Critical Habitats – refer to areas outside protected areas under Republic Act No. 7586 that are known habitats of threatened species. These areas are designated as critical areas based on scientific data taking into consideration species endemicity and/or richness, presence of man-made pressures and threats to the survival of wildlife living in the area, among others. Currently there are thirteen (13) critical habitats declared/proclaimed through legal instruments covering almost 60,000 has. They are areas declared for protection of specific species and ecosystems. The latest addition is the Mangatarem Critical Habitat in the province of Pangasinan, declared on February 2021.
In recognition of the importance of Critical Habitats (CH) as an efficient practice for conservation, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued Department Administrative Order 2007-02 that specifies the procedures in Critical Habitat Establishment, which include:
- Identification and validation of threatened species.
- Population estimate and rapid habitat assessment, community consultation, review and recommendation by DENR.
- Declaration of areas as CH by DENR and/or local government units (LGU) and ground truthing.
THIRTEEN PROCLAIMED / DECLARED CRITICAL HABITATS
Some PhilCHM partner NGO’s are actively working with local governments and communities to establish Critical Habitats in their respective project sites. Haribon Foundation for example is working in the following areas to name a few:
- Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija (Philippine Eagles in Mt. Dingalan)
- Sebaste, Antique (The Big Five of the Central Panay Mountain Range)
- Zambales, Pangasinan (Scientific poster on CH in Pangasinan)
- Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro
Download List of Critical Habitats