The Oriental Negros government is interested in helping the ongoing wildlife conservation efforts at the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park, Gov. Emilio Macias II said yesterday.

Members of the Natural Park Management Board called on Macias recently and he told them he understands the role of the Protected Area Management Board on protected areas.

He, however, said local officials should be given more powers to manage the natural park, and besides, local residents know this better than people from other agencies.

Forester Julie Rex Molavin of the PAMB told Macias that they are now developing a plan for a comprehensive approach for the management of the park.

They asked the governor for inputs in the creation of the plan based on the Lake Balanan Resort concept.

In the organizational set-up, Macias and Gov. Joseph Marañon of Negros Occidental are represented as members of the PAMB in the management of the Natural Park.

The park has a 24,000-hectare land area covering four municipalities and two cities of Negros island. Of the total land area, 8 percent belongs to Canlaon City where another dove species was found, known as the Negros Foot Dove. Molavin said they will protect this species that can only be found in Canlaon. It's the smallest species of the dove family and is becoming extinct.*MA

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