Oceanus Conservation recently hosted the Ocean Summit on June 7th during World Ocean’s Day, held at Coron Westown Resort, Coron, Palawan. This year’s theme, “Collaboration in Conservation: Catalyzing Action for our Ocean and Climate”, brought together an impressive assembly of about 80 participants from various sectors! A Collective Effort The summit was organized in collaboration with Lalakbayin and the Sustainable Ocean Alliance Philippines. This marks a significant culmination of Project PriCE: Prioritizing Conservation Efforts: Mapping biodiversity hotspots in Busuanga, Palawan. This crucial initiative focuses on mapping biodiversity hotspots in Busuanga, aiming to enhance conservation strategies and foster sustainable practices in...
Biodiversity assessment in Surigao del Sur
We conducted a biodiversity assessment at the mangrove restoration sites in Poblacion and Bitaugan West, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur. This evaluation aimed to gather baseline data on various environmental factors to gauge the success of the ongoing restoration projects. Oceanus collected data on water quality, soil samples, mangrove biodiversity, and macroinvertebrate biodiversity, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the current ecological status of these abandoned fishponds The assessment process involved sampling and analysis. Water quality was measured for parameters such as pH, salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen, which are crucial for the health of mangrove ecosystems. Soil samples were analyzed for...
Mangrove Lecture in Academy of International Education
Last April 24 and 25, the Academy of International Education hosted a learning session in partnership with Oceanus Conservation and City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), focusing on mangrove ecosystems. Fifty students from grades seven to ten and the faculty attended the lecture on the first day, where Oceanus taught them about mangrove biology, zonation, stressors, and the techniques for proper planting. This session aimed to provide students with a solid understanding of the importance of mangroves in coastal environments. The practical aspect of the event took place the next day in Sitio Punta Bonbon, where the students applied...
April 2024 – Updates from our Community-led Mangrove and Migratory Bird Conservation project
We’re down to our last few activities for our Community-led Mangrove and Migratory Bird Conservation project in Bais City, Negros Oriental. As the bird migration winds down for this season, we’re also drawing closer to our project turnover. Last April 5-7, 2024 we held to back-to-back activities – 1) A community dialogue on co-designing a conservation and sustainable livelihood plan and 2) A pilot run of our bird watching tour process. Our stakeholders – the United Fisherfolk Association of Capiñahan – went through a series of activities to map out the past, current, and future states of their community using...
eDNA: Emerging Technology for Biodiversity Conservation
Oceanus Conservation conducts eDNA collection of coastal species using the Environmental DNA (eDNA) filtration method on March 23, 2024, at Aras-asan, Cagwait, Surigao Del Sur. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an emerging, non-invasive approach to studying the genetic material (e.g., mucus, feces, and other tissue particles) shed by animals and plants into the water to determine their genetic footprint. Water samples were taken at the study site using a specialized eDNA filtration kit. SimplexDNA will analyze the samples collected at Cagwait through metabarcoding to determine the species present. The eDNA method can help improve the accuracy and efficiency of ecological surveys,...
Training on Bird Identification for Ecotourism and Conservation
A critical milestone in our Community-led Mangrove and Migratory Bird Conservation Project unlocked! Last March 9-10, 2024, through the expertise of consultants from the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Ms. Nikki Realubit and Karen Ochavo, 15 members of the United Fisherfolk Association of Capiñahan (UFAC) were trained on Bird Identification for Ecotourism and Conservation. Focusing on migratory waterbirds found within Bais Bay and Talabong Island, the members of UFAC participated in this knowledge transfer activity. The ultimate goal is for them to be able to identify bird species and conduct guided bird watching tours in the future. Proper bird...
Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) training in Cagwait, Surigao del Sur
Our Blue Carbon Program focuses on the restoration and protection of blue carbon habitats such as seagrass and mangrove habitats. The 2nd phase of this program is to conduct trainings for our partner communities to equip them with the knowledge and skills for mangrove restoration and monitoring. With this, our team recently partnered with the Bitaugan West Fisherfolk Association (BWFA) in Cagwait, Surigao del Sur, for a Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) training. BWFA members, along with representatives from the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) – Lianga, learned about...
Mangrove Restoration: A Community Effort in Kabasalan
Mangrove forests act as nature’s guardians, filtering water, providing vital habitat for marine life and livelihood for local coastal communities, and even protecting shorelines from erosion and storms. Unfortunately, these vital ecosystems have faced threats such as coastal development, cutting, and conversion to aquaculture ponds. This is where our Blue Carbon Program steps in. Focused on the preservation and restoration of mangrove habitats in the Philippines, our program recently embarked on an exciting new chapter in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay. Here, we partnered with the Kapunungan sa Gagmay’ng Mangingisda sa Concepcion (KGMC), a local fisherfolk association, to empower the community and...
Restoring abandoned fishponds in Cagwait, Surigao del Sur
Mangroves are a salt-tolerant plant that occurs within the coastal belt. They are among the most productive ecosystems on earth. It is known for its numerous ecosystem services critical to environmental health and human well-being. Mangroves have great potential to lessen the adverse effects of climate change and mitigate the harm natural coastal hazards cause to property and human lives. Furthermore, mangroves have an even greater capacity than tropical forests to absorb and sequester greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Due to overexploitation, mangroves in the country have decreased rapidly despite the ecosystem services offered. Human exploitation and conversion of natural ecosystems,...
Community-led mangrove and migratory bird conservation project updates
Hey there! Let’s continue our journey on setting up a Community-led Mangrove and Migratory Bird Conservation program. This time we head out to our chosen project site in Bais City in Negros Oriental. We went there to conduct an ocular inspection on the bird occurrences in the area and study their activities and behavior. But before we proceed, here’s a quick recap of what we have done so far. Last time, Mark, our Field Officer for this project, took us to Olango Island in Lapu-lapu City, Cebu on an immersion tour. With the purpose of getting a deeper understanding of...