A Cagayan de Oro based university recently held center stage at a world environment conference in South Africa.
About 400 participants from 29 countries converged at the 8th Ecosystem Services Partnership World Conference in Spier, Stellenbosch, South Africa to build linkages and share lessons in ecological conservation and management. (photo by XU Communications Office)
The Valuing Ecosystem Services Together (VEST) of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan (XU) , in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature – The Netherlands (IUCN-NL), shared the challenges, lessons and milestones of the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) project in Mt Kalatungan at the 8th Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) World Conference held November 9-13 in Spier, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Dr Hilly Ann Roa-Quiaoit, XU Vice-President for Research and Social Outreach, presented the VEST experience as one of the panelists of the 9th session which focused on finding strong and useful arguments, and building bridges between research, politics and practice.
XU’s VP for Research and Social Outreach Dr Hilly Ann Roa-Quiaoit presents the VEST experience as one of the panelists during the session which centered on finding strong and useful arguments, and building bridges between research, politics and practice. (photo by XU Communications Office)
In a parallel session, Analyn B Mejares, VEST technical officer, presented VEST as a Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Change Adaptation (DRR-CCA) and multi sectoral rewarding mechanism during the Session T10: “Co-investment Approaches at the Landscape Scale.”
VEST technical officer Analyn B Mejares discusses on VEST as a Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Change Adaptation (DRR-CCA) and multisectoral rewarding mechanism at the international confab. (photo by XU Communications Office)
The participants of both sessions lauded VEST for its ridge-to-reef landscape approach in watershed management, engagement with multi-sectoral stakeholders, sector-targeted social marketing and student volunteerism.
Other participants of the international confab took note of the PES-VEST Operational Framework which differs from the usual PES framework by integrating a fund manager and a monitoring and evaluation body in its system.
About 400 participants from 29 countries attended the international confab conference.
Established in 2008, ESP is a worldwide network that aims to enhance the science and practical application of ecosystem services. To facilitate the needed dialogue among scientists, policymakers and practitioners, academic institutions, global and community leaders and advocates, ESP organizes an annual international conference in different parts of the world.
This year’s theme “Ecosystem Services for Nature, People and Prosperity” placed the spotlight on public and private sector dialogue on how the ecosystem services concept can be used to support conservation, improve livelihoods and engage the business community.
The rehabilitation project in Mt Kalatungan, Talakag, Bukidnon, built on research and community collaborations, has introduced to Northern Mindanao a “reward-based mechanism” wherein “the seller” protects and provides ecosystem services to “the buyer” who benefits from these intangible products.
The Miarayon–Lapok–Lirongan–Tinaytayan Tribal Association (MILALITTRA) serves as the seller in this project while various sectors — businesses, cooperatives, academic institutions, religious organizations and households in Cagayan de Oro City— are the buyers of the various ecosystem services, such as ensuring the streamlines along the region develop high water infiltration capacity and providing continuous supply of potable water, clean air and food, among others.
Xavier Science Foundation acts as the fund manager of the PES project in Mt Kalatungan. The fund will be used to realize the 5-year development master plan of MILALITTRA in the areas of environmental protection, cultural preservation, youth development, and education and health services, among others. Their Community Development Plan (CDP) aims to reforest 832 hectares and utilize 816 hectares for agroforestry within their ancestral domain. (with reports by Stephen J Pedroza)
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