Strengthening Indigenous Environmental Protection through SMART Training

In October 2025, following the establishment of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Station in Datag Beni, south of the tamaraw range at MIBNP, the Adgaloanan Taobuid Nugalaput Mangilafang (ATNM) association was formed as an indigenous-led, community-based organization. Rooted in the Taobuid ancestral domain, ATNM is committed to monitor their land and its natural resources across Nagbobong and nearby areas as a way to better protect them.

The ATNM Association is a pilot initiative newly introduced to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Through the support of the Thriving Together with Tamaraw Consortium, the association receives guidance in monitoring, coordination, and mediation of its activities. This support aims to strengthen co-management between IPs and government partners, including the Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park Protected Area Management Office (MIBNP-PAMO) and the Tamaraw Conservation Program Office (TCPO). By promoting this collaborative approach, the initiative contributes to a more integrated and inclusive strategy for conserving the critically endangered tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis) and wildlife that are still present in Taobuid territories inside the Park.

To support and enhance their field operations, ATNM members participated in a Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) training held on March 5-6, 2025, at the Tamaraw Gene Pool. The training was facilitated by Re:wild through its SMART Capacity Support Consultant, Calum Ryan, together with John Carlo Santos, the Protection and Law Enforcement Coordinator of the Thriving Together with Tamaraw Consortium under D’ABOVILLE Foundation and Demo Farm, Inc (DAF).

A key highlight of the training was the development of an icon-based SMART model, designed to the needs of the ATNM group. This customized approach made the tool more accessible and user-friendly, and was validated collaboratively with the group during the workshop. Likewise, Lawrence Ives provided practical guidance on basic patrolling protocols and emphasized safety considerations during field monitoring.

ATNM members demonstrated strong engagement and adaptability throughout the training, quickly learning how to use the SMART mobile application. Equipped with new skills and tools, the group is now better prepared to conduct a systematic and safer wildlife monitoring within their ancestral domain.

This capacity-building process shall progressively highlight  the importance and ability of indigenous communities to play a role in conservation, by empowering them not only as stewards of their land, but as allies in surveying remote areas and collecting crucial information about biodiversity and illegal activities.

This initiative is part of Thriving Together with Tamaraw: Lasting Solutions for Collaborative Tamaraw Landscape Management, a consortium led by Re:wild, in partnership with DAF and Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Inc. (MBCFI), with support from the Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCF) through UK Aid.