Biodiversity
As one of the mega-diverse countries in the world, the Philippines is well-known for its biodiversity and rich ecosystem. However, economic advancements and urbanization have endangered this biodiversity. Stay up to date with the latest biodiversity news in the Philippines with Business Mirror, and learn how the government, private agencies and companies are adapting to preserve the country’s healthy ecosystem.
Tropical stork ends up in New York, dies after eating litter
NEW YORK—A wood stork typically seen in tropical and subtropical regions migrated to New York City but died 10 days after it was first spotted on Staten Island, apparently after eating a large piece of hardened foam, researchers said.
Asean greening initiative targets 10 million trees in 10 years
AS part of its recent 54th founding anniversary celebration, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) launched a region-wide greening program that will ramp up restoration efforts and plant at least 10 million native trees within 10 years.
Palawan’s Mount Mantalingahan mapped to protect, develop ₧265 billion worth of resources
THE highest peak in Palawan will now be preserved, protected and developed through a land-use plan (LUP), mapping its economic resources valued at P265 billion.
Climate change is causing tuna to migrate
ACB on Mayon bacterial species find: A breakthrough for PHL and Asean
“Solutions indeed, can be found in nature,” said the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) in a statement as it congratulated the University of the Philippines Los Baños and its team of researchers who has recently isolated 30 bacterial species from Mount Mayon’s volcanic soils and found potential antibiotic and anti-colorectal cancer properties.
Haribon supports call to junk Dumaguete’s ‘smart city’ project
BIODIVERSITY conservationist group Haribon Foundation joined the call of the country’s leading scientists to junk the “smart city” reclamation project in Dumaguete City.
Of trees, bees and honey
Bees are important being the most effective pollinators, according to the United Nations. They help in the reproduction of plants, including food crops.
Don’t hike so close to me: Humans can disturb wildlife up to half a mile away
MILLIONS of Americans are traveling this summer as pandemic restrictions wind down. Rental bookings and crowds in national parks show that many people are headed for the great outdoors.
Protecting Mount Busa’s rich biodiversity
Officials of Sarangani province have joined hands with conservation advocates to protect and conserve Mount Busa—the vast mountain range and watershed area straddling several towns in Sarangani and South Cotabato in Mindanao.
NAST PHL nixes ‘smart city’ project in Dumaguete City
BUILDING a 174-hectare “smart city” on lands to be reclaimed on “biodiverse-rich marine protected areas” (MPAs) of Dumaguete City does not sound smart at all.
Greening the city is the way to go
THE Covid-19 pandemic has given rise to the “plantitos/plantitas”—plant hobbyists, home gardeners and indoor farmers—who have found a more productive way to spend their quarantined lives.
Fisherfolk, CSOs give Duterte admin 1/10 rating on SDG 14 ‘Life Below Water’
ON the eve of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s last State of the Nation Address (Sona), fisherfolk and civil society organizations (CSOs) gave his administration 1/10 rating in implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, or “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”
Solane shifts to safe, sustainable Bioseal
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) brand Solane has started rolling out Bioseal, the “first of its kind biodegradable” LPG seal in the country, in responding to the challenge of reducing its carbon footprint.
ATFX, Panglao LGU team up for coastal cleanup, reef restoration
WITH its pristine white-sand beaches, coral formations and reef fishes, Panglao Island has become one of the Philippines’s popular tourist destinations.
Stronger environment law enforcement needed to combat illegal wildlife trade
The fourth National Environment Law Enforcement (NELE) Summit kicked off on July 14 to discuss ways to strengthen the country’s environmental law enforcement.
ACB welcomes draft of post-2020 global biodiversity framework
The Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) has welcomed the release of the first draft of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), its news release said.
PHL team wins in tech-design hackathon to save the seas
Team Salom from Agusan del Norte won this year’s Haquathon 2.0, a regional hackathon for tech-based solutions aimed at saving the seas.
Minalungao National Park: Nueva Ecija’s best-kept secret
The 2,018-hectare Minalungao National Park, a place of unique beauty that mesmerize visitors with its unique landscape, sits in the province of Nueva Ecija.
Endangered sea turtles thriving, hatchlings released in Culasi, Antique
Green sea turtle hatchlings crawled their way back home to the vast ocean in the province of Antique.
Why accounting natural capital is important to economies
What would be the value of a nation’s economy if the contributions of nature are properly measured?
Lake Sebu women farmers boost income from biodiversity-friendly livelihood
A group of women farmers in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, weaves and sells uniquely Filipino handicrafts—bags, wallets, hats, baskets, food trays and lampshades—using the dried nito vine.
Jewish Museum in Berlin opens kids’ museum about Noah’s Ark
BERLIN—Torrential rain pours down, waves break and big puddles splash as visitors enter the new children’s museum at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. No surprise there because the exhibit is dedicated to the ancient story of Noah’s Ark and begins in the middle of the biblical deluge.
Groups: Corporate-led model drives unsustainable consumption-production
Civil society organizations (CSOs) recently launched a three-part webinar series on sustainable consumption and production, or the Sustainable Development Goals-12 (SDG-12), of the UN Agenda 2030, a news release from the Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG) said.
Man-made reefs do more harm than good to oceans
Ocean conservation advocate and divemaster Danny Ocampo is appalled by the sight of plastic waste every time he takes a dive in Anilao, a famous dive spot in the town of Mabini in Batangas.
Coral restoration in Marinduque begins
The Department of Science and Technology has collaborated with the provincial government of Marinduque, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), local government units and their fisherfolk to deploy coral transplantation technology off the coast of Buenavista, Marinduque, the DOST said in a news release.
Nestlé PH intensifies info drive against plastic waste
Nestlé Philippines (Nestlé PH) has intensified its information drive to help address the plastic waste crisis in the country, its news release said.
Invasive squirrels: Cute and cuddly but serious threat to biodiversity
They may appear to be cute and cuddly. But the Finlayson’s squirrel (Callosciurus finlaysonii), a nonnative species in the Philippines, is now considered an invasive alien species that threatens Luzon.
British Council holds global campaign on climate emergency ahead of COP26
Ahead of the coming United Kingdom’s hosting of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in November, the British Council launched “The Climate Connection” campaign.
Keeping giant clams to sustain PHL marine ecosystem
The Philippines is rich in flora and fauna, with some species considered endemic or can be found only in the country. These include the locally known taklobo (Tridacna gigas)—the largest bivalve mollusk in the world that can weigh over 250 kilograms and grow up to five feet.