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Mangroves – 20 species in Puerto Galera, 60 species in the Philippines, 83 species worldwide

Sea grass – 10 species in Puerto Galera, 16 species in the Philippines, 60 species worldwide

Corals – 152 Puerto Galera, 400 Philippines, Seaweeds – 69 Puerto Galera, 141

Philippines Fishes – 121 Puerto Galera

UP established a Marine Biological Station in Puerto Galera in the 1930s

PD 1801 declared some islands and coastal areas in the Philippines as Tourist Zones and Marine Reserves. Puerto Galera is one.

Verde Island Passage: Centre of Centre of Marine Biodiversity

Verde Island Passage between Puerto Galera and Verde Island offers tourists and dive travelers more marine species abundance and diversity than Palau at less than a quarter of the cost. By Kent Carpenter of the World Conservation Union

1. Broadleaved – middle-altitude, eg. Lawaan2. Coniferous – pine trees, eg. Baguio3. Mixed-forest –4. Mossy forest – Mountain peaks5. Beach forest – forest located at the sandy,

gravel and rocky substrate in coastal area where its not flooded by the sea but is affected by winds and vapor from the sea

6. Mangrove forest 7. Bamboo-Palm formation

Mangroves are plants within the inter-tidal zone. They are highly adapted to seawater and have unique characteristics and growth habits that allow them to survive in harsh environment

1. Minolo – 10.5 hectares2. Dalaruan-Kabilang Gulod-Tangalan area –

6.25 hectares3. Muelle – 4.7 hectares4. Sigayan – 3.68 hectares5. Fishermen’s Cove – 1 hectare

1. Muelle – 4.25 hectares2. Dalaruan – 4 hectares3. Minolo – 1.16 hectares4. Sigayan – 7 hectaresTotal = 16.41 hectares

Ecological Importance: Feeding, spawning and nursing ground for

aquatic and terrestrial organisms Stabilize coastal zones Build up lands Nutrients cycle

• Economic Importance:– Source of various forest products – Source of medicine– Food– Sugar and alcohol– For bee culture– Textile– Forage– Fertilizer– Tourism and outdoor recreation purposes

Boating Fishing Bird Watching Firefly Watching Mangrove Exploration thru boardwalks

1918 – 450,000 hectares 1967 – 418,990 hectares 1984 – 204,253 hectares 1993 – 138,000 hectares 1995 – 117,000 hectares

Average Annual area destroyed 8200 hectares between 1970 to 1988