Eighth Wonder of the World: The Banaue Rice Terraces
October 28, 2009 by Glenn Batuyong
Filed under Blog
Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines region of Ifugao (Photo: Public Library of Science)
In the northern region of the Philippines known as Ifugao, entire mountain-sides have been carved into breathtaking terraces for rice harvesting by native farmers. The practice, which has existed for more than an a thousand years, was the result of highly-skilled, yet lightly-equipped indigenous commoners. The vast landscaping in the region has earned the Banaue rice terraces the local title of “eighth wonder of the world” among Filipinos. Also known as the “stairways to the sky,” the rice terraces cover a total surface area over 13,000 miles long!
Because the natural beauty of these ancient developments are continuously threatened by erosion and disappearing native culture, the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Centre has been named a “world heritage site.” This has raised awareness of the rice terraces and brought about some protections sought for historical preservation.
Additional resources:
- Banaue Rice Terraces (Wikipedia)
- Reference from “Diversifying Selection in Plant Breeding” (Public Library of Science)
