The Protected Landscape Approach - Centre for Mediterranean ...

The Protected Landscape Approach: Linking Nature, Culture and Community
for the simultaneous educational, environmental, agricultural and reconstruction programmes
being implemented by the national and local authorities. Other priorities were to: (a) set in place
management units that correspond to the core management zones for terrace protection and
rehabilitation as well as support zones for area-based and tourism development; (b) resolve the
ownership and other policy issues impinging on the implementation of the plan; (c) set up the
designs and mechanisms for resource generation and livelihood activities in support of the
terraces; and (d) design and establish the monitoring and evaluation system for plan im -
plementation. World Heritage requirements were included in the Master Plan, and the five
terrace clusters became the nucleus for the World Heritage nomination.
The Ifugao Terraces Commission was the advisory and monitoring body envisioned to carry
through the Master Plan. Following components identified in the plan, other government
agencies were mandated to cooperate with the Commission and to fund and carry out
programmes that fell within their sector. However, the reality was that the agencies felt that this
was an imposition on their priorities and budgets so no projects were completed. The funds
allocated to the Ifugao Terraces Commission were minimal. Not surprisingly, few projects
were completed and the terraces deteriorated rapidly, due to site mismanagement.
Implementing the Master Plan was a difficult challenge. The community participated in
preparing the Master Plan but did not feel any ownership towards it. Implementation was left to
the Ifugao Terraces Commission staff. However, the Office of the President who had juris -
diction over the Commission did not understand that site preservation went beyond re -
habilitating its tangible qualities and that much of the intangible heritage had to be revived or
preserved as well. National government then concluded that the Commission’s accomplish -
ments fell short of expectations because it failed to comply with the indicators set to measure
tangible rehabilitation actions. So it abolished the Ifugao Terraces Commission and organized
the Banaue Rice Terraces Task Force as the replacement authority.
The short-lived Banaue Rice Terraces Task Force faced the same setback of not being able to
satisfy indicators for tangible rehabilitation set by the Office of the President. As a result it
suffered severe budget cuts that crippled the agency until its ultimate abolition by the President,
which led to its In Danger listing in 1999.
The threats that face the Rice Terraces are complex. One threat is the apparent loss of
manpower. Parents send their young to the lowlands for education. They remain there for
employment opportunities not available in their traditional homes. There are a few who return
to the highlands of their own choice, preferring to continue the lifestyle and agricultural
activities of their parents rather than live in the lowlands. An interesting theory exists that the
carrying capacity of the site is so limited that it cannot accommodate the increased population.
Therefore immigration relieves potential site pressure. Nevertheless, the actual reality is that
maintenance of the terraces is now left to the older generation because the younger generation
has chosen to live away from the site.
Life on the terraces is extremely difficult. It is impossible to bring farm animals or machinery
to the terraces because of limited access. Therefore planting, harvesting, maintenance of terrace
walls and all other terrace activities must be done manually, without any mechanical aid. The
freezing weather, monsoon rains and typhoons, earthquakes and tremors are some of the
unpredictable natural forces that must be contended with.
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