Three Kings Mountain situated at Barangay Lamlahak, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato is classified as very high-urgent in conservation priority in terms of the socio-economic pressures in areas of biological importance as identified in the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priority Setting Program. The site is threatened with extractive activities of local residents such as kaingin farming of Tboli tribe and hunting activities of wildlife such as pigs, deer and birds by local residents. The burning of mountains during summer to give way for the kaingin is greatly contributing to the loss of biodiversity in the area.

The proposed project is part and parcel of the newly approved 10 Year Development Plan (2011-20) of ALVADEV Cluster. The plan focuses on the strengthening of the protection of the remaining forest and the biodiversity conservation of the Allah Valley Watershed Forest Reserve by capacitating the 3 villages situated at the foot of Three Kings Mountain thru enhancing the economic base of its residents. It also intends to protect the vulnerable and critical flora and those fauna that are classified as endangered and at risk status and to replant those flora species that had been depleted.

Biodiversity Characteristic/Value:
The project site is identified as a Key Biodiversity Area found within the 102,350 hectares Allah Valley Watershed Forest Reserve (AVWFR) located at the Upper Valley Area of the Province of South Cotabato and partly in Sultan Kudarat of which the Municipality of Lake Sebu is 1 of its 2 major headwaters. The project site is one of the identified nesting sites of the famous Philippine Eagle. Based on the PASA Survey conducted last 1997 in Lake Sebu especially in and around the Three Kings Mountain reveal that there are 12 species of flora that are classified either as vulnerable, critical and depleted. For fauna, Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematupygia), had critically endangered conservation status, whereas, little slayty flycatcher (Ficedula basilanica) was considered vulnerable, Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) as critical, Tarictic hornbill (Penelopides panini) as endangered, whereas the Mindanao lorikeet (Trichoglossus johnstoniae), rofous hornbill (Buceros hudrocorax) and Bleeding heart pigeon (Gallicolumba luzonica) where regarded as low risk. Among the mammals only the Philippine monkey (Macaca philippinensis) was regarded as endemic while Flying lemur (Cynocephalus volans) is in vulnerable conservation status.

Sustainability of Project Initiative:
The mechanisms that will ensure project continuity are:
1. Turn-over of project to the PO once it is strong enough and has the capability to continue initiatives
2. The livelihood assistance shall be extended to the farmer-cooperators in the form of production loan with an interest rate of 3 percent per month. Availment of the livelihood assistance shall be in accordance with the trade-off approach and RURM which means if the cooperator-farmer did not or failed to maintain his reforestation activities, then, he will not qualify for the livelihood assistance. The fruit trees dispersal shall also be treated as loan and to be repaid by the farmer-cooperators when it starts to bear fruits. All project reflows shall be turn-over to LASADCA subject to the policies to be agreed by all parties concerned.

General Objective:
To create mechanisms at the local level in capacitating the 3 villages situated at the foot of Three Kings Mountain, namely sitios Bliboy, Lemlus and Kangko in protecting and conserving the natural biodiversity of the mountain while enhancing the economic base of its residents particularly the members of the Tboli tribe.

Specific Objectives:
1. To promote the protection and conservation of the species of fauna and flora classified as endangered, vulnerable and low risk through the rehabilitation of the degraded forest by planting of indigenous tree species especially those species identified as vulnerable, critical and depleted based on the 1997 PASA Survey;
2. To increase the awareness and management capacity of the community and other local stakeholders on the importance of preserving the biodiversity of Three Kings Mountain and its environ;
3.To assist in the economic development of the farmer-cooperators by providing them with livelihood assistance consistent with the principle of sustainable agriculture; and
4. To strengthen and sustain the law enforcement within the Three Kings Mountain and it?s environ thru the community members, bantay-gubat (WEO), MENRO, police and other agencies.

Expected Outcomes:
The project is expected to contribute in forest cover increase of at least 180 hectares as a result of the reforestation and planting of fruit bearing trees. The livelihood support on the other hand is expected to protect more forest areas from being converted into farm lands by helping the farmers maximize the productivity of their existing farms, thus, strengthening the family?s food security situation. To do this, focus will be given on growing plants or cash crops that will help ensure that food will always be made available to the family members and at the same time generate marketable surplus that will provide the needed cash.

Expected Results:
1. Planted at least 70 hectares of denuded forest with fast growing and vulnerable, critical and depleted indigenous tree species; At least 28,000 hills of indigenous forest trees were planted.
2. Planted at least 200 hills of indigenous plants as food source for the wildlife present in the area;
3. Established 1 nursery each for the 3 project sites growing at least 5,000 hills of forest tree species designed to replace the mortality and provide continuous supply of planting materials even beyond the project period;
4. Farmer-cooperator and the community members were mobilized to protect the natural forest and biodiversity of Three Kings Mountain;
5. Conducted quarterly Biodiversity Monitoring System during the 2nd year project implementation;
6. Assisted in the strengthening of the Municipal Multi-sectoral Forest Protection Council (MFPC) and the Allah Valley Watershed Forest Reserve PAMB;
7. Assisted in the formulation of Municipal Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan;
8. Planted at least 100 hectares of fruit bearing trees and coffee serving as a buffer zone between the protection forest and the farmlands; Expected to plant 5,000 assorted fruit trees and 3,750 hills of coffee.
9. Assisted at least 50 farmer-cooperators improved their economic condition by providing them with livelihood assistance especially on vegetable production and other livelihood options available; and
10. Strengthened the bantay gubat (volunteer forest guard) by providing them incentives and continuing capability building activities.

Planned Action and Activities:
1. Reforestation - This component shall be carried out either thru enrichment planting or assisted natural regeneration. The method to be employed will be determined by the proximity of the identified area on the propose boundary of the strict protection zone (SPZ) which will follow the existing forest cover. If the area is within the proposed SPZ, then assisted natural regeneration method will be employed, if it is outside, enrichment planting method will be applied and it will be designed in such a way that it will accommodate the abaca farming which is the primary source of income of most of the target beneficiaries and is often the cause of deforestation. For enrichment planting, target will be around 40 families or 50% of the target beneficiaries. On the average, each farmer cooperator will need to allocate 4 hectares, 2 hectares each for livelihood support (fruit trees and production assistance) and reforestation.

2. The component is divided into 5 sub-components designed to strengthen the capability of the target communities and the local government units concerned to monitor, manage, conserve and develop the project areas. To make this possible, different sector within the area will be mobilized to ensure that every programs and projects implemented within the municipality in general will have convergence.

3. Livelihood Development ? One of the major causes of the destruction of the forest is believe to be an effect of poverty and hunger especially among the IP. The component is focused on strengthening the food security of the target beneficiaries, producing surplus and conserving soil fertility.

4. Law Enforcement ? This component is designed to increase the visibility in the area to prevent the occurrence of timber poaching and illegal logging. Aside from the DENR and MENRO personnel, forest patrol shall be conducted with active participation of the beneficiaries. The bantay-gubat volunteers aside from the monthly visibility activities with the presence of the personnel coming from the concerned agencies shall likewise provide continuous visibility even when they do their routine activities as farmers.