As part of the vibrant week-long celebration marking the 114th anniversary of Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR), the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME) held the much-anticipated Maki-Forum on 19 November 2024. This event formed a vital component of the festivities, which ran from November 18 to 23, with the theme, “Building Resilience Together: Uniting for Biodiversity and Conservation”.
The Maki-Forum spotlighted a significant research study entitled “Monitoring Growth Dynamics in a Five-Year-Old 2-Hectare Long-Term Ecological Research Plot, Sipit Watershed, Mount Makiling Forest Reserve ASEAN Heritage Park” presented by Forester Leilani A. Castillo, University Researcher III in the Botanic Gardens, Parks, and Ecotourism Division (BGPED) of MCME.
For. Castillo’s talk delved into the intricacies of ecological monitoring within the Sipit Watershed, a critical area within the MMFR. It explored the growth dynamics of the trees inside the two-hectare Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) plot, highlighting the importance of long-term data in understanding forest health, biodiversity, and the resilience of the forest ecosystems in the face of environmental changes.
The Maki-Forum took place at the Toyota Environment and Education Theatre (TEET), located within the Makiling Botanic Gardens (MBG). Participants actively engaged in a lively question-and-answer session, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas. The discussions highlighted opportunities to expand research initiatives within the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR), paving the way for future collaborations and deeper ecological understanding.
By: KJPGonzalvo
Photos by: MLPutian, KJPGonzalvo & MMCaña
