True Thick or Thin: Validation and Ground-truthing Activity for Potential Mangrove Restoration Sites in Manila Bay
In June 2024, Wetlands International Philippines and its partners conducted a three-week-long mangrove mapping initiative within the northern coast of Manila Bay.
This activity was done to support the Manila Bay Operational Plan 2024-2029 and the citizen science BakaJuan mangrove validation initiative of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and will contribute to the completion of the National Mangrove Map 2023.
“Mangroves are crucial for biodiversity, food and livelihood, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration. Without mangroves, coastal communities will face increased vulnerabilities from natural disasters and loss of livelihood opportunities. This strengthens the call for urgent mangrove conservation and management practices, such as the mangrove site validation initiatives and the participation of local communities in these efforts,” said Dr. Annadel Cabanban, Country Manager of Wetlands International Philippines.
Moreover, the outputs of the validation activity will be used as an annex to the Provincial Restoration and Conservation Plans for the North Coast of Manila Bay. These plans will identify potential restoration sites throughout Manila Bay, specify the area in hectares, and recommend suitable mangrove species for specific zones. Using a science-based approach, the updated landscape map will be presented to LGUs, DENR, and other stakeholders within Manila Bay to clarify the remaining mangrove restoration opportunities and appropriate planting strategies.
Restoring the Mangroves of Manila Bay
The Manila Bay was historically home to over 74,000 hectares of mangroves. It is considered an ideal bay for mangroves to thrive due to its structure and water flow that deposits nutrient-rich sediment along its coastline.
However, the bay has suffered significant ecological changes over the years, making restoration efforts more crucial than ever. Due to government policies promoting fishpond conversions for livelihoods, the mangrove area has declined to just 1,350 hectares by 2015.
Recognizing the importance of mangrove ecosystems, Wetlands International Philippines has been working to restore the mangrove greenbelt and pilot the associated mangrove aquaculture (AMA) in the north coast of Manila Bay under its To Plant or Not To Plant (TPNTP) project.
“The validation activity, which will lead to the publication of the Philippine Mangrove Map, is key in helping us identify areas for conservation and restoration,” said Cabanban.
Validation and Ground-truthing Process
Drawing from a 2021 study by Dr. Rollon on “Building with nature maps,” the WIPH team focused on validating potential mangrove restoration sites in Pampanga, Bataan, and Bulacan.
Wetlands International Philippines also worked with the LGUs, together with the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO), Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), and the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) for the validation activity.
During the ground-truthing itself, the validation team identified whether the sites were potential restoration sites or if they were active or abandoned fishponds/fish pens. They assessed the site’s water quality in terms of color, smell, and depth, as well as the substrate type within the area. Along with these, the tenurial status of the site was also considered, whether it was owned, unauthorized, or still under a Fishpond Lease Agreement (FLA). These factors were needed to assess if the site was still feasible for restoration.
The validation team first visited the municipalities of Macabebe, Sasmuan, and Lubao in the Province of Pampanga from June 10-14, 2024. The following week, they visited sites in Orani and Samal in the Province of Bataan from June 17-21, 2024. Finally, they visited a few sites in Hagonoy and Paombong in the Province of Bulacan from June 24-26, 2024.
While they found several potential areas for mangrove restoration, they discovered a few issues that could hamper restoration efforts. These include unresolved tenurial issues, current use as active fish pens, and the need for further confirmation of ownership or titling.
The Manila Bay Coordinating Office (MBCO), under the DENR, has offered funding for additional areas across Manila Bay, including Cavite, Parañaque, and other parts of the National Capital Region. This initiative aims to facilitate the development of restoration and conservation plans for all municipalities along Manila Bay, scheduled to commence next year.
According to Kisha Muaña, Policy and Advocacy Officer of Wetlands International Philippines, the support of the volunteers, interns, local government units, and relevant stakeholders, as well as the genuine interest of the fisherfolk were crucial in completing the validation activity.
“Consistent ang fisherfolks and POs [People’s Organization] in participating sa lahat ng sites. They’re the most active partners for this validation, the fisherfolk, and POs,” Muaña said in an interview.
(The fisherfolk and POs are consistent in participating in all the sites. They’re the most active partners for this validation, the fisherfolk, and POs.)
Additionally, Krichi Cabacaba, the GIS expert who spearheaded the validation team, also highlighted the importance of coordinating with the local government units to ensure the smooth conduct of the validation process.
At the end of the mangrove validation and ground-truthing activity, Muaña urged the LGUs along with relevant stakeholders to take this initiative seriously. She emphasized that mangroves are essential for fish production, livelihood, and protection, and their continuous depletion poses a big threat not just to marine life, but to other ecosystems as well.
“We need to do this quickly for climate change adaptation, kasi may sea level rise, lalakas at lalakas pa ang storms at storm surges. We need to take action talaga. ‘Yun yung hope natin na sana yung map na to ay hindi lang sya maggiing map lang. Sana maging map sya for implementation, like genuine implementation of mangrove or coastal green belt in Manila bay,” Muaña further added.
(We need to do this quickly for climate change adaptation, because of sea level rise, and the intensifying storms and storm surges. We really need to take action. Our hope is that this map won’t just remain a map. We hope it becomes a map for implementation, like the genuine implementation of mangrove or coastal green belt in Manila Bay.)
The mangrove mapping and validation efforts by Wetlands International Philippines are a step toward the urgent need for the restoration and conservation of mangrove ecosystems in Manila Bay. With the support of local communities, government units, and other stakeholders, these initiatives aim to ensure sustainable biodiversity and coastal resilience in Manila Bay.
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Zcyrel Barola is a Development Communication student of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, currently taking her internship at Wetlands International Philippines. She is passionate about providing accessible and engaging information to local communities to inspire action for environmental conservation and restoration.