Assessing Vulnerability to Environmental Changes of Caliraya Watershed Areas in Laguna, Philippines

作者：Jose Aurora S^*; Cardenas Virginia R

来源：Journal of Environmental Science and Management, 2010, 13(2): 53-65.

• vulnerability
• environmental changes
• watershed

Caliraya watershed is considered a forest reservation with special uses as reservoir for power generation in Luzon. Due to varying conflicting uses such as: agriculture production, ecotourism, recreation, real estate, resorts and rest houses, among others, the watershed is now at the state of degradation and over-exploitation. This study was conducted to assess the community's vulnerability towards impacts of environmental changes in the watershed.
Structured interview was used as primary information of 361 households through proportional allocation sampling techniques with 95% confidence level. Focus group discussion and key informants interviews with different stakeholders were done to supplement the primary data.
The communities within the watershed are "highly vulnerable" to social, economic and biophysical stressors due to environmental changes such as conversion of land use to resort, rest houses and in-migration of landless families.
Vulnerability indices are developed as functions of social, economic and biophysical towards impacts of environmental changes in the watershed. These indices measure the extent of people's vulnerability and causal-effects of environmental changes. Further, significant issues and concerns for immediate actions and response coping mechanisms to mitigate and reduce the vulnerability of the people and the community opened up.

• 出版日期2010