Stakeholders from La Union gathered and collaborated to create the 2050 Vision on protecting the Baroro Watershed. This would provide various environmental and economic services to locals and tourists alike.
With the leadership of Dr. Juan M. Pulhin from University of the Philippines Los Baños-Integrated Natural Resources and Environment Management (UPLB-INREM), the event was organized to integrate the local stakeholders’ perspective and experiences into a common vision.
This 2050 Vision will hopefully motivate and steer actions and policies through future programs aiming to conserve and protect the watershed, spanning more than 19,000 hectares.
Farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous communities, youth sector, and national government agencies collaborate towards the watershed’s sustainable development
The workshop was conducted on July 11, 2023 in San Juan, La Union as part of the e-Asia project, “Integration of Traditional and Modern Bioproduction Systems for a Sustainable and Resilient Future Under Climate Ecosystems Changes (ITMoB).”
The project is funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).
To build the vision while employing science and participatory approach, participants of the workshop comprised grassroots stakeholders including farmers, fisherfolk, youth sector, and tourism officers as well as representatives from national government agencies of La Union.
Due to the vast area of the watershed and the corresponding number of livelihood and environmental services it brings, Dr. Pulhin highlighted the importance of the project’s main goal to explore the most ideal combination of traditional and modern bioproduction systems that will ensure a sustainable and resilient future of the watershed despite climate change and human intervention.
Dr. Rex Victor O. Cruz, one of the project's work package leaders, emphasized the dependency of sustainable development to sustainable ecosystems.
"We want to make sure that agriculture, aquatic, and fisheries are not only economically viable, but also are environment- or ecosystem-friendly,” he stated.
Baroro Watershed together with Pagsanjan-Lumban Watershed are the two focus sites of the project. Future activities of the ITMoB team will also engage a more in-depth approach through household surveys.