CANDABA, Pampanga — The parched soil tucked between its marshes and rice paddies belies its name, and is the result of the twin threats hanging over the Candaba wetlands in recent years. Climate change and land conversion have been rapidly redefining the wetlands’ postcard-pretty backdrop and threatening the ecosystem that depends on it. But while climate change can be a threat to them, the wetlands can actually act as natural solutions to climate change, said Crisanta Rodriguez, director of the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau. Aside from climate change, the threat of land conversion looms large over the wetlands, said Lecciones. Most of the Candaba wetlands are privately owned, leaving the government with less options for conservation efforts in these areas, she explained.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer February 02, 2019 21:33 UTC