What does lowland primary rainforest mean?
The lowland rainforest is the usual known rainforest everybody thinks of. It is characterized by not being a cloud forest, thus it occurs up to 1,000 m height in a tropical climate zone. Primary rainforest means, the forest is untouched and unchanged by humans. So the primary low elevation rainforest is the colloquial jungle.
Whats so special about NPPNP?
Unlike many regions of the Philippines, the northwest Panay peninsula still harbors significant stands of lowland primary rainforest. It is the last contiguous lowland forest in the Western Visayas. The tropical evergreen rainforest hosts an impressive biodiversity including several endemic species which are only occurring in this region. The remaining stands of rainforests on Panay are valuable as gene banks for the rehabilitation of deforested areas in the entire Western Visayas region.
Unfortunately, more than 50% of the rainforest in Southeast Asia has already disappeared.
However, tree cutting and lash-and-burn farming continue locally unchecked and the cumulative effect of such activities is a point of concern to many communities and conservationists. Significant areas of the peninsula and the Central Panay Mountain Range (CPMR) have already been largely denuded and are in need of reforestation.
Why is that happening?
The value of ecosystems for humans, local, and global economy is often underestimated as compared to the value of timber, meat and other products gained by its short-term exploitation and destruction.