Analysis of the Ecotourism Potential of the Pagbilao Mangrove Experimental Forest.

Abstract

The research was conducted to evaluate the potential for an ecotourism management approach for the continued protection of the Pagbilao Mangrove Experimental Forest, a 145-hectare 30-year old secondary growth mangrove forest reserve, believed to significantly contribute to fisheries, wildlife, and environmental education. The study aimed to (1) determine the value of the benefits derived from the forest reserve, (2) estimate the willingness to pay of its visitors, and (3) assess the available physical, human resources and institutional capacity relevant to support ecotourism opportunities for the area.

The study site is located in two adjacent barangays in Pagbilao, Quezon, namely Ibabang Palsabangon, where the Pagbilao Mangrove Experimental Forest is located and Pinagbayanan, where the potential of the community to provide ecotourism services for the mangrove reserve is assessed. The study used secondary data to show the economic importance of the said forest reserve, and visitors' survey to highlight its educational and ecological tourism importance. The willingness to pay survey was also used to determine the potential revenues that can be generated for conservation purposes, and potential livelihood opportunities that can be created for the local community through ecotourism. Ocular survey was likewise employed to know the physical capacity to accommodate visitors. Semi-structured focused-group discussions integrated in a workshop and interviews were conducted in order to determine the available human and institutional capacity which can be pertinent in implementing ecotourism plans for the mangrove reserve. Information on the community's seasonal pattern was also generated from the local residents, which provide indicators on the availability of the human resource capacities in various times of the year.

The survey revealed that most of the visitors, 80 percent of them composed of students, visit the reserve for educational reasons. A significant number of student visitors are likewise likely to originate from areas more than 50 kilometers away while earning visitors are more likely to be from nearby localities. The survey also showed that close to PhP 138,000 in a year can be generated from visitors which can be utilized not only for conservation but also as a source of livelihood opportunities for the local community. The study confirmed that the same community can already participate in minimal eco-tourism services such as food retailing and in providing boat rides to visitors. The local community is also willing to undergo various capability enhancement programs in order to be better equipped to participate in ecotourism activities. The local government can provide the necessary policy support to start community involvement in the conversation and management of the said forest reserve, and to institutionalize collection of user fees to generate conservation funds.

This study recommends that in order to continuously manage the highly diverse mangrove reserve and maintain its economic value, participation of local groups such as the community living near and around the mangrove reserve and the local government unit should be encouraged and welcomed by its current management body, the Quezon Ecosystems Research and Development Center (QERDC) of the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.