Participatory 3D modeling in Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
This is the way to do it

This article was excerpted with minor technical and style editing from “Participatory 3D modeling in Talibon, Bohol: The Danajon Bank Experience” by Fer M. Ramirez, ROM-Luzon, Foundation for the Philippine Environment, consultant and lead facilitator in the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef 3D Modeling Workshop, Talibon, Bohol, July 3-9, 2006. The full original report (pdf) can be downloaded here

 

he July 3-9, 2006 workshop was aimed at the production of a Participatory 3-Dimensional (3D) Model of the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef. The whole 272 sq. km. area or nearly 30,000-hectare Danajon Bank will be mapped in a 3D scaled format measuring 3 m x 6 m in two parts at a horizontal scale of 1:16,000 and an exaggerated vertical scale of 1:5,000. To enhance appreciation of the importance and richness of the Double Barrier Reef, the model, showing a depth of 700 meters and a terrestrial peak of 720 meters above sea level, will cover 10 NIPAS sites, 7 strict nature reserves, 3 protected seascapes, and more than 30 community-based marine protected areas (MPAs) in various stages of protection.

The Preparations

The initial coordination for the activity started in March 2006 during a preparatory meeting held in Cebu. Becky Smith, IEC Advisor of FISH Project; IEC Specialist Ciony Sia and GIS Specialist Raffy Martinez attended the meeting. It involved scheduling, the major preparations necessary (community consultations; venue; logistics; materials such as yarns, pins, 4mm cartons and most importantly the base map at the right scales depending on the desired size of the model) and other details. Another meeting followed in Quezon City with Ciony and the FISH Project’s Danajon Bank Site Manager. Between these meetings, there were consultations via Email and phone.

(FM Ramirez, July 2006)

The day before the full activity, upon arrival at the site, I met with the organizers, the FISH Project, including in particular, the GIS Specialist. The base maps -- a small reference map, contour maps at the same scale and size as the expected output, and a computer-generated 3D rendition of Danajon Bank – were ready. The materials -- pre-cut corrugated carton boards, paints, yarns, pins, legends, brushes, tools and minor equipment, and many small details -- were perfectly prepared. The venue was spacious enough, and a solid base table for the model was in place, except that there would be temporary resting tables during manufacture. The entrance to the Interpretive Center where the model would be stored had to be “widened”, physically. Everything else was near ideal in terms of preparation. Only the sheer size of the model could pose a challenge.

The Workshop Proper and the Manufacture

Day 1 started with waiting for the participants to arrive, registration, pleasantries with the LGU (the major stakeholder) and other preparations. Talibon Mayor Juanario Item graced the opening ceremony, emphasizing in his talk the importance of the 3D modeling activity and more specifically the significance of Danajon Bank as a major threatened ecosystem. I provided several presentations on the 3-D modeling activity and the processes involved. By mid-afternoon, the grouping of the different “assembly lines” in two modules was done.

(FM Ramirez, July 2006)

At 3:00 PM the whole group moved to the spacious Cultural Center (covered courts) with the temporary base tables in place, materials ready and the workplace superbly organized! The contour maps were perfect, so big yet so clearly done. The bathymetric contours in blue were separate from the terrestrial printed maps. It would be easy, I thought. The team must be able to assemble the first layers with “cut-outs” before the day was done.

After a final orientation on the “what to dos” and “how to dos”, participants had to be split in two teams, with me and Raffy as lead facilitators. The rest of the FISH staff would be the major co-facilitators, beefed up with a very good documentor, a guy named Mario.

(FM Ramirez, July 2006)

The maps were cut and joined to match the size of the desired model (in two parts) and so were the cartons and several pieces of carbon paper for tracing. Before the team retired on their first night, at least five layers of cut-out cartons were in place at the Cebu side (Module 2), glued on top of a (-) 700 m depth of seabed top layer (each carton layer is equivalent to a contour elevation of 20 meters). For the Bohol side (Module 1), 18 whole/uncut layers had been laid. There was a slight problem with the quality of the glue but there were lots available locally – with some adjustments in the dilution, we got the required glue consistency.

Day 1 established the enthusiasm and interest, if not the curiosity of the participants. It was delightful to see the women in serious participation during the first day.

Day 2 looked promising in terms of the energy and output of the first day, but to our surprise, there were a number of missing participants. Some were reportedly tired, others had to attend to official matters in their respective offices and one had to fly Manila!  That was one limitation to not having participants “secured” in the venue. The team had to re-strategize to ensure there were enough trained people to accomplish the day’s tasks.

The team working on Module 2 would attempt to finish building the Cebu peaks, under my supervision. The team working on Module 1, led by the GIS specialist, would start the tedious job of tracing and cutting at minus (-) 280 m (sea depth). Raffy and I had to constantly coordinate in order to see that the two sides would fit well when joined later. Reference corners, orientation and elevation guides on traced and cut cartons had to be checked regularly until the “assembly line” achieved a good, working rhythm.

(FM Ramirez, July 2006)

My group slowly built the Cebu terrestrial component. Carefully, I explained and showed my team the technique of adding layer after layer on a base carton without losing small islands or separating peaks. Still, when the whole island of Cebu was almost finished, I found some of the pieces missing (this is a common mistake for beginners). I had to go back and re-trace the contour map, then re-cut and glue the missing parts, all the while involving the participants so that they could learn from the hands-on activity.

While the “assembly line” was in constant motion, I selected several participants to focus on specific tasks such as gluing crepe paper, consolidating the sides of the model with glue and crepe, tracing, cutting, etc. That second day of mapping, the team targeted ground zero, i.e. sea level. This meant that, by the end of the day, at least 35 carton layers should have been laid on top of each other on both the two modules. Terrestrial components which were started midday would be added next and the task would be almost half-done!

As the day unfolded, more participants from the island communities arrived and those trained the previous day showed up also. Ground zero was reached before Day 2 ended.

(FM Ramirez, July 2006)

A Side Note: All throughout the activity, Mario, FISH Project documenter, had everything captured on video and still photos; he was part of informal facilitation as well. Kookie is the recognized property custodian, keeping all materials and equipment well-managed, while others were in charge of “carton-crepe management”. The IEC Advisor was helping in all phases of the manufacture and also served as a facilitator. The GIS specialist had his eyes on maps and missing parts. There was even an artist, Leslie, who took charge of paint mixing, painting and showing participants the right way to paint the model. And, Ciony oversaw the whole process. There was a separate terrestrial contour map of Cebu prepared by the GIS specialist. Simply marvelous!

Day 3 came, with clear hopes that the model would be finished on time. There was no time to begin the terrestrial part of the town of Ubay (Bohol) the previous day as planned. This would be the day for that, as well as for building the remaining terrestrial component of Central Bohol, where Talibon is located.

Today the group would target Eureka moment: the raw blank model. Before we could even start, the familiarity of features on the still unfinished model began registering in the participants’ minds.  The moment of appreciation was beginning. Participants began associating themselves with particular areas or resource features on the model. This boosted everyone’s determination. The “assembly line” worked like an automated factory, piling up traced cartons for the “cutters”. The “cutters” and “gluers” had to split into several sub-groups, each working on their own turfs and delivering the “goods”.

When the coastline was reached, it was time for Module 2, Cebu side, to start yarn and pin work, and identify areas of resource use at zero elevation and below.

A minor concern cropped up when we realized the island municipality Carlos P. Garcia (CPG) had no contour data. The matter was quickly resolved by the participant from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Ephen. Ephen, a cartographer, reproduced the contour data to the exact desired scale.

On Day 4, because of the tediousness of building the terrestrial parts, the LGU of Talibon sent in more “workforce,” which balanced the gender distribution of the working team. Central Bohol, a major part of Module 1, proved to be time-consuming.  The photo-series below shows how the Central Bohol part of the model took shape.

(F Ramirez, July 2006)

By mid-day, when the blank Module 1 was ready for information input, participants from CPG noted some missing islands. Referring back to the base contour map to validate their observation, they identified “small dots” as islands, the existence of which would have otherwise been questionable. The islands were added, and the yarn work continued, colorful and more analytical in terms of area and scales and the familiarity of the participants with their resources. The process of consensus-building became evident. Some “official” information providers were there but at the end of the day those who lived in the island communities knew more and better.

Also on Day 4, carpenters widened the door to the main exhibit area of the Interpretive Center in anticipation of the transfer of the almost finished model the following day.

(FM Ramirez, July 2006)

Before the close of Day 5, the half-painted models were transferred to the Interpretive Center in a show of bayanihan, the Boholano way. More yarns, more painting, more discussions…. more missing islands added. Yarns and paints, a little re-tracing…build up…glue….

(FM Ramirez, July 2006)

On Day 6, there were more inputs, requiring more yarns and finally the pins. Careful facilitation again had to be done for better accuracy and easier information extraction. Becky explained where each color pin should go. Leslie painstakingly managed the preparation of the different paint mixtures to project the (-) 10 m depth, the (-) 20 m depth, and the (-) 40 m depth while the other facilitators made sure that the polygons bounded by the yarns were painted right. The results were awesome. Being a veteran of many 3-D modeling exercises, I felt that this huge one was the way it should be done. It was simply amazing.

Here is a review of the 3-D model manufacture in some details, from Day 1 all the way to Day 6:

The base map (FM Ramirez, July 2006)

 

Carton, glue and “wonder crepe” (FM Ramirez, July 2006)

 

The paints (FM Ramirez, July 2006)

 

The pins (FM Ramirez, July 2006)

 

The yarns (FM Ramirez, July 2006)

 

The product (FM Ramirez, July 2006)

 

General Insights

The sheer size of the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef posed a challenge, as did the size of the expected output. The 3D model of Danajon Bank is, as of today, perhaps the biggest in the Philippines, if not in Southeast Asia. The energy, the effort and the commitment poured into the activity were simply marvelous and therefore the product is also magnificent.

What is left to do?

On Day 7, the 3D modeling activity ended with a short explanation of follow through actions necessary to complete the model. I offered some tips on placing the grid and transposing and extracting information to produce updated planimetric maps, tasks that were not included in this activity because of the FISH Project’s plans and objectives. These can be done once the model is completed.

It was agreed that:

As I always point out, the 3D model is a means, not an end. It is a living model that needs to be nurtured with new information and therefore needs to be updated regularly for planning, monitoring, educational and a lot of other purposes.