Bislig (9786)
Philippines, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B2
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Bislig
Central coordinates: Latitude: 8.2167, Longitude: 126.3167
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 203
Area of KBA (km2): 1544.88372
Protected area coverage (%): 2.40
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The town of Bislig on the eastern coast of Mindanao is the main point of access into the vast Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP) concession area. This logging concession covers c.182,682 ha and extends from the lowland forests inland from Bislig (which are included in this IBA) to the higher altitude forests on Mt Pasian and Mt Agtuuganon (which are included in IBA PH087). The concession includes large areas of logged lowland forest and some areas of primary lowland forest, and over 40,000 ha devoted to plantation forestry. PICOP operates a fully integrated wood industrial complex at Bislig, the first and only one of its kind in Asia. It includes the first newsprint plant in Asia. It is a popular destination for birdwatchers, as it is one of the best places to see several scarce lowland forest birds.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. 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: The PICOP concession inland from Bislig is a popular site for birdwatchers, and there are many recent records there of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Mindanao and Eastern Visayas Endemic Bird Area. Despite the logging operations, the extensive areas of lowland forest which remain there support important populations of many threatened species, including Mindanao Brown-dove, Spotted Imperial-pigeon, Silvery Kingfisher, Rufous-lored Kingfisher, Wattled Broadbill, Azure-breasted Pitta, Philippine Leafbird, Little Slaty Flycatcher and Celestial Monarch, and possibly also Philippine Eagle. The mammalian fauna in the area is unknown.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The town of Bislig on the eastern coast of Mindanao is the main point of access into the vast Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP) concession area. This logging concession covers c.182,682 ha and extends from the lowland forests inland from Bislig (which are included in this IBA) to the higher altitude forests on Mt Pasian and Mt Agtuuganon (which are included in IBA PH087). The concession includes large areas of logged lowland forest and some areas of primary lowland forest, and over 40,000 ha devoted to plantation forestry. PICOP operates a fully integrated wood industrial complex at Bislig, the first and only one of its kind in Asia. It includes the first newsprint plant in Asia. It is a popular destination for birdwatchers, as it is one of the best places to see several scarce lowland forest birds.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 67 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 33 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: This IBA lies within the logging concession of PICOP Resources, Inc. There is likely to be further logging there in the future, and it is unclear how much of the old growth forest will survive in the medium to long term. Large areas of natural forest have been replaced by plantations (of Gmelina), which are of little value for birds or other plants or animals, and it was recently reported that some of the remaining forest is being cleared by settlers.
Additional information
References: Freese and O’Brien (1983).