College of Forestry and Environmental Studies

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.

04/09/2026

𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 | 𝑾𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝑲𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒔? 𝑳𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝑪𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝑭𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒚

Gideon D. Binobo (CFES-MSU Marawi), together with co-authors Ben Bradshaw and Ataharul Chowdhury of the University of Guelph, published a 2025 paper in Fisheries Research (Elsevier), a Scopus-indexed, Q1 journal (Aquatic Science, SJR). The study examines how knowledge is mobilized within the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified fishery of Lagonoy Gulf, Bicol Region, the Philippines' first MSC-certified fishery.

Some key takeaways:

🔽Fisheries governance in Lagonoy Gulf is a fragmented mix of 🔽hierarchical, market-based, and participatory governance modes converging together.
🔽Many fishers lack adequate knowledge of what MSC certification actually requires, pointing to a real gap in knowledge mobilization.
Fishers favor incentivized seminars and community-based meetings as the most effective ways to close that gap.

Access the paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2025.107543

31/08/2026

𝑺𝒊𝒙𝒕𝒚-𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔.

CFES joins the Mindanao State University System in celebrating 65 years of kultura, kahusayan, at kaunlaran — growing together toward an inclusive Pamantasan. Happy 65th Founding Anniversary, MSU!

31/08/2026

𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 | 𝑵𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝒔

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐆𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨𝐧 𝐃. 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐨 of the MSU-CFES Department of Environmental Studies, together with co-authors Prof. Ben Bradshaw and Prof. Ataharul Chowdhury of the University of Guelph, published a 2025 paper in Regional Studies in Marine Science (Elsevier), a Scopus-indexed, Q1 journal (SJR 2025). Drawing on a review of 160 published studies, the paper offers a holistic look at how marine fisheries are governed across the Philippines, covering the goals, instruments, actions, opportunities, and challenges shaping the sector.

Some key takeaways of their research include:

🔽Co-management and public-private partnerships drive most governance efforts, backed by decentralization laws like the Local Government Code.
🔽Biodiversity conservation is the anchor goal, with surveillance and enforcement as the main actions taken to get there.
🔽Institutional linkages open doors, while illegal fishing remains a top challenge.

Access the paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2024.103870

26/08/2026

We are thrilled to announce the𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐅𝐂 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔)!

Themed 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒔, 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆, this year’s conference, hosted by 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 – 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐢 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

𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
🔽 Abstract Submission Dates: 𝑨𝒖𝒈𝒖𝒔𝒕 17 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 18
🔽 Start of Registration: 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 01
🔽 Early Bird Registration Deadline: 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 30
🔽 Notice of Paper Acceptance: 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 30
🔽 Full Paper Submission (for publication option): 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 31
🔽 Conference Proper: 𝑵𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 25 𝒕𝒐 27, 2026

This conference is offered with 𝐂𝐏𝐃 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

Scan the QR code or visit this link: https://forms.gle/vm7i6bTn5gCmaea67 to submit the abstracts of your presentations (oral or poster).

For more information, please visit our website 🔗 msumain.edu.ph/icefc2026 or email us at 📧 [email protected]