Museum researchers led by Director Juan Carlos T. Gonzalez and extension specialist Florante A. Cruz again provided technical assistance to the local government unit of Sta. Teresita, Cagayan by surveying the biodiversity of areas targeted by the town for development as ecotourism spots. The museum team is composed of people with expertise in birds, bats, insects and other wildlife, geology and development communication.

The team were in Sta. Teresita town from 27-29 February and visited Bangalau Lake, Tabaco, Bangalau, Ari-Zero and Maquera Caves located in three barangays. Sta. Teresita is dominated by karst landscapes and is home to at least 60 caves, waters of which drain to the lake where bakong (Hanguana malayana), an aquatic plant the town has tapped for their fiber-based cottage industries excellently thrives. Sta. Teresita is also a migratory stop for quite a number of birds which start to arrive every month of September.

The UPLB Museum of Natural History is getting ready to extend its help to the Los Banos Science Community (LBSC) as the science group goes all out to pioneer and promote the niche concept of science tourism.

Michelle D. Alejado, the museum's coordinator for linkages attended the first meeting of the LBSCFI Tourism Committee last 20 February 2018 held at the DOST-CALABARZON headquarters along with other representatives of LBSCFI member-agencies. Present during the committee meeting were representatives of member agencies such as UPLB, UPOU, LSPU–Los Baños Campus, DENR-ERDB, PCC-UPLB, DOST-PCAARRD, LGU-Los Banos, DOST-CALABARZON and IRRI.

The Refresher Course on the Use of Molecular Phylogenetics in Systematics and Biogeography held by the UPLB Museum of Natural History for twenty partipants from the College of Agriculture and Food Science, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, and UPLB Graduate School was concluded last 19 February 2018 at the MNH Conference Room.

Eight participants received certificates of completion by attending the four course sessions which were held in four separate dates from January to February 2018 while the rest received certificates of participation.

To further engage and network with other museums in the region, the UPLB Museum of Natural History has joined the meeting of the Southern Luzon Association of Museums (SLAM) recently held this 20 February 2018 at the DL Umali Auditorium.

Dr. Juan Carlos T. Gonzalez, along with around 30 other museum professionals and representatives from all across Southern Luzon were able to get and share updates on activities of the member museums, the projects of the NCCA-National Committee on Museums, the discussions of the Regional Development Council Committee on Culture, and the association's plans for holding the 2018 Regional Museums Summit this coming October in Batangas City.

Several Museum curators and staff recently participated in the 11th meeting of the Philippine Red List Committee (PRLC) for Wild Fauna organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Biodiversity Management Bureau last 1-2 February 2018 in Diliman, Quezon City.

Aside from updating the Philippine Red List of wild fauna during the 2-day workshop, museum curators and staff were able to provide their inputs and recommendations in preparing the final list of invasive alien species (IAS) of terrestrial fauna, actively discuss the list of economically important species (EIS) of fauna, and review the draft administrative orders on the three lists which will be signed by the DENR Secretary.

The UPLB Museum of Natural History again offered a free course on biological photography last 31 January to 02 February 2018 as one of its public service initiatives. It was attended by eight researchers and museum technicians from the UPLB MNH, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension (OVCRE), Center for Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship (CTTE) and the Forest Canopy (CANOPI) project.

During the 3-day course, the participants were introduced to the basic parts and operation of a DSLR camera supplemented by hands-on practicum wherein they took several photographs of biological subjects at the Makiling Botanic Gardens and nearby environs.