Mati Protected Landscape

The Mati Protected Landscape covers an area of 914.26 hectares (2,259.2 acres) and a buffer zone of 135.76 hectares (335.5 acres) in Barangay Central in Mati.^[2] It straddles the coastal sitios of Sudlon and Ugilan containing the headwaters that supply the city's water, namely Banahaw Creek, Binuangan Creek, Licop Creek and the Bitanagan River.^[1][3] Its topography is mountainous and hilly, with slopes varying from flat to undulating and steep. The area's soil is characterized as sandy clay loam belonging to the Camansa series.^[3]

The Mati City Proper borders the protected area and its peripheral zone to the north, the Pujada Bay to the east, the barangay of Badas to the south, and the northern foothills of the Hamiguitan Range to the west. It is accessible via a barangay road from the city proper where the Mati Airport is located.^[3] It can also be reached via a 165-kilometre (103 mi) highway from Davao City, the region's capital and largest city.

The protected area is known to harbor several bird species, some of which are endemic to the region, such as the Philippine collared dove, white-eared brown dove, Philippine serpent-eagle, Philippine spine-tailed swift, lowland white-eye, Philippine bulbul, Philippine falconet, rufous coucal, as well as olive-backed sunbird, chestnut-headed bee-eater, rufous-tailed jungle flycatcher, long-tailed shrike and black-naped oriole.^[3]

Its flora include common agricultural plants such as coconuts, some fruit trees and ipil-ipil.^[3]