TAMARAW PROGRAM

Conservation and Enhancement of the Natural Heritage of Mts Iglit-Baco National Park

Mindoro Island – Philippines

Project at a glance – Work in progress – Partners

November 2013

Contacts:

www.dabovillefoundation.axon.phwww.dabovillefoundation.axon.ph

www.noeconservation.orgwww.noeconservation.org

Emmanuel SchützProgram coordinator, Philippines - NOÉ CONSERVATION Tél : +63 (0) 916 6725 834 Email : eschutz@noeconservation.org

Hubert d'AbovillePresident of the d'ABOVILLE FoundationTél : +63 (0) 917 84 18 888Email : d-aboville@pamatec.com.ph

Mts Iglit-Baco National Park

A protected area of major socio-cultural and ecological importance

The Tamaraw

A national emblem critically endangered One of the most endangered large species of the world,

10 000 Tamaraw in 1900, only 350 animals remaining nowadays,

A mysterious animal very poorly known and studied,

A protected species suffering from poaching and habitat encroachment,

Rangers patrolling in MIBNP at the N-E border of the survey monitoring area; we can notice smoke from a remote Mangyan settlement. In the background stretches the inner never-explored mountainous range of the Park © E. Schütz.

A Biodiversity Hotspot sheltering 35 endemic species,

The ancestral lands of the Mangyan indigenous communities,

Sole home of the unique Tamaraw, or Mindoro dwarf buffalo,

ASEAN Heritage Park,

75 445 ha of rough mountains, and remote valleys,

70% of the Park totally unexplored and un-surveyed,

8 major watersheds of vital importance and value for local people.

The project leaders: Noé Conservation and the d'ABOVILLE Foundation

Noé Conservation is a French non profit organization created in 2001 by Arnaud Greth, former Scientific Director at WWF-FranceNoé Conservation aims at preserving biodiversity through field-based programs throughout the world, and environmental awareness to promote sustainable behaviour towards the environment. The d'ABOVILLE Foundation, based on Mindoro, aims at promoting and at preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the Island.

The main local partner : The « Tamaraw Conservation Program »

The “Tamaraw Conservation Program” is a banner program of the DENR-PawB (Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Protected Area and Wildlife Bureau). The TCP is in charge of the monitoring and conservation of the Tamaraw since 1978.

Main goal of the Program

The Program aims at developping strong scientific and technical cooperation with Philippine authorities, other NGOs and local stakeholders in order to implement a field based conservation program.

The goal of the project is to implement all necessary measures so that by 2025, Mts Iglit-Baco protected area ensures the preservation of its biodiversity, the integrity of its ecosystems and the expansion of Tamaraw population, while respecting the residing human communities and improving their livelihood.

Specific issues requesting specific objectives

A natural and socio-cultural context requiring a multi-focus approach

1. Scientific approach to enhance knowledges on the ecology of the Tamaraw, the biodiversity and the natural resources present in the Park.

2. Community-based approach to get to know the Mangyan communities, their way to use the natural resources, their local know-how, claims and aspiration.

A need to improve habitat management and strengthen Tamaraw protection

3. Reinforcement of local capacities to launch long term survey and priority conservation measures.

4. Development of a sustainable management of the Park through ACTION PLANS that integrates and respect local communities.

Natural and cultural heritages to be enhanced

5. Improving current infrastructures and legal framework for the Park's enhancement.

6. Generating incomes through ecotourism with activities of great outdoor and wildlife interest to sustain the conservation measures undertaken.

Work in progress – Getting the project on tracks

Taking part to the annual Tamaraw Population count (April 2011, April 2012)

This five days operation, conducted by the TCP-DENR/PawB, takes place every April. It aims at assessing the number of living Tamaraw in the core zone of the species within Mts Iglit-Baco National Park. The operation involves nearly 50 rangers and DENR staff and requires the need of tens of porters.274 individuals were observed in 2011 and 327 in 2012.The counting covers only 25% of the Park. Hence, a large segment of the Park remains totally un-monitored with very limited information.

Following rangers patrols to assess poaching and habitat damage (March 2013)

Noé Conservation and the d'ABOVILLE Foundation meet the TCP and the Park's rangers and join for a four day patrol within Mts Iglit-Baco National Park.

Patrolling routes are limited to the core zone of the Park. Large areas are left without neither control or survey. Furthermore, rangers' capacity is limited, thus preventing efficient deterrence and law enforcement.

Session of observation during the annual tamaraw population count operation, MIBNP © E. Schütz

Searching a suitable itinerary © E. Schütz

With the rangers at the main station camp at the edge of the Park © E. Schütz

Walking through a recently burned grassland by poachers. Such action makea animals killing easier by erasing vegetaion and pushing animals out © E. Schütz

Ridge trail to control large areas of the core zone © E. Schütz

Spotting a group of Tamaraw at down © E. Schütz

Exploring remote areas beyond the rangers' patrolling routes (2012, 2013)

In February 2012 and 2013, Noé Conservation carried on two explorations of the Park (eight days each) in order to analyze the local natural context and to evaluate the required needs in terms of equipment and logistics for future project's activities.

These explorations aimed also at pushing the Rangers beyond their regular patrol routes in order to assess the large gap in the current survey.

During the journey, we encountered several remote Mangyan settlements. This gave us an overview of the traditional way of life of the indigenous communities and a clue on the complex socio-cultural context of the region.

Work in progress – Implementing the first step of the Program

Exploration of Inner Mindoro Island – ecological and socio-cultural survey

In the first half of 2014, Noé Conservation and the d'ABOVILLE Foundation will launch the first step of the

Tamaraw Program, in collaboration with the TCP-DENR and numerous technical partners.

For this mission, 80 days of exploration (8 to 12 days each), will be organized in order to cover 120 000 hectares

of poorly known or even unexplored areas of Inner Mindoro.

Goals of the mission:

Update the current distribution range and status of the Tamaraw,

Conduct a non-exhaustive biodiversity survey of Mindoro's flora and fauna,

Evaluate the actual threats affecting the species and their habitat,

Localize and get in touch with remote Mangyan communities,

Map this very poorly known region .

Outcomes of the mission:

Gather essential baseline data upon the natural and socio-cultural context of the region,

Produce a list of recommendations toward local stakeholders,

Design a proper ACTION PLAN for further conservation measures and management.

Campsite at a creek during exploration © E. Schütz

Down to Lumintao river, edge of the the well monitored core zone © E. Schütz

Kaingin, slash and burn agriculture © E. SchützMangyan © E. Schütz Remote mangyan settlement © E. Schütz

Partners and sponsors

The “Tamaraw Conservation Program”, a banner program of the “Department of Environment and Natural Resources”, is the main local collaborator and institutional partner for the implementation of the project on the field. The TCP will provide in kind contribution (vehicle, offices) and involve its office staff and the Park's rangers,

The Mohamed Bin Zayed Conservation Fund as financial sponsor,

The ZGAP (Conservation of Wildlife Species and Population) as financial sponsor,

Asiatype, a french-filippino company specialized in mapping and publishing, will make an input to the second objective by involving its technical skills and expertise through a sponsorship of competence (map digitizing, data conversion, map design and printing),

The ABS-CBN foundation (ABS-CBN TV channel), through its “Bantay Kalikasan program” (Nature Watch) is commited to make a media coverage of the project,

The Primer Group of Companies (outdoor equipment reseller in Asia) will provide the project with outdoor equipment (GPS devices, tents, camping gears, outfit). Moreover, and along with Bantay Kalikasan, they will involve Filipino mountainers to consolidate the exploration teams,

The French embassy in the Philippines through its Scientific and Cultural Cooperation Service, and the French Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (FCC le Club) as technical and institutional support of the project,

SOFITEL Manila has commited to provide technical assisstance for the organization of international scientific seminars and media events induced by the project,

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and its specific specialist group, the Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group (SSC-IUCN) as institutional and scientific partner,

The Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Foundation (PBCFi), a non profit organization devoted to protect and study Philippines' Nature, as scientific partner,

Anthropolinks, a French consulting office working in the field of social sciences and promoting anthropological and ethnological approaches for sustainable development and biodiversity conservation projects, as scientific and expert partner.

Time frame of the Project and provisional budget

The Tamaraw Program is a 6 years endeavour which aims at ensuring long term results through capacity building of local stakeholder and incomes generating.Project evaluation will be conducted every year with feedbacks assessing results and outcomes.

Time planning of the implementation and evaluated budget of the objectives:

Year 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Evaluatedbudget (€)Semester 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

Objectif.1 X X X X X X X X X X X 80 000

Objectif.2 X X X X X 50 000

Objectif.3 X X X 40 000

Objectif.4 X X X X X X 30 000

Objectif.5 X X X X X 70 000

Objectif.6 X X X X X X X X X X 30 000

Total 300 000