ICCA 101

Indigenous & Community Conserved Territories and Areas

ICCA = living territory + living governance. Not just a forest, but a whole place (and way of caring) that keeps nature and culture alive.

What is an ICCA?

An ICCA is a clearly defined territory or area—natural or modified—voluntarily conserved by Indigenous Peoples and/or local communities, and governed through customary laws or other effective ways, producing real, long-term outcomes for biodiversity, ecosystem services, and cultural values.

In the Philippines, ICCAs often sit within Ancestral Domains and may include sacred sites, burial grounds, hunting grounds, water sources/watersheds, and other life-support areas that communities depend on and protect.

What an ICCA is NOT

ICCA is NOT the same as a government-declared Protected Area (PA)

Protected Areas are managed through government PA systems and boards (e.g., Protected Area Management Board (PAMB)).
ICCAs are governed through Indigenous/Community governance systems (customary institutions / IPS) and customary law.

When these overlap, conflicts can happen, especially when governance systems and zoning concepts clash (e.g., PAMB vs IPS; “sanctuary” vs “strict protection zone”).

ICCA is also NOT “people-free conservation.”
Many ICCAs have zones: some areas are strict protection/sacred, while others allow regulated use under customary rules

The 3 characteristics of ICCAs

Deep community–territory relationship

identity, livelihood, culture, spirituality, survival

Functioning community governance

customary laws + institutions that make and enforce decisions

Real conservation outcomes

nature thrives and community wellbeing is supported

Why ICCAs matter

They protect biodiversity where it still lives

ICCAs are found across ecosystems and have existed “since time immemorial.”

They secure life-support systems

food, water, medicines, livelihoods) that communities—and wider society—depend on

They uphold Indigenous rights and justice

recognizing that Indigenous stewardship is not “extra”—it is foundational

ICCAs secure life-support systems

These are food, water, medicines, livelihoods) that communities—and wider society—depend on

ICCA, Protected Areas, and OECM : What’s the difference?

Protected Area (PA): legally designated conservation area under government frameworks; managed via boards/structures like PAMB.
ICCA: conserved and governed by Indigenous Peoples/local communities through customary systems, with proven conservation outcomes.
Other Effective Conservation Measure (OECM): an area not officially a protected area but delivering positive, sustained, long-term in-situ biodiversity outcomes (with relevant cultural/spiritual/socio-economic values). Some ICCAs may qualify as OECMs depending on context and recognition pathways.

How ICCAs are documented (community-led, evidence-based)

ICCA documentation is not just “paperwork.” It’s how communities strengthen governance, protect sensitive knowledge, and build evidence for planning and recognition.

The typical process includes:

Community research & profiling (history, governance, rules, benefits, threats)
Community mapping (boundaries, zones, culturally important sites, hazard areas)
Local resource assessment / inventory (state of biodiversity and ecosystem condition)
Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practice (IKSP) documentation (knowledge systems & practices linked to governance)
Community validation of collected information
Community Conservation Planning (CCP) (can align as a chapter of Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP))
Declaration & registration (optional)

Explore the Global ICCA Registry

The ICCA Registry is an international platform where ICCA information can be voluntarily shared anchored on community consent and safeguards.

Visit the registry

Safeguards: FPIC, data governance, and peer review

Voluntary participation is non-negotiable. Communities decide what to share and whether to register. United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) only accepts ICCA information with a community offer + Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC).

For the Global ICCA Registry, the required submission set typically includes:

spatial data (often only a central point + total area),
questionnaire + case study,
FPIC form, and
a data contributor agreement.

Peer review exists to check completeness/accuracy and to act as a safeguard (including FPIC and data-collection concerns).

ICCA in practice: Patagonan daw Bahaw-bahaw (AGMIHICU, Bukidnon)

One documented ICCA example is Patagonan daw Bahaw-bahaw, where the community maintains two ICCA types:

Patagonan

core / strict protection

Bahaw-bahaw

buffer / regulated use

sacred/spirit forest areas with strict customary rules (no taking, no disturbance)

hunting/gathering grounds where resource use is allowed under customary governance; supports food, medicine, and livelihoods

In this case, the ICCA spans 10,863.11 hectares total (Patagonan 3,926.61 hectares; Bahaw-bahaw 6,936.50 hectares).

ICCA Stories

Clusters of pale blue jade vine flowers hanging beside a mossy tree trunk in a forest in Mindanao

Spotted in the ICCA Field: How Communities Read Ecosystem Health Through Wildlife Signals

Field notes from Mindanao: three remarkable plant sightings reveal how Indigenous communities read ecosystem health through “wildlife signals” and why protecting ICCAs protects life.

NTFP-EP Philippines

Mar 34 min read

ICCA Bill Tracker (Philippines)

We’re tracking the progress of the ICCA Bill in the Philippine House of Representatives under the 20th Congress

Latest milestone

March 2026

Technical Working Group (TWG) Meeting

Continuing deliberations on House Bill No. 01586 (Rep. Maximo Y. Dalog Jr.) and House Bill No. 05761 (Rep. Leila M. de Lima)

Previous milestones

November 2025

December 2025

Committee Organizational Meeting

1st TWG Meeting

Why this matters:

The bill aims to strengthen recognition of Indigenous and community-conserved territories and areas: rights-based conservation that supports both biodiversity and self-determination.

Last updated: 25 February 2026 (based on latest meeting notice).

What an ICCA is

How you can support ICCAs and Indigenous Peoples (simple actions)

Read & share this ICCA 101 hub (help stop misinformation).
Follow NTFP-EP Philippines for ICCA updates and community stories.
Sign up for ICCA updates / learning sessions.
Support rights-based conservation: recognition that strengthens community governance, not replaces it.

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