Tubigon Mangrove Forest

Overview

The mangroves along Tubigon’s coastline are among the most actively managed in Bohol. The brackish waters along this stretch of the northwestern coast serve as spawning grounds, nursery habitat, feeding zones, and transient shelter for hundreds of fish species, crustaceans, and invertebrates. Blue crabs are so abundant here that the municipality chose to feature one on the Tubigon town seal.

The mangroves vary from shrubs to tall trees and are visible from the port area. Their tangled root systems create protected nursery spaces where juvenile fish and invertebrates shelter, while the muddy water around the roots is rich in nutrients from decaying organic matter. Research cited by DENR indicates mangroves support around 75 percent of fish species caught in the area.

Tubigon holds the distinction of being the first coastal municipality in Bohol to finalize and publish a Municipal Coastal Resource Management (CRM) Code, and it maintains one of the most active coastal law enforcement groups in the province.

That code didn’t emerge in isolation — it grew out of a partnership between the LGU, DENR, and USAID’s Coastal Resource Management Project through the 1990s and 2000s, at a time when copra had long dominated Tubigon’s economy and the ferry trade that now defines the town was only beginning to take on its current importance under the national Strong Republic Nautical Highway programme. The mangroves being protected under that framework are the same ones that make roughly three-quarters of the local fish catch possible, which means the CRM code isn’t an abstract environmental commitment so much as a direct piece of economic infrastructure for the fishing households along Tubigon’s coast.

Location

Along the coast of Tubigon municipality, northwestern Bohol. The mangroves are particularly visible near the port of Tubigon. A 55-hectare block in Barangay Macaas is covered by a Community-Based Forest Management Agreement (CBFMA) awarded by the DENR.

Getting There

Tubigon is a major ferry gateway to Cebu. From Tagbilaran City, take a bus or jeepney heading northwest — Tubigon is approximately 47 km away. The coastal mangrove areas are visible near the port. For the Macaas CBFMA area, local guidance is recommended.

Practical Info

• The mangrove area in Barangay Macaas is managed by a community fishers association under a DENR CBFMA covering 55 hectares
• LGU Tubigon allocates an annual CRM budget exceeding PHP 750,000
• Tubigon is the first Bohol coastal municipality to publish a CRM code
• User fees on passenger and cargo vessels to fund coastal management are under consideration
• Operating hours, entrance fees, and guide requirements are subject to local adjustments; check with the local LGU or tourism office on arrival.

What to Expect

Visitors approaching the port of Tubigon will see mangroves along the shoreline. The root systems and canopy are dense in managed sections. Blue crabs are commercially significant in the area. The primary draw for eco-interested visitors is the community-based management model, which has been cited as a success story by DENR and USAID-funded programs.

Local Taste

Talaba (oysters) harvested from the mangrove areas are a Tubigon staple, eaten raw with calamansi and salt or grilled over charcoal, and seaweed farming in several coastal barangays supplies dried seaweed sold in the public market for local cooking and processing. The market near the port, busiest in the early morning around ferry departure times, serves fresh fish, grilled seafood, and rice meals to travellers waiting on a sailing — a practical stop for anyone timing a visit to the mangrove area around port traffic.

Notes

• Source: “Success in Coastal Management: The Tubigon, Bohol Story” by Reigh P. Monreal and Stuart J. Green, DENR–CRMP Bohol; published by the FISH Project / CRM Interpretive Center, Municipality of Talibon.
• The mangrove management program was supported by USAID’s Coastal Resource Management Project (CRMP) and the LOGODEF foundation.
• Tubigon’s fishers associations are organized into a federation, which functions as a forum for resource management and conflict resolution.
• Mangrove loss is directly linked to fish catch reduction — the community management model here is designed to prevent that cycle.