Eco-tourism paradise gest boost with new facilities

THE Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (Penro) in Pampanga have recently finished improvement works on the facilities of the Bangkung Malapad Critical Habitat and Eco-Tourism Area in a bid to improve its status as an eco-tourism area and to better accommodate research and conservation initiatives.

Penro officer Laudemir Salac said they have already completed the view deck and other improvement works in the structural facilities of the mangrove island and these will be made public this coming January.

Salac said the improvements are aimed at solidifying the eco-tourism potential of the island and to better accommodate tourists, researchers and conservationists.

Located along Sasmuan town’s coastal frontier is an island that locals refer to as Bangkung Malapad (Wide Bench).

The area was formed from volcanic sediments which were carried by water currents into the area by the mighty Pasak River, which drains towards Sasmuan.

While the area is technically part of Sasmuan’s coastal village of Batang Dos, the island is in fact at the frontier of Pampanga Bay which forms part of the greater enclosed sea of Manila Bay.

This island is now a focal point of conservation due to the fact that it now hosts some 13 hectares of fully grown mangroves and has been identified as a layover destination for thousands of migratory birds.

The area also serves as a temporary home to more than 80 species of migratory birds from winter countries.

With the recent influx of tourists that are attracted to the serene beauty of the area, aside from the seasonal birdwatchers, local officials have realized the island’s potential and the urgent need to protect it.

Important wildlife sanctuary

In 2011, Danish ornithologist Arne Jensen recorded the total number of birds sighted in the area to some 30,000 birds during the Asian Waterbird Census for that year. Among those sighted were some 2,750 Great Egrets and some 2,133 Redshanks.

There were also 5,300 Marsh Sandpipers, 3,000 Golden plovers, 6,668 Black-headed gulls, 8,600 Kentish plovers, 30 Caspian terns, two Malaysian plovers, two Common shell ducks and other bird species. The following census in 2017 recorded some 15,068 birds in the area.

With the number of bird sightings in past years, Bangkung Malapad has become an integral stopover for migratory birds in the East-Asian Australasian Flyway, one of the world's greatest flyway routes for migratory birds.

This is because Bangkung Malapad’s mudflats are ideal feeding grounds for migratory birds as the clay-soaked brackish waters in the area are the natural habitat of arthropods that serve as food for migratory birds, according to Sasmuan tourism officer Jason Salenga.

Rebranding and Conservation

Local officials have formally renamed the area into Sasmuan Bangkung Malapad Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (SBMCHEA). This covers the area of around 405.50 hectares of mudflats. However, the area still remains a proposed critical habitat and eco-tourism area with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Protected Area Superintendent Tess Rigor said they are awaiting approval from the DENR national office for SBMCHEA to be included in the official list of protected areas.

The DENR had built a 300-meter boardwalk leading to the view deck in the area that provides for a picturesque view of the surrounding mangroves and coastlines.

Sasmuan Mayor Nardo Velasco said the town has taken measures to ensure the protection and continuing propagation of mangrove trees in the area.

He added mangrove forests are among the most productive ecosystems and are especially helpful in coastal areas like Sasmuan where at least five barangays are situated along its bay area.

Coastal communities here have also realized the importance of mangroves when these served as barriers against the storm surges brought by Typhoon “Glenda” (international name: Rammasun), a Category 5 super typhoon, in July 2014. It could have been a disaster for the coastal communities in the area if not for the mangroves at Bangkung Malapad.

Mangrove forests serve as breeding grounds for marine life and also help in the balance of marine ecosystems and protection of the coastlines from erosion. These facts are now well-understood by residents of the coastal communities of Mabuanbuan, Batang Uno and Sebitanan, which are all near Bangkung Malapad.

Salac said varieties of fishes, crabs, shrimps, mollusks and other marine life seek shelter and thrive in mangrove forests where small ecosystems created by the roots and foliage of the mangroves serve as ideal breeding grounds.

Salac added mangroves also serve as nurseries and breeding grounds for several types of fish and invertebrates that, in the long run, benefit the coastal communities of Sasmuan and nearby coastal towns. Sasmuan is a fishing town with 50 percent of its population deriving their livelihood from aqua-culture and sea fishing.

Concerted effort

The Municipal Government of Sasmuan regularly hosts cleanup activities in the area in coordination with the coastal communities, the DENR, Provincial Government of Pampanga and other environmental stakeholders.

In 2012, some 3,000 mangrove propagules were been planted by students of Angeles University Foundation. Students of the Pampanga State Agricultural University also planted additional mangroves in 2013, some of which are now fully grown.

The biggest and most extensive mangrove panting in the area was conducted in 2014 when some 146 hectares were planted with mangrove propagules by residents of Batang Dos. This accounts for some 648,888 propagules for the said year.

The municipal government had also started its mangrove patrol system deputizing local fishermen in looking after the mangroves. The town had organized its own Bantay Bakawan (Mangrove Guards) to patrol the area. The town now strictly prohibits the cutting of mangrove trees in the area and had extensively installed signage to ward off loggers.

Ecotourism potential

The sheer number of migratory birds in the area have been drawing birdwatchers each year.

This necessitated the need to provide guided tours in the area. The local government of Sasmuan helps in facilitating such visits with the aim of promoting the area as a tourism destination and to draw support for the conservation initiatives for the island.

The town earns from the tourist visits in the area as it has a share of 20 percent from P20 ecological fees collected from tourists. The share is not much, but this helps in paying for the services of a couple of people who maintain the facility on the island.

The island’s proximity to Lubao Bamboo Hub and Ecopark, another eco-tourism destination in Lubao town, also benefits Bangkung Malapad. The six-hectare bamboo hub in Sta. Catalina in Lubao town had registered a total of 37,000 visitors in 2017 alone. Tours to the Bamboo Hub usually encourage a tour of Bangkung Malapad as part of the whole tourist package.

Tourists would take a river cruise ride at Ecocreativa Banqueruan Port in Lubao town. The cruise would lead to Bangkung Malapad where visitors can sightsee, plant mangroves and picnic at the island’s view deck before proceeding to the Bamboo Hub in Lubao. The area also provides a stunning view of the coastal areas of Orani.

Currently, with a renewed effort to further promote and conserve the area, more tourists are expected to visit in the coming months.

Salac said Bangkung Malapad is a clear example of how communities can create a sustainable symbiotic relationship with their environment.

Salac added while the conservation efforts at Bangkung Malapad are still far from perfect, it could already be considered a successful model of how environment stakeholders, government leaders and coastal communities could work together for sustainable tourism and help protect the environment.

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