The Sierra Madre

The Sierra Madre mountain range contains the largest remaining tract of old-growth tropical rainforest in the Philippines. The longest mountain range in the country (known as the “backbone” of the northern island of Luzon), the Sierra Madre contains 1.4 million hectares of forest, representing 40% of the country’s forest cover. The biological importance of the corridor is not only due to the remaining intact forest in the central part of the mountain range, but also to its high plant diversity. The Sierra Madre forests are also home to hundreds of wildlife species, many of which are unique to the Philippines, including the Philippine eagle and golden crowned flying fox.

The Sierra Madre mountain range is also one of the major drivers of the Philippine economy, as its watersheds provide services that support major infrastructure, including dams that irrigate thousands of hectares of farm lands in Central Luzon and the Cagayan Valley region (the “rice bowl” of the Philippines), and water utilities and power plants that supply Manila, the capital and industrial center of the Philippines.

“Every now and then one paints a picture that seems to have opened a door and serves as a stepping stone to other things.” 
― Pablo Picasso