Rehabilitation of Arayat Watershed
for the Protection of Candaba Wetlands

The Candaba Wetlands and Mount Arayat are considered ecologically important areas.  Both ecosystems are habitats of endemic and endangered flora and fauna.  Mt. Arayat tributaries drain into the Pampanga River which bisects the whole Candaba swamp area.  Sediments from soil erosion on the mountain find its way into the Candaba swamp contributing to its eutrophication.  The average depth of the swamp is only 1-2 meters deep, thus making it very vulnerable to sedimentation.  The degradation of the Arayat uplands would also mean the deterioration of the habitat of waterfowls and migratory birds of the swamplands.  Addressing the conservation issues of the uplands would also help address the degradation of the swamplands.  As such the two different ecosystems cannot be separated  from each other.

Rehabilitation and conservation of resources of the Arayat-Candaba watershed is of great importance, not only to the flora and fauna, but also to the local people.  Conserving the upland and swampland resources could eventually conserve its biodiversity.

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Training of Treepreneurs on Backyard Nursery Development

The participating families for the nursery development were given training on 16 October 2010 and 30 October 2010 (for Phase I) and 29 November 2012 (for Phase II).  Included in the training curriculum  are seed collection, seed propagation, collecting and planting of wildlings, and hand-on training on the preparation of soil-beds and shocking of seedlings.  The concept of rainforestation was also introduced.

Mr. Bienvenido Martin of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – CENRO, was the Resource Person of the training.

 

Participants’ action planning

 

hands-on training on the preparation of soil beds

 

 

 

Implementors and Partners –