Abstract
My project was about pilot testing the new Environmentally Critical Areas Network (ECAN) guidelines in Palawan. These guidelines are meant to protect areas that are necessary for the Palawan environment to function. They were implemented throughout Palawan, including the eastern municipalities. Core zones must represent at least 30% of the significant habitat while including significant habitats and biologically or physically unique sites. Buffer zones serve as multiple use zones that are placed around core zones to stop activity from reaching them. My research used coastal surveying methods such as visual coral surveying via snorkeling as well as the mangrove plot method. My research found that the mangrove ecosystems of Palawan were health, while the coral environment is largely bleached or dead. This shows that the core zone policies are necessary, because Palawan’s coral environments need coral protection. Palawan’s updated ECAN guidelines were found to be a good framework to protect endangered ecosystems, but this framework must be supplemented by further restoration work, especially coral nurseries.