Coastal trees swaying gently in nature’s breeze welcome you to this mangrove park in Bauang, La Union, that offers relief from the hustle culture of the city.
Spanning 163 hectares, the Bauang Mangrove Ecotourism Park features a boardwalk to the swamp, boat rides, and a campsite that travelers and nature lovers would enjoy. It now stretches along the barangays of Parian Oeste and Pudoc.
A total of 25,000 mangrove seedlings were given by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in 2012 to the town community, which was later developed with the help of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, local governments, and private corporations.
On August 16, 2024, the Bauang town declared a state of climate emergency, where the development and preservation of the mangrove park were outlined in the executive order to help combat the climate crisis.
“The residents here are taking care of the land and were provided with an ecological sanitation system in 2012 and soon, the decentralized wastewater treatment system. This declaration follows the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations,” said Municipal Mayor Eulogio Clarence Martin P. De Guzman III, highlighting the said hub is public land.
The growth of mangrove plantations in the town has also aided flood-prone barangays and helped fisherfolk communities capture diverse fish species for improved livelihood.
Various agencies conduct environmental activities at the park to raise public awareness about nature preservation, while caretakers do monthly assessments to maintain its cleanliness.
The ongoing development of the ecotourism park aligns with La Union's goal of becoming the “Heart of Agri-Tourism in Northern Luzon by 2025.”