SYMBIOSIS

Our Story

Here is a bit about me (Mat) but more important: a bit more about the Symbiosis project:

•  My name is Mat, I'm French with IT engineer background. I have been a traveller and divemaster for about 10 years now. I use to manage a dive center in Borneo (Malaysia) and work in close collaboration with a conservation camp next door (TRACC), where I learned a lot about corals and marine life. After Borneo, I discovered Palawan and I have been living in El Nido for 4 years already. After enjoying nature's gifts and treasures for so many years, it is time for me to give back and start doing something bigger than me. 

 

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•  I recently went on a road trip toward the northern tip of Palawan and east coast of the island and discovered a completely untouched area. "Sibaltan" is pristine and quiet. So close from the famous and crowed El Nido, yet completely unspoiled by tourism. And as I drove to a beach that I saw from the road, I met someone offering to show us an available land. Two busy days later we signed a contract and I now have a fantastic empty canvas to build a conservation project in Paradise: SYMBIOSIS was born.

Context and Location

• Palawan has been elected most beautiful island in the world three years in a row.

• The famous Bacuit bay (El Nido) drives more and more tourists every year into the Northern Province.

• However, there is still so much to discover and explore… and so much to protect and restore.

• Sibaltan is on the East coast of Palawan directly opposite side from El Nido (less than one hour drive on concrete road) and offers the most amazing sunrises, diving, island hopping, treks...

• So close to the booming city of El Nido, yet absolutely untouched and unspoiled.

• It has many islands to explore, a much richer marine life (Dugong, turtles, sharks, whales…etc) and yet very few tourists ever wonder there.

• Nature is still predominant and the area radiates with a feeling of quietness.

• As El Nido is getting overcrowded, Tourism will only grow bigger in Sibaltan, and its essential to start protecting this pristine area as soon as possible.

 

List Environmental Issues of the Area

• Local fishermen still practice bomb fishing in some areas with disastrous impact on the magnificent reefs and the marine life.

• Anchoring from island hopping also destroys coral on wide areas.

• Cyanide fishing has been observed and must be stopped.

• Turtle egg poaching is common

• Sharks are being sold on the market, babies mostly (hammerhead and black tips).

• Turtles are being caught and smuggled to Vietnam and China

• Sea cows (Dugong) are getting fewer as human activity disturb their habits.

• Horseshoe Crabs are being hunted for pharmaceutical purpose and rapidly declining.

• Plastic wastes are everywhere and need collecting and recycling.

 

What we CAN do:

• Restore the bombed reef

• Push towards a more responsible fishing

• Educate locals and kids to the value of an healthy dive site

• Protect and nurse turtle eggs

• Protect Horseshoe crabs and coconut crabs

• Collect and recycle plastics

• Setup mooring boy for island hopping and diving boats

• Educate locals and lead campaigns about waste management and re-use policy

• Collect data for the scientists to measure the health of the sea and its evolution.

• Learn from the local how to live in an always better symbiosis with nature and the use of its amazing gifts.

• Limit our own impact on the environment