Well, Howard's Sierra Madre is a Pacific Ocean away from ours here in the Philippines. Yet even if I'm no gold digger, I share the same sentiments.
I joined WildHub because of the opportunities it presents for my personal and project advancement in the field of conservation. I lead the UP Mountaineers' Sierra Madre Nature Trail project which hopes to engage the local indigenous people's communities in protecting their ancestral domains and the country's last great forest through capacity-building programs centered on ecosystem services. It was the grant writing course that hooked me at first (through links from the Conservation Leadership Programme), but I do agree that to be a wildlife conservation professional, I need to employ a holistic approach and master every aspect needed to successfully navigate the vagaries of conservation projects.
Sa ngalan ng Sierra Madre
My career in conservation, research, and community relations started with the CLP-funded Calayan Rail Project as a field volunteer in 2008, focusing on its Communication, Education, and Public Awareness (CEPA) campaigns. I then followed it up with a wildlife surveying stint for the Tungtong River Conservation Project in Antipolo and as a mountain guide for a National Geographic-funded research study conducted by Dr. Tim Gallaher of the University of Hawaii. I was also lead researcher for BAN Toxics in 2013, where I surveyed several artisanal small-scale gold mining communities across the country, measuring gaseous mercury emissions, conducting focus group discussions, and writing academic reports. I was a former Education and Research Head of the UP Mountaineers, where I was often deployed as a pro-bono lecturer in subjects such as ecotourism, basic mountaineering courses, and local guides training. Since my UPM appointment to helm its Sierra Madre Nature Trail Project in 2019, I have led multi-day trail explorations, liaised with local government units, consulted with indigenous peoples’ communities and leadership, and maintained a network of shareholders across the Sierra Madre.
It's been almost a year since I've been a Project Coordinator for the Mt. Balagbag Reforestation and Empowerment project of the Philippine Parks and Biodiversity Conservation Society within the Ipo Watershed in Bulacan, Philippines. I also just founded the Sierra Madre Conservation Society where I hope to shift my focus as soon as we get some startup funding.
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Welcome to WildHub, Kristoffer.
Thanks, Lara. Nice to meet you.
A warm welcome to WildHub, Kristoffer! Which approach has worked the best for you so far in terms of engaging local indigenous people's communities in conservation activities?
I may not get the terms right at this time but based on my experience, I believe it works best both ways if we defer to their right to self-determination. At first, I thought having good intentions was good enough. Sure, for starters definitely, but you just can't proceed with laying your plans as you see fit. They need to be informed, involved, and indispensable. They have to own the project of their own volition and see the gains from their perspectives.
Thanks for sharing your insights Kristoffer, much appreciated.
Do you/your team also use co-decision making processes perhaps? Look forward to learning more from you and about your work. Feel free to add your lessons learned as an independent post, please find our Contributor guidelines here.
Welcome to the Wildhub Community, Kristoffer
Thank you, Chrissy. See you around. :)
Great to have you join us Kristoffer, what progress are you making with the UP Mountaineers' Sierra Madre Nature Trail project?
Hi Grace. SMNT's on the back pedal at this time, making sure the local government units and agencies are onboard. We're also hoping to get funding soon so we can have people working on it fulltime.
Okay, you can look out for the different grant opportunities advertised from time to time. There's also a link to different donors you might want to check out here on WildHub. Well done.