ASEAN Heritage Parks

Mount Makiling Forest Reserve

Recognised by the FAO as an “exemplary Forest Management in Asia”, Mount Makiling Forest Reserve embodies a variety of ecosystems and species. It has a rich biological diversity with many endemic, indigenous, and introduced exotic species.

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Location
Located about 65 kilometres from Metro Manila and lies within the municipalities of Los Baños, Bay, and Calamba in the province of Laguna and Sto. Tomas town in the province of Batangas
Area
4,244 hectares
Date declared as an AHP
25 September 2013, at the 4th Informal Ministerial Meeting, Surabaya, Indonesia
Other international designations
Habitat types
It has dipterocarp and Leguminosae to mossy forests; about four types of vegetation are recognised in the park based on altitude: upper montane rain forest (above 1,000 m), lower montane rain forest (above 750 m), lowland evergreen rain forest (100 – 500 m), and Parang vegetation consisting of a mixture of grassland and second-growth forest
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Unique Flora: Mount Makiling contains diverse flora from a large number of endemic species as well as introduced species from other parts of the world. Species such as Rafflesia manillana, Medinilla magnifica, and Nepethes alata are found in the area.

Unique Fauna: Among the rare species found in the area are the Philippine Eagle-Owl (Bubo philippinensis) and the Philippine pgymy fruit bat (Haplonycteris fisceri) which are both endemic in the country and are highly restricted to the original rainforest habitats. In addition, Calotes mamoratus or Philippine calotes and the amphibian Phuilautus surdus were also recorded, and considered in the IUCN Red List as threatened species.

It serves as a training laboratory for instruction, research and extension. Through the Rep. Act 3523, the Makiling Botanic Gardens supports the professional instruction and research related to forestry and plant sciences and serves the educational, recreational and tourism needs of the general public. The reserve where hot springs, boiling mud and unique landscapes are sighted is also a recreational area for the general public being close to Metro Manila. Frequently visited sites in the park are the Makiling Botanic Gardens, flatracks, mudspring, the rainforest, and the summit.

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