Highlighting the “best of the best” of protected areas in Asean, the Asean Heritage Parks (AHP) Programme, even in the midst of the pandemic, offers an opportunity to strengthen biodiversity protection and conservation measure through protected area management.
Asean comprises 3 percent of the world’s total land area, but it is home to 18 percent of known plants and animals.
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are three of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world.
The Asean boasts of 34 percent of the world’s 284,000 square kilometers of coral reefs.
The Coral Triangle is found in the Asean, a region hosting the world’s center for marine biodiversity and has the most extensive and diverse corals in the world.
The regional group is composed of Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
AHP Programme
The Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), which works with the Asean Secretariat, implements the AHP Programme that marked its 36th anniversary on November 29.
It takes pride in claiming to be Asean’s best response to the challenge of biodiversity loss.
From the 11 original protected areas upon its inception on November 29, 1984, there are now a total of 49 AHPs which represent what can be considered as the “cream of the crop” of protected areas in the Asean.
These are in Brunei Darussalam, 1; Cambodia, 2; Indonesia, 7; Lao PDR, 1; Malaysia, 3; Myanmar, 8; Philippines, 9; Singapore, 2; Thailand, 6; Vietnam, 10.
ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim said there are more protected areas that may soon earn the distinction of being an AHP.
These include a national park in Thailand, which is awaiting the approval of the Asean Ministerial Meeting on Environment (AMME).
“We will issue an announcement once the nomination has been approved by AMME,” Lim told the BusinessMirror via e-mail on December 8.
Moreover, Thailand and Myanmar are finalizing the boundary coordinates of their nominated protected areas.
Two nominated sites from Lao PDR are finalizing their requirements, such as the protected areas management plans.
On the other hand, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam have also signified their intentions to submit nominations next year.
AHP management
According to Lim, most AHPs are run by management teams guided by their respective government bodies, which provide funding allocations, technical assistance, sectoral coordination, and regular capacity building activities.
“They are administered through their respective management plans, which are one of the requirements in AHP nominations criteria,” she said.
There is also the AHP Regional Action Plan, that was formulated according to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, which is undergoing a review in order to cater to the needs and issues of the AHPs, Lim added.
Lim said that most of the AHPs operate on the budget coming from revenues earned in tourism operations.
Unfortunately, with the current Covid-19 pandemic, most AHPs are suffering from the lack or absence of funds.
“Hence, the management activities such as patrolling and law enforcement may be affected, not to mention the increasing pressure from various threats such as climate-change impacts, encroachment, illegal wildlife trade, and others,” she said.
Nevertheless, Lim, a former director of the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said AHPs are finding solutions to overcome such challenges with the help of stakeholders and communities in their respective areas.
Importance of AHPs
AHPs help ensure the maintenance of the essential ecological processes and life-support systems, preservation of genetic diversity and maintenance of species diversity of flora and fauna. These services contribute to the socioeconomic well-being of the people.
AHPs also promote regional cooperation among the Asean member states to ensure the protection and management of the natural resources in the Asean region.
These AHPs also play an important role in wildlife conservation as they provide crucial habitats for many wildlife species.
Asked how are these AHPs help promote the protected area management system in the Asean, Lim said the regional cooperation among Asean countries provides a venue to enable AHP management teams to improve their management systems.
“It also promotes opportunities for various activities, such as responsible tourism, education and research,” she said.
In addition, the stakeholder ownership, and pride among the communities, who take part in managing the AHPs, enhance their willingness to contribute more in the management of the protected areas in the region, Lim added.
The ACB believes that the conservation of the biological resources are important to maintain a well-balanced ecosystem that helps provide people and communities with various environmental services, such as water, clean air, health benefits, disaster resilience, agricultural production, and many more.
Haven for unique plants, animals
Moreover, AHPs are home to many endemic and other endangered species.
The endangered Sumatran elephants, tigers and rhinos are found in Way Kambas National Park in Indonesia
On the other hand, the Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park in Vietnam hosts the globally-endangered red-cheeked gibbon, an endemic primate species in south Indochina.
Meanwhile, endangered plants are found in several AHPs including Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park in the Philippines, the Vu Quang National Park of Vietnam and Virachey National Park in Cambodia.
Moreover, the endangered species of seagrass, turtles and megafauna species are found in various marine AHPs, such as Hat Chao Mai National Park and Mu Ko Libong Non-hunting Area of Thailand, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in the Philippines and Kepulauan Seribu National Park in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, rare bird species are found in a lot of the terrestrial AHPs, such as Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park in Brunei Darussalam, Nam Ha National Protected Area in Lao PDR, Mount Apo Natural Park of the Philippines, and Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park in Thailand.
Asean body
ACB is in the position to coordinate biodiversity conservation and protection programs in the Asean, Lim told the BusinessMirror in an interview via Messenger on December 8.
After all, that was the basis for the creation of ACB—to facilitate the meeting of global objectives for biodiversity at the regional level.
“It was the 10 Asean member-states who established the ACB for the purpose of coordinating action in the region to address biodiversity loss. We draw our main mandate from the establishment agreement adopted and ratified by all the 10 member states,” Lim said.
“We work closely with the Asean Secretariat to make sure that we align with the priorities and protocols promulgated by Asean leadership,” she said.
What has been ACB’s significant accomplishment so far?
Significant feat
The implementation of the AHP, Lim said, is the ACB’s most significant accomplishment so far.
“The program has gained some attention from development partners. The Asean member -states are now seeing the value of having their national parks recognized as AHPs,” she said, adding, “we have also initiated some activities that reach out to other sectors, under our program on mainstream biodiversity.”
Lim said even before the Covid-19 pandemic, the ACB co-organized a meeting with the United Nations University, hosted by the Philippines, on the interlinkages of biodiversity and public health.
“We also facilitated a meeting between government focal points responsible for biodiversity and nature conservation, and those responsible for climate-change,” she added.
Lim said the ACB continues to support the Asean Secretariat’s direction to promote cross-sectoral coordination to promote biodiversity protection and conservation in the region.
“We hope to be able to help better address the needs of the Asean region in taking into account biodiversity and nature in their disaster and pandemic response and prevention, in their climate action, in their infrastructure planning and economic development processes,” she said.
“We hope to continuously promote biodiversity in Asean, not just as a concern purely of the nature conservation sector, but of everyone, because of the recognition that the richness of our biodiversity and living in harmony with it may be the answer to most of the crises and challenges that can affect us all,” she said.
Image credits: ACB, Robert Mather