Ditto dela Rosa
- Project name: Conserving mushroom corals in Polillo Islands
- Project site: Polillo Islands, Philippines
- EDGE species: Pearl Bubble coral Physogyra lichtensteini & Mushroom coral Heliofungia actiniformis
- Active: 2011 - 2013
Biography
An exceptional graduate of the inaugural EDGE Corals training course in Indonesia, Ditto was offered a chance to be one of the first EDGE Coral Fellows. In addition to collecting important ecological data, Ditto’s EDGE Fellowship has enhanced his professional capabilities by strengthening his ability to provide science-based knowledge to local government and communities in the Philippines.
Ditto has gone on to share the knowledge he gained though his EDGE Fellowship with his colleagues at the Haribon Foundation and its local and international partners. Ditto is now lead Biologist for the Haribon Foundation.
EDGE Project
Ditto’s EDGE Fellowship project aimed to determine the conservation status and threats facing two EDGE coral species around Polillo Island, Philippines. He also undertook the following objectives:
- Determine the presence, distribution and abundance of two EDGE coral species and identify the threats they face;
- Collect detailed information (size, distribution, associated species, etc.) on Heliofungia actiniformis;
- Integrate information on the focal species into local management plans and build conservation capacity in local government and communities.
Achievements
- Additional funding was secured from the Philippine Australian Community Assistance Program (PACAP) to sustain conservation activities in Burdeos
- Ditto’s project was featured in the Sunday Edition of the Manila Times
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