ABSTRACT
There is a growing consensus that the best hope for effective protection of national parks lies in the decentralization of stewardship responsibilities to local communities living on park peripheries. The dynamics underlying deforestation in Lantapan (Philippines) identifies some of the challenges that must be addressed by any proposed framework for community-based protection of the Mt Kitanglad Range National Park. This chapter argues that, the rightful recognition of ancestral lands and empowerment of tribes as custodians can give rise to highly motivated, community-based park protection that is compatible with conservation agendas. The chapter provides evidence that the culture of the Bukidnon has at its core a deep respect for the sacredness of ancestral lands and respect for the natural environment. The marriage between ancestral domain and park protection is a logical union that would capitalize the interlinkages and provide synergy between biological and cultural conservation.
