By Alex Lumaque
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) discovered a 160-hectare seagrass bed after an underwater dive in the Tucad Reef in Pilar.
The seagrass locally known as lusay plays a vital ecological role as a sediment stabilizer and primary producer, while serving as feeding and nursery grounds for various marine species.
“In our initial dive, we stumbled upon about 160 hectares of seagrass,” said DENR Capiz OIC Provincial Officer Dr. Ernest Federiso during the Kapihan program of Philippine Information Agency (PIA-Capiz).
Federiso added that a proposal will be made for funding to protect one of the widest seagrasses in the country.
As part of the Environment Month celebration, the data gathered from the dive will be crucial in completing the Protected Area Suitability Assessment (PASA) and back the recommendation to include Tucad Reef in the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).
“For now, DENR is always engaged with Pilar because it is also a pilot site for the Foreshore Survey and Delineation that is underway to identify and map the area where the tide alternately covers and uncovers the shore,” said Federiso.
The process helps in managing and understanding coastal resources, particularly for purposes like land use planning, resource protection, and conflict resolution.
The municipality also boasts its 9.3-hectare beach forest in Barangay San Ramon as part of its greening initiatives and climate change mitigation measures.
