Philippines’ Apo Reef, Turtle Islands among new ASEAN heritage parks

MANILA, Philippines — Apo Reef, Turtle Islands, and Balinsasayao Twin Lakes are the new additions to the Association of Southeast Nations' (ASEAN) list of heritage parks.

The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity added the three Philippine natural parks and two others from neighboring countries in its list of heritage parks that now totals to 62 in the region.

Phou Xieng Thong National Protected Area and Nam Poui National Protected Area in Lao PDR are the two new additions. 

The ASEAN Heritage Parks program was created through the ASEAN Declaration on Heritage Parks and Reserves on November 29, 1984, which initially named the first 11 protected areas. It was first envisioned in 1978 as a group of national parks and nature reserves with “outstanding wilderness and biodiversity values.” 

ASEAN Heritage Parks are defined as “protected areas of high conservation importance, preserving in total a complete spectrum of representative ecosystems of the ASEAN region.”

The Apo Reef Natural Park on the island of Mindoro is said to be the largest contiguous coral reef system in the Philippines and the second-largest in the world. It is home to over 482 fish species, 63 coral genera, rare marine invertebrates, endangered turtles, and iconic species like dugongs, whale sharks, and hammerhead sharks.

Negros Oriental’s Balinsasayao Twin Lakes is a natural forest composed of closed forest (485.85 hectares) and open forest (4882.75 hectares). It also has brushland/shrubland, inland water and annual and perennial crop. 

Turtle Islands in Sulu is known to be the only major nesting habitat of Green Sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the Philippines. According to the center’s notes, it is also the only major nesting ground in the whole ASEAN region and the 11th major nesting site in the world. It is also identified as Extremely High (EH) for biodiversity conservation when it was proclaimed as a protected area under Republic Act (RA) 7586 on August 26, 1999. 

The other Philippine natural parks included in the ASEAN Heritage Parks list are Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, Mount Makiling Forest Reserve, Mt. Apo Natural Park, Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, Mt. Inayawan Range Natural Park, Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park, Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park, Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park, Mts. Timpoong-Hibok-Hibok Natural Monument, Pasonanca Natural Park, and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. 

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