𝑪𝑶𝑻𝑨𝑩𝑨𝑻𝑶’𝑺 𝑬𝑭𝑭𝑶𝑹𝑻𝑺 𝑭𝑶𝑹 𝑾𝑬𝑻𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵

Revive and restore degraded wetlands!

 

A resonating call that brings about the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Region 12 to rally on the restoration of its wetlands.

 

“We all have our individual share of restoring our wetlands. We have to save the world’s wetlands from total oblivion and restore them in a way that we can preserve the biodiversity.”

 

DENR-12 Regional Executive Director (RED) Atty. Felix Alicer emphasized the significance of wetlands in the preservation of life and promoting intergenerational responsibility in the protection of the environment and natural resources.

 

As provided in its latest data, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands informs the public that 35% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared in the last 50 years. This is the utmost reason why a campaign to revive and restore degraded wetlands is being pushed through worldwide. Among the many types of ecosystems, wetlands are vital for biodiversity.

 

In Region 12, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) of Cotabato along with its Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENRO) of Matalam and of Midsayap teamed up in the culmination of activities of World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2023 relative to this year’s theme, “Time for Wetland Restoration”.

 

Engaging the stakeholders, promoting advocacies on wetland protection through information, education, and communication (IEC) campaigns, and community organizing are the approaches that DENR-12 utilizes to realize its program, projects, and activities.

 

This year, PENRO Cotabato adhered to these approaches as they immersed a communication-based approach in sharing with their participants the campaign on the protection and preservation of the wetlands in the province. Together with CENRO Matalam, they facilitated an IEC campaign to the punong-barangay, barangay kagawad, and some barangay staff at Brgy. Dugong M’lang, Cotabato in honor also of the anniversary of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

 

Earlier this month, CENRO Matalam together with Manobo Apao Descendants Ancestral Domain of Mt. Apo (MADADMA) facilitated a tree growing at Lake Agco, Kidapawan City, Cotabato where a total of 100 seedlings of Almon species were planted.

 

Planting trees along wetland areas can be part of restoring wetlands and providing a water source to maintain flow to waterways during dry weather. The activity aimed to create global awareness of the significant role that wetlands play for people and encourage actions to conserve and restore.

 

CENRO Matalam presented the results of two-day on-site surveillance in the area of Brgy. Dugong, M’lang, and Cotabato where data analysis was discussed. It was also found that based on trends between 2020 and 2023, there are 1,423 individual bird species consisting of 14 migratory birds and 12 other species that have been sighted this year.

 

Like the initiatives of PENRO Cotabato and its CENROs, Ramsar suggests that we need to take action in three specific ways such as conscious choices to minimize our own impact on wetlands, persuasive voices to educate and activate others to get involved in wetland restoration, and bold actions and taking part in wetland restoration efforts locally. Now is the time to take action. (With reports from PENRO COTABATO and CENRO Matalam, and photos from MANP Cotabato) | RSCIGJ