IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2015) 6-1

Research articleerd

Mangrove Rehabilitation Using Rhizophora sp. in
Northeastern Bohol, Philippines
SAMUEL J. GULAYAN*Bohol Island State University, Candijay Campus, Bohol, Phillipines
Email: samgulayan@yahoo.com

JESRELLJANE AARON-AMPER
Bohol Island State University, Candijay Campus, Bohol, Phillipines

EDLIN RENE B. HANDUGAN
Bohol Island State University, Candijay Campus, Bohol, Phillipines
Received 21 January 2015

Accepted 7 April 2015(*Corresponding Author)

Abstract National government issued an Executive Order 26, series of 2011 – declaring
interdepartmental convergence initiative for national greening program. Bureau of Fisheries
and Aquatic Resources commissioned the Bohol Island State University (BISU) CandijayCampus to facilitate the rehabilitation of degraded mangrove areas in coordination withlocal government units and in partnership of mangrove planters in Northeastern Bohol.
Hence, the main objective of the study was to to document the progress andaccomplishment of mangrove rehabilitation project in Northeastern Bohol, Philippines.
Survived mangroves were counted manually. Principal branch of mangrove was measured
to determine the growth performance in 12 months. Identified the sea shells for baseline
information and interviewed the mangrove planters for determining the problems. In thisstudy, a 48.36% survival rate was found out after one year of planting. The average growth(in height) was 6.097 cm per month. The Municipality of Candijay had the highest growthrate. Terebralia sp. (Dao-dao) and Narita sp. (Sihi) are the common sea shells found in thereforested areas. Proper selection of site is important before planting Rhizophora sp.
Keywords mangrove, reforestation, survival, sea shell, rehabilitation, propaguleINTRODUCTION
Mangrove is a type of forest growing along tidal mudflats and along shallow water coastal areas.
Its ecosystem is primarily dominated by mangrove trees which is the primary producer. Thesetrees interacts with associated aquatic fauna, and social and physical factors of the coastal
environment (Melana et al., 2000a). Mangrove trees produces leaf litter and detrital matter, which
are valuable sources of food for animals in estuaries and coastal waters. It is also use as firewood incoastal communities and most bakeries because of its heating value, but a greater volume isexported to Japan as a source of rayon (Melana et al., 2000b).
Philippines is endowed with lush coastal ecosystems including mangrove. Unfortunately, thehuge area of mangrove forest in the country decreases into 120, 000 ha in the year 1981 from anestimated coverage of 450,000 ha in 1918. This has happened due to the rapid degradation during
1960’s and 1970’s when the government set a national policy that encourages expansion of theaquaculture. This reduces the forest into 117,700 hectares (DENR, 1995) that disturbed the whole
coastal ecosystems.
In 2011, the national government with the leadership of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III
issued the Executive Order No. 26, s. 2011 – declaring and interdepartmental convergence
initiative for a national greening program. This order strengthened after the issuance of Executive
Order No. 23, s. 2011 – mandated the DA-DAR-DENR convergence initiative to develop anational greening program in cooperation with the Department of Education, Commission onⒸ ISERD63

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2015) 6-1

Higher Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Department of Budget andManagement, private sector and other concerned agencies and institutions.
The Bohol Island State University Candijay Campus was commissioned by the Bureau ofFisheries and Aquatic Resources to rehabilitate the degraded mangrove areas in Northeastern Bohol.
Fifty three (53) hectares of intertidal zones were planted with Rhizophora sp. in year 2013 incollaboration with local communities and local government units in Northeastern Bohol.
OBJECTIVES
The general objective of this study was to document the progress and accomplishment of mangrove
rehabilitation project in Northeastern Bohol, Philippines. Specifically, the study aims to:
1. determine the survival rate of Rhizophora planted after one year,
2. determine the growth rate after year of planting,
3. identify the sea shells for baseline information in the rehabilitated areas, and4. identify the problems encountered in planting and management of Rhizophora.
METHODOLOGY
Location
Project sites are located in the four coastal municipalities of Northeastern Bohol, Philippines
namely; Candijay, Mabini, Bien Unido and Talibon (Fig. 1). Coordinates for Talibon are
10˚09’55.55”N; 124˚20’57.25”E, then 10˚10’56.2”N; 124˚23’13.5”E for Bien Unido;9˚55’20.04”N; 124˚32’32.23”E for Mabini and 9˚49’05.78”N; 124˚34’17.13”E for Candijay. These
municipalities were chosen intentionally because these are the areas where the Bohol Island State
University- Candijay Campus is working for mangrove rehabilitation using Rhizophora sp. with thecoordination of the local government units and in partnership with mangrove planters.
Procedures
General purpose of the study was presented to the local government officials of the four coastal
municipalities in Northeastern Bohol for their information and guidance about the activity. Support
from them was obtained. Data on the numbers of Rhizophora sp. planted in the four coastal
municipalities in Northeastern Bohol were then gathered from the Extension Office of Bohol Island
State University-Candijay Campus. The data were validated by the mangrove planters.
Census was applied in the counting of planted Rhizophora with participation of mangrove
planters. Tally counters, slateboards and pencils were used for recording and counting of live
Rhizophora sp. in four coastal municipalities in Northeastern Bohol. Sea shells were identified toestablish baseline information in the reforested area. Assistance from mangrove planters wereutilized especially on the naming locally of sea shells then after it was referred to the field guide
published by FAO (1998) for right identification and naming scientifically.
Growth rate was measured inside the 6 ha mangrove plantation. This area is equivalent to 10%
of 53 ha of planted Rhizophora sp. Eighteen plots were ramdomly established in 6 ha with 1 plot
per hectare, and in every plot has 10 samples of mangrove trees. Samples were measured with tip
measure with the aid of slateboard and pencil. The aimed was to determine the growth in height ofplanted mangroves.
Problems encountered in planting and management of Rhizophora sp. were gathered throughan informal discussion with the 30 mangrove planters in four coastal municipalities in Northeastern
Bohol. Problems were listed and collated and then it was presented to the other members of thecommunities for verification and validation of the data.

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IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2015) 6-1

PHILIPPINESTALIBON

BIEN UNIDO

MABINICANDIJAY

Legend:Study sites
Fig. 1 Map of Bohol

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 shows the four coastal municipalities of Northeastern Bohol that involved in mangrove
planting using Rhizophora sp. The largest area planted with Rhizophora sp. is in the municipalityof Mabini. It was planted in the lower intertidal zones near the river banks. The Municipality ofCandijay has the second largest area where the species was planted in the middle and upperintertidal zones, followed by the municipality of Bien Unido and Talibon where the mangroves
planted mostly in the lower intertidal zones of the island. All the mangroves were planted in 2013.
Table 1 Rehabilitated mangrove areas in Northeastern Bohol using Rhizophora sp.
Municipalities
Candijay
MabiniBien Unido
Talibon
Total

Total area per municipality (Ha)19274353

Table 2 Rhizophora sp. that survived in the rehabilitated mangrove areas (53 ha)
Municipalities
Candijay
MabiniBien Unido
Talibon
TOTAL

Number of Rhizophora
sp. planted
63,32789,991
13,332
9,999
176,649

Numbers of survived
Rhizophora sp.
46,463
23,774
8,901
2,687
81,825Ⓒ ISERD

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Survival rate (%)
73.37
26.42
66.76
26.87
48.36

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2015) 6-1

Table 2 presents the number of Rhizophora sp. that survived in four coastal municipalities inNortheastern Bohol after one year of planting. It was found out that Candijay has 73.37% survival
rate followed by Bien Unido with 66.76% survival rate, Talibon with 26.8%, and Mabini with26.42%. Overall, the average survival rate of Rhizophora sp. planted in Northeastern Bohol is48.36%. It was observed that the mangroves planted in the midle and upper intertidal zones havegood survival rate compared to those planted in the lower intertidal zones near the river banks.
Table 3 shows the identified sea shells in the rehabilitated mangrove areas in four coastal
municipalities in Northeastern Bohol. Reason of identifying the sea shells in the rehabilitated areas
was to establish baseline information. It was found out that there are eleven species of sea shells in
the municipality of Mabini and Talibon, eight in Bien Unido and seven in Candijay, Bohol. The
most dominant and common species in the four municipalities are Terebralia sp. (Dao-dao) andNarita sp. (Sihi). These species occurs widely in the mangrove system (Crowe, 1997).
Table 3 Sea shells identified in the rehabilitated area in northeastern Bohol
Municipality(s)Mabini, Bohol

Bien Unido, Bohol

Talibon, Bohol

Candijay, Bohol

Scientific nameTerebralia sp.
Apolymetis sp.
Narita sp.
Bursidae sp.
Telescopium sp.
Crassostrea sp.
Donas sp.
Anadara sp.
Solen sp.
Protothaca sp.
Perna sp.
Terebralia sp.
Narita sp.
Bursidae sp.
Anadara sp.
Protothaca sp.
Conidae sp.
Pinna sp.
Morola sp.
Terebralia sp.
Narita sp.
Anadara sp.
Protothaca sp.
Perna sp.
Conidae sp.
Pinna sp.
Motorola sp.
Cuarium sp.
Turbo sp.
Unidentified sp.
Terebralia sp.
Apolymetis sp.
Bursidae sp.
Telescopium sp.
Crassostrea sp.
Morola sp.
Saccostrea sp.

Sea shell species
Local nameDao-dao
Toway
Sihi
Lubot-anay
BagongonTagnipis
Punaw
Litob
Tudlo dato
Balisaha
Amahong
Dao-dao
Sihi
Lubot-anay
Litob
Balisaha
Liswe
Tab
Tandok-tandok
Dao-dao
Sihi
Litob
Balisaha
Amahong
Liswe
Tab
Tandok-tandok
AninikadTaktakonWasay-wasay
Dao-dao
Toway
Lubot-anay
BagongonTagnipis
Tandok-tandok
Sihi

Fig. 2 presents the growth (in height) performance of mangrove planted. Kruskal Wallis Testwas used in determining significant difference on the growth of the mangrove planted between sites.
Tukey’s post hoc test was then used afterwards. It was found out that the average mean of growthin height is 6.097 cm per month and that the growth of the mangrove planted in Mabini differsfrom Candijay, Bien Unido and Talibon. Rhizophora is best suited in the intertidal zone (Feller andSitnik, 1996).
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GROWTH RATE (cm/month)

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2015) 6-1

9.00
8.00
7.00
6.00
5.00
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.000.00

MUNICIPALITY

Fig. 2 Growth performance of Rhizophora sp. in terms of heights (in cm.)

Problems EncounteredFig. 3 presents the problems encountered in planting and management of Rhizophora sp. From
the data we could see that the barnacles gave greatest problem of the project and to the mangrove
planters, followed the fishing inside the rehabilitated areas. Same problem met by the mangrove
planters in Thailand who used Rhizophora mucronata (Erftemeijer and Lewis, 2000). This problem
highly contributed to the low survival rate.

Suitability of the areas
Gleaning inside the rehabilitated areas
Fishing inside the rehabiltated areas
Barnacles
0510152025

No. of Individuals
Fig. 3 Problems encountered in planting and management of Rhizophora sp. (n=30)
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that Rhizophora sp. planted in the middle and upper interterdal zones has higher
survival rate compared to the mangrove planted in the lower intertidal zones near the river banks.
The occurence was due to the infestation of barnacles in the mangroves planted. In terms of growthrate, the Municipality of Candijay had the highest since the mangrove was planted in the lower
intertidal which suites them best. With regards to the sea shells, it was observed that Terebralia sp.
and Bursidae sp. are common in all the rehabilitated areas.
REFERENCES
Crowe, T.P., 1997. The distribution of Terebralia palustris (Linne) with respect to microhabitat in mangrove
forests of Darwin Harbour I: Description of patterns. In: Hanley, J.R., Caswell, G., Megirian, D. andLarson, H.K. (Eds.), Proceedings of the Sixth International Marine Biological Workshop. The Marine
Flora and Fauna of Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Museums and Art Galleries of theNorthern Territory and the Australian Marine Sciences Association, 435-443.
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DENR Statistics. 1995. Environmental and natural resources atlas of the Philippines. Environment Center of
the Philippines Foundation. 1998. Manila, Philippines.
Erftemeijer, P.L.A. and Lewis, R.R. 2000. Planting mangroves on intertidal mudflats: Habitat restoration or
habitat conversion?. Proceedings of the ECOTONE VIII Seminar Enhancing Coastal Ecosystems
Restoration for the 21st Century, Bangkok: Royal Forest Department of Thailand. 156-165.
Feller, I.C. and Sitnik, M. 1996. Mangrove ecology: A manual for a field course. A Field Manual focused on
the Biocomplexity on Mangrove Ecosystems. Smithsonian Institution, Washington.
FAO. 1998. Species identification guide for fishery purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the WesternCentral Pacific. Volume 1 Seaweeds, Corals, Bivalves and Gastropods. Edited by Carpenter, K.E. andNiem, V.H.
Melana D.M., Melana, E.E. and Mapalo, A.M. 2000a. Mangrove management and development in thePhilippines. A paper presented during the meeting on “Mangrove and Aquaculture Management” held atKasetsart University Campus, Bangkok, Thailand on February 14-16, 2000.
Melana D.M., Joseph Atchue III, Yao, C.E., Edwards, R., Melana, E.E. and Gonzales, H.I. 2000b. Mangrove
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