Given the steep and narrow ridges of this river system, the force of the running water can propel boats for exciting rafting adventures. With degraded forests without much capacity to hold water, the force can cause flooding of several meters high in no time. To prevent future typhoons from causing grave damage, reforestation of the Batang sub-watershed have to be implemented. Connecting Land Tenure to Forest Conservation Forests plays a critical role in the carbon cycle of our planet. When forests are depleted, it reduces carbon absorption thus the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere contributing to climate change. Forest conservation through effective forest land management is therefore very important in regulating climate change. MILALITTRA’s CADT holds a lot promise in forest conservation as examples abound in many other countries of similar experiences. A World Bank Independent Review in 2009 (Nelson and Chomitz) revealed that “traditional resource management practices of ICCs are more effective in protecting the forest than strict protection of the Government alone.” The CBD also reported in 2010 that “levels of protection are actually higher under community or indigenous management than under government management alone” (Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, pp. 40-41). Similarly, a study on the ‘assessment of conservation effectiveness in community managed forests and protected areas’ reported that the levels of forest destruction are higher in areas that have been declared as strict protection parks by the government compared to areas traditionally protected by ICCAs (Porter-Bolland, et. al., 2011). Unfortunately, MILALITTRA’s ancestral domain is not exempted from land governance issues and conflicts in the locality and in the entire country. Conflicting land claims, overlapping jurisdictions of government agencies, transparency and access to information, erosion of tenure security, and long process of dispute resolution are some of the issues identified, sometimes resulting to violence. Moreover, poverty is relatively high in those barangays. Majority are farming households planting high-value crops such as cabbage, potatoes, carrots, beans, and even ornamentals. Heavy use of chemical inputs is observed and the supply chain is not well-developed resulting to relatively low income among farmers. In Miarayon, for example, the average monthly farm income is around 5,000 Philippine Peso (PhP 5,000), which is halfway below the poverty threshold of PhP 11,773 in Bukidnon. In the first quarter of 2015, Bukidnon recorded 53.6 percent poverty incidence among its population (PSA, 2016). Due to limited income, there are those who are forced to intrude in the remaining forests to farm or conduct illegal extraction activities. Despite these external pressures and community constraints, the Talaandig’s traditional land governance system appears to have positive impacts on regenerating the vegetative cover of the mountains and conserving the remaining forests. The strength and dynamism lie in their values, beliefs, commitment and cultural traditions. Respect for God’s Creation The Talaandigs regard their natural environment -- land, forests, biodiversity – as economic, cultural, and even spiritual treasures with 5