🌿 Rooted in Biodiversity: Aluyan Farmers Document Their Forest and Find New Purpose 🌿

Deep in the vibrant green heart of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, something powerful is growing—not just trees, but pride, purpose, and a deeper relationship with the land. This past month, the Aluyan Farmers Association embarked on a biodiversity documentation mission in their ancestral forests, and what they found was far more than just data.

They discovered wonder.They rediscovered home.And they ignited a collective sense of stewardship that’s set to echo through generations.

🦋 A Journey Through the Forest

With clipboards, cameras, measuring tapes, and a good dose of curiosity, members of the Aluyan Farmers Association ventured into their community forests to measure trees, identify flora and fauna, and record wildlife sightings. For many, it was the first time looking at the forest not just as a place to farm or forage—but as a living library of stories, species, and sacred connections.

From recording tree diameter at breast height (DBH) to scanning the canopies for birds, the activity combined traditional ecological knowledge with basic scientific methods. Partnering with Forestscape Artist, the group was trained to:

• Monitor tree health and growth

• Identify medicinal plants and native species

• Observe bird calls, insect activity, and forest sounds

• Take geotagged notes and photos for biodiversity mapping

“At first, we didn’t think we’d find much,” shared one farmer. “But once we started really looking, we saw how rich our place is. We’ve been living with beauty all along—we just needed to name it.”

🐾 The Forest Talks Back

As they moved through moss-covered rocks, listened to the murmur of streams, and watched butterflies flit between understory plants, something shifted. A childlike excitement sparked in the group. Every bird call and newly identified plant brought not just knowledge—but joy.

Species like:

• Philippine tailorbirds calling overhead

• Endemic orchids hiding on tree trunks

• Lush stands of Lauan, Kamagong, and Narra trees thriving in old forest plots

…reminded everyone that their forest isn’t just a carbon sink or a farming buffer—it’s a living being.

💚 Pride, Power, and Protection

What started as a biodiversity survey turned into a community revival.

For many farmers, this was a turning point—a realization that they are not just tillers of soil, but guardians of a globally significant ecosystem. And this pride is contagious. Youths have started asking about the species they saw in the forest. Elders share stories of when certain birds were common or when the rivers ran louder.

“We’ve been here all our lives, but this made us feel like the forest is part of us. Now, we want to take care of it more,” said one of the youth volunteers.