ECODEV Surveys on 4 Protected Watershed Areas of Catanduanes
In 1987, through Presidential Proclamation No. 123, a large portion of the island's forest areas was set aside into watershed reservation. Named as Catanduanes Watershed Forest Reserve, the CWFR has a total area of 26,010 hectares covering the 8 municipalities of Baras, Bato, Caramoran, Gigmoto, San Miguel, San Andres, Virac, and Viga. The area represents 17.20% of the province's total land area. However in 2016, the site verification and maps provided by the DENR V Land Evaluation and Survey Section revealed that the CWFR boundary also extends in the municipal jurisdiction of Panganiban, resulting to a more extensive coverage of this protected area to 46,803.37 hectares which is roughly 30% of the island’s land area, and now covering 9 out of its 11 municipalities.
Within the first half of 2016, Catanduanes Sustainable Ecosystems Development Inc. (ECODEV) kicked off an activity to start determining the number of butterfly species occurring in the island. On March 16 to April 5, 2016, several surveys were conducted by ECODEV’s members and officers on the four protected watershed areas at Obi in Caramoran, Summit (P. Vera) in Viga, Timbaan in San Andres, and Hicming in Virac. During these surveys, 26 different butterfly species were recorded, 9 of which were new locality records. (It was first reported as 13 new locality records, although on further review, 4 of these had been reported earlier by members of the Catanduanes Biodiversity Group.)
NL – New locality record
1R, L-R: From Summit (P.Vera), Viga: Tagiades sp. (unconfirmed ID, NL?), Jamides celeno lydanus, From Hicming, Virac: Ypthima stellera stellera (NL), From Obi, Caramoran: Ypthima sempera sempera (NL),
2R, L-R: From Obi, Caramoran: Everes lacturnus lacturnus (NL), Pelopidas mathias mathias (NL), Menelaides helenus hystaspes, Zethera pimplea pimplea,
3R, L-R: From Obi, Caramoran: Lamproptera meges decius, Troides rhadamantus rhadamantus, Menelaides polytes ledebouria, Hypolimnas bolina philippensis,
4R, L-R: From Timbaan, San Andres: Ragadia luzonia obscura, Cyrestis maenalis maenalis, Eurema hecabe hecabe, Euchrysops cnejus cnejus (NL),
5R, L-R: From Timbaan, San Andres: Euploea mulciber dufresne (NL), Danaus melanippus edmondii, Faunis phaon pan, Pantoporia cyrilla cyrilla,
NL Not in pictures: From Hicming, Virac: Lexias satrapes satrapes (NL), From Obi, Caramoran: Leptosia nina georgi (NL)
TEAM HICMING. Philippine Lepidoptera (PhiLep) members Leslie Ogalesco, Evelyn M. Flores, and Shiela B. Conche, with ECODEV biodiversity researchers and Catanduanes' skilled mountaineers - Andie Tablate, John De Leon, Jay-ar Navarro (not in this photo), Anelyn Gianan, and local guides Rene Posada and Danny Quintal - at the Cauayan watershed protected area campsite in Hicming, Virac, Catanduanes.
WALK FOR WILDLIFE. PhiLep members Shiela, Leslie, and Evelyn at the culminating activity of the World Wildlife Day celebration on March 10, 2017.
