Ecological and Ecotourism Assessment in Badekbek Sulfur Spring, Daclan, Bokod, Benguet.

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the ecological condition and ecotourism activities of Badekbek Sulfur Spring. Data gathered during the conduct of the study included the following: a) characterization of the water quality using the following parameters: temperature, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, hardness, pH, and sulfate content; b) assessment of the floral diversity within the vicinity; c) determination of the economic and cultural benefits of Badekbek Sulfur Spring to the barangay and; d) assessment on the impacts of ecotourism activity in relation to the socio-cultural status of the local community. The study was conducted from October 2014 to February 2015. Results showed that the temperature of 63.54°C obtained at Site I was significantly different from Site II which was 32.91°C. However, the TSS and TDS obtained at both sites were not significantly different from each other. The computed hardness of Site II (1367.67) is higher compared to Site I with 799. The difference of hardness measured from both areas was significant. The mean value of pH in Site I was 3 while Site II was 2 which makes both acidic. The analyzed sulfate content gathered from the two sampling sites were 432 mg/L for Site I and 645mg/L for Site II. The most dominant species identified in both sampling sites was Japanese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis) which has an importance value of 54.74% in Site I, and 21.96% in Site II. Crab grass (2.63%) and wild rose (1.23%) were the least dominant species identified in Site I and Site II, respectively. The computed index of similarity of the two sites was 57.14%. The second site (0.9174) is more diverse than the first site with 0.5004. Most of the species identified were grasses. The respondents believed that ecotourism has benefits and at the same time, adverse impacts. Awareness on environmental conservation, creation of jobs, establishment of facilities and a pride of one’s community were the positive effects that the local community answered when asked about the impacts an ecotourism could impart. In contrast, they also perceived negative impacts of ecotourism. Population increase and competition/rivalry amongst the residents might arise while some believed that it could disrupt the cultural activities and/or the rituals of the local community. Waste generation might also be one of the negative impacts they’ve foreseen.