Indian
Ocean

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Ocean

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Philippines

Agusan
Marsh

Asilverykingfishersitsona branch.

TheAgusanMarshisacomplexwetlandecosysteminthePhilippines.Itismadeupofinterconnectedmarshes,lakes,rivers,and swamps.


Icometothisplacetophotographwhatliveshere.TheAgusanishometomanyplantandanimalspecies—includingmorethan200endemicandmigratorybirds.Itisacrossroadsforthebirds.SomecomefromasfarasRussia,Japan,andChinaduringwinter.Itisalsohometomorethan100speciesoffloweringplantsand trees.


TheseplantsandanimalssharethiswetlandwiththeManoboTribe.Theseindigenouspeopleliveinfloatinghousesinthe marsh.


Here,thelandscapechangesfromwatertolandbyseason.Duringthewetorrainyseason,itistransformedintoavastbaythatstoresrainwaterandbufferstropicalstormscalledtyphoons.Itprotectscities,towns,andvillagesdownstreamfromfloods.Italsoabsorbspollutantsandimprovesthequalityofwaterthatflows.Waterlilies,trees,andfernsactasfiltersbycleaningthe water.

MarshlandDangers

Despitebeingaprotectedarea,theAgusanMarshisintrouble.Climatechangeisaconstantthreat.Theaveragewaterlevelofthemarshesandlakesisdecreasingfromprolonged drought.


Atthesametime,frequentandseveretyphoonshavecausedhavoc.ThisisespeciallytrueinthefloatingcommunitiesoftheManobo,wheretheirstilthousesaredestroyedby flooding.

Apurpleswamphenrestsamidwater lilies.

AbrahminykitesoarsabovetheAgusan River.

Thereareotherchallengesaswell:agricultureandillegallogging.Today,theswampforestsarebeingdestroyed.Layersandlayersofpeatlandsarebeingburnedtoclearthelandforbuilding.Atthisplace,roostingsitesofegretshavebeendisturbedbyplumesofsmokeand ash.


Theburningofthesepeatlandsalsoreleasestonsofcarbonintotheatmosphere.Thishastenstheimpactofclimatechangebyraisingtemperatures.Itultimatelydisturbstheecologicalbalance here.

peatfiresintheAugusan Marsh

The Manoboliveinhousesthatrestonthe water.

StrengthinCommunity

Allisnotlost,however.TheManoboandenvironmentalistsareworkingtogethertoprotectandconservetheAgusan Marsh.


It’shardtocombatclimatechange.Butbyenforcingenvironmentallaws,theyareputtinganendtomanydamagingpractices.Theyarepressuringloggingandminingbusinessestostopburningthepeatlandsandtostopcuttingdowntheswamp forests.


Focusingonasenseofplaceandcommunityempowerspeopletoactandworktowardgreaterconservationand stewardship.

abird’s-eyeviewoftheManobotribalhouses ​​​​​​​inthe marsh