Development of National and Corridor-Level Communications Plans for the BD Corridor Project

Started: September 2023

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is currently implementing a project called the Integrated Approach in Management of Major Biodiversity Corridors in the Philippines, also known as the BD Corridor Project. This project aims to establish an integrated management system for biodiversity corridors in order to achieve multiple benefits, such as conserving endangered species and high-value forests, reducing deforestation and degradation, and enhancing local biodiversity-friendly livelihoods. The project consists of four main components: effective coordination and governance framework for ecosystem management, application of integrated network design and management of biodiversity corridors, community-based sustainable use and management systems, and knowledge management, gender mainstreaming, monitoring, and evaluation. One of the project's indicators, Indicator 13, measures the level of awareness of Integrated Ecosystems Management (IEM) within the biodiversity corridors through a Knowledge, Attitude, Practice (KAP) survey. The project document highlights the baseline, mid-term, and end-of-project assessments.

The current coordination and outreach efforts on conservation are lacking effectiveness due to limited awareness among the general public. A baseline survey has been conducted involving 140 employed community members, government and sector agency staff, private sector representatives, and other stakeholders (with at least 40% being women). The purpose of the survey is to raise awareness about Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices t. The end goal is to ensure that at least 60% of the sampled community members, government and sector agency staff, private sector representatives, and other stakeholders (with at least 40% being women) are aware of these conservation threats and adverse impacts.

This projectl seeks to implement a survey that will utilize a Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) approach to gather qualitative and quantitative information on understanding and barriers to behavior change. The results of the survey will inform the review and enhancement of the National Communications Plan and the development and implementation of a Communications Plan at the Corridor level. Additionally, the project focuses on Knowledge Management (KM) and Communication, Education, and Public Awareness (CEPA) to support transformative change and stakeholder engagement. The project will initiate KM and communication strategies and action plans to support national policy application in two biodiversity corridors and community actions across three phases of activity, including negotiation, demonstration and learning, and mainstreaming