UPLBFI employs ecosystem based approach to conserve, restore Nayom Watershed

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna – The University of the Philippines Los Baños Foundation Inc. (UPLBFI) in collaboration with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT (Alliance), has mapped out priority areas for conservation and restoration in the Nayom Watershed to sustainably maintain the production of the top ecosystem services (ES) in the area.

The Foreign Assisted and Special Projects Service (FASPS)-funded project titled “Integrating Watershed Ecosystem Management Approach in Landscape Planning in Nayom Watershed and its Major Tributaries: A Pilot Study for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)” started on 26 November 2019 and concluded on 10 June 2021. The project aimed to demonstrate a process of integrating ES into landscape planning that was validated in Nayom Watershed, a critical watershed which transcends the boundaries of Santa Cruz in Zambales and Infanta, Bugallon and Aguilar in Pangasinan.

What is an ecosystem-based approach?

An ecosystem-based approach to watershed management is an integrated approach that conceptually deconstructs and analyzes natural systems into the goods and services that it provide (National Academy of Sciences, 2013). It is a holistic approach that looks into the flow of ES and the production capacity of spatial units. The process includes identifying the locations of both the service providers (i.e. specific landscape(s) within the watershed) and its beneficiaries downstream. By integrating an ES-based approach into landscape planning, we will be able to identify specific user demand and service provision that will help in effectively targetting areas to restore or conserve.

Key Findings

During the final presentation on 24 May 2021, Ms. Jane Girly Balanza, Geographic Information System (GIS) Specialist from CIAT, and Mr. Jonathan Austria, Research Associate from UPLBFI, presented the major findings and recommendations of the project.

Following an ecosystem-based approach developed by the project team, the pilot study revealed that water for irrigation and domestic use were the priority ES being utilized by the stakeholders in the study site. These stakeholders include Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Farmers and Fisherfolk Associations, industrial and mining companies, households, and other Peoples’ Organizations (POs) identified in consultation with the concerned Local Government Units (LGUs).

The approach utilizes a novel and practical method to map out priority areas for conservation and restoration. According to Mr. Austria, a total of 955 farmers and fisherfolk and 1,296 households would benefit once the landscape areas producing water for irrigation and domestic use in Nayom Watershed are properly targeted and identified to be conserved or restored.  

“Through the process, the participatory ecosystem-based approach was found to be practical, cost-efficient, and a more inclusive strategy to assess and map ES for landscape planning”, Ms. Balanza concluded. She added that the process offers an effective way of linking user demand and service provision, which is often lacking in most ES studies and projects and generating high resolution maps that can be used for targeting priority areas.

Despite the impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, imposing travel restrictions and heightened health protocols, the project was successfully implemented. With the use of the ecosystem-based approach, it is envisioned to make watershed management in the Philippines more inclusive and holistic.

by Jonathan Austria and Jane Girly Balanza