COMPONENTS
This facility will focus on two main themes: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health; and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. Each theme would have research, education, and outreach components.
RESEARCH
Puerto Galera is a prime spot for research for biodiversity and a variety of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as conservation and management initiatives. It is also nearby to indigenous cultures. Long‐term monitoring program is established that enables better understanding and management of the health of the ecosystems of Puerto Galera.
These monitoring programs are undertaken in upland, lowland and aquatic ecosystems (e.g. rivers, coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows); facilitating a ridge‐to‐reef approach. These would continue and can expand on existing efforts on monitoring and assessment. Information from this are critical in coming up with effective management plans and determining anthropogenic impacts and management effectiveness. A Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) research program can also be developed there that looks into:
COURSES OFFERED
Academic courses of various UP units that can use the Puerto Galera facility.
BIODIVERSITY
Marine Taxonomy courses (e.g., courses on marine plants, invertebrates, marine zoology)
Biogeography courses
Biodiversity courses
Microbiology courseS
ECOSYSTEM HEALTH
Ecology Courses (e.g, animal ecology, plant ecology, marine ecology, wildlife ecology)
Physiology Courses
Cell Biology Courses
Oceanography courses (geology/chemical/physical/biology)
Environmental Science courses
Environmental Engineering: water quality, wastewater management
Geomatics and Geodetic Engineering
COASTAL RESOURCE AND MANAGEMENT CONSERVATION
Community outreach: Community mapping exercises, establishment of barangay GIS, environmental monitoring
Planning and management courses
OUTREACH & TRAINING
As an educational facility, the Puerto Galera Station hosts outreach and training activities that help bring scientific knowledge to everyone, from children to government workers, through the following programs:
TRAINING ACTIVITIES FOR COMMUNITIES AND LGUS:
- Governance education on Marine and Climate issues
- Vulnerability trainings
- Training, mentoring, and systems development
- Waste management training
- Development of tourist information system
- Disaster Risk Reduction and Management training
- Basic mapping using satellite images for natural resource management
COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
- Summer camps
- Reef check eco-tourism
- Marine conservation education and training