To support the crowdfunding campaign, the Philippine Parks and Biodiversity launched the Tamaraw Society initiative in July 2020. 

The Philippine Parks and Biodiversity is a non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to conserving the country's biodiversity through multistakeholder partnerships, ranging from grassroot communities to the private sector. 

The Tamaraw Society consisted of a group of organizations and individuals, mostly from younger generations, who committed to running their own fundraising activities to support the crowdfunding campaign with at least USD 400 each (PHP 20,000 at the time). The 19 participants, referred to as champions, collectively raised USD 7,789 (PHP 389,450). They conducted activities such as online raffles of film cameras, online selling of secondhand clothes, auction of digital artworks, and merchandise sales such as tamaraw tote bags and shirts.

The crowdfunding campaign maintained a strong presence on traditional and social media. Daily posts were tailored to strengthen the business case for donations, highlighting key events such as the Tamaraw Month,  the death of the last captive-bred tamaraw, Kalibasib, and a tamaraw killed by poachers. By leveraging a mix of media platforms, the campaign reached both national and international audiences and engaged diverse age groups. 

Social media posts were reposted and shared by BIOFIN Global and Philippines, UNDP Philippines, and various accounts of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Moreover, a national Tamaraw Ambassadors program was launched on social media, engaging public figures to promote the campaign. These communication strategies effectively reached the general public within and beyond the Philippines.

Traditional media also supported the campaign, with coverage from reputable news networks like Stand for Truth and GMA Digital Specials. 

Lastly, a promotion email was sent to over 2,000 individuals through the BIOFIN global mailing list, targeting a specialized audience of professionals and partners in the biodiversity sector.

The protected area management authority adheres to a people-centered development philosophy, aiming to meet the growing needs of the public for a better life. By actively engaging with community members, fostering emotional connections, and contributing to local socioeconomic development, the authority has worked to address gaps in public services and infrastructure, as well as organize community activities. It assists communities in solving practical problems, such as providing daytime care services for the elderly and medical services for residents. As a result, the sense of identity and belonging among community members toward the protected area has steadily increased, leading to their active participation in conservation, decision-making, operations, education, and oversight activities. These efforts have driven continuous progress in community development initiatives.

The management authority has devised various methods to involve community residents in the construction and management of the protected area, primarily through the following approaches: (1) Participation in daily patrols and law enforcement. Nearly 100 local residents have been employed as full-time rangers to assist in protection patrols; (2) The Wudalianchi Town Government regularly holds meetings with town representatives and organizes seminars to discuss issues such as area management, public security maintenance, and public awareness campaigns; (3) Establishing and implementing a socialized management mechanism for river, lake, forest, and farmland chiefs, fully mobilizing public participation in daily conservation; (4) Encouraging volunteer services.

By developing high-quality mineral water products, expanding health and wellness tourism, and enhancing eco-tourism experiences, Wudalianchi has pioneered effective pathways to transform "green mountains into gold mountains".

With support from national poverty alleviation policies and funding, the reserve management authority has collaborated with local governments, village committees, the protected area joint committee, and rural conservation organizations. Through resource consolidation, mining rights processing, brand acquisitions, and enterprise integration, they have successfully revitalized local industries.

According to preliminary statistics, in 2022: (1) The mineral water industry generated approximately 50 million yuan in revenue; (2) Health and wellness tourism brought in 15.6 million yuan; (3) Homestay businesses earned 20 million yuan.

In 2023, socioeconomic progress accelerated significantly: (1) Regional GDP grew by 6%; (2) Total retail sales rose by 6%; (3) Tourist visits and comprehensive tourism revenue both surged by 57.7%.

Step 3 – Tactical Growth

The ROS – Recreation Opportunity Spectrum is a tool that classifies opportunities for tourism and recreation by measuring the degree of intervention across three attributes: Biophysical, Sociocultural, and Management. Based on these indicators, it defines five Classes of Experiences: Pristine, Natural, Semi-natural, Ruralized, and Urbanized.

By combining the vocation of the area with these classes, managers can design a gradient of opportunities, ranging from sites with maximum naturalness, minimal human presence, and very low visitation (Pristine class), to areas with extensive infrastructure, altered landscapes, high accessibility, and strong human interaction (Urbanized class).

Using ROS allows planners to shape the Ecotourism Program by defining:

1. Zoning
2. Classes of Experiences
3. Environments
4. Activities
5. Infrastructure
6. Services
7. Regulations

This tactical step translates the strategic vision into concrete management choices, ensuring that ecotourism development is diversified, coherent, and aligned with conservation priorities and visitor expectations.

Step 2 – Triple Profile - Strategic Definition
With the Tourism Attractiveness Index defined, it becomes possible to set the fundamental principles and establish the foundations that will guide the entire development of the project. The main goal at this stage is to understand the vocation of the area and strengthen its positioning in the tourism market. This includes learning how to design authentic and memorable experiences for visitors, with a focus on enchantment, recreation, and environmental interpretation.

The process involves defining which Recreational Opportunities are most suitable and what types of Experiences should be prioritized to align with both conservation goals and visitor expectations. The principles of Environmental Interpretation are essential here, as they ensure that experiences are meaningful, educational, and engaging.

In practical terms, this step requires:

1. Area Profile - Analyzing the challenges and opportunities of the area;
2. Owner Profile - Creating a shared vision of the desired future;
3. Visitor Profile - Defining the main visitor segments and profiles to be targeted.

By aligning vocation, opportunities, and interpretation, this step builds the strategic foundation for sustainable ecotourism.

Step 1 – General Assessment
The success of an Ecotourism Project depends on the characteristics of the area and the context in which it is located. The Tourism Attractiveness Index (IAT) is the tool you will use to characterize your area and its context, that is, the Tourist Destination. This characterization will allow you to conduct a supply and demand analysis and understand your current and potential tourism attractiveness, which can vary along a scale.

By understanding your attractiveness and the factors that influence it, you will be able to define strategies to increase or better qualify it, and thus:

– Define or diversify your visitor profile
– Receive or increase the number of visits
– Add value and improve average visitor spending
– Improve seasonality