Reforestation site in Antipolo now a wildlife haven

What used to be a barren and lifeless 33-hectare piece of land in Antipolo, Rizal is now a haven for a growing number of Philippine flora and fauna, some of which are rare and in danger of becoming extinct. The land in Sitio Boso-Boso, Antipolo was turned into a reforestation site by the United Coconut Planters Bank-CIIF Foundation. The program in 1990 with the hiring of a full-time forester. The reforestation work was completed in 2002 with more than 42,000 trees planted on the site. Haribon's biodiversity survey In a recent biodiversity survey of the site, the private conservation group Haribon Foundation found 108 species of trees, shrubs, palms, herbs and ferns; 53 species of birds, six species of mammals and seven species of amphibians and reptiles. Haribon recorded 19 more new animal species than were reported in previous surveys of the area. This suggests that the reforestation was successful and has given rise to a thriving wildlife. Among the notable bird species that the Haribon team observed during its survey are the Philippine Serpent-Eagle, the Indigo-banded Kingfisher, the Red-bellied Pitta, the Mangrove Blue Flycatcher, the Philippine Hawk-Owl and the Ashy Thrush. The latter two are significant finds because they can be found only in the Philippines and both face serious threat of extinction owing to habitat loss. The mammal population on the site has grown as well. Civet cats or "musang" and long-tailed macaques or "unggoy" now roam the reforested area. Haribon noted the presence of fruit bats as very encouraging since they “play a pivotal role in the ecology of the forest ecosystem" as pollinators and seed dispersers. Another bat specie, the flat-headed bat, one of the smallest in the world, measuring only five centimeters in length, has made the bamboo groves on the site its home. Of the seven species of amphibians and reptiles that the Haribon team saw on the site, the most exciting sighting is the Dimunitive Forest Frog. The smallest frog specie in the country, this frog is endemic to Luzon and is classified as rare and near-threatened. Three other frog species, flying lizards, skinks or bubuli and Philippine cobras also abound in the area. Planting more trees Haribon has recommended the planting of indigenous tree species to enhance the reforestation site’s biodiversity. The conservation group said increasing biodiversity will enable the site to support an even greater variety of plant and animal life. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources declared UCPB’s reforestation area as a “Model Reforestation Site" in 2007. The program also won the Asia CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Award for environmental excellence in 2004 and the Asian Banking Awards for best environmental program by a financial institution in region in 2000. –VVP, GMANews.TV