Barangay Imbayao Resident's Perception of the Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park

The establishment and management of protected areas have been considered an advancement of environmentalism. Protected areas are concrete expressions of humanity’s acceptance that human activities have resulted to the dwindling of biodiversity and natural resources threatening critical ecological services. Community perception towards the protected area is one factor in achieving both conservation and social development objectives. A positive perception will lead to higher level of support given by the community to park management activities. Likewise, a negative perception will lead to low level of community support. This study investigated the community perception of barangay Imbayao in Malaybalay City towards the Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park (MKRNP) in the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. Community perceptions were identified through a community survey involving 256 respondents representing the total number of households in the barangay. The results of the study revealed that the community perceptions of the purpose and benefits of the MKRNP are more aligned to the biodiversity protection goal stated by the MKRNP law. The community also perceived that creation of the park will provide them better social services and that it will create community pride of having the park. Based on the results it is recommended that an intensified information and education campaign (IEC) about the MKRNP is undertaken. The IEC must focus on the important role of community participation in park management to achieve not just biodiversity conservation but also social development of the communities. It is also recommended to intensify programs that will accrue benefits and incentives to communities for contributing in park management. This is important since community members have traded-off their access to farm lands within the park when it was declared as park.