MEGA SANCTUARY

DUMAGUETE CITY, PHILIPPINES -- Negros Island is one of the few places in the world where one can easily access a variety of habitats that play a vital role in the continuous explosion of plant and animal biodiversity. 

 

For millions of years, the distinct geographic features of natural parks have provided endless ecological pressures that somehow led to the development of its remarkable eruption of life. Today, the people of Negros Oriental and the entire Philippines can be considered lucky for having easy access to a variety of ecological interactions that took generations to perfect.

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My post graduation plans were a tad bit different from the others. I was clearly not going into the “alright let’s study for the board exams and get a job as soon as possible” route, instead I embarked on a mission to capture through photos the distinct wildlife that had made the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park in Negros Oriental its refuge. True enough, the project unraveled so much more than just rare flying hornbills and volcanic mountain lakes but also discovering species that are equally important to Balinsasayao’s ecosystem. 

 

Aside from the seemingly obvious bounties of the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes, there’s also much to learn about the exciting history of the park regarding the collective efforts shared by multiple government units and most importantly, the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Farmers Association Inc., the local community that carries one of the biggest responsibilities in the conservation of Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park as a whole over the years.

 

Balinsasayao Twin Lakes was declared as a natural park on November 21, 2000 however, it was only 6 years after that the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Farmers Association Inc was founded. Led by Manong Rico Mier, they have served in the frontlines of the park since day 1 by providing amenities to the people like boat tours, dining, park maintenance as well as assisting researchers on their projects.

 

When asked about what fueled the organization into dedicating the last 16 years of managing and developing the park, Manong Rico answered “ge paningkamotan jud sa association sir nga ma preserve ang Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park kay dili raman ang mga hayop maka benepisyo, pero ang mga tao pod nga naa diri kay matagaan ug mas maayo jud nga panginabuhi” [the association have worked hard in the preservation of Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park mainly because it does not only benefit the wildlife but at the same time, it enhances the quality of life of the people living around the area].

 

The Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park is one of the three natural parks on the island of Negros and is surprisingly the smallest of them all. If you combine the three existing natural parks of Negros Island, Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park covers only up to 7% of the total land area. 

 

However, even with the park’s relatively small size, it is still widely considered by some as one of the biggest stages for the continuous growth of floral and faunal biodiversity in the country and the entire world. 

 

It’s not surprising to hear stories about foreign guests who travel halfway around the world to witness the spectacle that the park holds. 

 

“For me, my favorite memory is always having lunch on the veranda overlooking the lake with the blooming flowers right in front of us with all the sunbirds and flowerpeckers coming in close enough to enjoy their magnificent colors”, says experienced British birder, Mike Nelson, one of the highly sought birding tour leader of Birdtour Asia.

 

“Many of the species in the area are endemic to the central Philippines and the forest around the lake provides them with a home and easy access for us to see them”, Mike Nelson on what made his decision to visit Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park.

 

Richness in fauna

 

Today, more than 270 identified residents and migratory birds seek refuge in this 8,000-hectare paradise. One of the iconic birds of Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park is the critically endangered Visayan Tarictic Hornbill, which can be found nowhere else in the world except the islands of Negros and Panay. 

 

Hornbills, together with some birds, feed on numerous fruiting trees in the area and naturally shape the landscape by dispersing their leftover seeds everywhere they go, allowing the next generation of trees to rise above its fertile ground. They literally act as gardeners of their own little world. 

 

Some birds exhibit distinct breeding and nesting behaviors. Some nest on cavities of tall old-growth trees, some birds nest on the ground, some build nests that contain certain characteristics that may be too odd for a bird to build, and many more. 

 

In addition to all that, other small endemic birds such as the Maroon Naped Sunbird, Magnificent Sunbird and the Visayan Flowerpecker together with some butterflies like the Archduke Butterfly, Samia Luzonica and the Lexias Starapes contribute to the vibrant scenery of the park by pollinating countless beautiful wildflowers, some of which can only be found on the island of Negros. What’s probably unbelievable is that birds even from the far corners of east China stopover to feed on available food before they continue their migratory voyage to the south.

 

Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park is not just home to numerous bird species, but it is also home to numerous mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. 

 

The rarest deer in the world, the Visayan Spotted Deer, roam the deeper parts of the forests although they have become very difficult, if not impossible, to spot nowadays. The endemic Philippine Sailfin Lizard, on the other hand, can be easily spotted along the lake’s shoreline even if they have been classified as vulnerable due to multiple pressures facing them. If you are lucky, you can sometimes spot a group of Philippine Macaques hanging around the giant trees around the area.

 

There are more plants and wildlife to mention. It's just impossible to cover everything in one story. I only learned these things from the people who I met along the way when I was still trying to complete my project in photographing the rare Visayan Tarictic Hornbill. 

 

I have always thought that the project will only be about my target bird. To my surprise, I even found a better cause by learning that these valuable resources that the birds and other animals seek refuge are the very own resources we, the people of southern Negros, heavily rely on the most. 

 

Most of the clean water that the people drink comes from the lake and the continuous precipitation brought by the thick and dense untouched forests. 

 

Lake Balinsasayao and Lake Danao create a safer place for the multiple towns located around the volcanic peaks of Cuernos de Negros by maintaining the temperature of the volcanic landscape by continuously cooling the hot steaming ground. 

 

Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park is also a valuable source of income for the people in the communities through sustainable ecotourism. Water for irrigation, fresh air, and climate stability, are just a few of the many wonders brought by this relatively small piece of land.
 

The people of the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Farmers Organization, together with the DENR, take pride in managing and doing most of the work in the park. So what can we all do about this? How can we, as a Negrosanon, extend our help to the rich biodiversity of Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park? I would say that we start by acknowledging that Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park is one of our own because honestly, it is ours -- nature is freely ours.

 

We, of course can show support by visiting the place, taking boat rides, trekking along the lakeside, having a simple chit chat with the ates and kuyas who take good care of the place because you know what? These are the same people who makes sure that no poachers are able to gun down critically endangered Hornbills everyday, these are the same men and women who circumnavigate the forests of Balinsasayao from time to time to make sure that no further exploitation is done to our last old growth forests and most importantly, these are the same people who bring home these values to their own households and share it with the people who are sitting on the dinner table, as well as with neighbors, friends, and other families in order to continually breed a generation that may be able to share the same amount of sentiment to nature.

 

Again, Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park is only 7% of the total land area of all existing natural parks on the island of Negros, yet its impact on the megafauna, mega flora, and the people go far beyond our expectations. 

 

Last November 21, 2020, Manong Rico, together with the rest of the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Farmers Association Inc celebrated 20 happy and fruitful years of this extraordinary movement. My heart belongs to the entire organization who wholeheartedly commit every day to protect the last wild place of southern Negros. Dili mo ma baylo!

The Visayan Tarictic Hornbill I photographed on my last day in the field is not just a symbol of my photographic success, but is a very beautiful representation of a bright future shaped by the people, for the people.

It comes to a realization that when you just give the natural world a chance to flourish, it does so in the most extraordinary way possible. I think it’s time for the people of Negros Oriental, especially the youth, to learn more about Negros’s biodiversity and to get involved in preserving the best of treasures on can find in a lifetime.