Talim Bay Coastal Resources Management Project

     DLSU-Center for Social Concern and Action (COSCA), together with Talim Bay’s Coastal Resource Management stakeholders strive to manage areas of the bay declared as Marine Protected Area amidst pandemic and help restore Talim Bay’s biodiversity. Initiatives like managing their mangrove nursery continue to provide an alternative income for the local fishers in Talim Bay’s coastal barangays.

     COSCA, in partnership with Lian, Batangas’ Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, supports efforts to institutionalize management options, monitor Talim bay’s reef, and regularly plant mangroves in keeping with the project’s goal to help the organization of local fishers conserve, protect and sustainably utilize Talim bay’s marine resources. These initiatives continue to encourage local community action.

     On efforts to help maintain Talim bay’s biodiversity, COSCA’s Lasallian Sustainable Development Program- Lasallian Environmental Sustainability and Governance (L-ENVISAGE) Specialist, Ms. A. Sapugay shared, “We are happy that for Academic Year 2020-2021, we were able to plant 1,500 seedlings of Avicennia sp. at Sitio KayReyna, Lumaniag, Lian, Batangas. This became possible with our partnership with the hardworking members of the Lian Fisherfolks Association, Inc. Despite the pandemic, we found a way to continue this initiative under the Community-Based Coastal Resource Management component of L-ENVISAGE."

     The tree-planting activities were undertaken in observance of special environmental events viz.: a) International Day of Forests (March)(500 mangrove seedlings planted), b) Arbor Day (June)(500 mangrove seedlings planted), and c) International Day for the Conservation of Mangroves (July) ( 500 mangrove seedlings planted).

(Photos courtesy of W. Clores)