#ForestLandscapesPh – Highlighting the Philippines’ forests as sustainable landscapes
Philippine Forest Landscapes pocket notebooks. Each notebook shows a landscape and a native bird + plant pair that represents it.
The Sierra Madre notebook shows a Luzon Water Redstart (Phoenicurus bicolor) and Tibig (Ficus nota); the Leyte notebook shows a Javan Pond Heron (Ardeola speciosa) and Lanipau (Terminalia copelandii).
The Bukidnon notebook shows a Mindanao Lorikeet (Trichoglossus johnstoniae) and Magaringan (Phyllocladus hypophyllus), and the Palawan notebooks shows a Palawan Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa palawanensis) and Bogo (Garuga floribunda).
We also produced a limited run of enamel pins to match the notebooks.
In 2023, we created illustrated maps for the four focal landscapes of Sierra Madre, Palawan, Samar & Leyte, and Bukidnon (later expanding to Mindanao). These maps were printed on posters and postcards that were used by the Foundation as learning materials in their workshops. (Learn more about the #ForestLandscapesPh illustrated maps.)
We also printed the #ForestLandscapesPh maps on tote bags and created native flora and fauna pin sets to show how species and their habitats depend on each other to thrive. (These items are available for purchase through the webshop).
For the advocacy to reach an even broader audience, we teamed up with local brand TEAM MANILA to design and produce a capsule collection of t-shirts, hats, and hiking bandannas. A portion of the profits for all sales were also donated to the Foundation’s NGO partners in the landscapes. (You can see how much we were able to contribute here.)
Super happy with this collection and that I got to finally collab with designer friends Jowee and Mon of TM!
#ForestLandscapesPh is a collaborative initiative with Forest Foundation Philippines that began in 2021. Building on our earlier campaigns that centered on native trees and wildlife, we wanted to grow the love even further, this time by spotlighting the country’s most important forest landscapes.
These places aren’t just beautiful destinations; they’re vital ecosystems that so many communities depend on for food, livelihoods, cultural pride, and protection from the effects of climate change. From the storm-shielding Sierra Madre mountains (Luzon’s backbone!), to Bukidnon’s lush farming fields, Leyte’s carbon-rich peatlands, and Palawan’s sanctuary for unique species, each region has its own special story that shows how forests are tightly woven into our lives.
To showcase these connections, we designed a set of notebooks, one for each landscape, with covers featuring a special site, an endemic bird, and a native plant. We also made bird pins so that people can wear and take a piece of the landscapes in their day-to-day.
In 2023, contnuing our collaboration, we created illustrated forest maps of the four key landscapes: Sierra Madre, Mindanao, Palawan, and Samar & Leyte. The maps highlight protected areas, indigenous communities, local industries and produce, ecotourism spots, and native biodiversity to show all the different ways these regions help keep our forests healthy and self-sustaining.
These advocacy items are about more than just beauty, they help support genuine conservation work and keep the stories of our forests alive for generations to come. A percentage of profits generated from the sale of all items were donated to the Foundation’s partner NGOs in the landscapes. (You can see how much we were able to raise and contribute here.)
Huge thanks to the amazing FFP Project Management Team for guiding and supporting me every step of the way. <3
- Diane Estephanie Bagui
- Schenley Anne Belmonte,
- Eric Buduan
- Atty. Jose Andres Canivel
- Ana Veronica Gabriel
- Xyla Mercedita Gualberto
- Marjorie Pamplona
* TMxCBA Collab photos are courtesy of Team Manila Graphic Design Studio
To learn more about the heart and journey behind this project, head over to my Advocacy Through Art page. There, I will continuoisly share how these collaborations are part of a bigger mission to celebrate biodiversity, empower communities, and use creativity for conservation.
* I post most frequently on Instagram, so for a sneak peek at the latest projects (that might take a while to land here), feel free to follow along there!
