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THE EXPLORATION OF THE NORTHWESTERN LUZON
The Northwestern University Expedition Team ventures into underexplored regions of Northwestern Luzon each year , enduring typhoons and extreme summer heat to document the region's diverse flora. Known as the "Northwesterniana Exploring Expedition," this initiative surveys vegetation across critical landscapes, from the mountains of Claveria in Cagayan to the Cordilleras of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and in Zambales Mountain Range. Through this dedication, the team continues to uncover new ecological insights, strengthening conservation efforts in the Ilocos Region.
The Ilocos Region reveals 11 major vegetation types. Each with unique forest fingerprint.
The Ilocos Region is home to 11 major vegetation types, each characterized by a distinct ecological compositions, forming a unique fingerprint that reflects the region's diverse landscapes and climatic conditions. These ecosystems range from coastal forest, mangroves, and lowland dipterocarp forest to montane and mossy forests, each supporting a variety of endemic, rare, and threatened species.
Through extensive field surveys, the Northwestern University Expedition Team has documented remarkable biodiversity, particularly in Ilocos Norte, where high biodiversity indices have been recorded. These findings underscore the ecological richness of the region and its conservation significance, reinforcing the need for continued research and protection of its fragile ecosystems. The expedition's discoveries contribute to a deeper understanding of the floristic diversity of Northwestern Luzon, shaping strategies for sustainable conservation and management.
Pioneering Biological Diversity Studies
Northwestern University has been at the forefront of biological diversity studies across Northwestern Luzon, Philippines, since the establishment of its Ecosystem Management & Development Office (EMDO) in 2007. EMDO has played a crucial role in updating the status of Protected Areas in the Ilocos Region, contributing significantly to conservation efforts.
In collaboration of DENR field personnel, the university has actively participated in Protected Area Suitability Assessments for critical vegetation, including the proposed Bangui Protected Landscape and the expansion of the Burgos Watershed and Forest Reserved. Extensive ecological surveys across these forest reserves has uncovered new scientific findings, including the presence of old-growth forest remnants and keystone species, reinforcing their ecological significance.
Raptor Migration Monitoring in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway: NWU-CBREEC and the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network (ARRCN)
The Northwestern University Center for Biodiversity, Coastal, and Riverine Ecological Ecosystem Conservation (NWU-CBCREEC) has been at the forefront of long-term avifaunal migration monitoring in the Northwestern Luzon. One of its key research initiatives focusing on the migration of raptors (birds of prey) within the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF), a critical migratory corridor that spans from the Arctic Circle to Southeast Asia and Australia.
Collaboration with the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network (ARRCN).
As part of its commitment to avian conservation, NWU-CBCREEC works in collaboration with Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network (ARRCN)-- an international organization dedicated to raptor research, migration monitoring, and habitat conservation across Asia. The research contributes to regional and global conservation efforts by enhancing our understanding of raptor movement patterns, stopover sites, and population trends in the Phillipines.
Raptor Migration in Northwestern Luzon
Northwestern Luzon serves as a strategic monitoring sites for raptors migrating along the EAAF. The region's diverse landscapes, from coastal wetlands to upland forests, provide crucial resting and foraging grounds for migrating raptors.
Japanese Society for the Conservation of Birds
donated Nikon binoculars to the NWU IN 2015
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