Nueva Ecija’s biodiversity and its challenges
In the heart of Nueva Ecija lies a hidden gem, a sanctuary teeming with life and lush landscapes—the Pantabangan-Carranglan Watershed Forest Reserve (PCWFR).
Stretching over 94,864.95 hectares across the Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley regions, this ecological haven is often referred to as the “life support system” and "backbone” of Nueva Ecija. PCWFR is strategically located in the Upper Pampanga River Basin, serving as a living corridor that connects the Caraballo and Sierra Madre Mountain ranges.
The reserve boasts a network of rivers and creeks covering over 607 kilometers, supplying an annual inflow of 1.9 million cubic meters of water to the Pantabangan Dam.
This multi-purpose earth-fill embankment dam also houses three hydropower facilities with a combined capacity of 272 megawatts of clean energy, irrigating 150 thousand hectares of rice farm in Central Luzon.
PCWFR is not just a forest; it is a symphony of biodiversity. With over 293 morphospecies identified by the University of the Philippines - Los Baños and an additional 1,300 species documented by the Philippine Taxonomic Initiative, the reserve is a treasure trove of unique and potentially undiscovered plant life.
Among the notable finds are more than 20 potentially new plant species, including critically endangered and presumed extinct ones. The reserve is home to economically vital plant species such as Dipterocarps, Syzygium, and other hardwood plant families and under-canopy species.
Meanwhile, the fauna in PCWFR is equally diverse, hosting 175 species of birds, 18 amphibians, 38 reptiles, and 18 bats. Notably, 45 percent of the recorded vertebrates are endemic to the Philippines. The reserve serves as a vital feeding and roosting site for various waterbirds, including the endemic Anas luzonica and rare species such as Common Pochard and Tufted Duck.
However, despite its ecological significance, PCWFR faces several threats of biodiversity degradation. Major sources of threats include fires, shifting cultivation, timber poaching, soil erosion, wildlife hunting, and the introduction of non-native species.
To address these challenges and preserve its rich biodiversity, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources conducts biodiversity enhancement programs and activities, in collaboration with local communities and other environmental organizations.
With this, PCWFR Assistant Protected Area Superintendent Leonardo Udasco Jr. calls on the Novo Ecijano youth to play an active role in conserving the province's biodiversity.
"So that we may leave something for the next generation... I know that since the ‘Unang Sigaw ng Nueva Ecija’, the hearts of the Novo Ecijanos have been engraved with or deeply felt love for nature," he highlighted.
