DENR releases new ecotourism rules for protected areas

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources recently approved guidelines on ecotourism development for protected areas in a bid to support conservation efforts and sustainable use of natural resources.

DENR Secretary Ramon Paje on Tuesday issued Department Administrative Order No. 2013-19 which covers the various phases in the ecotourism planning and management process, including site assessment that will determine whether ecotourism management is the right strategy for a particular protected area.

Data from the site assessment will be used by the Protected Area Superintendent in preparing the corresponding Ecotourism Management Plan (EMP) to involve stakeholders like local government unit (LGUs), the community, people’s organizations and other government agencies, DENR said in a statement.

The EMP includes the following:

– Zoning to determine how visitors can use certain areas of the park

– Visitor site planning to limit the impact of visitors on the natural environment

– Sustainable infrastructure design to harmonize facilities with ecological processes and natural beauty

– Visitor management to consider flow and behavior of visitors, as well as support the site’s “carrying capacity”

– And revenue generation, including determination of applicable fees.

All plans will be reviewed by the Regional Ecotourism Committee and subsequently approved by the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB).