College of Forestry and Environmental Studies

09/10/2026

🦆🐦𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒃𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒃𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓!

Today, 10 October 2026, we join the world in celebrating World Migratory Bird Day. Migratory birds rely on healthy wetlands, forests, and coastlines along their journeys, and each record you share helps us protect them.

Look up, observe, and take part! For inquiries: [email protected]

09/10/2026

𝑴𝒖𝒍𝒂 𝑮𝒖𝒃𝒂𝒕 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝑲𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒉𝒂𝒚𝒂𝒏: 𝑷𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒊𝒈𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝑨𝒓𝒂𝒘 𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒈𝒂 𝑵𝑻𝑭𝑷 (𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐍𝐓𝐅𝐏 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔)
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Ngayong araw, 9 Oktubre 2026, ipinagdiriwang natin ang Pandaigdigang Araw ng mga NTFP o Non-Timber Forest Products.

Higit pa sa troso ang naibibigay ng ating mga kagubatan. Mula sa rattan, kawayan, bunga, pulot-pukyutan, dagta, at halamang gamot hanggang sa mga hibla at kabute, ang mga produktong ito ay pinagmumulan ng kabuhayan, pagkain, at gamot ng maraming pamayanan, kabilang ang mga komunidad na naninirahan malapit sa kagubatan sa Mindanao.

Sa diwa ng temang “Linking peoples and forests", hinihikayat ng MSU-Marawi College of Forestry and Environmental Studies (CFES) ang lahat na kilalanin ang halaga ng mga NTFP, suportahan ang napapanatiling pangangalap ng mga ito, at pangalagaan ang mga kagubatang pinagmumulan nito. Kapag buhay ang kagubatan, buhay din ang mga komunidad na umaasa rito.

Para sa mga katanungan, mag-email sa [email protected].

08/10/2026

𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒔𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒓𝒂 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆!

The abstract call for the 7𝒕𝒉 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑬𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 (𝑰𝑪𝑬𝑭𝑪 2026) has been extended until 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖.

Share your work with the regional and international scientific community at ICEFC 2026.

Themed "Resilient ecosystems, sustainable future" and hosted by Mindanao State University – Marawi, this conference will bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and advocates committed to advancing forest and environmental sciences.

📍 Venue: GO Hotels Iligan, Iligan City
🗓️ Date: November 25 to 27, 2026

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬
🔽 Climate Change, Environmental Management, and Nature-based Solutions
🔽 Biodiversity Conservation, and Forest Wildlife Management
🔽 Forest Resources, Bioeconomy, and Environmental Innovation
🔽 Environmental Governance, Policy, Education, and Sustainable Ecotourism

𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
🔽 Extended Abstract Deadlines: 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 06 𝒕𝒐 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 18
🔽 Registration Period: 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 24 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 06
🔽 Early Bird Registration Deadline: 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 18
🔽 Notice of Paper Acceptance: 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 30 𝒕𝒐 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 31
🔽 Full Paper Submission Deadline (for Publication option): 𝑵𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 06
🔽 Conference Proper: 𝑵𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 25 𝒕𝒐 27, 2026

𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑪𝑷𝑫 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔.

For details, contact us at:
🔗 Web: msumain.edu.ph/icefc2026
📧 Email: [email protected]

Scan the QR codes to submit your abstract and/or register.

04/10/2026

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲 | 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐬

Today, 04 October 2026, CFES joins the world in celebrating the animals that share our home. Mindanao State University–Marawi campus is more than a center of learning. As an inclusive university, its green spaces serve as refugia of indigenous fauna, offering shelter to species that are increasingly losing habitat across Mindanao.

A few of our campus neighbors are:

𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒐 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔 Stejneger, 1908, the 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑜 𝐹𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐷𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑛. This Philippine endemic 'dragon' glides between trees using rib-supported "wings". It is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂 𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒔 Kronmüller, 2009, the 𝑃ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝐺𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑇𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝐶𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑑𝑒. The endemic predator helps regulate invertebrate populations in leaf litter and on tree trunks. It has not yet been evaluated by the IUCN, a reminder of how much remains to be studied about our smaller fauna.

𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒚𝒑𝒆𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒍𝒆𝒖𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒙 Gravenhorst, 1829, the 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛 𝑇𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑔. Indigenous to the Philippines and listed as Least Concern, this nocturnal frog is a familiar voice on campus during the rainy months.

These animals tells us that conservation does not only happen in distant protected areas. It can begin in the places where we study, work, and live. Let us keep MSU–Marawi a safe haven for wildlife by protecting our trees, minimizing disturbance, and learning more about the creatures around us.

25/09/2026

18/09/2026

𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 | 𝑻𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔: 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒕 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒐 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒔

Mark Joseph J. Buncag of the MSU-CFES Department of Environmenta Studies published a 2026 paper in the International Journal of Science and Management Studies (IJSMS), Vol. 9, Issue 4. The study compared the swimming carrying capacity of three well-known Mindanao waterfalls, namely Tinago, Situbo, and Bega Falls, with relevance to SDG 12, SDG 15, and SDG 8.

Some key takeaways:

🔽Using carrying capacity models, the study computed real swimming capacities of 83 swimmers per day at Tinago Falls, 465 at Situbo Falls, and just 51 at Bega Falls.
🔽Situbo Falls posted the highest capacity, largely because it faces fewer limiting factors than the other two sites.
🔽Common constraints across all three waterfalls include typhoons, flooding, heavy rains, and intense sunlight — showing how weather exposure directly shapes safe visitor limits.

Access the paper here: 10.51386/25815946/ijsms-v9i4p124

15/09/2026

𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 | 𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒏'𝒔 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒔: 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑴𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝑫𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆

Razul S. Pagrangan and Mark Joseph J. Buncag of CFES-MSU Marawi published a 2026 paper in the International Journal of Science and Management Studies (IJSMS), Vol. 9, Issue 4. The study surveyed the diversity, composition, and community use of natural mangrove stands in Barangay Barorao, Balabagan, Lanao del Sur, with relevance to SDG 14, SDG 15, and SDG 13.

Some key takeaways:

🔽The team recorded 751 individual mangrove trees across 10 species from seven families, though a Shannon diversity index of 1.343 places the site under very low diversity.
🔽Four species, 𝐴𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑚, 𝐵𝑟𝑢𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎, 𝑅ℎ𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑎 𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑎 and 𝑆𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑎 𝑎𝑙𝑏𝑎, were present across all transects, while others like 𝑁𝑦𝑝𝑎 𝑓𝑟𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑠 were far less common.
🔽Local communities rely heavily on the mangroves, mainly for food (88%) and materials like lumber and furniture, and strongly favor protective measures — 100% supported prohibiting tree-cutting, and 80% supported replanting seedlings.

Access the paper here: DOI 10.51386/25815946/ijsms-v9i4p124

11/09/2026

𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 | 𝑩𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒐: 𝑨 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔

Mark Gregory Q. Rule, Norsaif M. Mimbisa, and Reymond Lorrence R. Gimena of MSU-CFES Department of Environmental Studies, together with co-author Rudolph Valentino A. Docot from FEU, published a 2026 paper in Check List: The Journal of Biodiversity Data, a Scopus-indexed, Q3 journal (SJR). The study reports the first Philippine record of the plant genus 𝐴𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑢𝑚 Forman (Irvingiaceae), previously known only from Borneo.

Some key takeaways:

🔽The team documented 𝐴𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒 subsp. 𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒 growing in the remnant ultramafic forests of Bucas Grande Island, Surigao del Norte, a habitat known for harboring rare, specialized flora.
🔽This marks the first confirmed record of the genus in the Philippines, extending its known range from Borneo to northeastern Mindanao.
🔽The find underscores how much of the country's biodiversity, even at the genus level, still remains undocumented despite centuries of botanical exploration.

Access the paper here: https://doi.org/10.15560/22.3.466

08/09/2026

𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 | 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝑰𝒔 𝑻𝒐𝒐 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒚? 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒓 𝑩𝒂𝒚

Mark Joseph Jagmis Buncag of the MSU-CFES Department of Environmental Studies, together with co-authors at the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, MSU-Main Campus, presented this study at the International Conference on Responsible Tourism and Hospitality 2025 (ICRTH 2025), published in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 1570, No. 1, 2025), a Scopus-indexed proceedings series. The study examined the tourism carrying capacity and economic value of Tubajon Aquamarine Park, a mangrove-based tourism site in Macalajar Bay, Misamis Oriental, with relevance to SDG 14, SDG 15, and SDG 8.

Some key takeaways:

🔽Using Boullon's Carrying Capacity Mathematical Model, the study found that annual visitor numbers at the park stayed below its identified carrying capacity — a sign the site isn't yet being overrun.
🔽Applying the Zonal Travel Cost Method, the park's total economic value was estimated at ₱1,818,465 (about US$31,418) annually.
🔽The findings echo the Philippine Department of Tourism's "Save Our Spots" campaign, reinforcing how staying within a site's carrying capacity protects both its ecology and its long-term economic value.

Access the paper here:
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/1570/1/012003/meta
DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/1570/1/012003

04/09/2026

𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒚!

Every scale, every watchful eye tells a story of survival. This forest dragon is one of the countless creatures that call Mindanao's forests home, quietly shaping the ecosystems we all depend on.

Today we celebrate the wildlife that makes our region extraordinary, and we renew our commitment to protecting the habitats they need to thrive. Conservation begins with awareness, and awareness begins with looking closer.

From all of us at the College of Forestry and Environmental Studies, MSU-Marawi, let us keep our wild spaces wild.