Comparative analysis of the best practices in ecosystem-based watershed planning and management in the Philippines and Canada

Abstract

The Philippines is one of the many examples of a developing state vulnerable to natural disaster that erodes soil and water quality. With the continuous evolution of watershed management practices and the growing importance of climate change mitigation, there is a need to reassess the structure, function, and policy approach of the different stakeholders. And due to climate change and anthropogenic impacts, the environment especially watershed and agricultural farms in Canada are greatly affected. Because of this, there is a need to create environmental management practices to mitigate and minimize the effects of climate change and human interventions. The objectives of this paper is (1) to provide an analysis of the best watershed management practices in Canada and Philippines, (2) to identify governance structures and inter-governmental coordination, and (3) to determine planning approaches and community and stakeholder engagement. This paper will discuss generic models of governance in environmental policy and the different approaches to water management in both countries. This paper will also compare the differences between the models and approaches used in the two countries. And lastly, this paper will evaluate the use of watershed management practices in Canada and Philippines in order to find out the most compatible and reliable method or approach of watershed management.