DAVAO CITY – Conducted annually to preserve the remaining forest and endangered wildlife of the country’s highest peak, the Mt. Apo Natural Park (MANP) officially started its off-season from June 1 to Aug. 31 this year.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Davao Region (DENR-11) said trekking and camping activities are prohibited at all opened trails in the natural park throughout the season.
“It will give time for the sacred mountain to recuperate and allow wildlife to roam their natural habitats without anthropogenic intervention,” the agency said.
DENR-11 said the off-season ensures protection and conservation for the protected area considering Mt. Apo’s aesthetic, economic, cultural and ecological importance, and the ongoing efforts to declare it a UNESCO Global Geopark.
MANP’s Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) started practicing the June to August closure in 2022 under the MANP-PAMB En Banc Resolution No. 06, series of 2021, with the holistic development of a highland park in mind.
“We hope to see a more majestic and healthier MANP in the next few months. See you in September, Mount Apo,” DENR-11 added.
Earlier, DENR-11 temporarily suspended all trekking activities conducted at MANP from March 20 to 31 through PAMB Executive Committee Resolution No. 1, series of 2024.
The agency attributed the suspension to the ongoing El Niño phenomenon that led to a “prolonged dry spell affecting the trekking and camping sites within MANP.”
Mt. Apo stands at 2,954 meters or 9,692 feet above sea level at the border of Davao del Sur and North Cotabato provinces. (PNA)
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