Bulusan Volcano Natural Park 3.55

The Bulusan Volcano Natural Park is a 3673ha protected area of rainforest surrounding Mount Bulusan in the Philippines. It was first designated as a National Park by Proclamation no. 811 on June 7, 1935. Under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) of 1992 managed by the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, the park was reclassified as a Natural Park by Proc. 421 on November 27, 2000. The area features the volcano itself, Bulusan Lake, the two other mountains known as the 'Sharp Peak' and 'Hormahan' and Lake Aguingay. The park is in the south central part of Sorsogon Province, southern Luzon, Bicol Region, Philippines, bounded by five municipalities: Bulusan, Barcelona, Irosin, Juban and Casiguran.Physical characteristics and biodiversityThere are three main peaks in the park — the active Bulusan Volcano, the highest, which is characterized by numerous deep ravines and caves — Sharp Peak, and the mountain called Hormahan.The center of the mountain complex forms a vast plain that is occasionally flooded known as Lake Aguingay, which dries up during summer. Another lake in the park is Lake Bulusan. A substantial area of forest remains in the park, including forest around the peak and lowland forest on the slopes. Other habitats include secondary grassland, freshwater lakes and pools, small settlements and rural gardens, abandoned farmland and disturbed ground.