The Jeepney Projects Worldwide and the Birding Adventure Philippines (BAP) are raising funds to build
new eco lodges in the Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park buffer zone to
help promote the area as a bird watchers’ destination, Dr. Felix
Mirasol, Bukidnon provincial environment and natural resources officer (PENRO)
said. With over 125 species of birds, about half of them endemic to the
area, including the Philippine Eagle, Mt. Kitanglad is one of the
favorite destinations of bird watchers, he said
Mirasol told the Malaybalay City Tourism Board on Thursday that
eco-lodges will be built so bird watchers around the world will
continue to come over to see the Philippine Eagle and other birds in
the park. He said JPW and BAP will turn over the structures to the Bukidnon
Daraghuyan tribe as the owner and operator.
JPW, with BAP as Philippine partner, describes itself in its website
as “a partnering of benefit art projects and regional conservation
groups working to inspire support and restore lost habitat of
critically endangered birds.”
The group intends to build a main pod and two smaller eco pods for
“birders, researchers and nature enthusiasts,” Mirasol said.
He told the Board that even before the JPW-BAP initiative, Mt.
Kitanglad has been known as a destination for enthusiasts from around
the world. But it did not take off as it should because of the absence
of an eco-lodge.
JPW and BAP describe the project as “an eco-lodge owned and operated
by the Kitanglad community with international and local support and
guidance.”
In his presentation, Mirasol explained that “one of the biggest trends
in eco-tourism today is community-owned and operated lodges.”
“Vital to these lodges’ success is the empowerment, integration and
participation of indigenous communities and international support,” he
added.
Mirasol also informed the Tourism Board that the conversion of the
forest buffer zone into commercial vegetable gardens has threatened
the habitat of Mt. Kitanglad’s endemic birds.
BAP is headed by Nicky Icarangal, the premier Filipino bird guide who
has an “extensive experience in leading tours in the Philippines.”
Mirasol said with Icarangal are “the more experienced tour guide
members of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP).”
According to their website, BAP “takes pride in its extensive
knowledge of the local birding sites and bird species which is second
to none among its peers. The tours are organized by local birders with
a birdwatcher’s interest in mind– seeing the most and the best of the
Philippines.”
According to the website of JPW, the eco-lodge will be designed by San
Francisco, California-based architect Craig Steely.
Steely envisioned that each prefabricated pod is supported on a single
pier foundation with supporting guy wires to allow each pod the
flexibility to locate on any topography or relocate if required.
The website said the top prism has a fabric roof with screen walls
while the lower prism is translucent corrugated with locally reclaimed
wood walls. The pod can accommodate six people on two floors.
Mirasol, however, said transporting the prefabricated pods from
abroad to the part would be problem since because of the six-kilometer
dirt road to Lalawan, Dalwangan, this city.
Mirasol had raised this concern to the city government through the
Tourism Board in its meeting earlier this month.
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