mortality. Average household size is 5.6 and lower elevation barangays have higher population density and have comparatively greater use of available resources. Out-migration is common among young men and women who have stayed in school longer and who saw opportunities in urban centers.

Farming is the general source of livelihood with coconut as the primary cash crop. However, in near coastal areas, fishing activities coexist with farming and growing of high-value fruits. Subsistence agriculture still remains high in the areas. Opportunities for additional off-farm income are available with people working in the factory and construction sectors in trading, quarrying, and nipa shingle production.

Labor is abundant but largely supplied by family members, especially in farm operations. Traditional labor exchange, such as hunglos, and others, still exist in communities not largely drawn into the cash economy. Generally, the farmers’ level of living and income are still low and to survive, farmers sacrifice long-term conservation goals when they cut trees or gather rattan to support their families.

Farming practices are still traditional and largely influenced by indigenous traditional beliefs and rituals, in some cases. Landlord-tenant relationship sometimes resulted in conflicts but are often settled by the tribal leaders (Timoay) and the barangay captain. Village organizations serve as conduits for expressing community actions and the training ground for local leadership, especially in solving problems and conflicts. In patterns/structures associated with beliefs, values, and kinship system, the Timoay plays a central role. Migration patterns are largely economic in nature, in search of better livelihood or higher education in urban centers.

The indigenous people (IP) of Mt. Malindang have high aspirations for their children but are constrained by poverty. They are aware of various laws and policies related to biodiversity conservation. However, their impoverished conditions and need for survival lead them to violating these policies.

The Researchable Areas and Research Themes

In agricultural sub ecosystem, there is a need to evaluate the environmental and socioeconomic impact of land use conversion, decreasing soil fertility, and the propagation of rare and endemic species to sustain biodiversity.

The changing riverine ecology brought about by excessive quarrying, fishing and migration also necessitates research that involves hydrological, siltation, and limnological studies and their impact on the environment.

In the settlement sub ecosystem, the indigenous people stand out as an important resource. One major concern is how these people could be harnessed to promote biodiversity conservation efforts. There is also a need to study the leadership structures in IP communities surrounding Mt. Malindang and their probable roles in biodiversity conservation.

In the forest sub ecosystem, the biodiversity is rich in endemic, endangered, rare, economic, and primitive vascular plants and wildlife. However, there is an alarming rate of forest destruction. Thus, there is a need to conserve this rich biodiversity by in situ and ex situ conservation.

From the participatory rural appraisal (PRA) data, the lowland ecosystem team formulated two landscape and lifescape research themes, viz., “conserving biodiversity ‘hotspots’ in Mt. Amparo and its adjacent environs through appropriate land use practices and “reversing land degradation in the Langaran River”. With these themes, researchable areas have been determined and hopefully will be implemented to conserve the biodiversity resources in Mt. Malindang Range National Park.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Poverty, landlessness, and the commercialization of the economy have led to deforestation and biodiversity loss. The satisfaction of the basic survival needs of the local people is a power force in environmental destruction. It is therefore recommended that assistance programs aimed at addressing livelihood and landlessness problems be focused on activities that protect the environment and conserve the biodiversity resources in Mt. Malindang Range and its environs.

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