A privately backed forest restoration project is targeting the rehabilitation and protection of 120,000 hectares of degraded rainforest within the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), with about P80 million in annual investments expected to support the effort.
Dubbed the Green Samar Project, the initiative will use high integrity carbon finance to fund long term forest restoration without relying on public funds, according to project partners.
The project is a 25 year collaboration among the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, French nature restoration firm aDryada and local partner Samar Bamboo Corporation, with an option to extend the agreement for another 25 years.
Beyond restoring degraded forests, the project aims to create sustainable bamboo based livelihoods and jobs for more than 20,000 community members while protecting critical wildlife habitats, including those of the critically endangered Philippine Eagle found within the natural park.
Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan said the project could link environmental protection with efforts to address poverty in communities surrounding the protected area.
“This project will address poverty while protecting the environment, noting that bamboo development could provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for communities while supporting forest conservation,” Tan said in a statement Wednesday.
The initiative will combine forest rehabilitation, biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, sustainable livelihoods and community development as part of a long term effort to protect Samar’s natural resources.
The DENR and project partners also stressed the need for sustained cooperation among national government agencies, local government units, communities and private sector organizations to ensure the restoration effort is maintained over the long term.
The SINP covers about 335,000 hectares and spans 34 towns and three cities across the three provinces of Samar Island. It is the country’s largest terrestrial protected area and is a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status.
Its forests and ecosystems are considered important to the conservation of Samar Island’s biodiversity, providing habitats for threatened wildlife and other species.
Tan also recognized Samar LGUs for their community based tourism programs and environmental conservation efforts, including Paranas, where the SINP office is located.
Through the Green Samar Project, the partners seek to establish a long term model that connects forest restoration with livelihood development while strengthening the protection and resilience of one of the country’s largest protected areas.
Photo courtesy of Sustina
Comments