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Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
Mt Banahaw is an active volcano that rises steeply to 2,177 m. The isolated twin peaks of Mt Banahaw and Mt San Cristobal straddle the border between the provinces of Laguna and Quezon. The most extensive stands of closed canopy forest in Laguna Province are on Mt Banahaw. The forest types include lowland dipterocarp forest on the lower slopes and montane forest above about 900 m, including mossy forest around the peak.
On the lower slopes of the mountains there are coconut plantations intensively inter-cropped with fruit trees and areas of kaingin, and the surrounding area is intensively cultivated. The forests are a vital watershed for the surrounding lowlands. The accessibility of this IBA from the towns of Dolores, Sariaya, Tayabas and Lukban makes it as a popular destination for tourists, including mountaineers. It is considered as a centre by the religious denominations of southern Luzon, and is visited by pilgrims.
Several of the threatened and restricted-range birds of the Luzon Endemic Bird Area have been recorded in or near to this IBA. It is likely that the relatively extensive forests that remain in Mt Banahaw-San Cristobal National Park support important populations of some of these species.
Non-bird biodiversity: Endemic mammals have been recorded in this IBA, including the Philippine Pygmy Fruit Bat Haplonycteris fischeri , Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat Otopteropus cartilagonodus, Small Luzon Forest Mouse Apomys microdon and the Philippine Warty Pig Sus philippensis.
Mt Banahao is the type locality of two endemic herpetofauna, Steere’s Sphenomorphus Sphenomorphus steerei and Mountain Forest Frog Platymantis montanus. Other endemic amphibians in the area include Banahao Forest Frog Platymantis banahao, Diminutive Forest Frog Platymantis mimulus, Naomi’s Forest Frog Platymantis naomii, Common Forest Tree Frog Philautus surdus and four Platymantis species that have yet to be described.
The IBA also supports a number of unique species of palms, ferns, and flowering plants such as Aglaia banahaensis.
Mt Banahaw is an active volcano that rises steeply to 2,177 m. The isolated twin peaks of Mt Banahaw and Mt San Cristobal straddle the border between the provinces of Laguna and Quezon. The most extensive stands of closed canopy forest in Laguna Province are on Mt Banahaw. The forest types include lowland dipterocarp forest on the lower slopes and montane forest above about 900 m, including mossy forest around the peak.
On the lower slopes of the mountains there are coconut plantations intensively inter-cropped with fruit trees and areas of kaingin, and the surrounding area is intensively cultivated. The forests are a vital watershed for the surrounding lowlands. The accessibility of this IBA from the towns of Dolores, Sariaya, Tayabas and Lukban makes it as a popular destination for tourists, including mountaineers. It is considered as a center by the religious denominations of southern Luzon, and is visited by pilgrims.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The main pressures on this IBA are from illegal logging, kaingin, encroachment into forest areas for permanent agriculture, and the collection of forest products. Hunting in the park remains a problem. Quarrying and mining activities around the park, especially in the towns of Dolores and Sariaya, began to operate in 1994.
The large numbers of mountaineers and occasional hikers who visit the park, especially during the summer months (up to 5,000 hikers in a month), put considerable pressure on the natural environment. Moreover, during Holy Week, large numbers of pilgrims of several religious denominations converge on Mt Banahaw. Up to 300,000 pilgrim and hikers are reported to visit the area, particularly in the towns of Dolores and Sariaya.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Community work in Dolores, Sariaya, and Tayabas has been initiated by LABB (Luntiang Alyansa para sa Bundok Banahaw) and Tayabas Mountaineers, to try to reconcile the various pressures on the IBA, including to try to understand the influence and potential for religious groups to help strengthen conservation activities in the area. Banahaw de Lucban was leased to the Southern Luzon Polytechnic College (SLPC) for their agroforestry program. Regular monthly meetings are conducted by the PAMB of Mts Banahaw-San Cristobal National Park to discuss urgent issues regarding the park.
Mt Banahaw- San Cristobal National Park was declared a National Park by Proc. No 716 on 21 May 1941 and Proc No. 75 on 9 August 1966. It is proposed as a protected landscape under the NIPAS.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mounts Banahaw-San Cristobal National Park (Philippines). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mounts-banahaw-san-cristobal-national-park-iba-philippines on 22/12/2024.
