Philippine Town Restores 1,000 Acres of Mangrove Forest

In Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon, the return of the rabbitfish tells you everything you need to know about what happens when a community decides to save its coastline.

The small dried fish, called danggit locally, now thrive in nearly 1,000 hectares of seagrass meadows that were nearly destroyed three decades ago. Today, those waters are part of one of the largest community-managed mangrove forests in the Bicol region, spanning more than 1,000 hectares of restored coastal habitat.

The transformation started in 1993 when residents partnered with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on a coastal rehabilitation project. Back then, mangroves were being cut for charcoal and firewood, sold to bakeries or used to build fishing pens. Illegal fishing with dynamite and poison threatened what remained of the coastal ecosystem.

Victor Emata, now a guide and paddler, remembers watching the first young mangroves take root in the 1990s. The early efforts involved the indigenous Agta-Tabangnon community and residents across multiple villages, who were paid to plant mangrove propagules in designated areas.

As the forest recovered, the community formed SEAMANCOR, an organization of fishermen and their families who became sea patrols, mangrove wardens, and visitor guides. The government awarded them a 25-year Mangrove Stewardship Agreement, giving residents official authority to protect and manage the restored forest.

Manuel Domdom, a fisherman and president of the local guides' organization, says enforcement wasn't always easy. When fishing restrictions were introduced, some violators were caught and fined. Over time, illegal activity declined as community members took turns guarding the mangroves.

"For those of us who live here in Prieto Diaz, we believe the bakawan is also a blessing from God," Manuel said, using the Tagalog word for mangroves. "That is why we feel a responsibility to preserve it for our town and for our people."

The forest now protects the coast from storm surges while supporting the fishing industry that feeds families. Different bird species have returned, along with the diverse marine life that depends on healthy mangrove ecosystems.

The Ripple Effect

The community's three decades of stewardship earned national recognition in 2020 when Prieto Diaz won the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources' grand prize for coastal governance. The award came with 30 million Philippine pesos worth of fisheries livelihood projects, helping even more families benefit from the restored ecosystem.

Tourism officer Oriculo Despuig Jr. says the success changed how coastal communities think about conservation. Nearby villages now understand that environmental regulations exist to protect their future, not restrict their livelihoods.

Former fishermen who once cut mangroves for fuel now earn income as trained boat paddlers and guides, showing visitors the thriving forest they helped restore. The work that began with planting seedlings has grown into a sustainable model of community-led conservation.

Local officials hope the forest will continue expanding over the next decade, eventually stretching toward neighboring areas and creating an even larger protected coastal zone. The danggit swimming through those seagrass meadows are living proof that when communities own their environmental future, nature responds.