Aurora Memorial National Park
Aurora Memorial National Park is a protected area of the Philippines located within the Sierra Madre mountain range between the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Aurora in Central Luzon. The park covers an area of 5,676 hectares[1] stretching over 50 kilometers along the scenic Bongabon-Baler road. Established in 1937 by virtue of Proclamation No. 220, the park was dedicated to then First Lady Aurora Aragon Quezon.[2] It had an initial area of 2,356 hectares. By 1941, its size more than doubled to its current area of 5,676 hectares. The maximum altitude of the park is reported to be 1,000 m, so the main forest type inside the park must be lowland dipterocarp, with only limited areas of montane forest. Land uses inside the park include both permanent and shifting agriculture (kaingin) and forestry.[3]
Aurora Memorial National Park | |
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IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
Bongabon portion of Sierra Madre | |
Location | Nueva Ecija and Aurora, Philippines |
Nearest city | Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines |
Coordinates | 15°28′N 121°25′E |
Area | 5,676 hectares (14,030 acres) |
Established | 1937 |
Governing body | Department of Environment and Natural Resources |
Wildlife
The park is promoted by the local government as an eco-tourism destination containing some of the most important rainforests in this part of the region. Its location in the Sierra Madre range provides a rich habitat to a diverse flora and fauna, including several species of amphibians, reptiles (lizards, snakes and turtles) and birds (vultures, falcons and hawks.) It is also home to the Luzon water-redstart and the endangered Philippine eagle.[4]
References
- "Region 3 - Protected Areas". Department of Environment of Natural Resources Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-03-21. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- "Proclamation No. 130, s. 1949". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Archived from the original on 22 February 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- "PH 017 - Aurora Memorial National Park". BirdLife International. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- "National Parks in Luzon". VisitPhilippines.org. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2012.