Photo: CONserve-KAIGANGAN Program
Exploring the biodiversity of limestone forests in Samar
CONserve-KAIGANGAN is a biodiversity program of UPLB and Samar State University (SSU) that aims to assess and conserve the biodiversity in kaigangan (Samar local dialect for forests over limestone) towards its sustainable management in Samar Island, particularly in Paranas, Taft, Basey and Guiuan. The program has four interrelated project components: Assessment of Biodiversity of Forests over Limestone Ecosystem (Project 1); Ethnobotanical Survey, Usage Validation, and Safety Assessment of Economically-Important Native Plants in Forest over Limestone Ecosystem (Project 2); Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Profiling of Soil Rhizosphere Microbial Communities in Forests over Limestone Ecosystem (Project 3); and Community-Based Conservation of Plants in Forest over Limestone Ecosystem (Project 4).
CONserve-KAIGANGAN attempts to contribute to the attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals as it aligns its mission and objectives to some of its global goals such as: no poverty (Goal 1), zero hunger (Goal 2), quality education (Goal 4), decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11), responsible consumption and production (Goal 12), climate action (Goal 13), life below water (Goal 14), life on land (Goal 15), and partnerships for the goals (Goal 17). The findings of this study also support the nomination of the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP) as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, as signified by the SINP Protected Area Superintendent and head of Basaranan nga Organisasyon han San Isidro, Samar (BOSIS), a local peoples’ organization in Samar.
The program documented the floral, faunal, and microbial diversity of the forests over limestone in Samar, including new records and new species from this unique yet understudied ecosystem. We also established partnerships and conducted capacity-building activities with academic institutions and peoples’ organizations in Samar Island. The program has also been developing a website and online database (kaigangan.uplb.edu.ph) to digitize the biodiversity collection of Samar kaigangan.
Inocencio E. Buot, Jr. – Program Leader
Marlon P. Rivera – Project Leader (Project 1. Ethnobotanical Survey, Usage Validation, and Safety Assessment of Economically-Important Native Plants in Forest over Limestone Ecosystem)
John Daniel P. Ong – Project Leader (Project 2. Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Profiling of Soil Rhizosphere Microbial Communities in Forests over Limestone Ecosystem)
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