Negros town shuts trails to protect Mt. Talinis

DUMAGUETE CITY—The municipal government of Valencia in Negros Oriental province has ordered the temporary closure of trails leading to Mt. Talinis starting on Nov. 1, to give the mountain’s ecosystem time to recover from environmental damage caused by increasing human activities.

The measure, contained in Executive Order No. 45 signed by Mayor Edgar Teves Jr. on Oct. 26, covers the three trails leading to Mt. Talinis within Valencia’s territorial jurisdiction.

The order cited the growing number of climbers in the area that adds to the deterioration of the mountain ecosystem, which has sustained significant damage from years of human activity.

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The local government said the temporary closure of the Valencia trail would provide Mt. Talinis with an undisturbed period to recover and eventually maximize the benefits it provides to residents. In his order, Teves provided no end date for the temporary closure.

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Teves directed the Philippine National Police to lead the implementation of the closure in coordination with the municipal tourism office.

Mt. Talinis is a 23,565-hectare key biodiversity area spanning the towns of San Jose, Sibulan, Dauin, Zamboanguita, Santa Catalina, Pamplona, Amlan and Valencia. It is a major watershed serving Dumaguete City, the provincial capital, and six other Negros Oriental localities.

Forest regeneration

The mountain also provides habitat for critically endangered wildlife, including the Visayan spotted deer, Visayan warty pig and Negros bleeding-heart pigeon, a ground-dwelling bird endemic to the Philippines.

Environmental advocates said the closure could help protect the mountain’s biodiversity and water resources, but stressed that conservation efforts must extend beyond restricting access to individual trails.

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For environmental leader Nancy Estelloso, the measure is crucial not only for ecosystem recovery but also for conserving biodiversity, protecting watersheds and allowing forests to regenerate undisturbed.

“However, conservation must go beyond temporary closure. We must institutionalize a science-based, periodic schedule for opening and closing Mt. Talinis,” Estelloso said.

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Valencia is only one of several entry points to Mt. Talinis, she noted, warning that closing trails in one area while other access routes remain open may undermine the overall goal of protecting the mountain.

Other entry points are in Dauin, Sibulan, San Jose, Amlan, and Zamboanguita and Siaton.

Estelloso urged local governments surrounding Mt. Talinis, environmental agencies, local communities, mountaineering groups and other stakeholders, to work together to develop a clear, long-term mountain management policy.

Such a policy, she said, should include regular ecological monitoring, responsible tourism guidelines and strict enforcement against environmental violations.

One famous spot in Talinis is the century-old Maribojoc tree at the Nacolon peak—standing 1,903 meters above sea level—that is overlooking Lake Nailig.

Since 2014, the Save Mount Talinis Movement has documented possible threats to biodiversity on Mt. Talinis. According to one of its conveners, Aidalyn Arabe, the threats worsened during the pandemic and still continue today.

No permit, training

The movement is concerned about organized climbs by groups that have no proper permits, with trekkers who had no proper training in keeping a safe and eco-friendly trail.

Arabe said visitors usually climb the Maribojoc tree for photos, adding pressure to its fragile stage. She added that some hikers carve marks or do sculptures on tree trunks, others indiscriminately cleared vegetation to create pathways, and still others defecate near surrounding bodies of water.

“That is why we hope that authorities will impose seasonal closure for hiking,” Arabe said. “That there shall be an off-season for climbing along with serious and strict regulation of activities.”

Just this year, hikers played loud music at a campsite and started a bonfire, raising concerns about a possible forest fire. Other incidents involving loitering and hunting were also reported.

In April, Teves had warned visitors and residents against cooking over open fires on Mt. Talinis. “Our watershed is the lifeblood of Valencia and neighboring towns. We cannot allow careless cooking that could spark a forest fire and damage our watershed,” he said at the time.

Environmental advocate Hope Tinambacan also welcomed the temporary closure, describing it as timely and necessary amid growing environmental pressures on the mountain and the threat of El Niño.

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“Timely and necessary. With Mt. Talinis facing environmental strain and the threat of El Niño, closing the trails temporarily gives the ecosystem a much-needed chance to heal and recover,” Tinambacan told the Inquirer. INQ