Landscape fragmentation, the breaking up of land use type into smaller parcels, is damaging watersheds worldwide. Without addressing its causes, landscape fragmentation can permanently destroy habitats and compromise ecosystem services (ES) that a watershed provides. This paper aims to establish associations between watershed landscape fragmentation and ES by integrating science (satellite imageries and fragmentation analyses) and local geographic knowledge (key informant interviews and focus group discussions) at different time periods. Using the case of the Baroro River Watershed in Northern Philippines, this paper posits that local knowledge, when integrated with scientific knowledge, becomes a significant medium through which watershed landscape fragmentation and declining quality of ES can be better understood and addressed. Results also indicate that people’s experiences and knowledge on ES coincide with watershed landscape fragmentation as evidenced by satellite images and fragmentation analyses done at different time periods. This implies that people’s knowledge is well grounded on facts and complements scientific knowledge necessary in crafting more effective landscape policies that can tackle watershed fragmentation. Study results are also crucial in providing information to serve as inputs in the development of a more robust watershed management plan; particularly in implementing sustainable land uses without sacrificing the watershed’s overall integrity.

Establishing the status of ecosystem services entails knowing the connection between humans and nature, since the ability of a landscape to generate ecosystem services depends largely on how it is being managed. Using the framework of livelihood, income, forest condition and ecosystem services (LIFE) and place of residence, this paper aims to understand the relationship between the local people’s perceptions and ecosystem services at a given point of time. An upstream and a midstream village were selected in a watershed in Northern Philippines as a case where land use conversion, from forest to agriculture, has taken place at various time periods, to different extents, and where ecosystem services are crucial to production activities. This paper is to contribute to the limited literature on ecosystem services in the Philippines using the historical perspective of the local people. The results strongly indicate that the local people’s perceptions regarding ecosystem services are consistent with land use and land cover (LULC) changes that happened in the past. Livelihood, place of residence and, to some extent, income can become good predictors of the status of ecosystem services that can be harnessed for targeted interventions in the future.