Section 3Sec./Art. 3

Definitions of Terms. As used in this Act

(a)Buffer zonesrefer to identified areas outside the boundaries of and immediately adjacent to designated protected areas that need special development control in order to avoid or minimize harm to the protected area;

(b)Conservationrefers to any act or acts of preservation and sustainable utilization of wildlife or maintenance, restoration and enhancement of habitats;

(c)Indigenous cultural communities (ICCs)/Indigenous peoples (IPs)refer to groups of people sharing common bonds of language, customs, traditions, and other distinctive cultural traits, and who have, since time immemorial occupied, possessed and utilized a territory;

(d)National parkrefers to land of the public domain classified as such in the Constitution which includes all areas under the NIPAS, primarily designated for the conservation of native plants and animals, their associated habitats and cultural diversity;

(e)Protected arearefers to an identified portion of land and water set aside by reason of its unique physical and biological significance, managed to enhance biological diversity and protected against destructive human exploitation;

(f)Tenured migrantsrefer to protected area occupants who have been actually, continuously and presently occupying a portion of the protected area for five (5) years before the proclamation or law establishing the same as a protected area, and are solely dependent therein for subsistence; and

(g)Wildlife sanctuaryrefers to an area which assures the natural conditions necessary to protect nationally significant species, groups of species, biotic communities or physical features of the environment which may require specific human manipulations for their perpetuation.