"The care, concern and commitment to environmental conservation and protection begin with inspirations, stories and pictures such as these..."
The Philippines is considered as one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. A biodiverse area is measured by the number of species found in an area in addition to high endemicity (when many species are found nowhere else in the world). Among Philippine plants, 70% of Philippine orchids are endemic, from the widely known waling-waling to the little known Mycaranthes leonardii.
In Sorsogon province, located at the southernmost tip of the island of Luzon, the biodiversity in the area is shaped by abundant rains throughout the year, the volcanic soil from Mt. Bulusan and mainly agricultural based economy. Magallanes is a coastal town along Sorsogon Bay on the western side of Luzon. Because of these reasons, the floral diversity of Magallanes is enriched by the wind that come from the sea and the rugged terrain which includes a small forested mountain, Mt. Bintacan. Thus there is high floral diversity which reflects the high bird species diversity. There are numerous sources of food (fruits, flowers, leaves) for birds and other animals (i.e. insects) which then other birds eat.
The documentation of the bird species in Magallanes is a very important endeavor. There are 3 reasons for this. First, the people of Magallanes are made aware of the presence of various bird species which the Magallenos should take pride in. The presence of these birds reflect the care for nature which is done by the people of Magallanes. Second, the documentation can serve as an educational material for the children of Magallanes, so that environmental conservation and protection can be part of their consciousness and enriched by it. Third, the documentation is a big contribution to the body of knowledge regarding the biodiversity of the area which is unfortunately still lacking and limited.
We hope many more studies, documentation, pictures and other taxonomic activities be done in the town. During this time of massive cutting of trees to accommodate roads and destruction of habitat, the work of Sean Keoni F. Ragragio serves as an inspiration to the young generation. The care, concern and commitment to environmental conservation and protection begin with inspirations, stories and pictures such as these by Sean Keoni F. Ragragio. Congratulations Keoni!
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