August 25, 2026
Los Banos, Laguna
UPOU Perma Team meeting in preparation for our presentation of the permaculture design plan to the Campus Development and Maintenance Office and the Sustainability Stewards.
August 26, 2026
Los Banos, Laguna
After the presentations at the Chancellor's Advisory Council meeting last week and the Perma Team meeting yesterday, we presented Phase 1 of the permaculture landscape design plan to the Campus Development and Maintenance Office (CDMO) and the Sustainability Stewards.
We demonstrated how to use the GeoNadir workspace as a collaborative planning tool and live dashboard where everyone in the university will be updated on the progress of our projects. Within the workspace, links to the LUDIP, Master Plan, and SDP are accessible. There's also a link to our Canva slide deck and iNaturalist biodiversity inventory.
Thanks to TerraLab, the team was able to see a simulation of what the final output looks like. This really got everyone excited and ideas just came pouring out! Looking forward to more productive months ahead!
📷 Marius Cristan
Geotagging, mapping, and documenting our network of eight composting sites within the UPOU campus. These small-scale production systems supply all the compost needed to make our campus gardens healthy. Sir Rey Lucero, Ate Jane, and the Sustainability Stewards are in-charge of this initiative.
Follow where the water flows. The Sustainabilty Stewards identified flooded areas in the campus using our maps and suggested a swale design that will divert water towards a creek leading to the retention pond. The Habagat rains left markings on the soil and helped us identify the movement of water over the terrain. We also identified the various plants thriving along the creek.
The CDMO and Sustainability Stewards agreed to prioritize the establishment of tree corridors that will line our campus roads for Phase 1 - Project 1 of our permaculture landscape. This will be conducted with the guidance of Ate Jane and Dr. Pat Malabrigo of UPLB-CFNR. A drip irrigation system was also proposed by CDMO Chief Vicky Belegal. We hope to see visible changes on the landscape within the year!
September 1, 2026Los Banos, LagunaAte Jane and the Sustainability Stewards of CDMO have already started the network of swales that will help drain water from the open field to the creek that leads to the retention pond.
Native trees will be planted along the edges of the field to connect existing biodiversity corridors on the landscape.
One meter from the road, swales are dug to prevent waterlogging along the edges. Seedlings will be planted 5 meters apart and 5 meters away from from the swale--a total distance of 6 meters from the road.
This effort is part of Phase 1-Project 1 of our campus permaculture landscape design.
September 3, 2026
Los Banos, Laguna
Drainage network mapping this morning to understand how the water flows through the UPOU campus.
Aside from the Perma GARDEN, we found existing vegetable gardens around the campus that we can design, like this one near the International Convention Center. Rather than establishing new ones, we will just strengthen and support what we already have.
Restoring the access road to the EDC-BINHI Arbotetum and creating pathways to manage the trees better.
Scenes from the UPOU Perma GARDEN. We have Ricardo the goat, alive and well. A scaly-breated munia resting on a pole. Feeding time with the Quack Doctors. And meeting the newest member of the perma family, a little chick!
Post from Makiling Birders:
🌿🦉 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀! 📸🐝
Our friend 𝘿𝙧. 𝙅𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙯 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙐𝙋𝙊𝙐 is inviting the community to help document the amazing flora and fauna found on the UP Open University (UPOU) campus.
As part of UPOU's 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻, the university is conducting a biodiversity inventory to better understand and celebrate the species that call the campus home. Every observation counts, whether it's a bird, butterfly, flowering plant, mushroom, reptile, or any other wild organism you encounter.
📍 Visiting the UPOU campus? Bring your camera or smartphone and 𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁. Your records can help support research, conservation, and the creation of a more biodiversity-friendly campus landscape.
🔎 View and contribute observations here:
Let's show the power of citizen science and help build a growing record of biodiversity in the Makiling landscape, one observation at a time! 💚🌳
#CitizenScience #iNaturalist #UPOU #Permaculture #NaturePhotography #BirdingPH #FloraAndFauna
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