The Northern Sierra Madre National Park description and photos - Philippines: Luzon Island (Topic)

Sierra Madre North Ridge National Park (The Northern Sierra Madre National Park) description and photos - Philippines: Luzon Island. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is The Northern Sierra Madre National Park.

Photo & Description

Sierra Madre North Ridge National Park is the largest protected rainforest in the Philippines. It spreads over an area of 359 thousand hectares in the western part of the province of Isabela. Of the two pristine primeval forests on the island of Luzon, the Sierra Madre is the largest. The other is located in the Cordillera mountain range. The park was founded in 1997 to protect these lands from deforestation. Together with the adjacent Penablanca Protected Area, it covers an area larger than Switzerland. The park is also known as Palanan Complex or Palanan Nature Reserve after the tallest mountain.

The Sierra Madre National Park occupies the northern part of the mountain range of the same name, with a total area of 1.7 million hectares. The Diktayan River flows in the north, and the southern border of the park is the Disabunga River. In the west is the Cagayan Valley, and in the east, the shores of the park are washed by the Philippine Sea.

Most of the park - 287 thousand hectares - is land, and the remaining 71 thousand hectares are covered by the sea. The landscape of the park is mountainous - from small hills to the highest peaks reaching one and a half thousand meters - for example, Mount Divilikan has a height of 1311 meters, Mount Cross - 1672 meters, and Mount Palanan - 1184 meters. Despite the fact that part of the Sierra Madre Park in the past was subject to deforestation, today you can still see a lush virgin forest here.

Several species of animals and plants that are endangered and endemic species, that is, not found anywhere else in the world, are registered in the park. Up to 45% of plant species can be found in the Sierra Madre forests, growing only in the Philippines, and more than 50% of animal species are indigenous to these places. The lowlands are covered with untouched rainforest, and the mountains are covered with typical alpine vegetation. On the coast you can see mangroves and coastal vegetation, and under the water - whole fields of algae and coral reefs of incredible beauty. The park is home to rare species of birds, including 6 species of Filipino eagles, and reptiles - the Philippine water lizard, combed crocodile, Gray monitor lizard, green sea turtle, caretta and bissa turtles.

Sierra Madre National Park considered the most important protected area of the Philippines. It is the largest park in the country and one of the richest in species and ecological diversity.

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Topic: The Northern Sierra Madre National Park description and photos - Philippines: Luzon Island.