Mangroves of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone Lilia R. Alcazar Rhea Jane P. Mallari Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) - Ecology Center
Jul 13, 2015
Mangroves of the Subic
Bay Freeport Zone
Lilia R. Alcazar
Rhea Jane P. Mallari
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) -
Ecology Center
In 1992, R.A. 7227 created the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to manage
the conversion of the former U.S. Naval Base into Subic Special Economic
Freeport Zone. Presidential Proclamation 532 set its metes and bounds
Composed of the former US Naval
Reservation, Olongapo City, and areas in
Subic and San Antonio, Zambales and
Hermosa and Morong in Bataan
Land Area = 55,102 has
Water = 12,350 has
Total Area = 67, 452 has
Bounded by Subic town in Zambales and Morong in Bataan
Protected from wind and wave by the Redondo Peninsula
Shoreline length = 16.5 km
Coastal Area = 115 sq km
Total Number of
Locators = 1,234 (as
of 2013)
Number of Locators
along the coast = 84
Labor Force =
89,436 (as of 2013)
Subic Bay:
Kinabuksan = 700 HH
Nagbayukan = 200 HH
Nature of Business of Coastal-Dwelling Constituents
• Ship repair
• Ship building
• Manufacturing
• Tourism
• Fuel depot
• Port operations
• Auction of used vehicles
Social problems experienced by coastal
locators
• Encroachment of leased properties
• Lack of education and awareness and
ignorance of rules and regulations re
conservation of coastal resources
• Conflict of interest among locators
• Social acceptability of certain projects
Coastal-related environmental threats
experienced by the Subic Bay Freeport
Natural
• Climatic changes
• Typhoons and flooding
• Physical processes like browsing and trampling by wildlife
• Infestation by barnacles and other pests
• Algal blooms
Anthropogenic
• Discharge of industrial pollutants
• Human encroachment including reclamation
• Over harvesting
Status of Mangroves in the Subic Bay
Freeport Zone
COVERAGE AREA (HECTARE)
Closed
Canopy
Open
Canopy
Cleared/
Denuded
Total
18.32
10.43
1.25
30
2. Boton
8.66
2.32
1.25
12.23
3. Nabasan
3.20
2.80
0.60
6.60
4. Triboa A
6.60
1.20
0
7.80
5. Triboa B
2.50
0
0
2.50
6. Ilanin
2.50
0
0
2.50
Total
41.78
16.75
3.10
61.63
1. Binictican & Malawaan
Location
Mangroves of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Binictican & Malawaan = 30 has
Boton = 12.23 has
Triboa A = 7.80 has
Triboa B = 2.50 has
Nabasan = 6.60 has
Ilanin = 2.50 has
Boton Mangrove
Triboa Mangrove
Mangroves are important to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone:
•Serve as natural laboratory for research studies
•Mangroves serve important ecological functions like supporting fisheries; provide feeding, spawning and nursery grounds to many fishes and crustaceans; act as buffer between the land and sea; wildlife refuge and feeding grounds for Phil. mallard
•Serve as recreational grounds for bird watching and observation of other wildlife / ecotourism purposes
•Source of food and low-cost housing materials for the Aytas
•Source of products for selling
Economic Value of Mangroves
Pastolan Village
http://subicnewslink.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archi
ve.html
Binictican & Malawaan = 30 has
Boton = 12.23 has
Degradation of mangrove forests
Degradation of mangrove forests
Mangrove Protection and Management
The SBMA-Ecology Center is the
department in charge of managing all the
60.ha- mangrove stands in the Subic Bay
Freeport Zone
Management Prescriptions for Habitat
Protection Zone
Permitted Activities • scientific research and
monitoring
• active habitat management
• swimming and snorkeling (human immersion)
• traditional indigenous peoples activities
• supervised scuba diving
• non-powered (engine or sail) small boats activity (dinghy, kayak, canoe, row boat) in open water zones only
Prohibited Activities • all extractive activities
• water sports involving motor powered craft (speed boats, jet skis, launches)
• sports fishing,
• spearfishing,
• turtle eggs collecting
• harvesting of ducks and other shore birds
• mining
• dumping of wastes (garbage, sewage, etc.)
• drop anchorage
Mangrove Rehabilitation
During the roads and bridges component, 0.33
hectares (8,811 mangrove trees were affected).
SBMA through the Ecology Center facilitated
the replanting of 1.33 hectares (26,000
propagules) with 90% survival.
More mangrove planting
MANGROVE
RESTORATION AND
REHABILATION
-Clean-up activities
-Tree planting activities
-Species planted:
Bakawan and
Pagatpat
Biodiversity Monitoring Program
Purpose:
To assure periodic assessment of protected areas and buffer zones within the SBFZ and to ensure prompt abatement of environmental degradation of economically, aesthetically and ecologically important marine and terrestrial resources
Monitoring and Evaluation
Mangrove monitoring
• Organized the SBMA
Biodiversity Monitoring Team
(SBMT) and continuously train
the members
• Developed system for monitoring
• Established permanent transects
and plots
Impacts of mangrove protection
• Enhancement of mangrove forest
• Conservation of mangrove ecosystem
services
• Sustainability of the resources
Summary and Recommendations
• Increase people’s awareness on the importance of mangroves thru IEC
• Stricter enforcement of environmental laws
• Conduct scientific studies on the status of planted mangroves and their growth rates
• Attract more researchers to focus their study on the mangroves of the Subic Bay Freeport by networking and collaboration with academic and research institutions