Siargao’s mangrove forest enters list of Top 100 Green Destinations
BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews / 3 October) – The town of Del Carmen in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, which hosts the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the Philippines, has earned global recognition after being named among the Top 100 Green Destinations Stories for 2025.
The prestigious list, organized by Green Destinations, a nonprofit organization based in the Netherlands that supports sustainable destinations, businesses, and communities worldwide, highlights inspiring and innovative practices from communities working toward sustainable development.
The awarding ceremony was held during the Green Destinations 2025 Conference in Montpellier, France, on Monday, September 29.
Organizers said the recognition is a testament to how tourism can be harnessed without compromising nature and culture.
“This year, Top 100 features outstanding stories of good practices from destinations across the globe. These stories show how tourism can be managed in ways that protect natural cultural heritage, safeguard the environment and benefit the local communities,” organizers said.
The story of Del Carmen, as featured on the Green Destinations website under the destination management category, highlights the town’s transformation from the country’s “illegal mangrove cutting capital” to hosting the Philippines’ largest contiguous mangrove forest, which was declared a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention in 2024.
The website states that the community’s conservation efforts, which began in 2011, attracted support from national and international organizations. A decade later, the mangroves protected residents from storm surges during Super Typhoon Odette in 2021 and provided livelihood for 3,000 fishers during the COVID-19 pandemic when tourism came to a halt.
Mayor Alfredo Coro II told MindaNews in a message via Facebook Messenger that the recognition served as a validation of the community’s long-term efforts to preserve and protect the mangrove ecosystem.
“The Green Destinations Award validates the value of the work of Del Carmenons over the past 15 years in protecting and preserving our history and memories with the Del Carmen Mangrove Forest. Adhering to Global Standards recognizes that our efforts are aligned with best practices and our actions are truly transformative,” Coro said.
The mayor also said the town’s journey demonstrates how innovative processes and community-driven policies can spark change.
“We hope to inspire and encourage other organizations and local governments to support Del Carmen Mangrove Ecosystems preservation and replicate our initiative to protect more lives and livelihood of coastal and small island communities,” he added, noting that the people of Del Carmen remain committed to building a legacy of good environmental governance.
With the recent recognition, the local government of Del Carmen hopes that ecotourism traffic will increase and that awareness of respecting local destination cultures and practices will grow.
Aside from Del Carmen, other Philippine entries also made it to this year’s Top 100 Green Destinations Stories. These include HAP DENDA (Empowered Women): Championing IP Women for Meaningful and Sustainable Tourism and Cultural Reawakening of Isabela de Basilan under the Thriving Communities category, and the Recyclables Collection Program: SBMA’s Strategy to Implement Circular Economy of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone under the Environment & Climate category. (Ivy Marie Mangadlao/MindaNews)
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