By Paulo Loreto Lim

The northern Negros Biodiversity and Watersheds Improved for Stronger Economy and Ecosystem Resilience (B+ WISER) program recently ended its four-year tenure in the region with a ceremony at the L’Fisher Hotel.
During their time in the province, the group focused on protected areas, which included portions of the Northern Negros Natural Park and the Mount Kanlaon Natural Park.
The program, created by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), seeks to strengthen forest protection, formulate strategies for forest restoration, enhance natural resource management planning, develop policy, among other objectives.
According to the USAID website, “The Philippines is one of the 17 mega biodiverse countries.”/WDJ