Module 11: Biodiversity, Coastal Resources Dipterocarpaceae, makes almost 75% of the

Management, and Healthy Society stands.

• ¼ of the land is made up of open grasslands
The Philippine Biodiversity
which may reach heights of 2.4 m (8 ft.) and are
• Biodiversity is the discovery of life forms on
man-made.
earth including the various plants, animals,
• The majority of this grasslands are composed
microorganisms as well as the genes they carry
of nonnutritive tropical savanna grasses.
and the ecosystems they create. It is essential
• There are 800 different species of orchids,
in promoting the aesthetic value of the natural
1,000 different ferns, and 8,000 different
environment and contributing to our material
blooming plant species.
well-being.
• There are roughly 196 species of breeding birds
• The Philippines maintains 5% of the world’s
with megapodes (wild fowls that resemble
flora and ranks 5th in terms of plant species.
turkeys), button quail, jungle fowl, peacock
• In terms of endemism, the nation ranks 4th,
pheasants, doves, pigeons, parrots, and horn
with at least 25 genera of plants and 49% of all
bills.
terrestrial fauna. It has at least 700 vulnerable
• There are 190 species of reptiles, including
species.
crocodiles and the python and numerous types
• 42 species of land mammals, 127 species of
of cobra among the larger snakes.
birds, 24 species of reptiles, and 14 species of
amphibians are included in the national lists of
What is CRM?
vulnerable faunal species (2004)
• Incorporated coastal management, also known
• The Philippines has at least 3, 214 species of
as CRM or Coastal Resource Management, is a
fish, 121 of which are indigenous and 76 are
larger process that includes the creation of
threatened.
community-based marine sanctuaries.
• A nationwide list of threatened plant species
• Every ecosystem or natural system made up of
was established by an administrative order
a population of species interacting with their
from the DENR which listed 64 additional
surroundings and one another has a delicate
threatened species in addition to the 187
balance of order. This system is susceptible to
endangered, 187 vulnerable, and 99 critically
failure if environmental factors or
endangered species (2007).
interdependence of the organisms alter.
• This is cause by land degradation, climate
change, and pollution (including biological
CRM is based on several important principles:
pollution), among other factors.
1. It is a method by which all parties involved or
those who stand to gain from coastal
The Philippine Coastal Environment and Its Fauna and
resources work together to ensure their
Flora
appropriate management and sustainable
• Coral reefs, mangrove ecosystems, beach
development.
systems, estuaries and lagoons, and sea grass
2. Planning and observing appropriate use of
beds are the five key resource units that may
coastal resources include the community,
be found along the shallow coastlines of the
government, and other concerned sectors are
Philippines.
managed and protected.
• However, “coastal resource management” 3. Integration is require. Although it has coastal
cannot be restricted to the coastal area areas as its focus, the method also considers
because upland and coastal area because the land, sea, and mountains that surround
upland and coastal ecosystems are closely the coastal area and have an impact on how
connected and changes in one environment coastal resources are managed and protected.
always have an impact on others. 4. CRM takes into account not just physical
• The Philippines is home to an abundant and environment but also the cultural, political,
diverse flora that shares close botanical ties and social variables that have an impact on
with Indonesia and the rest if the mainland coastal dwellers as well as other people and
Southeast Asia. organizations that depend on the
• Tropical forests normally span about half of the environment for their livelihood.
earth’s surface and the leading family,
 • Community education and organizing is
another integral part of the CRM process.
• It is during the community organizing stage
that formal organizations and committees are
developed to lead the management of coastal
resources.
• Neighborhood groups are also formed,
including cooperatives and livelihood
associations that affect the use of coastal
resources.
Key Issues Addressed by Coastal Management and its
Strategies
• Degradation of coastal habitats
• Open access to fishery resources
• Increased fishing pressure to unsustainable
levels
• Destructive/illegal fishing practices
• Coastal law enforcement
• Loss of marine biodiversity
• Inappropriate tourism and coastal shoreline
development practices
• Resource use conflicts
Major Cause of Biodiversity Loss and Its Impacts to the
Health and Society
• The variety of all living creatures on our world,
known as biodiversity, has been alarmingly
dropping in recent years, largely as a result of
human activities including pollution, land use
changes, and climate change.
• The way that humans have altered natural
environments to create room for farms or to
gather natural resources has posed the
greatest threat to biodiversity.
• According to some forecasts, climate change
will soon overtake other factors as the main
reason for the reduction in biodiversity
Key Areas of Human Activity Causing Biodiversity Loss
• Deforestation
• Habitat loss through pervasive, incremental
development
• Pollution such as those associated with
widespread pesticide use and overuse of
fertilizers which are 6 to 12 times greater than
they were before 1961.
• Methods in agriculture that threaten an
estimated half of flora and fauna species
• Water use in some of the largest water
catchments in the world where dams and
irrigation reduce water flows
• Hunting and overexploitation of species such
as in wild capture fisheries but also for wildlife
trade
• Spread of invasive species and diseases
through trade and travel
• Climate change
• Pollution from plastic waste
Interrelationship of Biodiversity to Society,
Environment, and Health
• A complex and intricate network of
relationships connects society, the
environment, and health in the context of
biodiversity.
• The term “biodiversity” describes the range of
living things on earth including genes, species,
and ecosystems.
• The environment and biodiversity are
constantly impacted by society as a network of
people and communities. The environment
and human health may be impacted by these
interactions in both favorable and unfavorable
ways.
They are related in the following ways:
1. Ecosystem services. They include the provision
for food, clean water, air purification, climate
regulation, nutrient cycling, pollination, and
natural resources.
2. Disease regulation. Healthy ecosystems with
high biodiversity act as buffers, preventing the
transmission of infectious diseases.
3. Food security. A diverse range of crops and
livestock varieties as well as wild food sources
contribute to a nutritious and balanced diet.
4. Climate change and resilience. Healthy
ecosystems absorb and store carbon dioxide,
mitigating climate change. Biodiversity also
enhances ecosystem resilience by making
them more adaptable and capable of
withstanding environmental changes.
5. Cultural and mental health benefits. Access to
natural areas and green spaces provide
recreational opportunities, spiritual
connections, and psychological benefits.
6. Environmental degradation and health risks.
Human activities can have adverse effects on
human health, including increased exposure to
pollutants, reduced access to clean water and
food, and disruption of ecosystems that
support human livelihoods.
Human Health, Environment, and Society
• Environmental risk factors have a very diverse
and intricate effect on health, both in terms of
their severity and clinical importance.
• All living things rely on their environment for
energy and resources. For most of human
history, longer lifespans were brought on by
easier access to these essentials.
• Even though it supports human life, the
environment can also spread disease. One of
the main causes of human mortality is the lack
of fundamental essentials.
• The majority of environmental health issues
are caused by poverty.
• On the other hand, other environmental
hazards are associated with economic
development itself rather than the lack of it.
• The reason behind these seemingly
incongruous health effects of economic
progress is environmental displacement. Thus,
health improvement can be accomplished by
removing environmental issues from the living
environment.
• Contrarily, actions that increase human
longevity and promote health can have a
negative impact on the ecosystem—pesticides
and fertilizers, soil salinization, livestock
manure, and carbon emissions are a few
examples of how food production harms the
environment.
• Facilities for healthcare also have a negative
impact due medicate wastes and utilization of
electricity and fossil fuels.
• For instance, draining wetlands and applying
DDT pesticide to kill mosquitos led to the
eradication of malaria in the U.S. and other
industrialized nations in the 1940s and 1950s.
In exchange, the environment was sacrificed.
• Overpopulation can result to a decrease in
disease and starvation-related deaths but puts
more strain on the environment through the
increase use of fossil fuels, clearing of land,
generating pollution and wastes, and so on.