Lake Danao Nature eMagazine

LAKE DANAO

A nature magazine in Eastern Visayas

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LAKE DANAO

Why

this ezine S

everal reasons come to mind to explain this e-magazine.

Number one, it provides us a venue to ventilate whatever it is that is troubling us. Two, the technology is there, has been there for some years now, and the possibilities for sharing information is almost endless. In fact, the only reason why people may not be able to read this is their lack of access to the web. But even that is fast disappearing as more and more internet cafes have become available to everyone, so long as one has a few pesos to spare for an hour or two of surfing.

The nice thing about this is that we are no longer limited by geographical boundaries, unlike the printed magazine, or by the time of exposure, or by the expenses involved. As a matter of fact, this is s free medium so long as one has the knowhow. The publication can stay online as long as the citizen-publisher wants to make it available to the general public. In the traditional media, the issues stay in the front pages only when hot. When they simmer down, other more controversial issues hug the front pages, and the older ones forgotten or thrown to the inside pages. Here, hot issues will only become hotter.

To us in the remote areas of the Philippines, this medium becomes an equalizing factor especially since we have very limited access to national papers and magazines. What we want to say and project about a number of things do not always see print, and even if they do, the materials go through a lot of editing and trimming down. With this technology, we can project as much as we want, shout when we want to shout, and show pictures relevant to the issues at hand.

More important, feedback is easy to have, easy to see and read. In this sense, the new medium gives us more freedom, allows us to express ourselves with very little fear of censorship.

To many, I think, this is the most important reason for liking the medium and supporting it. (Emil B. Justimbaste)

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Background

By Pagtinabangay Foundation, Inc.

L

ake Danao of Ormoc City is located about 20.87 kilometers away from the heart of the city. It is situated in the middle of primary and secondary forest growths with an estimated elevation of about 700 meters above sea level. The area reserved as a national park has a total size of 2,193 hectares, but the lake itself is only 148 hectares. It is strategically located near a population center and accessible to any means of transportation.

It is close to Barangays Gaas, Cabintan, and Cambantog northeast of Ormoc City The proclaimed protected area by virtue of Republic Act No. 7586, otherwise known as the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992,

lies within the Leyte Geothermal Reservation which covers 107, 625 hectares of forest land.

Lake Danao Natural Park embraces a critical watershed with its major catchment draining into major river systems and tributaries in the province of Leyte, and supplies populations in several cities and municipalities with good source of drinking and irrigation water. The cities of Tacloban and Ormoc, and the municipalities of Dagami, Palo, and Tanauan are some of the major recipients of potable water coming from the lake.

It also serves as a major source of irrigation water which sustains the production of all-important rice, corn, sugar cane and coconut crops of the province. The lake also ensures

the continuous supply of water in geothermal areas which are developed as energy sources.

Several smaller streams also exist in the park and these are hidden in gorges, ravines and cleavages in the mid-mountain areas of the park.

Climatic Features The natural park is endowed with cool climate and falls within climatic type IV which is characterized by rains evenly distributed throughout the year. The area has abundant rainfall throughout the year with an average monthly rainfall registered at 70.0 mm.

The average total annual rainfall is 2000 mm and temperature ranges from 16oC to 26oC. The

(Turn to p.8 )

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LAKE DANAO

M

ost of Lake Danao’s visitors are probably not aware that the site is also excellent for river trekking. Yes, there’s a river that flows out of the lake and, yes, it meanders over and under a rocky and obviously rough terrain, one that challenges the most athletic among us.

At some portions of the river trail, the water is simply inviting. Go ahead, take a dip, enjoy a short break from your trek, and grab something for your belly because you’ll be needing lots of energy to negotiate those rocks and slippery hillsides farther down the river trail.

The river begins from the outflow of the lake at the site known as “Inawasan,” the Cebuano term for water outlet. It cuts across a mountainous terrain on both sides, often slippery because these slopes are almost always wet. The rough portions do not begin until some 30 minutes later when large rocks start to protrude, that one is forced to take the mountainside trail.

For those planning to spend an overnight at the falls in Mag-aso, the site of the

But the trekker has to be prepared to get thoroughly wet. And if you intend to follow the river to its first falls some 4 to 5 hours away, you must have reserved shirts and shorts wrapped inside plastic bags inside your backpack.

If you nave a camera, better tuck them inside plastic bags, too, or bring one that can be used underwater.

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waterfalls that’s outside Ormoc territory, the advice is don’t hurry. The going rate of 4 to 5 hours is for locals. For newbies and freshies, an 8-hour trek ain’t bad enough for a first try.

You’ll enjoy the 30-foot falls of Mag-aso. Just be sure you’re there before dark so you can gather some firewood for your campfire.

Besides, there are local guides in Danao who will gladly take you there and make sure you’re back in one piece.

(EBJ)

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exotic treasures

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n 2002, a private non-profit organization, Pagtinabangay Foundation, commissioned a team from the Visayas State University, headed by Dr. Ed Mangaoang, to do a rapid appraisal of the park’s flora and fauna, and these were the findings.

Lake Danao Natural Park still shows mixtures of non-dipterocarp and few remaining dipterocarp (Lauan) tree species, non-timber plant species such as palms, ferns, vines, orchids, and a variety of ground layer plant species, and eventually narrowing down to brushland as well as grassland species.

Shrubs, grasses and ferns are prevalent in areas located at lower elevations with relatively higher degree of disturbance caused by human economic activities such as farming and collection of timber and nontimber products. But a dense population of big-diameter trees, coupled with palms and vines, can be found in midmountain portions of the park’s forests, and in areas that are less disturbed by farming activity, and with relatively steep topography. Small-diameter trees, on the other hand, are present in higher elevations and mountain ridges in association with epiphytes, pteridophytes and woody vines.

The inventory of existing

forest plants resulted in the identification of 142 plant species belonging to 80 genera and 57 families.

Out of these 142 plant species, 91 are timber species and 51 are categorized as non-timber species.

The non-timber species include fruit trees, palms, shrubs and herbs, vines and epiphytes.

Indeed, the forest vegetation of the park is still rich, what with its considerable diversity.

Fauna Species of the families Columbidae (doves) and Psittacidae have been already considered as locally threatened due to hunting and/or trapping by the local residents for commercial and domestic purposes. Among the most abused species include Pink-necked green pigeon (Treron vemanes veman), pink-bellied Imperial pigeon (Ducula poliocephala ), Slenderbellied cuckoo dove (Macrophygia phasionella tervivostris), Emerald dove (Chalchopas indica), and Philippine hanging parakeet (Loriculus philippinensis).

Most of these bird species can be found in open grassland areas, swamps and brushlands, on farmlands, disturbed second-growth forest, as well as undisturbed and usually closed canopy secondgrowth forest. The Philippine hawk, for example, has a wide range

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of habitat, from open grassland areas, farmlands, to closed canopy undisturbed second-growth forest. The mourning dove, or locally known as Alimokon, is evident in farmlands and disturbed secondgrowth forest areas. The rare Rofous hornbill, or locally called Kalaw, is usually observed in disturbed second-growth forest, and more often in undisturbed closed canopy second-growth forest.

Species of mammals The forests of Lake Danao is still endowed with a significant number of mammals which are mostly found in the less disturbed portions of the park, particularly in portions of the lake where the forest cover is relatively intact, and far away from human economic activities. The faunal species that are already considered as endangered and locally threatened due to hunting include deer (Cervus sp.), Philippine monkey (Macaca fascicularies), wild pig (Sus celebensis philippinensis), and Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta).

Wild pigs have been more visible at the southeastern portion of the lake and along the Inawasan creek.

Other important species which is also considered as rare is the Philippine flying lemur (Cynocephalus volans).

Species of amphibians

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tailed swamp skink and others can be found in upland farms and or Nine species of amphibians cultivated areas within the natural have been identified within the park. Most of the rare or already inventory site, and these belong to 5 threatened species, like the reticulatgenera and 4 families. Two species ed phyton, monitor lizard, and sailfin under one genus represent the famwater lizard, reside in disturbed ily Bufonidae. One rare amphibian second-growth as well as undisturbed species, the Southeast Asian horned closed-canopy forests. (PFI Report) toad (Megophyrys montana) of the family Discoglossidae, was actually spotted at the southwestern side of the lake with elevation ranging from 800 m to 840 m asl.

Species of reptiles Identified reptiles constitute 8 species belonging to 8 genera and 4 families (Table 23). Most of the identified species belong to the family Gekkonidae (4 species) and Varanidae (2 species), respectively. Two of the identified species have been considered as locally threatened due to hunting activities of the local residents which include the Monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) and Reticulated phyton (Phyton reticulatus). The Monitor lizard in the same way has been considered as a rare faunal species (DENR 1994).

A good number of reptiles such as the two-spotted flying lizard, narrow-disked gecko, spotted green tree skink, red-

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Background....

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months of October, November, December and January are the rainiest months while dry period begins in the later part of March until the early part of June. The average relative humidity is 82%.

Population and Demography Lake Danao Natural Park is inhabited by an estimated 1,471 residents which belong to 282 households located in Barangay Lake Danao, the only settlement area within the park’s boundaries. Result of the focus group discussion and individual interview conducted in 2004 revealed that the average age of household heads is 42 years old Most of them (55%) belong to the age bracket ranging from 36 to 50 years old, and only a meager 3% within

greater than 65 years old.

This information indicates a pool of relatively young and physically able core of manpower that is potentially available to perform development activities related to the protection and conservation of the park’s important but endangered biodi-

versity, particularly the forests.

Other than physically able, having been educated is expected to significantly contribute to the possibility of coming up with trainable core of community biodiversity groups that will eventually handle the management and protection of the park’s natural resources. (PFI) Any first attempt is always fraught with difficulties. This seems to follow the dictum that no one is perfect. Even the best among humans is bound to commit mistakes - more so if one is in a hurry to get things done.

The excitement of seeing one’s baby project readily becomes the source of one’s errors. No, this is not an attempt to justify the limitations of this magazine...It’s just a way of opening ourselves to suggestions so that our future issues turn out to be the improved versions of this opus. Emil Justimbaste, editor layout artist