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ENVIRONMENT

FEATURES
The general feature of the Municipality of Boliney is hilly to mountainous terrain. It is
characterized as rugged to mountainous. It has an irregular pattern relief of ridges and peaks
with slopes ranging from 0-84 degrees. The highest peak is located at Mt. Poswey. The forests
are home to various wildlife species and serve as support to some of the households needs like
wood and bamboo. Grasslands/brush lands are a source of fodder for grazing of animals.

FORESTRY /AGRO FORESTRY RESOURCES
The forested area within the vicinity of Municipality of Boliney, which is a part of the
Cordillera Forest reserved, is currently used as a source of livelihood for the communities and
water source for domestic water supply system and irrigation purposes. These are forested areas
is covered with diptherocarp species of trees.
Agro-forestry areas or commonly termed as uma (swidden farms). Rice is also grown
in the swidden farms (kaingin) mixed with other crops such as, corn, vegetables, root crops and
fruit trees.
These areas fed rice fields, which are located along both sides of the Ikmin River and
gently sloping to undulating slopes of the foot of the mountains, with water coming from the
creeks or channeled water from the river through irrigation canals.

CLIMATE
Boliney enjoys a temperate climate. The temperature ranges from 25.5 degrees C 28.8
degrees Celsius throughout the year. It is neither too cold nor too hot. The months of November
to February are cooler attributed to the lush forest that exist nearby. It has two pronounced
seasons, dry and wet season. Dry season occur form the month of December up to April, while
the wet season is from the month of May to the month of November.

TOURISM AND PROTECTED AREAS
a. Eco-tourism
Mt. Poswey, one of the highest peaks in Abra, is rich in natural resources and abundant in
wild life such as deer, wild pig, monkey and other endangered species. The mountain peak is
classified as dipterocarp and mossy forest. The Mt. Poswey, a suspected dead volcano, has been
declared by the department of tourism as national park in 1995

b. Potential Eco-tourism
Bani Hot Spring is listed in the Philippines tourist destination book as one of must see
places for local and foreign visitors for its accommodating picnic grounds. Bani Hot Spring is
found at the foot of Mt. Poswey, along the riverbank where fresh water flows. The bani hot
spring is famous because of the wonderful extremely hot water coming out from the cracked of a
solid rock.


NATURE RESERVES
The forested area, which is a part of the Cordillera Forest Reserve, is classified as
Dipterocarp and mossy forest and has been protected by an indigenous forest resource
management system called lapat. The lapat is consciously practiced much as majority of the
households are dependent on forest resources as lumber for their houses and other forests
products as additional source of income for every household. It is rich in natural resources and
abundant in wild life such as deer, wild pig, monkey and other endangered species.
The same lapat has declared this these areas as wildlife sanctuaries for Honeybee (Apis
sp.); Wildcat (Felizminuta); Wild pig (suscelebenensis); Bayawak (Varanus Salvador); Bullfrog
and other edible frogs (Rana sp.); Snake (Ptouphis sp.); Python; Bat (Eptesicusfuscua); Different
kinds of insects.







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a. Flora and Fauna
Flora and Fauna available in the Municipality are Dipterocarp trees wherein narra, lauan,
hard wood species and softwood is abundant and softwood species such as pine tree. Rattan,
bamboos of different kinds, and numerous vines like nito.


b. Classification

Inventory of Grasses and Shrubs species found and endemic in the area:
COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME
Bikal Schizostachyumdiffusum
Bikalbaboi Schizostachyumdielsianum
Bolo Gigantochloalevis
Bunga Areca catechu
Burburtak Bidenspilosa
Dagdagtey Sphebomericschinensis
Dayap Citrus aurantifulia
Kawayangtinik Bambosaspinosa
Kawayan killing Bambosa vulgaris
Kolot-kulutan Trumfettabarrtramia
Dangla Vitexnegundo
Lanete Writhiapubescens
Kamiring Semercarpusphilippinensis
Amorseco Chrysopogonaciculars
AnuwangCyperus Kyllingia
Source: CBS (Community Baseline Survey Result, 2010)


Inventory of Residents and Migratory Birds
COMMON/LOCAL
NAME
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Maya
Painted quail Cipturnix chinensis
Grass owl Tytocapensis
amauronota
Red jungle fowl Gallus gallus
Quial Coturnix coturnix
Myna/martines Acridotheses cristatelius
Owl Bubo virginiasus
Wild duck Oritolagus spp.
Source: CBS (Community Baseline Survey Result, 2010)

c. Forest Products
Forest products found in the locality are timber wood, rattan, bolo, poser and bamboo
which are used for making handicrafts and furniture.

d. Agro-Forestry
Community members have their own kaingin or uma where they plant rice, cash
crops and other vegetables on the first two years after which farmers plant semi-permanent and
permanent crops n the farm lot.

e. Watershed
The watersheds of the in all the Barangay which has been protected by the community
through the indigenous system called lapat are the following.






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f. Water source
These forested areas are head water source for all the brook and creeks which all them are
headed to the Ikmin River, a major tributaries of the Abra River.

g. Status of Forest and Land Ownership
Forest reserves are communally owned by the Barangay and are being protected through
indigenous systems such as the LAPAT system where the community through the leadership
of the Council of Elders and Leaders delineate areas for protection and production. Certain
wildlife species may be declared as under LAPAT which means that gathering of such species
is prohibited for a certain period.
No major concessionaire exists in the area. The only economic activities in the forests are the
usual gathering of firewood and forest products of the households for home use.

MINERAL RESOURCES

a. Mining
The domain of the Municipality of Boliney is rich in metallic and non-metallic minerals.
The people believe that gold and copper are abundant in the area where the Mar copper Mining
Corporation operated in the area in 1970s. Non-metallic resources found in the area are
boulders, sand and gravel.

b. Quarrying
(No quarrying is being done in the area.)


FOREST MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES
All the forest management and conversation practices are embodied in the lapat system.
It is an indigenous system of preserving and protecting the environment. The lapat enjoins
everybody to refrain from cutting trees in the forest; gathering of rattan and anibong, a species
of palm tree whose young shoots could be eaten; hunting of wild animals and fishing. The ban
covers a specific area of the resource base and applied over a period of time.

The lapat
LAPAT is an indigenous system of preserving and protecting the environment. The
lapat enjoins everybody to refrain from cutting trees in the forest; gathering of rattan and
anibong, a species of palm tree whose young shoots could be eaten; hunting of wild animals
and fishing. The ban covers specific areas of the resource base and applied over a period of time.
A legacy from forefathers, the lapat system was commonly practiced during the 1900s. There
was only one lapat for the whole district until barrios were created and since then, lapat was
strengthened and modified. It became wider scope, not only for plant and animal species but all
the natural resources found in the lapat area e.g. minerals, spring, rivers etc. No one could
gather or collect forest products in the lapat area unless permitted by the whole community.
Through the lapat system, lands were classified and boundaries were delineated.
Nowadays, its concept and provisions are incorporated and are being adapted as Barangay
ordinance. This system protects the community from intrusion or encroachment by adjacent
Barangay or municipality. It discourages other communities from entering the declared lapat
areas. In this way, the resources are conserved and protected.
Orally shared by elders, formal documentation on lapat is not yet available. A need to
document this customary practice is noted to ensure its continuity especially among the younger
generation who are greatly affected by the so called cash economy. Documentation of this
indigenous resource management system will help support advocacy for biodiversity
conservation efforts whose success rests on undisturbed sanctuaries of wildlife.
Lapat laws were legislated by the umili to include the elders, peace pact holders,
women, professionals, youth and Barangay and Municipal Officials. For, one, elders, nothing
that rattan in the forest is thinning, calls for a community meeting. An agreement is forged to ban
the gathering of this forest product over a defined period. Anyone caught violating the law will
be penalized stiffly.




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At other times, the ban may not be absolute. Gathering of rattan for one may still be
allowed but the time to gather and the volume to be gathered by each household will be
approved. The umili will also agree if the gathered products will be sold or not. And if
marketed, the community will even agree the price of the forest.
Prior to the implementation of lapat, information is done to all the Barangays and
adjacent municipalities. The coverage and laws of the Lapat will explained to all through
verbal communication of through letters enclosing a map of the covered area.
A ritual is performed to start the ban following discussion and agreement among the
umili. A pig is butchered and the community together with the elders and Barangay officials
partake a community meal. Basi, a local wine, is served to complete the meal. The elders will
then proceed to the declared lapat area and perform an oath that whoever will violate the
provisions of their law will be meted with penalty as agreed upon by the umili. The ban
usually extends to the prohibition of cutting of trees or commercial logging, gathering of rattan
and wild palm shoots, electro fishing or the use of padait a system of fishing which catches
the smallest fish. The entire residents act as guardians. A violator/s of the lapat rules will be
litigated by the council of elders, Barangay and Municipal Officials, and the community, and if
found guilty, will be penalized or advised to change his ways. The offender will be punished
depending on the gravity of his offense. He has to butcher a similar animal used in the ritual
during the sealing of the agreement. Alternately, he will be fined the amount of the animal
butchered and another animal to be given to the elders for facilitating the resolution of the
offense.
If the community cannot find the violator, there are no witnesses or there is lack of
evidence, a community sapata is employed by the elders to ferret the truth form the suspect/s.
the understand that falsehood is tantamount to something bad that will happen to him/her. If the
case is not settled in the community or Barangay level, it will be elevated to the municipal level.
The lapat system can go hand-in-hand with national laws because they have the same concern,
which is the protection of the environment. This system of protecting the environment is adapted
as a Barangay ordinance. They differ only in terms of penalty.
The affectivity of the agreement starts from the time of proclamation until the community
decides to open up the lapat area so that people can again gather forest products. To open up
the lapat area, the community will butcher a similar animal when they sealed the initial
agreement in order to discard the sapata of the elders.

COUNCIL OF ELDERS AS DECISION MAKING BODY AND UP-HOLDER OF THE
LAPAT
The council of the elders is a body composed of elders, members of the lupon, and
elected officials, who, among themselves, choose the chairperson. All cases in the community
are logged to them for litigation, arbitration and mediation. The council of elders acts as the
judiciary; it is believed that the mainstream legal system is very expensive and sometimes
oppressive, as the judicial courts often favor those who have money. Thus, to prevent disputes
going to higher courts, the council is very active in the justice system of the community. It is
being processed through community meetings where everyone is encouraged to participate in the
deliberations as always; a consensus is achieved at the end of lengthy discussions.