Bulusan Volcano National Park
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The Bulusan Volcano Natural Park is a protected area of
rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...
surrounding
Mount Bulusan Mount Bulusan, also known as Bulusan Volcano, is a stratovolcano on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Located in the province of Sorsogon in the Bicol Region, it is southeast of Mayon Volcano and approximately southeast of the Philippin ...
in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. It was first designated as a National Park by Proclamation no. 811 on June 7, 1935. Under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) of 1992 managed by the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, the park was reclassified as a Natural Park by Proc. 421 on November 27, 2000. The area features the volcano itself, Bulusan Lake, the two other mountains known as the 'Sharp Peak' and 'Hormahan' and Lake Aguingay. The park is in the south central part of Sorsogon Province, southern
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
,
Bicol Region Bicol, known formally as the Bicol Region or colloquially as Bicolandia ( bcl, Rehiyon kan Bikol; Rinconada Bikol: ''Rehiyon ka Bikol''; Waray Sorsogon, Masbateño: ''Rehiyon san Bikol''; tl, Rehiyon ng Bikol), is an administrative region of ...
,
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
, bounded by five municipalities:
Bulusan Mount Bulusan, also known as Bulusan Volcano, is a stratovolcano on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Located in the province of Sorsogon in the Bicol Region, it is southeast of Mayon Volcano and approximately southeast of the Philippin ...
,
Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
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Irosin Irosin, officially the Municipality of Irosin ( Waray Sorsogon: ''Bungto san Irosin''; war, Bungto han Irosin, tl, Bayan ng Irosin), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Sorsogon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a pop ...
, Juban and Casiguran.


Physical characteristics and biodiversity

There are three main peaks in the park — the active
Bulusan Volcano Mount Bulusan, also known as Bulusan Volcano, is a stratovolcano on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Located in the province of Sorsogon in the Bicol Region, it is southeast of Mayon Volcano and approximately southeast of the Philippin ...
, the highest, which is characterized by numerous deep ravines and caves — Sharp Peak, and the mountain called Hormahan. The center of the mountain complex forms a vast plain that is occasionally flooded known as Lake Aguingay, which dries up during summer. Another lake in the park is
Lake Bulusan Lake Bulusan is a lake on Luzon Island in the Philippines. It lies at the heart of Bulusan Volcano National Park which covers a land area of . It has an elevation of and is located on the southeast flank of Mount Bulusan, an active volcano. The ...
. A substantial area of forest remains in the park, including forest around the peak and lowland forest on the slopes. Other habitats include secondary grassland, freshwater lakes and pools, small settlements and rural gardens, abandoned farmland and disturbed ground. The park supports the needs of the nearby communities through its forest products, watershed, and recreational values. Local communities use the lower slopes as agricultural land. It is the source of water for several communities and for the irrigation of surrounding agricultural land, and it provides natural protection from calamities such as typhoons and flash floods.


Flora

The most common vegetation is the giant ferns and tall trees such as the red lauan (Shorea teysmanniana), molave (Vitex parviflora) and many others. Other plant species including ground orchids. Two endemic plant species, Prenephrium bulusantum (a fern) and Schefflera bulusanicum, are found in the area.


Fauna

Some animals are in the area, such as the Philippine baboon, Philippine duck, Philippine hawk-eagle, flame-breasted fruit-dove, Philippine eagle-owl, monitor lizards, endemic frogs, snakes, and other reptiles. Philippine brown deer, warty pigs and rare civets were spotted in the area in the late 1980s, although there is no evidences of their existence in the park at present. The park also supports endangered species of frogs, lizards, bats, snakes and other reptiles.


Management and conservation

As the natural habitats declined over the years as a result of extensive ''kaingin'', heavy hunting, and human settling, cooperating municipalities especially
Bulusan Mount Bulusan, also known as Bulusan Volcano, is a stratovolcano on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Located in the province of Sorsogon in the Bicol Region, it is southeast of Mayon Volcano and approximately southeast of the Philippin ...
and
Irosin Irosin, officially the Municipality of Irosin ( Waray Sorsogon: ''Bungto san Irosin''; war, Bungto han Irosin, tl, Bayan ng Irosin), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Sorsogon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a pop ...
joined in responding to conservation efforts. Plans have been drawn with the support from DENR, local communities, local government units, non-government organizations and concerned citizens for the rehabilitation of affected areas and protection of remaining untouched forests. Eco-tourism has been encouraged to give more jobs to the locals to limit the use of produce found in the park.


Gallery

Image:Bulusan.jpg, Bulusan Lake at the heart of the park. Image:Bulusan Lake Loop Way.jpeg, Bulusan Loop way. Image:Bulusan LK.jpg, Bulusan Lake east side.


See also

*
List of protected areas of the Philippines This is a list of protected areas of the Philippines administered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)'s Biodiversity Management Bureau under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992. As of 202 ...


References


External links


Bird Life International: Philippines

World Wildlife Adventures: Philippines

Waypointsdot.ph
{{Protected areas in the Bicol Region Natural parks of the Philippines Geography of Sorsogon Tourist attractions in Sorsogon Protected areas established in 1935 1935 establishments in the Philippines