Bigbiga Protected Landscape Explained

Bigbiga Protected Landscape
Iucn Category:V
Map:Luzon mainland#Philippines
Relief:1
Map Width:220
Location:Ilocos Sur, Philippines
Nearest City:Vigan
Coordinates:17.4817°N 120.5497°W
Established:August 16, 1939
(Watershed forest reserve)
April 23, 2000
(Protected landscape)
Governing Body:Department of Environment and Natural Resources

The Bigbiga Protected Landscape (also spelled Bigbigga) is a protected landscape of forested hills, open grasslands and natural springs in Ilocos Sur in the northwestern part of the island of Luzon, Philippines. It is one of five protected landscape areas in the Ilocos Region under the Philippines' National Integrated Protected Areas System. The park has a total area of located entirely within the municipality of Narvacan.[1] It was created in 1939 as the Bigbiga Spring Watershed Forest Reserve by virtue of Proclamation No. 431 signed by President Manuel Luis Quezon.[2] In 2000, it was reclassified as a protected landscape by Proclamation No. 290.[3]

Description

Bigbiga extends from the village of Cadacad to Sitio Mata in the village of Marozo in eastern Narvacan near its border with Nagbukel municipality. It is hilly to mountainous with slope ranging from 30 to 50 percent and maximum elevation of between 100m (300feet) and 200m (700feet) above sea level.[4] Fifty percent of the area is bushland with the remaining area consisting of open grassland. Letac Creek borders it to the south which supplies water to the three sitios of Marozo.[4]

The landscape is covered primarily by shrubs and commercial tree species such as tuai, kalumpit, dao and balete tree.[5] The open grassland supports gmelina and mahogany.[5]

Access to the park is via Orence Road from the main highway (Manila North Road) and Narvacan town proper in the west. It is located approximately 12km (07miles) from Narvacan Poblacion, about 40km (30miles) south of the provincial capital city of Vigan, and some 380km (240miles) north of Manila.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Region 1 - Protected Areas . Department of Environment and Natural Resources Biodiversity Management Bureau . 8 November 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141108122608/http://www.bmb.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61%3Aregion-1&catid=69 . 8 November 2014 .
  2. Web site: Proclamation No. 431, s. 1939 . Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines . 8 November 2014.
  3. Web site: Proclamation No. 290 . . 8 November 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141108215049/http://www.denr.gov.ph/policy/2000/PP_2000_290.pdf . 8 November 2014 .
  4. Web site: Summary of farmer concerns in Bigbiga Spring Watershed Forest Reserve, Sitio Mata, Maruzo. Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, Region I . Strengthening the Institute of Agroforestry and Watershed Management, Philippines . 8 November 2014.
  5. Web site: DMMMSU/IAWM Asia Link Project . Strengthening the Institute of Agroforestry and Watershed Management, Philippines . 8 November 2014.