Mounts Palay-Palay-Mataas Na Gulod National Park (9711)
Philippines, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Mounts Palay-Palay-Mataas Na Gulod National Park
Central coordinates: Latitude: 14.2500, Longitude: 120.6667
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 50 to 648
Area of KBA (km2): 18.28511
Protected area coverage (%): 69.02
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA is in a range of low hills on the border between the densely populated provinces of Cavite and Batangas. The proposed National Park has three peaks, Palay-palay, Rico de Loro and Mataas na Gulod. The last remaining lowland evergreen rainforest in the Province of Cavite is on Mt Palay-palay in the northern portion of the park, and this habitat is reported to cover c.60% of the park. It is mainly forest on limestone. There are also areas of arable land, small settlements and rural gardens, and some kaingin.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the CI/CEPF Conservation Outcomes booklet for the Philippines Hotspot (2006). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat category follow the 2004 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: There is no information available on the birds of the Mt Palay-palay / Mataas na Gulod National Park, but there are a few old records of threatened and restricted-range species from nearby. This IBA is likely to support several of the lowland specialist birds of the Luzon Endemic Bird Area, and it may prove to have a similar avifauna to that of Mt Makiling (PH022). Non-bird biodiversity: No mammalian and herpetofauna surveys have been done in the area.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: This IBA is in a range of low hills on the border between the densely populated provinces of Cavite and Batangas. The proposed National Park has three peaks, Palay-palay, Rico de Loro and Mataas na Gulod. The last remaining lowland evergreen rainforest in the Province of Cavite is on Mt Palay-palay in the northern portion of the park, and this habitat is reported to cover c.60% of the park. It is mainly forest on limestone. There are also areas of arable land, small settlements and rural gardens, and some kaingin.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 50 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: There are some settlements in the park, and the remaining forests there are under pressure from agricultural expansion and kaingin, the collection of forest products, and further infrastructure developments.
Additional information
References: REFERENCES: DENR (undated-PASA).