| Abstract |
Invasive alien plant species (IAPS), when spread outside of their natural range, have the ability to outcompete and displace native species, disrupt ecosystem functioning, and degrade habitats, thus becoming one of the major problems of protected areas globally. This present study aimed to assess the current management strategies, challenges encountered, and possible solutions to combat IAPS in the Initao-Libertad Protected Landscape and Seascape (ILPLS) through Key Informant Interview (KII), employing both thematic analysis and Chi-Square Test for Homogeneity. The results revealed that prevention, monitoring and surveillance, and control, are the current strategies implemented in the area, wherein manual grabbing and pruning are practiced to control or eradicate IAPS. However, limited resources (40%), regulatory challenges (33.33%), lack of capacity (23.33%), and lack of awareness (10%) were the identified impediments that hinder progress. Furthermore, monitoring and surveillance (73.33%), control (46.67%), eradication (33.33%), prevention (33.33%), and information education and communication (IEC) (23.33%) were the effective management options perceived by the respondents in dealing with IAPS in the area. The Chi-Square Tests for Homogeneity indicated that park rangers, conservation officers, and Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) members exhibit similar distributions of responses regarding their awareness of the concept of IAPS, the prevalence of IAPS in the ILPLS, level of concern about the impact of IAPS, and the overall condition of ILPLS. However, a significant difference is observed in the awareness of the spread of IAPS in the ILPLS, with a chi-square statistic of 2.273, 2 degrees of freedom, and a P-value of 0.026. These findings provide the stakeholders with essential information to formulate effective communication and management strategies to control or eradicate IAPS in the area. It is recommended to develop an invasive species checklist to enhance the monitoring and surveillance efforts of the stakeholders. |
Mindanao State
University - Iligan Institute of Technology