The Bukidnon Watershed Protection and Development Council (BWPDC) is one of the earliest environmental alliances organized. It was created in 1995 during the term of President Fidel V. Ramos, through Memorandum Order No 270, with the objective of fully protecting and preserving the remaining forest in the Bukidnon watersheds and to rehabilitate open areas within the headwaters of the watershed.

The BWPDC is a good illustration of a local government initiative to manage its natural resources and to protect environmentally critical areas within the province. In the case of Bukidnon, it was important that the local government involved itself in the management of the watershed areas, considering the significance of these areas to ensure water supply, not only for the province but also for other areas. The Bukidnon watershed is the source of rivers and tributaries that are irrigation sources for Bukidnon and neighboring provinces. The National Power Corporation utilizes these rivers for hydroelectric power generation. Degradation of the natural forest cover in the watershed has led to increased soil erosion, siltation of river beds, inundation of croplands, and disruption of irrigation regimes.

The Bukidnon watershed sits on an elevated, land-locked area of 829,378 hectares. It comprises the headwaters of six major rivers: Tagaloan, Cagayan, Agusan-Cugman, Davao-Salug, Pulangi (Upper and Lower) and Maridugao Rivers, which drain discharge into three cities (Butuan City, Cagayan de Oro City, and Davao City) and five provinces (Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, North Cotabato, Lanao del Sur and Misamis Oriental).

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