Protecting Coasts, Empowering Communities
For environmental scientist Kubi Follosco, translating and communicating science into practical, usable information is vital when it comes to empowering coastal communities and preparing them for climate change.
Orientation on climate change adaptation in Coron, Palawan (July 2019, c/o MERF USAID Fish Right Project)
In celebration of National Women’s Month in the Philippines, Parabukas will be sharing stories from our women Fellows – the organization’s pool of brilliant collaborators – who are doing important work in the fight against climate change through research, awareness-raising, and climate justice advocacy.
For our second feature we talk to Parabukas Fellow Kubi Follosco, who is currently engaged by the Marine Environment & Resources Foundation at the UP Marine Science Institute for the Resilience component of the USAID-funded Fish Right Program. She is also a lecturer at the Department of Biology of the College of Science in UP Baguio.
Q: Hi Kubi! Can you tell us more about yourself?
I’m an environmental scientist focusing on coastal ecosystems. My main interests are on coastal climate change adaptation and resilience, marine protected areas, and ecosystem services including fisheries. At the moment, the project I’m involved in is helping coastal communities assess their vulnerability to climate change impacts, to come up with resilient strategies to better manage their fisheries resources.
Q: How did you get into your current work? What motivated you to pursue this type of profession?
Kubi Follosco with colleagues Lyn Riveral (left) and Mags Quibilan (right) for the Capturing Coral Reef & Related Ecosystem Services (CCRES) Project in pilot site El Nido, Palawan in 2016. (Photo c/o Gabrielle Sheehan, CCRES)
I have always been drawn to the sea despite growing up in the mountains, so I knew early on that my work would go in that direction. In terms of pursuing a life of research, I was largely influenced by my own parents who have long worked in different aspects of social science and development. My specific interests in marine science and management then emerged from having been exposed to various projects and research tracks. I’ve since found myself in a space between science and management, particularly interested in bridging the two, translating technical content to practical, usable information.
Q:What are some of the most common problems facing coastal ecosystems that you've encountered in the past and what do you see will be the biggest problem in the future?
A coastal community will have its own suite of problems depending on context, e.g., how coastal resources in an area are primarily used. But a “common” driver of such problems is how the community interacts with the coastal environment. That interaction is, in turn, driven by need & motivation. If systemic socio-economic and governance issues are not addressed alongside ecological issues, extractive and damaging uses of the coastal environment and resources will likely continue. The impacts of global environmental and climate change have already made management of these issues challenging, and will worsen over time.
If systemic socio-economic and governance issues are not addressed alongside ecological issues, extractive and damaging uses of the coastal environment and resources will likely continue. The impacts of global environmental and climate change have already made management of these issues challenging, and will worsen over time.
Q: What’s something that you did not expect was an important part of preserving and protecting our coasts?
When I started out, I imagined my work would mostly be doing biophysical surveys and spending my time “in” the environment. But drawing useful insights from such technical work for conservation & management, and effectively communicating these to local governments and communities has been just as challenging and important (if not, more so).
Mangrove survey in Bantayan Island, Cebu after Super Typhoon Haiyan (December, 2013, c/o UPMSI/ DOST Bathy & Erode Project)
Q: What’s a misconception that most people have when it comes to our coastal communities and conservation work?
That the work stops when we come home from the field (or when the project ends). Ultimately, the success of any action will depend on how earnestly local communities are engaged in directly managing their coastal ecosystems. They are the true stewards.
q: Are there particular challenges of being a woman in your field of work?
As a woman, I think I have been luckier than most in my field. I’ve been fortunate to be mentored by the foremost minds in marine science and conservation in the Philippines (and the world, for that matter). And many of them are women. I’m privileged to have been taught and worked with passionate and driven Pinay scientists and conservation warriors. It has been through their guidance and example that I make my own way in this field.
Q: You do a lot of capacity building work in the communities that you work with. What role do women in coastal communities play when it comes to coastal and marine conservation?
Interviews about resilience with residents of Calawit Island, Busuanga (September 2019, c/o Mags Quibilan)
Women are essential to coastal and marine conservation! I have seen several examples of women actively taking part in decision-making and management, but this needs to be documented and articulated more. Fisheries, for example, has always been thought of as a “male” profession but women are very much engaged in it, from doing their own fishing to providing value-adding services (e.g., post-processing of fish products like drying, fermenting, etc.) and actually generating income. Women as leaders in conservation and management will benefit (and probably accelerate) the well-being of communities as a whole.
Q: What advice would you give to young girls who want to work in this particular field?
Treat every experience as a learning opportunity. Spend time on the ground, and learn from people that directly depend on and interact with the environment. Let your understanding and compassion as a conservation warrior grow by learning from myriad perspectives.
Q: What are your other interests?
When I am not obsessively collecting books to the point of poverty, I read, attempt to replicate Korean food to the strains of k-drama playing in the background, and stare into the abyss while hanging out with my beagle/ husky/ lab mix Bumi.
A beautiful sunset after a hard day's (field) work in Bantayan Island, Cebu in December 2013.
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