Scaling up species conservation in the Philippines

In June, members from CPSG Europe, Australasia, and Southeast Asia led a workshop in Bacolod City, Negros, Philippines. Participants developed a conservation strategy to prevent the extinction of three critically endangered and two endangered flagship species native to the Western Visayas region of the Philippines:

The rapid decline in these species is largely due to hunting, poaching, and the loss of forest habitats, particularly of mature nesting trees in the case of the two hornbill species.

Because these species live near one another, have similar habitat, and face similar threats likely to be combatted by related partners and tactics, the workshop design included elements from CPSG’s newly developed Assess to Plan (A2P) process. A2P aims to enhance collaboration between organizations already working on the ground and align conservation strategies that boost survival of multiple species through one planning process. The workshop also employed CPSG’s One Plan Approach, where strategies for all populations of each species, in situ and ex situ, are jointly developed to produce one comprehensive conservation strategy.

The Talarak Foundation served as a fabulous host for the roughly 80 passionate participants from government agencies, protected areas, indigenous peoples and community organizations, SSC specialist groups, NGOs, universities, ex situ breeding centers, and regional zoo associations.  CPSG is grateful for the important support of the Chester Zoo, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Zoo Planckendael, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Province of Negros Occidental, and Synchronicity Earth, among others.