Escaping from the ‘biodiversity crisis room’

Escaping from the ‘biodiversity crisis room’ | Daily Tribune

The planet is under a biodiversity crisis and people should know how to safeguard the natural world. A better understanding of the situation is needed to properly act so The Mind Museum (TMM) in Taguig City came up with a new interactive attraction for this purpose called Biodiversity Crisis Escape Room (BCER).

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded the development of the BCER in partnership with the Bonifacio Art Foundation Inc. as part of its support for the Philippines’ efforts to achieve a resilient environment and inclusive green growth. Inside the BCER are unique biodiversity-related puzzles and challenges that visitors have to solve to get out of the room.

“Biodiversity loss not only threatens the survival of countless species but also undermines the stability of ecosystems and the services they provide, impacting human well-being and livelihoods,” USAID Philippines deputy mission director Rebekah Eubanks said during the launching of the BCER last 22 May to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity. “We must all become active participants in this plan to safeguard the country’s rich biodiversity for future generations.”

The BCER will be at TMM until 31 May and will tour in Harbor Point, Subic on 15 to 16 June, Robinson’s Mall Puerto Princesa City on 29 to 30 June, and Abreeza Mall in Davao City on 27 to 28 July, before returning to TMM in August.

At the BCER launching, Eubanks also handed over to Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) representative, Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo Jr., the “Sukat ng Kalikasan” (SNK) toolkit for managing protected areas.

Developed over three years by DENR and USAID, the SNK offers standardized, evidence-based methods for measuring and assessing the value of the country’s natural assets, allowing the Philippines government to make more informed decisions in its conservation efforts.

Adobo said the SNK improves the accuracy of determining conservation targets and measuring ecosystem services.

“Customized for the Philippine context, its objective is to appreciate the values that our ecosystems provide, so that we are in a more resilient position to manage our natural resources sustainably while achieving our development goals,” Adobo said.