asean biodiversity vol. 10 no. 2 may-aug 2011

The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) is an intergovernmental regional centre of excellence that facilitates cooperation and coordination among the

ten ASEAN Member States and with relevant national governments, regional and international organizations on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefi ts arising from the use of such natural treasures.

ACB’s goals are:• To serve as an effective coordinative body to

facilitate discussion and resolution of cross-country biodiversity conservation issues;

• To provide a framework and mechanism for sharing information, experiences, best practices and lessons learned for effi cient access of ASEAN Member States;

• To implement a pro-active approach in monitoring and assessing biodiversity conservation status as a strategic approach towards identifying critical issues and future trends;

• To deliver/facilitate conduct of capacity-building services and technology transfer through engaging relevant and appropriate expertise;

• To enhance common understanding of biodiversity conservation issues, strengthening ASEAN regional positions in negotiations and in compliance with relevant multilateral environmental agreements;

• To promote public awareness to develop champions and enhance support at different stakeholder levels on biodiversity concerns; and

• To undertake innovative resource generation and mobilization measures to pursue high-impact activities that will enhance biodiversity conservation in the region.

ACB supports ASEAN Member States in the following thematic concerns that are of global and regional importance: Agriculture and food security, including food certifi cation and biodiversity; Access to, and fair and equitable sharing of benefi ts from biological and genetic resources; Climate change and biodiversity conservation; Ecotourism and biodiversity conservation; Payment for ecosystems services and valuation of biodiversity; Wildlife enforcement; Managing invasive alien species; Peatland management and biodiversity; Support to the Global Taxonomy Initiative; Support to the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Programme of Work on Protected Areas; Managing biodiversity information and knowledge; and Business and biodiversity.

For more information, log on to www.aseanbiodiversity.org.

ACB Headquarters3/F ERDB Building, Forestry CampusCollege, Laguna 4031, PhilippinesTelephone/Fax: +6349 536-3989 / +6349 536-2865

The ASEAN Centre for BiodiversityConserving Southeast Asia’s Biodiversity

for Human Development and Survival

VOL. 10 NO. 2 MAY - AUGUST 2011

CONTENTS

MAY - AUGUST 2011 ASEAN BIODIVERSITY 3

7

SPECIAL REPORTS6 Messages for the International Year of Forests7 World focuses attention on forests9 Forests: how valuable are they?11 Southeast Asia’s forest ecosystems: a rich natural heritage16 The status of ASEAN’s forest biodiversity and solutions to forest biodiversity loss20 Forestry cooperation in the ASEAN region24 Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation27 Watershed and biodiversity29 New global study shows high reliance on forests among rural poor30 New publication outlines biodiversity elements for design and implementation of REDD-Plus

SPECIAL SECTIONS32 ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity announced33 HSBC Brunei: Investing in biodiversity conservation makes sound business sense36 Green Community: Initiating little activities with extraordinary impacts39 Born to be Wild: Championing biodiversity through television42 Taking care of Indonesia’s wildlife43 Arresting illegal wildlife traffi cking44 ARREST Program launched in Bangkok45 Laos launches new law enforcement task force to combat wildlife crime

FEATURES46 The President of the Philippines launches the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity for Southeast Asia

7 16

24 29

Forests for peoplePhoto by Angie Metin

The ASEAN region is losing its forests at alarming levels. Key measures must be taken to save forests now. Otherwise, nothing will be left for future generations.

www.aseanbiodiversity.orgASEAN BIODIVERSITY MAY - AUGUST 20114

47 Message from H.E. President Benigno S. Aquino III on the occasion of the launch of the UN Decade on Biodiversity and International Year of Forests in Southeast Asia50 World Migratory Bird Day, May 1451 World Environment Day, June 552 World Oceans Day, June 1153 World Population Day, July 1154 Indigenous peoples: stewards of biodiversity

PROFILES56 Lao PDR: Nakai-Nam Theun Protected Area59 Philippines: Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary62 Malaysia: Gunung Gading National Park

BOOKMARKS65 Results of the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition revealed65 ASEAN taxonomists form network

66 ASEAN and Japan sponsor plants and coral taxonomy internship program67 SM’s Green Retail Agenda highlights sustainability68 SyenSaya 2011 features climate change and biodiversity68 UNDP workshop discusses value of communication in biodiversity conservation69 ASEAN workshop discusses investing in natural capital for green growth70 Youth camp discusses role of school children in biodiversity conservation70 Workshop highlights importance of conserving ecosystems and biodiversity for human prosperity71 Magazine features taxonomy concerns

71 ACB and GIZ cooperate on biodiversity and climate change72 GEF establishes the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund73 Governments establish basis for implementation of Nagoya Protocol on Genetic Resources74 Indonesia bans new forest concessions75 Infl atable shark among 300 new Phl species75 UN organizations launch Scientifi c Task Force on Wildlife Diseases76 State of the World 2011: Agriculture innovation is key to reducing poverty and climate change77 Illegal trading of gecko poses threat to environment78 Asia builds capacity and strategies to save biodiversity

79 BIODIVERSITY NEWS SOUTHEAST ASIA

FOCUS89 Almaciga90 Molave91 Thailand Rosewood92 Tualang

46

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61

Publisher Rodrigo U. Fuentes

Editor-in-ChiefRolando A. Inciong

Managing EditorLeslie Ann Jose-Castillo

Head Writer and ResearcherSahlee Bugna-Barrer

Designer, Graphic and Layout ArtistNanie S. Gonzales

Circulation AssistantAngela Rose Crissie A. Metin

Editorial BoardClarissa C. AridaRodrigo U. FuentesRolando A. InciongWilfredo J. ObienMonina T. UriarteSheila G. Vergara

ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)

Headquarters3/F ERDB Building, Forestry CampusUniversity of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines

Telephone: +6349.536-3989

Telefax: +6349.536-2865

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.aseanbiodiversity.org

ACB AnnexNinoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife CenterNorth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City 1156Philippines

Disclaimer: Views or opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent any offi cial views of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The authors are responsible for any data or information presented in their articles.

Letters, articles, suggestions and photos are welcome and should be addressed to:

The Editor-in-ChiefASEAN Biodiversity MagazineASEAN Centre for Biodiversity College, Laguna

E-mails: [email protected]@aseanbiodiversity.org [email protected]

About the Contributors

Mr. Ega Denaswidhi, S.Si is a Forest Ecosystem Controller working with the Dodokan Moyosari Watershed Management Agency based in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia – a government agency under the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry. The agency deals with watershed management and forest/land rehabilitation in West Nusa Tenggara province. He has a degree in Geography, major in

remote sensing, GIS and Cartography.

Dr. Monina T. Uriarte is a Capacity Development Specialist at the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity. She spearheads the implementation of trainings and workshops for the effective management of protected areas, especially the ASEAN Heritage Parks. She has conducted research on natural and plantation forests, particularly on growth and yield determination. Dr. Uriarte has published over 50

articles in various scientifi c journals, proceedings and conferences. She also serves as Chairman of the Board for Foresters of the Philippines’ Professional Regulation Commission.

Dr. Filiberto A. Pollisco, Jr. specializes in forest ecology and land management/land use planning; biodiversity conservation in genetic, species and ecosystems levels; and ecotourism. He was formerly an Assistant Director/Supervising Science Research Specialist at the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD)

where he handled sloping land management, solid waste management, organic agriculture, soil and water conservation, and project development. He presently works at the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity as Program Development Specialist.

Mr. Norman Emmanuel C. Ramirez is a Programme Management Offi cer at the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity. He has more than 12 years of progressive experience in the fi eld of training and capacity building, as well as project management. Prior to joining ACB, he worked as Training Specialist from 1999 to 2002 under the Training and Extension Branch of ACB’s predecessor – the

ASEAN Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC). He also worked with the Local Government Finance and Development (LOGOFIND). He earned his bachelor’s degree in Forestry at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños and is now completing his Master in Management degree at the same university.

Ms. Rhia C. Galsim has almost 20 years of experience in the environment sector and has worked with various agencies of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines, such as the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau and Ecosystems Research and Development Services of a number of DENR offi ces. Prior to her appointment at the

ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, she was a Senior Science Research Specialist at the Protected Areas Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Services of the DENR-National Capital Region. Rhia has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Masters Degree in Management, majoring in Agribusiness, from the University of the Philippines in Los Banos. She is currently the Capacity Development Offi cer of ACB.


I think that I shall never seeA poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth

is prestAgainst the earth’s sweet

fl owing breast; A tree that looks at God

all day,And lifts her leafy arms

to pray; A tree that may in Summer

wearA nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow

has lain;Who intimately lives

with rain. Poems are made by fools

like me,But only God can make

a tree.

“Trees” was originally published in Trees and Other Poems. Joyce Kilmer. New York: George H. Doran Company, 1914.

SPECIAL REPORT


BAN KI-MOONSecretary-General, United Nations

By declaring 2011 as the International Year of Forests, the United Nations General Assembly has created an important platform to educate the global

community about the great value of forests – and the extreme social, economic and environmental costs of losing them.

Forests are vital to our well-being. They harbour 80 percent of land-based biodiversity, and store more than 1 trillion tons of carbon.

Greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation account for more than those by the world’s entire transportation sector.

At the recent climate change conference in Cancun, Mexico, governments took an important step towards building a low-emissions, climate-resilient future. The balanced package of measures on which they agreed included progress on the conservation and sustainable management of forests.

The decision to move forward with REDD Plus will provide tangible results for the planet and the more than 1.6 billion people who depend on forests for sustenance and livelihoods.

Let us build on this promising initiative so that present and future generations continue to benefit from the rich diversity of forests.

Nearly two decades ago, at the Rio Earth Summit, concern about forest management led to the establishment of the United Nations Forum on Forests.

In this International Year, and as we look ahead to the Rio+20 conference in 2012, we have a chance to agree on how best to realize the full potential of forests — for sustainable development, economic stability, the fight against poverty, and our efforts to ensure future prosperity for all.

AHMED DJOGHLAFExecutive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity

Biodiversity is life. Biodiversity is our life. This was the slogan of the International Year of Biodiversity.

Biodiversity is life and forests have more than 80 percent of biodiversity of our land. The unprecedented rate of loss of biodiversity is therefore compounded by the unprecedented loss of forests. And therefore, in Nagoya, at the summit on biodiversity, the 193 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity have adopted an overarching comprehensive strategy for 2011 up to 2020 called the Aichi Targets with 20 targets including several on forests – (1) to at least halve deforestation, and where feasible bring it close to zero; (2) to manage all areas under forestry sustainably; (3) to conserve at least 17 percent of terrestrial and inland water areas; and (4) to restore at least 15 percent of degraded forest ecosystems, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation and to combating desertification.

These Aichi Targets need now to be translated as a national priority through national strategies and action plans, and pay tribute to the General Assembly for having declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests. This will allow us to raise public awareness and engage the public as a whole to protect biodiversity, to protect life and, of course, to protect forests.

Messages for the International Year of Forests

SPECIAL REPORT

ountries all over the world are celebrat-ing 2011 as the International Year of Forests (Forests 2011). Launched on

February 2, 2011 during the High-Level Seg-ment of the Ninth Session of the United Na-tions Forum on Forests (UNFF) in New York, Forests 2011 was declared to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests. The celebration, with the theme “Forests for People,” is serving as a global platform to cel-ebrate people’s action to sustainably manage the world’s forests.

The declaration comes at a critical time when the world’s forests are facing immense pres-sures and challenges.

The global launch was led by Joseph Deiss, President of the 65th session of the UN Gen-eral Assembly. Apart from Deiss, other speak-ers were UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (through a video message), UN Under-Secre-tary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Sha Zukang, and ministers from Croatia, Rwan-da, Canada and Mexico. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai, UNFF Director Jan

McAlpine, Global Environment Facility Chief Ex-ecutive Officer and Chair Monique Barbut, and many other experts shared their views on the celebration.

At the launch, environmental experts and world leaders joined hands in calling for the sustainable management of forests in the inter-est of human development.

“We have a chance to agree on how best to realize the full potential of forests – for sustain-able development, economic stability, the fight against poverty and our efforts to ensure future prosperity for all,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

“We have to eradicate poverty, but not the forests. Each minute that we spend on this planet breathing in and breathing out, about 25 hectares of forests are lost. Ultimately, as history reminds us, in the past, entire civilizations col-lapse due to deforestation,” Mr. Deiss stressed.

For Mr. Deiss, it is important to involve peo-ple from various levels and sectors to achieve the goal of protecting forests for people.

“It is my hope that this Year of Forests will raise high political awareness and galvanize ac-

World focuses

C


attention on forests

Participants to the High-Level Segment of the Ninth Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests Photos courtesy of UN


tivities from the grassroots up so that the interlinked challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change and desertification can be effec-tively tackled for the ben-efit of sustainable develop-ment,” Mr. Deiss said.

He expected that “in 2011 and beyond, every country and each citizen of our planet will take action in favor of forests and bring this message across: we are all dependent on forests as much as forests are de-

SPECIAL REPORT

The Forests 2011 logo

Forests 2011 has a logo which was designed to convey the theme of “Forests for People” cele-

brating the central role of people in the sustainable management, conservation and sustainable develop-ment of our world’s for-ests. The iconographic elements in the design depict some of the mul-tiple values of forests and the need for a 360-degree perspective: forests provide shelter to people and habitat to biodiversity; are a source of food, medi-cine and clean water; and play a vital role in maintaining a stable global climate and environment. All of these elements, taken together, reinforce the message that forests are vital to the survival and well-being of people everywhere, all seven billion of us. For the use of the FORESTS 2011 logo, please log on to http://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/index.shtml for the documentary requirements.

pendent on us.”In Southeast Asia, the

ASEAN Centre for Biodiver-sity (ACB) issued a state-ment of support for Forests 2011.

“The ASEAN region played a very visible role in

the global celebration of the International Year of Biodi-versity 2010. This 2011, we will show the same enthusi-asm and support for FOR-EST 2011 as this celebration will enable us to continue highlighting the values of biodiversity through con-servation and protection of our forests,” Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, executive director of ACB, said.

He invited governments, schools and youth, civic organizations, business, media, conservation orga-nizations, and individuals to participate in the world-wide celebration of Forests 2011.

“We need all hands on deck to ensure that the well-being and survival of humans and all forms of life relying on trees and for-ests,” Mr. Fuentes said.

For more information on the International Year of Forests 2011, log on to http://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/.

A young delegate talks about the importance of growing trees

Speakers at the forum

Panelists discuss key issues on forest conservation


SPECIAL REPORT

Forests: how valuable are they?

y providing food, medicine, timber, a source of livelihood and many other products and services, forests play a

crucial role in sustaining lives of billions of peo-ple.

According to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in the past, timber production was regarded as the dominant function of for-ests. However, in recent years this perception has shifted to a more multi-functional and bal-anced view. Other forest functions and servic-es, such as recreation, health and well-being, biological diversity, maintenance of ecosystem services and the mitigation of climate change are increasingly recognized as integral compo-nents of sustainable forest management and forest biological diversity as both a complex and unique element.

A single mature tree can release enough oxygen back into the atmosphere to support

two human beings. It can absorb 4.5 kilos of air pollutants, including 1.8 kilos of ozone and 1.4 kilos of particulates. Trees store carbon and help slow human-caused climate change. Tree canopies and leaf litter protect the soil surface from the erosive power or rain. Trees purify our air and water and provide us with food, timber and medicine.

Over a 50-year lifetime, a tree generates US $31,250 worth of oxygen, provides US $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycles US $37,500 worth of water, and controls US $31,250 worth of soil erosion. All these ensure the well-being and survival of humans and all forms of life relying on trees and forests.

Forests feed rivers and are essential to sup-plying water for nearly 50 percent of the world’s largest cities. Forests create and maintain soil fertility, as well as help regulate the devastating impact of storms, floods and fires.

B

Photo courtesy of Felix Mirasol


SPECIAL REPORT

Forests are home to 300 million people around the world and to 80 percent of our terrestrial biodiversity. The livelihoods of over 1.6 billion people depend on forests. Some 30 percent of forests are used for produc-tion of wood and non-wood products. In 2001, global trade in forest products was estimated at US $327 billion.

Forests are one of the most biologically rich ter-restrial systems. Together, tropical, temperate and boreal forests offer diverse sets of habitats for plants, animals and micro-organ-isms, and harbor the vast majority of the world’s ter-restrial species. Further-more, forest biodiversity is interlinked to a web of other socio-economic fac-tors, providing an array of goods and services that range from timber and non-

timber forest resources to mitigating climate change and genetic resources. At the same time, forests pro-vide livelihoods for people worldwide and play impor-tant economic, social, and cultural roles in the lives of many indigenous communi-ties. Therefore, forests and forest biological diversity are innately linked to eco-system and human well-be-ing.

“Ensuring that forests are conserved is, therefore, crucial for human well-be-ing. From simple activities such as the planting and nurturing of trees to the more complex process of curbing illegal logging, we must encourage everyone to contribute their share in conserving our forests,” Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, execu-tive director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), said.

Young ASEAN Biodiversity Champion Adeline Suwana leads a mangrove planting activity in Indonesia.

Photo courtesy of Sahabat Alam


SPECIAL REPORT

Southeast Asia’s forest ecosystems:

a rich natural heritageBy Dr. Monina T. Uriarte and Rhia C. Galsim*

orests are very important ecosystems. The vast forests support ecologically, economically and scientifically valuable

plants and animals. Forests are the largest ter-restrial ecosystem, cover about 30 percent of the earth’s surface, and harbor an estimated 75 percent of all terrestrial biodiversity to include both flora and fauna. With an estimated 2,400 Gt of stored carbon, they account for almost half the terrestrial carbon pool.

Forests underpin the livelihood of more than 1.6 billion people. More than 2,000 groups of indigenous peoples live in forest ecosystems, which satisfy their basic needs, such as food, energy and health. Over three percent of all global trade is in forest products, which are val-

Fued at more than US $ 300 billion per year.

Every year, 13 million hectares of forests are destroyed; deforestation contributes approxi-mately 17 to 20 percent of global annual green-house gas emissions, which is approximately 5.8 Gt of carbon dioxide equivalent per year; and, 97 percent of all emissions from deforesta-tion occur in the tropics and sub-tropics (Von Scheliha et al., 2009).

These facts show how important our forests are. In line with the International Year of Forests (IYF), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) supports national initiatives and cam-paigns in raising the importance and profi les of for-ests and continues to enhance efforts in address-ing forest and forest-related issues in the region.

Forests harbor a treasure trove of plants and animals crucial to keeping the ecological balance.


SPECIAL REPORT

Forests in the ASEANForests in the ASEAN

region may be categorized according to functions: pro-tection, production, recre-ational, conservation and protected areas. Ecologi-cally, they may be classified as mangroves, freshwater swamps, peat swamps, mixed dipterocarps and montane or evergreen for-ests. More intact forests are found in protected or conservation areas like the ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP). Mostly terrestrial forests, AHPs are special protected areas that are of high conservation impor-tance because they harbor spectacular biodiversity.

Forest cover in the ASEAN region has de-creased considerably not only due to natural calami-ties but also due, among others, to destructive and illegal logging, conversion for agriculture and human settlement. Figure 1 shows the trends of forest area in the ASEAN region for the period 1980-2007.

Products and services provided by ASEAN forests

Millions of people, es-pecially local communities and indigenous peoples, are very much dependent on forests for their food, shelter and livelihood. For-ests are important sources of forest products for local communities like fuel wood, bamboo, rattans, honey,

resin and medicinal plants. Likewise, forests, especially those under sustainable for-est management, contribute to combating desertifi ca-tion; conserving biodiversity;

1

1

area

(sq.km

)

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

1990 2000 2005 2010

Figure 1. Trends of forest area in the ASEAN region, 1980-2007

Provisioning Services Cultural Services Regulating Services Supporting Services

Food crops, fiber crops and fuel

Genetic resources

Biochemicals

Freshwater

Spiritual resources and religious values

Knowledge system

Education and Inspiration

Recreational and aesthetic beauty

Pollination and seed dispersal

Climate regulation

Pest and disease regulation

Natural hazards protection

Erosion regulation/soil stabilization

Protect water resources (infiltration, purification and flow control)

Primary production

Provision of habitat

Nutrient cycling

Soil formation and retention

Product of atmospheric oxygen

Water cycling

Table 1. Different goods and services provided by forests

Local communities depend on the vast resources offered by forests.

Photo courtesy of Nilo Rivera

Photo courtesy of Nonie Reyes, BusinessMirror


SPECIAL REPORT

ASEAN Heritage Parks and forests in Southeast Asia

mitigating climate change; producing goods; protect-ing soil; providing water and other environmental servic-es, providing socio-econom-ic-socio-cultural services and livelihood support; and contributing to poverty al-leviation. Table 1 shows the different goods and services that forests provide us.

International agreements on forests

ASEAN Member States are parties to a number of international agreements on forests. These include the United Nations Frame-work Convention on Cli-mate Change (UNFCCC), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and United

Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF).

• The UNFCCC invites parties to further strengthen and sup-port ongoing efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and for-est degradation on a voluntary basis.

• The CBD’s Programme

of Work on Forest Bio-logical Diversity (Deci-sion VI/22) develops coordinated response strategies and action plans at the global, regional and nation-al levels; promotes maintenance and res-toration of biodiversity in forests to enhance

ASEAN Member State

Profile / Description

Forests ASEAN Heritage Parks

Brunei Brunei is 78 percent forested and mangrove forests cover four percent of the total area. Forests are categorized as protection, production, recreational, conservation and national parks. Ecologically, they are classified as mangroves, freshwater swamp, peat swamps, mixed dipterocarps, kerangas and montane.

Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park. Visitors can walk under the rainforest canopy or stroll along the beautiful lakeside walkways. They can also join the different ethnic groups in celebrating the Adau Gayoh festival to celebrate the spirit of unity, uphold the ethnic group�s traditions and cultural identity, and express their gratitude for good harvest.

Cambodia Cambodia�s forests are divided into protected areas (national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, community protected areas and protected landscapes), multiple-use area and protection forests.

Preah Monivong (Bokor) National Park. The park is predominantly covered with moist tropical evergreen forests to dwarf montane on the top of a mountainous plateau. Other forest types include virgin lowland forest, dry dipterocarp and mixed deciduous in the north. Activities include protection, monitoring of wildlife and community outreach programs.

Virachey National Park. Dense semi-evergreen lowland and montane forests, and occasional patches of mixed deciduous forests dominate the Park�s vegetation. The most widespread habitat is the tropical evergreen rainforest, most of which are in pristine condition.

In both parks, visitors can go bird watching, mountain climbing and trekking.

Indonesia Geologically, the country has snow and tundra in the mountain peaks of Papua, and tropical rainforest in Sumatra and Kalimantan. There are conservation, preserved, limited production, fixed production and conversable production forests. Forests are also classified as tropical rainforest and monsoonal tropical forests.

Kerinci Seblat National Park. The park is home to Asia�s oldest tropical rainforest. It is the highest mountain in Sumatra and the second highest in Indonesia. It has lowland, hill, sub-montane, lower montane, mid-montane, upper montane and the sub-alpine forests. Many visitors from all over the world climb Gunung Kerinci where the view at the top is awesome.

Gunung Leuser National Park. The park is the core of Sumatra�s tropical rainforest heritage and includes lowland evergreen dipterocarp forest, lower and upper mountain rainforest, peat swamp forest, forest over limestone and sub-alpine meadows. Tourists can go mountain climbing, rafting, kayaking, canoeing and caving.

Lorentz National Park. The park is Asia�s largest single protected area with snow-capped mountains and glaciers. It has two distinct zones: swampy lowlands, virgin forests and the high mountain and snowfields area of the Central Cordillera. The park has very rich biodiversity and cultural community.

Lao PDR Forests are classified based on altitude, rainfall, kind and dominance of tree species and the types of plant communities present. These include lowland forests (wet evergreen, semi-evergreen, mixed deciduous, deciduous dipterocarps and lowland pine woodlands), montane (evergreen and hill evergreen), and azonal habitats (zonal communities).

Nam Ha National Protected Area. Most of the area is covered by mixed deciduous forest. Along the top of the mountain ranges are dry evergreen forests. Tropical and sub-tropical forest types include evergreen gallery forests, semi-evergreen forests, sub-tropical, sub-montane and limestone forests. With its spectacular views, caves, and waterfalls and several minority groups, the park has high cultural, ecological and nature tourism potential.

ASEAN Heritage Parks and forests in Southeast Asia (continuation)

ASEAN Member State



Malaysia Approximately, 60 percent of the total area is forested, classified as permanent reserved forests, state land forests, national parks, and wildlife and bird sanctuaries.

Gunung Mulu National Park. The park�s second highest mountain peak in Sarawak characterized by gigantic limestone caves and tropical forests. Geological formations include a large sandstone mountain and two smaller limestone mountains. The park has one of the most extensive and spectacular limestone cave systems on earth. There are four show caves developed for visitors: Deer Cave, Lang�s Cave, Wind Cave and Clearwater Cave. Visitors can also experience jungle trekking and nights walks; and view the plant life while on the canopy skywalk.

Kinabalu National Park. The park stretches from the lowlands to the peak of the highest mountain in Borneo. This range includes hill dipterocarp forests, sub-montane forests and stunted upper montane heath rhododendron. The granitic massif of Mt. Kinabalu offers a range of opportunities for hikers, scramblers and rock climbers. Likewise, it is known for its intimate connection with the folklore and local traditions of Sabah.

Taman Negara National Park. The park is the first and oldest protected area of Malaysia. It is generally hilly and mountainous. Lowland dipterocarp forests dominate the area and comprise about 57 percent of plants in the park. The most popular activities include river cruising and jungle trekking. The park also has the longest rainforest canopy walk.

Myanmar Myanmar is endowed with strikingly different forests including snow-capped mountains that are over 6,000 meters high. About 50 percent of the country is covered with forests, of which 24 percent are reserved and protected public forests.

Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park. Its forests are classified according to elevation: moist upper mixed deciduous forests, dry upper mixed deciduous forests, lower mixed deciduous teak forest, indaing dry dipterocarp forests and pine forests on higher ridges. The park offers excellent opportunities for study and recreation.

Indawgyi Lake Wildlife Sanctuary. This is an inland lake dominated by moist upper mixed deciduous and semi-evergreen forests on the mountainous terrain. The park offers excellent opportunities for study and recreation. Visitors can participate in or view traditional fishing practices. They can also see famous pagodas.

Hkakaborazi National Park. This is Myanmar�s largest park and highest mountain. It is also the highest snow-capped mountain in Southeast Asia. The dominant forests include evergreen, hill, and moist upper mixed deciduous forests. Many outdoor enthusiasts climb the challenging Mt Hkakaborazi and other nearby mountain ranges. The park also provides insights into the traditional culture and customs of the Kachin Hill Tribe.

Lampi Marine National Park. The Park is comprised of seas, coral reefs, beaches, mangroves and an inhabited lowland tropical evergreen which is very rare and precious. Visitors will enjoy the jungle walks, great fishing, kayaking and a chance to encounter the Moken Sea Gypsies.

Meinmhala Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary. The Park has some natural mangrove forests generally used for research.

Philippines The country�s forest is approximately 24 percent of its total area. It consists of dipterocarp/lowland rainforests, mossy/montane/cloud forests, coastal and mangrove forests, pine and sub-marginal forests and peat swamp forests.

Mount Apo Natural Park. This is the country�s highest mountain. Its distinct forest formations include lowland, low montane, high montane summit or scrub forests. Mt. Apo is a very popular recreation area for hiking and sightseeing. It has hotsprings and orchid farms and gardens.

Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park. The large reserve contains montane forest on the main peaks. The eastern portion is composed of multi-strata evergreen forests and dry season deciduous forests. Interesting activities include bird and tamaraw watching and mountain climbing.

Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park. This is one of the few remaining rainforests in the Philippines classified as lower montane, upper montane (mossy). The park offers opportunities for mountain climbing, hiking, camping and bird watching.

Singapore The country is home to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve which contains the largest tracts of primary rainforests in the country. Most of the trees in the Reserve are rare and of special interest.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. This is the first and only wetland reserve in Singapore and is home to many tropical flora and fauna. Mangroves are dominant in this area. The Reserve has patches of secondary forests and is managed for conservation, education, recreation and research.


SPECIAL REPORT

ASEAN Heritage Parks and forests in Southeast Asia (continuation)

ASEAN Member State



Thailand Thailand has four natural regions: mountains and forests in the north side, vast rice fields in the central plains, semi-arid farm lands in the northeast plateau, and the tropical islands and long coastline in peninsula south.

Kaeng-Krachan Forest Complex. This is comprised of three national parks and one wildlife sanctuary. The complex forms part of a continuous forest complex. Eighty percent of the park is covered by dry dipterocarp, mixed deciduous and evergreen forests. Popular destinations include waterfalls, caves and several areas with wonderful natural landscape or scenery.

Khao Yai National Park. The Park has dry evergreen, dry deciduous, tropical moist evergreen and hill evergreen forests. It has the most-developed trails for visitors. The park also offers great opportunities to admire the great variety of landscapes, vegetation and wildlife.

Tarutao National Park. The park has semi-evergreen forests covering over 60 percent of the island. The dominant vegetation type is moist evergreen forest. Other types are dry evergreen, mixed deciduous, mangrove, secondary, and beach and scrub forests. A number of nature trails lead to panoramic views and superb beaches. Visitors can also enjoy boat rides, kayaking, spelunking, bird watching and island hopping.

Viet Nam Forests in Viet Nam range from closed evergreen to deciduous, needle, limestone, mangroves and bamboo.

Ba Be National Park. This is dominated by limestone mountains covered with thick forests. Typical habitats are freshwater lakes, limestone and lowland evergreen forests. Aside from its beautiful natural landscapes, the park offers opportunities for boat ride, trekking and visits to local communities.

Chu Mom Ray National Park. The park has two major forest types: the lowland evergreen and the lower montane evergreen forests. There are many interesting sights and hill tribe villages in the fringes of this park.

Hoang Lien Sa Pa National Park. The park has three types of forests: sub-montane dry evergreen forest, tropical montane deciduous forests, and sub-alpine forest. With its various natural landscapes, the park hosts community-based tourism.

Konh Ka Kinh National Park. A large range of montane evergreen forests can be found in elevation above 700 meters. Other forests include mixed coniferous and broadleaf forest. The park offers scenic landscapes and other natural features for visitors. Popular activities are trekking and bird watching.

their capacity to re-sist and recover from and adapt to climate change; and promotes forest diversity conser-vation and restoration in climate change miti-gation and adaptation measures.

• The CBD’s Programme of Work on Protected Areas and on Incen-tive Measures (Deci-sion VII/28) encourag-es the establishment and maintenance of comprehensive, effec-tively managed, and ecologically represen-tative national and regional systems of protected areas (2010 for terrestrial, and by 2012 or marine ar-eas); and the creation of incentives for inte-

gration of biodiversity for all sectors.

• UNFF 4 Global Objec-tives on Forests has Objective 1 – to re-verse the loss of for-est cover worldwide through sustainable forest management, including protection, restoration, afforesta-tion and increase ef-forts to prevent forest degradation.

Some challenges and opportunities to be con-sidered, among others, include forests for people, community-based liveli-hood for local communities and indigenous peoples in the forests, and pov-erty eradication. Billions of people are very much dependent on the services provided by the forests.

Policies and governance should be reviewed, en-hanced and attuned to the present needs, integrating climate change and oth-er environmental issues. Communication, education and public awareness ac-tivities should be enhanced and consciousness build-ing should be promoted at all levels. Environmental education should be at the community level and con-duct of information cam-paign in communities and schools in the restoration and safeguarding of forests should be encouraged.

References

1. ASEAN Centre for Biodi-versity, 2010. The ASEAN Heritage Parks: A Journey to the Natural Wonders of Southeast Asia. Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines. 310 pages.

2. ASEAN Biodiversity Out-look, 2010. ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.

3. http://bim.aseanbiodi-versity.org/biss/index.php?option=com

4. Regional and Subregional Inputs to UNFF9. Prepared by ASEAN Secretariat. January 2011.

5. Von Scheliha, S., B. Hecht & T. Christopherson. 2009. Biodiversity and Liveli-hoods: REDD Benefits. Published by GTZ and SCBD.

6. www.fao.org/forestry/icam

7. www.fao.org/forestry/man-groves

*Dr. Monina T. Uriarte and Ms. Rhia C. Galsiam are Capacity Development Specialist and Capacity Development Officer, respectively, at the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.


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Introduction / Overviewropical forests are the richest terrestrial ecosystems (FAO, 2011) in terms of bio-logical diversity. Covering a vast area of

the earth’s surface and supporting about two-thirds of the world’s terrestrial biodiver-sity, forests suffer the most widespread form of conversion and degradation. Owing to the multiple uses and benefits derived from forest ecosystems, anthropogenic actions have mod-ified much of the landscape. Many consider the modification of the forest ecosystems as one of the defining features in the progression of human societies. Perhaps this is where the most conspicuous threat posed by human ac-tivities on biodiversity is reflected (ACB, 2010). Species richness and diversity in forest ecosys-

The Status of ASEAN’s Forest Biodiversity

and Solutions to Forest Biodiversity Loss

By Dr. Filiberto A. Pollisco, Jr. and Norman Emmanuel C. Ramirez*

T

View of Southeast Asia with its remaining forest cover

A gibbon perched on a tree branch in Lao PDR • Photo courtesy of Animo Ltd.


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tems are acknowledged as vital resources. They have been used by humans since time immemorial, providing a range of goods such as wood, food and medicine (FAO, 2011).

Southeast Asia has one of the most diverse forest ecosystems in the world. Several types of forests are spread all throughout the region, the characteristics of which vary from country to country (ACB, 2010). A number of endemic plant and animal species that are dependent on the health of forest ecosystems are located in the region but they are at risk owing to the pressure exerted on its habitat. The hotspot coun-tries of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines har-bor more endemic species compared to the rest of Asia that includes China, India, Japan, and Korea. But they also have a con-siderable number of threat-ened species of amphib-ians, birds, mammals and reptiles (ACB, 2010).

In 2010, the Interna-tional Union for Conserva-tion of Nature (IUCN) re-ported that the Philippines had the highest number of critically endangered and endangered native species. Indonesia has the highest number of vulnerable na-tive species, followed by Malaysia and Viet Nam. In terms of threatened native plant species, the ASEAN ranks third in Asia, with China and Japan being first and second, respectively (ACB, 2010).

The transformation of for-ests in the region has been quite extensive over the last 50 years. Almost 8,000 years ago, the entire region was covered by forests. As of 2000, only 47 percent of the ASEAN region was for-ested, with Brunei Darus-salam, Cambodia, Indone-sia, Malaysia and Myanmar having more than 50 percent of their total land area under forest cover. By 2007, the for-est cover of the entire region was down by four percent-age points, at 43 percent.

Between the period from 1980 to 2007, the ASEAN forests have decreased by a total of 555,587 square kilo-meters, an area roughly the size of Thailand; or by an an-nual average rate of 20,578 square kilometers, an area almost 29 times the size of Singapore (ACB, 2010).

The Global Biodiver-sity Outlook 3 noted the increasing proportion of land surface designated as protected areas. This trend is also manifested in the ASEAN region. Since 1950, the designated protected areas have increased by 98 percent in terms of area and by 89 percent in terms of number. The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia have the most number of protected areas. In terms of coverage, Indonesia, Thai-land and the Philippines have the most expansive areas. The ASEAN region has also met the target of having ten percent of its terrestrial land declared as PAs, having established 13.2 percent for such pur-

Mt. Apo National Park in Southern Philippines. Photo courtesy of http://enthusiastichiker.wordpress.com/

Southeast Asia has one of the most diverse forest ecosystems in the world. Several types of forests are spread all throughout the region, the characteristics of which vary from country to country.

pose. Six ASEAN Member States have exceeded the 10-percent target; and of the six, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia and Thailand have set aside more than one fifth of their total land area for protection and conservation.

Initiatives that support conservation of forest biodiversity in the ASEAN region

The key to addressing the issues of forest eco-systems depends largely on effective governance focused on three major areas, namely: the effec-tive enforcement of binding laws and forest policies, engagement of public (par-ticularly communities and local government units) and private stakeholders, and comprehensive programs for the capacity building of institutions involved in the enforcement of laws. There exist efforts being pursued under convention-al programs such as refor-estation and afforestation,


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social forestry and commu-nity-based forest manage-ment. The establishment of more conservation areas and better forest manage-ment practices are critical initiatives in saving forest ecosystems in the region. While current respective national responses are con-sidered to be sufficient in design, two key programs merit support: the imple-mentation of forest certifi-cation programs under the ambit of sustainable forest management (SFM) and the Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT).

Sustainable forest man-agement and the formula-tion of a forest certification program are initiatives that involve close partnerships between government and the private sector.

The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), as an initiative of the ASEAN, maintains its active involve-ment in international dis-cussions which deliberate on thematic areas such as payment for ecosystem services, economic valua-tion of biodiversity, taxono-my, invasive alien species, wildlife enforcement, cli-

mate change, ecotourism, and access and benefits sharing, among others. It advocates a holistic ap-proach to biodiversity con-servation that emphasizes the importance of synergy among all components of the natural environment. The ACB supports and participates in local and international fora related to Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest car-bon stocks in developing countries (REDD-plus), The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) and PES to facilitate the active involvement of AMS. The ACB strives to ensure that the AMS have a com-mon understanding of cur-rent and emerging issues from a regional standpoint for policy development and implementation.

The establishment of protected areas (PAs) re-mains one of the key cor-nerstones of biodiversity conservation. They are established as ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs) to generate greater aware-

ness, pride, appreciation, enjoyment and conserva-tion of ASEAN’s rich natural heritage, through a regional network of representative protected areas, and to generate greater collabora-tion between AMS in pre-serving their shared natural heritage. AHPs are defined as “Protected areas of high conservation importance, preserving in total a com-plete spectrum of repre-sentative ecosystems of the ASEAN region” (ACB, 2010). At present there are 30 AHPs. The ACB serves as the Secretariat of the AHP Committee, with rep-resentatives of the 10 AMS serving as its members.

Invasive alien species (IAS) are either plants, ani-mals or microorganisms that have been introduced out-side their natural area, and which exhibit rapid growth, reproduction and dispersal that they are highly com-petitive to native species, destructive and difficult to control, particularly if the new ecosystem lacks the predators or pathogens of their own native range. The cost of damage caused by IAS globally is estimated at USD1.4 trillion per annum.

The globalization of trade and industry has facilitated the mobility of people and goods over the past de-cades. Its effect is the in-creased associated trans-port of animals, plants and micro-organisms. Shipping, for one, is a major pathway for the unintentional intro-duction of aquatic invaders when, for instance, some species get carried either in the ballast water or other parts of a vessel.

In the ASEAN region, in-vasive alien species are be-coming a threat to biodiver-sity and the economy. They are a major driver of envi-ronmental change in the re-gion, placing considerable constraints on environmen-tal conservation, economic growth, and sustainable development. The Conven-tion on Biological Diversity (CBD) calls on Parties to “prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate those alien species which threaten ecosystems, habi-tats or species (Article 8h).” It has also developed a set of guidelines to assist countries with the imple-mentation of this article.

With fi nancial assistance from the European Union, the ACB implemented the Joint Research/Initiatives on Biodiversity Programme from 2008 to 2010. Through this programme, the ACB provided technical and fi nan-cial aid in the implementa-tion of high quality research projects aimed at address-ing priority problems in the fi eld of biodiversity conser-vation in the ASEAN region and at promoting regional bridging of institutions and individuals. From Septem-ber 2009 to June 2010, Viet Nam implemented the project “Research on Solu-tions to Control the Spread of Mimosa pigra in Viet Nam and ASEAN Countries”, which thoroughly described the characteristics and dis-tribution of Mimosa pigra in The Golden Apple Snail, Pomacea canaliculata, invades rice fi elds and attacks young rice plants


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Viet Nam, and the proposed solutions for the prevention and control of spread of the IAS.

Lessons learned and ways forward

To manage and conserve forests effectively and to ad-dress the causes of defores-tation and biodiversity loss, forest management and conservation are continu-ously evolving. Forest con-servation is becoming more complex as conservationists attempt to understand and accommodate the needs and rights of people who live in and around forests (FAO, 2011).

There is a need to pro-vide the ASEAN Heritage Parks with continued sup-port so that countries can demonstrate that they can effectively manage the parks. This could encour-age more partners to sup-port on-the-ground proj-ects that will benefit the parks directly.

One of the key challeng-es in halting biodiversity loss is the involvement of the larger stakeholder base beyond environment and conservation practitioners. Awareness campaigns must also target not only the general public, but also those outside of the envi-ronment sector, primarily the economic development sectors.

Biodiversity must be mainstreamed outside of the environment domain into all relevant and sec-toral policies and plans. As the economic sector be-gins to embrace biodiver-sity and adopt sustainable strategies, direct impact on biodiversity is reduced and ecosystems services are enhanced.

The implementation of National Biodiversity Strat-egies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) must occur at all sectors and integrate biodi-versity into national policies

related commitments into national development plans and strategies; integrate and harmonize multi-sec-toral approaches; encour-age mechanisms for ben-efit sharing; and promote greater synergy between the work of CBD, the Unit-ed Nations Forum on For-ests (UNFF) and the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). (SCBD, 2009).

Biodiversity contributes to business and develop-ment. Engaging the busi-ness community and the private sector in promoting biodiversity and business initiatives has been one of the emerging key strate-gies to halt the loss of bio-diversity. Business thrives on biodiversity – pharma-ceuticals, petroleum, bio-technology or manufacture – all are in one way or an-other, beneficiaries of the components of biodiversity. Big companies engaging on CSR investments, such as support to rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems, must be acknowledged and promoted. The TEEB for Business (2010) has re-affirmed that the business opportunity for biodiversity and the natural ecosystems is getting stronger.

Biodiversity captures media coverage and pub-lic awareness and gains the attention of leaderships primarily when driven by unusual and extraordinary events. Sustained and con-certed campaigns neces-sary to reducing ecosys-tems and biodiversity loss are sorely lacking.

The ASEAN region is not only home to biologi-cally significant species and ecosystems, but also to globally significant and worthy individuals and groups who can champion the cause of conservation. The ACB heralds those little but worthwhile initia-tives that civil society or-

and programs on fisheries, forestry and trade; and into national poverty and de-velopment plans, including Millennium Development Goals (MDG) strategies.

A better understanding of the value of biodiversity can boost political support to effect changes in the way we do things and further mobilize financial resources to address the threats and drivers of biodiversity and ecosystems loss. The Eco-nomics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity 2009, which promotes the value of natu-ral wealth from ecosystems services, must continue to earn recognition and un-derstanding at the highest political level and among the economic sectors.

There is a great potential for raising revenues from REDD in Indonesia and Cambodia. There is, howev-er, a need to undertake ma-jor improvements in the insti-tutional capacities of REDD countries for such potential revenues to be realized.

In recent fora, the AMS have acknowledged the need to implement current commitments on forests, biodiversity and climate change; develop national information sharing net-works; and foster greater capacity building on tech-nical issues. There is also a need to integrate forest-

*Dr. Filiberto A. Pollisco, Jr. and Mr. Norman Emmanuel C. Ramirez are Programme Development Specialist and Programme Management Officer, respectively, at the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.

References:

ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity. 2010. ASEAN Biodiversity Out-look. Philippines. 208 pages.

ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity. 2010. The ASEAN Heritage Parks: A Journey to the Natural

Wonders of Southeast Asia. Los Baños, Laguna, Philip-pines. 310 pages.

Food and Agriculture Organi-zation of the United Nations. Forest Biodiversity accessed on 12 September 2011 at ftp://ftp.fao.org/paia/biodiver-sity/forest_biod_en.pdf.

Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2009. Report of the Sub-Regional Capacity Building Workshop on Forest Biodiversity and Cli-mate Change. 2-5 September 2009, Singapore.

Secretariat of the Conven-tion on Biological Diversity. 2010. Fact Sheet on Forest Biodiversity accessed on 12 September 2011 at http://www.cbd.int/iyb/doc/prints/factsheets/iyb-cbd-factsheet-forest-en.pdf.

Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2011. Report of the Asia-Pacific Regional Consultation and Capacity Building Workshop on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD-Plus), Includ-ing on Relevant Biodiversity Safeguards. 15-18 March 2011, Singapore.

World Bank. Biodiversity and Forests at a Glance accessed on 12 September 2011 at http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ESS DNETWORK/64158610-1111583197441/20488129/BiodiversityAndForestsAtAGlance.pdf

ganizations, the youth, and regular individuals are able to do to impact on society at large.

One of the key challenges in halting biodiversity loss is the involvement of the larger stakeholder base beyond environment and conservation practitioners.

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Forestry cooperation in the ASEAN region

ecognizing the need to conserve its forest ecosystem, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has

in place a policy framework for forestry cooper-ation. Policy coordination and decision-making on regional cooperation in the forest sector is the task of the ASEAN Senior Officials on For-estry (ASOF) guided by the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF).

The AMAF is the highest body which handles the ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry. It is supported by the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM-AMAF). Under the SOM-AMAF several permanent subsidiary bodies (Board, Sectoral Working Group, Committee) are in charge of the respective cooperation sectors.

The permanent subsidiary bodies establish task forces, expert and working groups, e.g., the ASEAN Experts Group on International Forest Policy Processes (AEG-IFPP) and the ASEAN Working Group on a Pan-ASEAN Timber Certifi-cation Initiative (AWG-C), to undertake planning and implementation of specific activities within a specific time-frame.

The ASOF are responsible for policy coordi-nation and decision-making in regional coop-eration in the forest sector. Under the ASOF, seven experts as well as working groups were established to implement programs and activi-ties, of which the AEG-IFPP and the AWG-C are of special interest for forest policy: 1) ASEAN Experts Group on International Forest Policy

R

Researchers inspect trees at a protected area.

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Processes (AEG-IFPP). The AEG-IFPP deals with issues such as Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), nation-al forest programs (NFP), Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG), and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD); 2) ASEAN Working Group on a Pan-ASEAN Timber Cer-tification Initiative (AWG-C). Understanding forest and timber certification as an important tool for promoting SFM and in view of the in-creasing demand for SFM-certified timber worldwide, the Ad-Hoc Working Group on a Pan-ASEAN Timber Certification Initiative (AWG) was created in 2002 to ex-plore concrete measures for regional cooperation in timber certification between ASEAN Member States; 3) ASEAN Experts Group (AEG) on CITES (Conven-tion on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora); 4) ASEAN Wildlife Enforce-ment Network (ASEAN-WEN); 5) ASEAN Social Forestry Network (ASFN); 6) ASEAN Experts Group (AEG) on Research and De-

velopment for Forest Prod-ucts; and 7) ASEAN Experts Group (AEG) on Herbal and Medical Plants.

ASEAN cooperationASEAN cooperation

in the agricultural sector started as early as 1968, including food production and supply. In 1977, the scope of cooperation was broadened to cover the greater area of agriculture and forestry as the needs have increased. Currently, the specific areas under the ASEAN cooperation in food, agriculture and for-estry includes food secu-rity, food handling, crops, livestock, fisheries, agri-cultural training and ex-tension, agricultural coop-eratives, forestry and joint cooperation in agriculture, and forest products pro-motion scheme.

The basic objective of the ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and For-estry is to formulate and implement regional coop-eration activities to enhance the international competi-tiveness of ASEAN’s food, agriculture and forestry products as well as further

strengthen the food se-curity arrangement in the region and joint position in international forums.

The ASEAN Socio-Cul-tural Community (ASCC) Blueprint ensures environ-mental sustainability. This includes, among others, in-tensified regional coopera-tion on global environmen-tal issues, conservation of biological diversity, as well as promotion of sustain-able forest management (SFM) and eradication of unsustainable practices including combating illegal logging and its associated trade. In order to address environmental issues ef-fectively, the ASCC Blue-print calls for a holistic approach in regional coop-eration.

In forest policy, ASEAN Member States have been pursuing a comprehensive policy approach by imple-menting the concept of NFP. In order to achieve SFM, the NFP has been the framework for the work of the ASOF and their expert and working groups.

Further basic policy doc-uments include the ASEAN Vision 2020, released in

December 1997, which un-derlines the region’s com-mitment for a common un-derstanding to “promote the forestry sector as a model in forest management, conservation and sustain-able development”. This Vision is further elaborated through the adopted Decla-ration of ASEAN Concord II (Bali Concord II) in October 2003 where ASEAN un-derscored its commitment to the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustain-able Development (WSSD).

The ASEAN Vision 2020 calls for the promotion of forestry as a model for sus-tainable development by harmonizing environmental, social, and economic poli-cies among the ten Member States. Creating conditions favorable to SFM - an entry point for governance reform - is a key national and re-gional public management challenge.

ASEAN Regional Knowledge Networks

The ASEAN Regional Knowledge Networks (ARKNs) on FLEG and REDD were established based on the decisions of the Eleventh Meet-ing of the ASOF, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 31 - August 1, 2008, to promote the use of regional knowl-edge network, among others, to broaden the ASEAN base of knowledge in forestry. The main objective of these Networks is to support ASOF and the AMAF in decision-mak-ing and implementation processes by providing specific policy-oriented and focused research and policy analysis.

Photo courtesy of Green Community


ASEAN Forest Clearing-House Mechanism

The ASEAN Forest Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM) is a regional learn-ing platform to facilitate forest policy coordination and policy learning among the ASEAN Member States and beyond. It is designed to promote networking and holistic knowledge man-agement between ASEAN stakeholders, processes and institutions. The tool is managed by the ASEAN Secretariat and serves as an institutional hub of the new networked and knowl-edge-based ASEAN. It is an essential instrument of information and knowledge sharing and communication for forestry-related ASEAN mechanisms, such as ASEAN expert and work-ing groups and the ASEAN knowledge networks, and helps organizing exchange of experiences as well as learning processes among them.

The CHM is also a tool to enhance communication and interaction with other ASEAN stakeholders and the broader public. Since its first launch in 2004, the CHM has been evolving from managing data and in-formation towards captur-ing knowledge (e.g. series of ASEAN-German ReFOP

Briefing Papers, ARKN Briefing Papers) and trans-lating knowledge into appli-cation and innovation. The latter includes the CHM’s role as a communication platform for the ASEAN Re-gional Knowledge Networks (ARKN) on forest policy pri-orities in the region which are FLEG and forests and climate change, in particular REDD. The ARKNs provide policy-oriented research to better inform policy deci-sion-making and implemen-tation by the AMAF/ASOF.

The ASEAN Secretariat manages the interface be-tween these complemen-tary formal and informal mechanisms, among oth-ers, through the CHM. In this context, the CHM significantly contributes to oversee the complex-ity and interconnectedness of forest policy issues and processes. In the current phase of development, fo-cus will be on the human dimension of KM, e.g., cap-turing tacit knowledge (e.g., policy briefs by ARKN mem-bers, lessons learned) and managing exchange and networking among ASEAN stakeholders.

The CHM provides all us-ers access to work-related information and knowledge and enables them to make contact with the respective sources. While managed by

the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASOF community, members of the regional knowledge networks, ASEAN partners and other ASEAN stake-holders are responsible for actively producing, upload-ing and maintaining their re-spective products retaining full responsibility and own-ership of their inputs into the CHM. This custodian-ship is important because it places the responsibility for timelines, maintenance, access and other issues squarely where it belongs, on the initial producer or provider. However, equally pertinent is a mechanism of quality control and stan-dardization to be overseen by the ASEAN Secretariat.

Sustainable Forest Management

Sustainable Forest Man-agement (SFM) aims to

ensure that products and social, cultural, and envi-ronmental services provided by forests meet the needs of the current generation, while at the same time maintaining their availability for the development needs of future generations. De-spite a long history of forest conversion and forest deg-radation due to unsustain-able logging practices, the natural forests of Southeast Asia still constitute an im-mense renewable resource and provide vital contribu-tions to the economic and social development of the region. Invariably, the coun-tries of the region are com-mitted to the principle of SFM, as expressed in their respective forest policies and/or sector strategies. In line with international poli-cy debates (e.g., UNCED, 1992: Rio Declaration and Forest Principles) the defi-nition of SFM applied by these countries has gradu-ally evolved from a focus on sustained timber production to sustainable forest man-agement that embraces the full range of economic, environmental and social aspects.

ASEAN Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Management of Tropical Forests

Criteria and indica-tors for sustainable forest

Forests provide a host of products such as wooden furniture.

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management were devel-oped to provide countries with a framework for de-fining sustainable forest management and assess-ing progress towards this goal. They are tools to help identify trends in the forest sector and the effects of forest management inter-ventions over time, and to facilitate decision mak-ing in national forest policy processes. The ultimate aim of these tools is to promote improved forest management practices over time, and to foster the development of a healthier and more productive forest resource base.

A total set of seven criteria for monitoring and assess-ing sustainable management of tropical forests in ASEAN were identifi ed, as well as 59 indicators. These indicators cover a range of forestry as-pects required to attain sus-tainable forest management, from economic and institu-tional frameworks; descrip-tion of resource base and conservation and protection procedures; areas damaged by human activities and natural causes; resource assessment and planning procedures for forest har-vesting; species and ge-netic diversity; management guidelines for reduced/low impact logging; the protec-tion of soil productivity and downstream catchment val-ues; and endangered, rare and threatened species, in-cluding procedures for their monitoring and evaluation; utilization of wood and non-wood forest products; and employment; to community participation.

Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting Format for Sustainable Forest Management in ASEAN

Achieving sustainable management of forest is the ultimate goal of any forest management prac-tices. All forest organiza-

tions and forest owners, especially those directly in-volved in the management, conservation and develop-ment of forest resources are responsible to carry out effective monitoring, assessment and reporting on the forest management practices implemented, based on the principles of sustainable forest manage-ment through the use of agreed criteria and indica-tors. They are tools to help identify trends in the forest sector and the effects of forest management inter-ventions over time, and to facilitate decision mak-ing in national forest policy processes.

National Forest Programs

In order to address envi-ronmental issues effective-ly, the ASCC Blueprint calls for a holistic approach in regional cooperation. In for-est policy, ASEAN Member States have been pursuing a comprehensive policy ap-proach by implementing the concept of national for-est programs (NFP). The concept is based on the “Forest Principles”, agreed at the UN Conference on Environment and Devel-opment in 1992 in Rio as the first global consensus on the management, con-servation and sustainable development of all types of forests.

An NFP constitutes a participatory, holistic, in-ter-sectoral and iterative process of policy planning, implementation, moni-toring and evaluation at national and subnational level with the objective of SFM as a contribution to sustainable development. NFPs are country-specif-ic, though following spe-cific principles: national sovereignty and country leadership with a clear commitment to SFM and assuming responsibility

for global concerns while strengthening coordination of international support to advance the country-driv-en NFP process; consis-tency within and beyond the forest sector address-ing decentralization and devolution efforts as well as integrating SFM into overarching processes at the national level such as national strategies for sus-tainable development, rel-evant national action plans and poverty reduction strategies; and partnership and participation with a view of finding consensus among stakeholders, re-solving conflicts and build-ing alliances, paired with transparency and public accountability.

NFP processes are flex-ible in integrating new chal-lenges and policy agendas deriving from the interna-tional discussion, such as FLEGT and REDD. They combine protection and sustainable use of natural resources with economic and social development, thus reflecting key inten-tions of the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Sustain-ability.

Forest and Timber Certification

In view of the worldwide increasing demand for cer-tified timber, and under-standing forest and timber certification as an important tool for promoting SFM, a number of ASEAN Member States embarked during the 1990s on the development of national forest and tim-ber certification schemes. Several national standards for forest certification of natural and planted forests were created, taking into account the design of IT-TOs C&I for SFM of natu-ral tropical forests and/or FSCs Principles and Cri-teria for forest. On ASEAN level, Regional Criteria and

Indicators for Sustainable Management of Natural Tropical Forests were pub-lished in 2000.

ASEAN Working Group on a Pan-ASEAN Timber Certification Initiative (AWG-C)

Within the ASEAN Mem-ber States, the enabling conditions and the situa-tion in the context of for-est certification vary sig-nificantly. This led to the establishment of the Tech-nical Working Group on a Pan-ASEAN Timber Certi-fication Initiative (AWG-C), entrusted with the develop-ment of a regional guideline for a Phased-approach to Forest Certification (PACt). The guideline or regional policy framework shall sup-port a step-by-step pro-cess to achieve SFM within each member state. The working group ranked the development of a regional timber legality standard as the first phase of the PACt. In this context, the group agreed on six elements to be included in the regional timber legality standard, and currently drafts the re-lated criteria and indicators of the standard, to be fur-ther interpreted on member state level.

The AWG currently de-velops the criteria and indi-cators of the ASEAN timber legality standard (based on the agreed upon six ele-ments) and drafts a regional guideline on Chain-of-Cus-tody (CoC). National inter-pretations of the regional timber legality standard shall follow. The AWG con-ducted several capacity-building activities on certi-fication, legality verification and changing requirements of international timber mar-kets.

Reference:

http://www.aseanforest-chm.org

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orests are home to nearly 90 percent of the world’s biodiversity (World Bank 2004). Local communities depend on

forests as a source of fuel, food, medicines and shelter. It directly supports the livelihoods of 90 percent of the 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty (World Bank 2004). Forests also provide essential ecosystem services such as watershed protection, water fl ow regulation, nutrient cy-cling, rainfall generation and disease regulation (Global Canopy Foundation 2009). Old growth forest absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmo-sphere, offsetting man-made emissions.

Previous approaches to reduce emissions have been unsuccessful. A new framework, Re-ducing Emissions from Deforestation and For-est Degradation (REDD), was conceptualized with the basic idea being that “countries that are willing and able to reduce emissions from deforestation should be financially compensat-ed for doing so”.

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Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and

Forest DegradationF

REDD is primarily about emission reductions. The UNFCCC (2007) COP13 reports that to mitigate climate change, REDD should include the following: policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest deg-radation in developing countries; and the role of conservation, the sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries.

More recently, the “Plus” in REDD-Plus has attracted increasing attention towards activities related to the conservation and enhancement of carbon stocks. This could address climate change and rural poverty while conserving bio-diversity and sustaining vital ecosystem ser-vices.

During the ASEAN Conference on Biodiver-sity in October 2009, it was acknowledged that deforestation leads to loss of species, as well as the increase of greenhouse gas emissions to


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the atmosphere. The con-ference participants gener-ally agreed to pursue REDD as a key strategy to climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, as well as biodiversity conservation in the region, provided that the approach be applied to all ecosystems and not on terrestrial ecosystems alone; and that it should be focused more towards re-gional perspectives rather than mainly at the country and local levels. Numerous issues surrounding REDD remain under negotiation. Significant messages that came out of the conference were:

• The definition of “for-est” must be reviewed in light of the UNFCCC definition, which con-siders “plantations” of any tall growing monoculture (e.g. oil palm) as “forest.”

• REDD+ has to pursue long-term goals with ambitious targets, that is: to halve the gross deforestat ion/forest degradation by 2010

and halt it by 2030. Its long-term ap-proach should include all land uses; but for the short- to medium-term: to review and implement the previ-ous agreements on REDD before expand-ing its scope further.

• REDD mechanisms must begin by having firm agreements at the smallest-scale and most local level before it is elevated to higher ground.

• Communication and public awareness ac-tivities on REDD must be enhanced; more involvement and par-ticipation from key stakeholders, includ-ing indigenous peo-ples and the business sector, must be en-couraged on climate change and other en-vironmental agenda.

• Financing mecha-nisms and schemes must be studied thor-oughly to determine whether to continue

under government support or move to-wards self-financing.

• A general framework is needed – flexible enough to meet the different countries’ needs.

The ASEAN region show-cases some successful REDD initiatives, specifi cally in Cambodia and Viet Nam.

Cambodia The REDD project in the

Seima Biodiversity Con-servation Area (SBCA) is the second REDD pilot site in Cambodia, but the fi rst one in a conservation area. The area used to be a log-ging concession prior to the creation of the SBCA in 2002. It is inhabited by the Bunong minority, an indig-enous peoples group that is described as having low literacy, small in numbers and of weak political clout. In determining the success of a REDD project, accurate predictions of deforestation rates must be determined. This can provide sound esti-mates of tons of carbon that

can be saved. Furthermore, the REDD management sys-tem must be able to provide strong additionality, and law enforcement activities and community incentives for forest protection must be included in the strategy. The project offi cially began in October 2008. The fi rst ac-tivities included staff train-ing, actual data collection for carbon stock surveys, and baseline analysis to re-cord and project deforesta-tion rates. Fundraising for implementation is ongoing, along with the writing and certifi cation of the Project Design Document. In six to twelve months, the fi rst credits will be ready to be brought to market.

Viet Nam In Viet Nam, there exists

the potential and willing-ness on the part of gov-ernment to include REDD as part of its strategy on climate change response. A national framework has been developed, particular-ly in linking it with the exist-ing policy on PES. Start-up

A new report from the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diver-sity (CBD), REDD-Plus and Biodiversity (CBD Technical Series No. 59),

provides technical and scientific information on the ways to ensure that the design and implementation of REDD-plus policies support the objectives of the CBD.

REDD-Plus refers to policies for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in de-veloping countries that are promoted under the United Nations Frame-work Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The REDD-Plus and Biodiversity report aims to: outline potential benefi ts of REDD-Plus for biodiversity and indigenous and local communities; dem-onstrate the importance of biodiversity and indigenous and local community co-benefi ts for the long-term success of REDD-Plus; outline possible risks of REDD-Plus for biodiversity and indigenous and local communities, with a view to contributing to the development or improvement of appropriate policy recommendations; outline ways in which the CBD can contribute to the success of REDD-Plus, and in turn, outline the potential ways in which REDD-Plus can contribute to the objectives of the CBD; and present various tools for achieving multiple benefi ts in planning and implementing REDD-Plus activities.

New publication outlines biodiversity elements for design and implementation of REDD-Plus


For in-depth information and news on biodiversity across Southeast Asia, check out the ASEAN Biodiversity Newsmagazine, the quarterly international publication of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)!

ASEAN Biodiversity features special reports on biodiversity-related themes in the ASEAN context, such as climate change, ecotourism, transboundary protected areas, and ASEAN Heritage Parks. Profi les on protected areas provide information on the status of habitats and wildlife, and interesting activities in the parks. A pull-out section on specifi c species can be interesting reference materials for researchers and students. The magazine also features ongoing programs and activities of ACB that assist ASEAN Member States in addressing various biodiversity conservation issues.

ACB welcomes contributions from volunteer writers and photographers who want to help popularize biodiversity. Interested parties may contact Mr. Rolando Inciong, Editor-in-Chief of ASEAN Biodiversity at [email protected], or Ms. Leslie Castillo at [email protected], or call ACB at (+632) 928-3210 and (+632) 929-4147.

For more information visit the ACB website at www.aseanbiodiversity.org.

ASEAN Biodiversity magazine online

to allow the proper assess-ment of benefi ts, and where carbon sequestration efforts can be undertaken to opti-mize co-benefi ts within the country. Agencies primarily responsible for REDD have to be established. There is also the need to establish governance mechanisms that will allow proper mea-surement and the equitable transfer of payments from the buyers to all stakehold-ers.

REDD activities may lead to losses or costs in other conservation programs or areas, thus resulting in leak-age. One way to avoid this is to establish a national ac-counting system to take all benefits and costs into ac-count. Viet Nam is interest-ed in cooperating with its neighbors to start work on an international account-ing system in order to avoid leakage at the international level. ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook

activities include partner-ing with international donor agencies in reviewing REDD methodologies and set-ting up national institution-al mechanisms. Capacity building activities are being undertaken, from technical workshops to public aware-

ness-raising and the estab-lishment of public-private partnerships.

Prospects are bright for REDD to be established in the country. However, there are a number of challenges and constraints that need to be overcome in order to

meet Viet Nam’s REDD tar-gets. In terms of implemen-tation issues, for instance, purchases are made at the global level, making monitor-ing much harder and more complex. There are also is-sues on co-benefi ts, how to put proper systems in place

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Photo courtesy of Nonie Reyes, BusinessMirrorMajestic trees


iodiversity is defined as total diversity not only in the species and genetic levels, but also in diversity in the level of eco-

systems and habitats as a result of the inter-action between living things with the physical environment where they live.

Watershed as an ecosystem is part of Earth’s biodiversity. There are ecosystems in watershed areas. These include forest ecosys-tem, river stream ecosystem, lake or pond eco-system, farmland ecosystem in downstream of river, where all are influenced and connected by biophysical condition of watershed.

When a watershed is good condition, this means that the relationships among all compo-nents including biotic and abiotic factors such as flora, fauna, topographic condition, slope, rock and soil type, climatic condition, and hu-man activity, are balanced. A healthy watershed is one that is able to maintain natural biodiver-sity. Sustainability can also be determined from the watershed’s physical condition. Indicators of good physical condition include vegetation

cover, water flow continuity, erosion and sedi-mentation on river body or river banks.

A healthy watershed provides priceless en-vironmental services and benefits for humans and their livelihood. Watershed can ensure the availability of fresh potable water, maintain wa-ter for farmland irrigation, control flood, pro-duce fresh air for humans to breathe, and keep soils fertile in order to maintain the productivity of farms. Watershed can also be used for edu-cational purposes like research and recreation. Biodiversity can be well protected in a healthy watershed environment. Watershed provides a comfortable habitat for many plant and animal species.

A degraded watershed is characterized by extreme erosion and sedimentation, drought in dry season, and extreme and muddy streams in wet season. Degradation results in sedi-mentation and reduced vegetation cover in the upstream side. Such condition can no longer support animal and plant populations. Habi-tat destruction in watershed areas will have

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Watershed and biodiversityBy Ega Denaswidhi*

B

Photo by Ismail

Wood and plant debris after fl ood


far-reaching effects. Due to degradation, watershed will lose its ability to catch water, contributing to the effects of drought, flood, landslides and loss of soil fertility. Biodiversity may also decrease in quality and quantity owing to the lack of water supply from the watershed. In the end, this will be detrimental to human life.

The drivers of watershed degradation include land use transformation from forest land to farmland or commercial plantation and from forest to settlement and construction; land tenure problems; popula-tion growth; and climate change. The expansion of cultivated area for agricul-ture and plantations, some-times ignoring conservation rules, accelerate land deg-

radation in watershed areas. This also contributes to rap-id soil erosion, resulting in a decline in soil nutrition and productivity. The expansion of cultivated land also leads to a decline in biodiversity at the species level when the diversity of forest plants is transformed into one or two commercial plantation crops. In addition, planta-tion crops do not contribute to soil fertility.

One example is the Utan Watershed, one of the small watersheds in Sumbawa Island, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. Located in the western part of Sumbawa Island, the watershed cov-ers 19,254.84 hectares, administratively through two District areas and eight villages and a river called Brang Utan. The Utan Wa-

tershed area is covered by primary forest as protected forest and limited produc-tion forest zone. The main forest vegetations include Ketemis, Telutu, Beringin (Ficus benjamina L) and Asem (Tamarindus indica). According to Bird Life Inter-national (2001), Sumbawa Island is an endemic birds area for several birds spe-cies such as Burung madu mentari (Nectarinia solatis) and pergam punggung hi-tam (Ducula lacernulata).

Land use transformation is evident in the middle and downstream of the Utan Watershed, dominated by dryland agriculture, planta-tions, shrubland, and some savana’s. Grazing cattle and goats usually can be seen in the area, since a majority of the residents are farmers. Further down-stream, one can encoun-ter more and more paddy field (sawah) and shrubland which are poor in biodiver-sity. Human intervention in the area’s land manage-ment has resulted in the decline of biodiversity at the species level.

While human activity has a number of negative influ-ence on watersheds, hu-mans can also have posi-tive contributions when they act as planners and imple-

menters of conservation in watershed areas. Many land and forest rehabilita-tion programs are estab-lished to restore watershed condition. These programs are also used to improve ecosystems as biodiversity at the habitat level.

Governments must take the lead in promoting co-operation among the public and private sectors, local government, indigenous peoples and non-govern-ment organizations and all those involved in exploit-ing forest and watershed resources. Reforestation programs such as People Seeds Garden, Social For-estry, Seed for People, One Man One Tree and One Bil-lion Indonesia Tree for the World are just some of the programs initiated by the Indonesian government in the framework of land and forest rehabilitation.

Some sectors believe that these programs can-not reach the target of re-habilitating forests as spe-cies that are being used for replanting are not always the same type of vegeta-tion that used to cover de-graded forests. In such situation, the decrease in biodiversity at species level will continue. But wide and massive-scale planting of even just one type of spe-cies in watershed ecosys-tems may still promote the return of normal river eco-system, including the resto-ration of hydrological func-tions. This could provide opportunities for endemic species to return and live in such habitat.

Land and forest reha-bilitation movements must start now, because one tree felled may result in ten disasters.

*Mr. Ega Denaswidhi, S.Si is a Forest Ecosystem Controller with Dodokan Moyosari Watershed Management Agency.

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Photo by Ega Denaswidhi

Photo by IsmailBare land for farmland and plantation

Sediment in downstream, sometimes use as fi shponds


ncome from forests and other natural environments makes a significant con-tribution to the livelihoods of millions of

people in developing countries, according to a six-year global study that has documented for the first time on such a scale the role that the environment plays in poverty alleviation.

“The results underscore the importance of sustainably managing forests and other natural environments in developing countries because they provide income to many of the world’s poorest people,” said Frances Seymour, Direc-tor General of the Center for International For-estry Research (CIFOR), which carried out the study.

The size of environmental incomes, e.g., wood, game, plants, and other resources har-vested from the wild, has until now been poorly documented, and is not obvious to most poli-cymakers. Many existing tools for assessing poverty and income – such as poverty reduc-tion strategy plans, poverty surveys, the World Bank’s Living Standard Measurement Survey, and national income accounting systems – fall short of capturing the importance of the income from natural resources, so that its true value in the livelihoods of the world’s rural poor remains largely invisible.

The Poverty and Environment Network (PEN) study consists of data from more than 8,000 households from 60 sites in 24 countries.

Among those surveyed, forest income – on average – constitutes more than one-fifth of total household income, while environmental income (forest and non-forest) makes up more than one fourth, according to the preliminary numbers that come out of the study’s global data base.

Another surprising finding of the PEN study is that forests do not play a primary role as safe-ty nets among the households in the survey. “Households respond to shocks mostly through other coping strategies, such as reduced con-sumption, temporary employment, or seek-ing external assistance. Forests also seem to have a less than expected role in terms of filling seasonal income gaps, e.g., between crop har-vests, although they may serve a role as a sea-

sonal gap filler at some of the research sites,” said Sven Wunder, Principal Scientist at CIFOR, who has also been leading the study.

Typically, all members of a household – men, women, and children – participate in the collec-tion and processing of forest products. Contrary to what has been claimed, men bring as much or more forest products to the households as women, although there is a clear pattern of women being more involved in subsistence uses and men in cash-earning activities. CIFOR

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New global study showshigh reliance on

forests among rural poor

The size of environmental incomes, e.g., wood, game, plants, and other resources harvested from the wild, has until now been poorly documented, and is not obvious to most policymakers.

I

Photo courtesy of Animo Ltd.

new report from the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), REDD-plus and Biodiversity (CBD

Technical Series No. 59) provides technical and scientific information on the ways to en-sure that the design and implementation of REDD-plus policies support the objectives of the CBD.

REDD-plus refers to policies for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest deg-radation, conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests and en-hancement of forest carbon stocks in develop-ing countries that are promoted under the Unit-ed Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

It is a growing conclusion that climate change, land degradation and biodiversity are interconnected, not only through the effects of climate change on biodiversity and land man-agement, but also through the changes in bio-diversity and ecosystem functioning that affect climate change.

Observed changes in climate have already adversely affected biodiversity at the species and ecosystem levels, with further changes in biodiversity being inevitable with further changes in climate. The degradation of many ecosystems is in turn significantly reducing their carbon storage and sequestration capac-ity, leading to increases in emissions of green-house gases.

New publication outlinesbiodiversity elements for

design and implementationof REDD-Plus

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A


Photo courtesy of Zulkarnain

REDD-plus may be part of the solution to simulta-neously combat climate change and save biodiver-sity. If well designed and implemented, REDD-plus can decrease emissions of greenhouse gases and pro-vide considerable benefits for biodiversity and liveli-hoods.

This potential has been recognized by the Parties to the CBD, who invited Par-ties, other Governments, and relevant international and other organizations to ensure that REDD-plus ac-tions do not run counter to the objectives of the CBD, but support the implementa-tion of the program of work on forest biodiversity, and provide biodiversity benefi ts for forests, and, where pos-sible, to indigenous and local communities (Decision IX/5).

The REDD-plus and Biodi-versity report aims to: outline potential benefi ts of REDD-plus for biodiversity and indig-enous and local communities; demonstrate the importance of biodiversity and indigenous and local community co-ben-efi ts for the long-term success of REDD-plus; outline pos-sible risks of REDD-plus for biodiversity and indigenous and local communities, with a view to contributing to the

development or improvement of appropriate policy recom-mendations; outline ways in which the CBD can contribute to the success of REDD-plus, and in turn, outline the poten-tial ways in which REDD-plus can contribute to the objec-tives of the CBD; and pres-ent various tools for achieving multiple benefi ts in planning and implementing REDD-plus activities.

The publication is also in-tended to contribute to the achievement of the global Strategic Plan for Biodiver-sity 2011-2020, approved at the most recent meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD, in Oc-tober 2010 in Japan. Of the 20 targets to be achieved by 2020, agreed in Nagoya, the following four are most relevant in the context of REDD-plus: Target 5 - to at least halve deforestation, and where feasible bring it close to zero; Target 7 - to manage all areas under forestry sustainably; Target 11 - to conserve at least 17 percent of terrestrial and in-land water areas; and Tar-get 15 - to restore at least 15 percent of degraded ecosystems, thereby con-tributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation and to combating deserti-

fication.Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf,

Executive Secretary of the CBD, said: “If we are going to achieve sustainable de-velopment, and avoid some of the devastating impacts of climate change on biodi-versity, it is imperative that the global community find ways to harmonize the im-plementation of all three Rio conventions. REDD-plus offers such an opportunity. The Secretariat is pleased to provide this detailed

guidance, as a contribution to the ongoing discussions on the sustainable use of forest biodiversity.”

The publication also con-tributes to a broader series of regional consultations and capacity-building workshops in 2011 and 2012, including with the participation of in-digenous and local commu-nities, as a means to consult effectively with Parties and obtain their views on the application of relevant safe-guards for biodiversity and other aspects of biodiversity within REDD-plus.

This includes the iden-tification of possible indi-cators to assess the con-tribution of REDD-plus to achieving the objectives of the CBD, and to assess po-tential approaches to moni-tor impacts on biodiversity from these and other eco-system-based activities for climate change mitigation.

The advice on biodiver-sity aspects of REDD-plus developed on the basis of these workshops and views received from Parties will be presented to the COP for approval at its eleventh meeting, scheduled to take place in India in fall 2012.

The document and the other activities of the CBD Secretariat in relation to REDD-plus are being un-dertaken without any inten-tion of pre-empting any fu-ture decisions taken under the UNFCCC.

This document and other results of the CBD process to develop advice on rele-vant biodiversity safeguards of REDD-plus, and other information on biodiversity co-benefi ts of REDD-plus, will be made available to the UNFCCC through appropri-ate means, including to its Subsidiary Body for Scien-tifi c and Technological Ad-vice (SBSTA) in the context of its work on REDD-plus safeguards.

The REDD-plus and Bio-diversity report is available at: www.cbd.int/ts.

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“If we are going to achieve sustainable development, and avoid some of the devastating impacts of climate change on biodiversity, it is imperative that the global community fi nd ways to harmonize the implementation of all three Rio conventions.”



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ASEAN Champions of

rom mobilizing stu-dents to educate their fellow youth on

the values of biodiversity to supporting forest research to gather information on the impact of climate change on forests, the winners of the fi rst ASEAN Champions of Biodi-versity awards are champi-oning the web of life in their own spheres of infl uence.

HSBC Brunei, the GMA Network,s Born to be Wild television program in the Phil-ippines, and Green Commu-nity youth organization from Indonesia are the winners in the Business, Media and Youth categories, respec-tively, of the inaugural ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) announced.

The announcement fol-lowed the launch of the United Nations Decade in Southeast Asia in Malacanang and forms part of the celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2011 and the Interna-tional Year of Forests.

Supported by the ASEAN Foundation, the European Union, GIZ, the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, UNES-CO and the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communica-tion, the ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity is a recognition

program for ongoing projects on biodiversity conservation and advocacy in the ASEAN region. The award is aimed at generating greater leadership, public and media awareness of the problems facing the re-gion’s rich but highly threatened biodiversity and the need for a concerted effort in biodiversity conservation and advocacy.

Biodiversity announced

The champions from the business, media and youth categories received their award at a ceremony and forum held in the Philippines. HSBC Brunei was recognized for being the fi rst corporation to support the Heart of Bor-neo (HoB) Initiative and for advancing climate change re-search in the forests of Brunei. Born to be Wild topped the Media Category for effectively bridging the gap between sci-entists and the public and for going the extra mile in assist-ing viewers in implementing their own conservation initia-tives. The study group Green Community won for its efforts to introduce young students to conservation at an early age and bringing the results of their biodiversity inventory activities to communities in Semarang, Indonesia.

PTT Public Company Ltd. of Thailand and Chevron Phil-ippines, Inc. won second and third place in the Business Category, while The Brunei Times and the Philippines’ BusinessMirror ranked second and third in the Media Catego-ry. The second and third spot in the Youth Category were bagged by Sahabat Alam of Indonesia and the Architec-tural Students’ Association of the Philippines – University of the Philippines Diliman Chap-ter (ASAPhil-UP).

“The global target of sig-nifi cantly reducing biodiversity loss remains unmet. However, rather than dwell on this grim reality, the best approach is to move forward and continue to take action. Now more than ever, biodiversity is in urgent need of champions that peo-ple from various sectors can identify with – modern-day he-roes who can inspire them to take action and conserve bio-diversity. Through the ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity, we were fortunate to be acquaint-ed with individuals and orga-nizations who are working to conserve the web of life,” Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, executive director of ACB, said.

Mr. Boon Teck Lim, representing Business Sector Champion HSBC Brunei; Mr. Dhita Prasisca Mutiatari, representing Youth Sector Champion Green Community; and Mr. Kiko Rustia, representing Media Sector Champion Born to be Wild; with awards organizers Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity; Ms. Arantzazu Acha, project offi cer for environmental science unit of UNESCO-Jakarta, Mr. Rodrigo U Fuentes, executive director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity; Dr. Berthold Seibert, project manager of the ACB-GIZ Climate Change Project; Dato Misran Karmain, ASEAN deputy secretary-general for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community; and Dr. Makarim Wibisono, executive director of the ASEAN Foundation.

F


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According to Dr. Makarim Wibisono, executive director of the ASEAN Foundation, the winners truly exemplify a cadre of champions who will serve as ambassadors of goodwill for biodiversity conservation and advocacy in the ASEAN region. “The ASEAN Champi-ons of Biodiversity addresses the lack of awareness of ASEAN especially among the youth as well as the dearth of information about biodiversity in the region. We hope our Champions and their com-mitment to biodiversity con-servation will inspire others to give importance and support various efforts in preserving the region’s rich biodiversity,” he said.

For Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Di-versity, recognizing and pro-moting work in biodiversity conservation is one of the best ways to get biodiversity to the forefront of the inter-national consciousness. He says that this is particularly true for Southeast Asia, which is home to almost a fi fth of all plant and animal species as well as to a large proportion of the world’s population – over half a billion people.

“Allow me to appeal to governments, NGOs, the media, businesses, youth and civil society to continue supporting the ASEAN Cen-tre for Biodiversity and the Champions project. The ac-tions that we take in the next ten years will determine the future of biodiversity for the next centuries, if not millen-nia. Let us celebrate and emulate the work of Cham-pions of Biodiversity, and, in so doing, realize a future of life in harmony with nature,” he said.

For more information on the ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity, log on to www.aseanbiodiversity.org or www.aseanfoundation.org. The Secretariat may be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

HSBC BruneiInvesting in Biodiversity Conservation Makes Sound Business Sense

Business Sector Champion: 1st Place Nominated by: Ms. Noralinda Ibrahim, Senior Forestry Offi cer, Forestry Department, Brunei Darussalam

1stPLACE

“As the leading global fi nancial institution with 7,500 offi ces in 87 countries, HSBC recognizes the direct link between the well-being of the environment and the sustainability of our businesses.”

– Mr. Vincent HoCEO, HSBC Brunei

Deposits, withdrawals, loans, credit cards,

investments, bills pay-ment and internet banking – all these come to mind when the word “bank” is mentioned. In the case of HSBC in Brunei Da-russalam, however, the business of banking is not confined to manag-ing accounts and handling day-to-day transactions. With its climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation activities in the Heart of Borneo, the global bank is showing Bruneians and the rest of the world that investing in the environment makes sound business sense.

Supporting the Heart of Borneo Initiative

Known for its unique wildlife and pristine tropi-cal rainforests, the Heart of Borneo spans 22 mil-lion hectares stretching across the territories of

Brunei Darussalam, Indo-nesia and Malaysia. The rainforest has more than 15,000 species of flower-ing plants, including 3,000 species of trees. It is also home to 13 different pri-mates, including orang-utans and proboscis mon-keys. The Heart of Borneo provides a habitat to 44 endemic mammals such as the rhino and dwarf el-ephants, and cradles 39 endemic bird species, 160 species of fish, 100 en-demic amphibian species, 47 lizards, and 41 snakes.

This richness, however, is threatened by unsustain-able logging practices. In the mid-1990s, Borneo’s forest cover was calculat-ed at 75 percent. By 2005, only 50 percent remained. Borneo lost an average of 850,000 hectares of an-

nually within that 15-year period.

Realizing the importance of the Heart of Borneo, HSBC Brunei decided to lend its support to the con-servation of the transbound-

HSBC staff help tag and measure trees.

ary ecosystem. For the bank, the Heart of Borneo repre-sents the only place remain-ing in Southeast Asia where forests, biodiversity and its ecosystem services can still be conserved on a very large scale.

“HSBC was the first cor-poration to support the ini-tiative back in April 2005 when the Ministry of Indus-try and Primary Resources, aided by WWF, hosted an exploratory international workshop to look into op-tions for joint conservation and sustainable develop-ment of a forested land-scape by the three Bornean countries. This led to the endorsement of the impor-tance of the Heart of Bor-neo Initiative at the ASEAN and BIMP-EAGA Leaders’ Summit in Kuala Lumpur in December 2005 and the historic Heart of Borneo Declaration by the govern-ments of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia in February 2007,” Dato’ Dr. Mikaail Ka-vanagh, Special Adviser to Brunei, WWF Heart of Bor-neo Initiative, said.

According to Mr. Boon Teck Lim, HSBC Brunei’s Manager for Corporate Sus-tainability, the bank’s sup-port for the Heart of Borneo Initiative stems from its com-mitment to the environment. “Borneo has one of the rich-est biodiversity in the world, with many endemic species. Because of its forest cover, Borneo is also often been called the ‘third lung’ of the world. Thus, conserving Borneo’s forest carries local, regional and global signifi -cance,” he said.

Apart from supporting the workshop in 2005, HSBC is also helping the government of Brunei establish a “Heart of Borneo Center” which will oversee the implementation of Heart of Borneo-related activities in the country. Signifi cant resources have been allocated to complete the center.

Climate Change ResearchFocusing on climate

change, HSBC commit-ted US$330,000 to sup-port research being con-ducted by the Centre of Tropical Forest Science (CTFS) of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Insti-tute. “Through the support of HSBC, the University of Brunei and international re-search partners established a 25-hectare long-term for-est research plot in Kuala Belalong. The research will provide critical information on the impact of climate change on the forests of Brunei, one of the most bio-diverse forests in the world. The results will provide es-sential information for forest

management, contributing to crafting of policies that will help preserve the rich biodiversity of Brunei’s for-ests,” Mr. Stuart Davies, Di-rector of CTFS, said.

Through the research, scientists aim to map, tag, identify and monitor over 160,000 trees. “Work on the plot is progressing well. So far, it is estimated that we have completed 40 per-cent,” Mr. Lim said.

According to Mr. Davies, the bank’s contribution goes beyond fi nancial sponsor-ship. “Through an innovative program of employee en-gagement, HSBC staff work-ing as ‘citizen scientists’ have participated in fi eld work to help scientists collect fi eld

data. HSBC uses this oppor-tunity to educate employees about the relationship among climate change, environmen-tal degradation and biodiver-sity loss.”

HSBC has a Climate Camp, a two-day offsite program that enables em-ployees to experience sci-entific research first-hand. Lectures and excursions help bank employees gain a better appreciation of the importance of preserv-ing Brunei’s forests. The program is organized by HSBC’s Climate Champi-ons – employees who have undergone an intensive two-week training program on climate change at the Earthwatch Institute.


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A manager from the Centre of Tropical Forest Science briefs HSBC Climate Camp participants on collection methodology.

HSBC and Brunei’s Forestry Department partnered for the Green Wave tree planting campaign.

An HSBC staff records details of a leaf

Reducing Carbon Footprint

Changes are being made in the way HSBC Brunei conducts business. In 2009, the bank implemented a new energy management program which reduced its energy consumption by 22 percent or 280 tons of car-bon dioxide emission. The bank actively shares its car-bon footprint management initiatives to many compa-nies in Brunei.

The bank undertook an intensive review of its oper-ations in a bid to reduce its paper consumption. Over six tons of paper or 640 trees are saved annually. In 2010, it became the first and only company in Brunei to use paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). While a more costly option, FSC paper pulps come from certified sus-tainable sources where the interests of biodiversity and the environment are pro-tected.

HSBC also saw a 42-percent reduction in its fleet fuel consumption and car-bon emission when it used a hybrid car fleet.

With these initiatives, HSBC Brunei was recog-nized by the ASEAN Cen-tre for Energy as one of the companies with the best energy management prac-tices in Southeast Asia. The company was second run-ner up in the 2009 ASEAN Energy Awards.

Working with the Government

In partnership with Brunei’s Forestry Department, HSBC supported the Green Wave, a global tree planting cam-paign that seeks to educate children and youth about the importance of biodiversity. In 2010, the company and the Forestry Department orga-nized tree planting activities in 40 schools nationwide in-volving over 4,000 students. Apart from leading the tree planting activities, HSBC employees also prepared a presentation on the value of biodiversity.

Another government program supported by the bank is the Princess Rashi-dah Young Nature Scien-tist Award (PRYNSA), an annual competition that recognizes outstanding


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research proposals from secondary students. The competition is a means of boosting students’ compe-tence to become science-based professionals who will eventually lead Brunei in conservation efforts.

HSBC also pioneered the Earth Hour Movement in Brunei as part of its efforts to engage its employees and the general public in con-serving the environment.

Sustaining Conservation Efforts

For HSBC Brunei, sus-tainability is key to success-ful conservation programs. Investing in environmental education for employees and the general public and engaging various stake-holders are the tools that HSBC uses to ensure sus-tainability.

“At HSBC, we under-stand the intricate link be-tween the well-being of the environment and the sus-tainability of our business. As such, making positive contribution to the devel-opment of the community and environment is a global mandate for HSBC offices

around the world. All oper-ating areas including HSBC Brunei are required to set aside annual budget to be used for community and environment development projects,” Mr. Boon Teck Lim said.

He added that the bank has two full-time staff who oversee the implementation of its Corporate Sustain-ability Strategy. “To ensure senior management com-mitment and oversight, the Manager for Corporate Sus-tainability reports directly to our country CEO and is a member of the senior man-agement team.”

HSBC Brunei takes an active role in partnering with key stakeholders. Accord-ing to Ms. Noralinda Ibra-him, Senior Forestry Officer from Brunei’s Forestry De-partment, a good example of such working relation-ship is the Forest Dynamic Research Project where scientific expertise comes from CTFS and UBD, while HSBC provides financial support and employee par-ticipation. She noted the strong partnership that the bank has formed with the government.

More Conservation Projects in the Pipeline

The bank is set to sup-port new initiatives such as the environmental educa-tion field trips for Second-ary School Students and the Blue Flag Beach Cer-tification project by a local non-government organiza-tion. It also plans to beef up existing projects such as the Green Wave, Climate Camp and Nature Camp.

“We are continuing to fo-cus on the environment ed-ucation with the hope that more youth and individual will be inspired to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle,” Mr. Lim said.

All these made HSBC Brunei a true ASEAN Cham-pion of Biodiversity. Measuring the distance of trees

HSBC offi cer accepts recognition at the 2009 ASEAN Energy Awards


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Green CommunityInitiating Little Activities with Extraordinary Impacts

Youth Sector Champion: 1st Place Nominated by: Prof. Dr. Sudijono Sastroatmojo, M.Si, Rector, Semarang State University

1stPLACE

In 2006, a group of Biology students from Indonesia’s

Semarang State University (SSU) trooped to Mount Prau in the Batang-Wono-sobo District for a day of mountain climbing. Little did they know that the trip will be a life-changing expe-rience.

What they expected to be a lush and green forest around the mountain turned out to be a wasteland ow-ing to massive deforesta-tion, land clearing and illegal burning activities by locals. Their close encounter with the sorry state of what was once a rich forest served as an eye-opener. They thought about the impact of this damaged habitat to the spe-cies that live in that forest.

“What can biology stu-dents like us do to help save the environment?” they asked. Shortly after the trip, they established Green Community. In 2008, it be-came a formal students’ association. By 2009, it was appointed by SSU to become a member of the Campus Conservation De-velopment Team.

“Green Community is a study group which focuses on the conservation of bio-diversity and wildlife habitat. Our vision is to promote the sustainable management of natural resources and save biodiversity through simple but high-impact activities,” Mr. Dhita Prasisca Mutia-tari, director of Green Com-munity, said.

Young People Taking Action

Composed of 50 mem-bers who are between 19 and 26 years old, Green Community seeks to in-volve students in conserva-tion initiatives. Members are expected to form a cadre of environmentalists who will spread the word of conser-vation.

According to Mr. Mu-tiatari, all members are stu-dents of SSU’s Department

conservation at an early age, members of Green Community conduct envi-ronmental education activi-ties among school children in Semarang City. “This ac-tivity is intended for children to understand their role in protecting the environment including flora and fauna,” Prof. Dr. Sudijono Sastroat-mojo, M.Si, Rector of SSU, said. Field trips and games are employed to ensure that the children will enjoy the learning experience. Fa-cilitators from Green Com-munity introduce the kids to various animals, the im-portance of gardening, the role of birds and butterflies as pollinators, and the life cycle of plants.

The group believes that engaging young people like them is crucial to protect-ing the environment. “We try to influence and encour-age other students from the Department of Biology and other departments to volun-teer in our activities. Now, we also receive invitations from various agencies to hold partnership activities. Getting people to partner

“Local action is an important step toward having harmony between human and nature. While we realize that this is not a simple thing, we will make it come true by strengthening our efforts. Our dream is for conservation to be a way of life.”

– Dhita Prasisca Mutiatari, Director, Green Community

of Biology. “Some members who have graduated are still very dedicated to the cause and help in various activi-ties as much as they can,” he said.

Educating Young People Believing that children

should be introduced to

Studying frogs under the Ungaran Conservation Project Planting mangroves


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with us is part of our suc-cess as an organization,” Lutfian Nazar, a member of Green Community shared.

Among its partners are NGO People School PAT-TIRO Kendal, Semarang City’s Department of Marine and Fisheries, Woodpeck-er Bird Community, Heli-aster Diponegro University, Semarang Bird Community, and Kendal District’s Office of Environment.

Conducting Inventory of Plants and Animals

Using their knowledge and skills as students of biology, members of Green Community periodically conduct “Flora and Fauna Inventory” activities in the SSU campus, nearby coast-al areas such as Rejo Tugu Semarang, the Ungaran

Mountain and other con-servation areas. Information gathered is used to develop a database of plants and animals. The students be-lieve that by studying the various species and know-ing their status, organiza-tions and individuals can design effective conserva-tion initiatives. The data they have, for example, are taken into consideration in SSU’s development plans.

Exploration activities were also conducted in Karimunjawa (2008), Sem-pu Island (2010) and Gebu-gan Natural Reserve (2006-2010) to collect data for the biodiversity database.

From its various explo-ration activities sprang the Ungaran Conservation Project which seeks to empower communities in

to the stakeholders in the City of Semarang so that it can be used as a guide in implementing development activities in Semarang with-out damaging the biodiver-sity found in the area,” Ida Purnomowati of Dinas Ke-lautan Dan Perikanan Kota Semarang said.

Empowering Locals According to Prof. Dr.

Sastroatmojo, one of Green Community’s noteworthy activities is its partnership with the locals of Banyu-windu Limbangan Village in the Kendal District. The stu-dents visit the village regu-larly to provide guidance to the locals on developing Limbangan as a tourism conservation village.

Training activities on simple but useful conser-

the mountainous area by teaching them how to sus-tainably manage biological resources.

In these exploration ac-tivities, Green Community sighted the endemic frog Philautus jacobsoni which was last seen in 1912. For this achievement, Green Community was recognized by the Amphibian Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Project partners laud the organization’s data col-lection efforts. “When we worked with Green Com-munity at Kelompok Kerja Mangrove Kota Semarang (KKMKS), they helped in identifying the various bio-diversity resources found in the area. The data they collected were submitted

Lectures are conducted by Green Community members. Coastal clean-up

Green Community members take school children to a fi eld trip to Isriati.

vation methods such as using various wastes as fertilizer are conducted. Lectures on the impor-tance of conserving the village’s natural resources are well-received by the locals who are keen on at-tracting tourists to gener-ate income.

To inspire their fellow youth to contribute their share in protecting the en-vironment, the biology stu-dents also teach the young villagers how to collect data on species found in Lim-bangan.

Protecting Coastal Ecosystems

Witnessing the severe damage to the coastal areas in nearby Kendal, Green Community mem-bers decided to involve themselves in the manage-

ment of coastal ecosystems in areas near the university. This initiative uses a three-pronged approach which includes conducting re-search, promoting commu-nity awareness and planting mangroves.

The biology majors study the socio-economic condi-tions of communities living in the coastal areas and how their activities affect the coastal ecosystems in those places. Regular edu-cational activities are also held to inform the locals about the extent of dam-age suffered by the bodies of water near their com-munities and the species they contain. After this, the student lecturers highlight the many services offered by coastal ecosystems to communities such as food and livelihood in hopes of

inspiring locals to protect their “source of life.”

Another key activity under this project is the planting of mangroves with a number of partners such as the Go Green Movement and the PRENJAK Youth Group. Young people are encouraged to participate in mangrove reforestation activities. Prior to planting, participants are educated about the role played by mangroves in ensuring the integrity of coastal re-sources. Green Commu-nity members highlight the fact that mangroves provide nursery grounds for fish, prawns and crabs, and support fisheries pro-duction in coastal waters. They also protect coastal areas from storm surges, waves, tidal currents and typhoons.

Little Activities, Big Contributions

For Prof. Dr. Sastroat-mojo, Green Community’s success lies in its ability to transform little activities into extraordinary feats by involving various stakehold-ers such as the local com-munities, fellow students, and non-government orga-nizations. He added that by sharing the results of their exploration activities to communities, the organiza-tion is able to bring scientif-ic information to a broader audience.

These successes have not gone unnoticed. Unlike fi ve years ago when Green Com-munity got its funds from collecting and selling paper, plastic bottles and other wastes, the organization now receives funding from SSU. In 2011, it also received funds from the Directorate General of Higher Education. A num-ber of its members have also participated in study visits and internships at BirdLife Indonesia, Wildlife Conser-vation Society and Kutilang Foundation.

With its simple but high-impact activities, Green Community is championing biodiversity among com-munities in Semarang. For its members, being young does not hinder them to become ASEAN Champi-ons of Biodiversity.


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Born to be WildChampioning Biodiversity through Television

Media Sector Champion: 1st Place Nominated by: Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim, Director, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines

1stPLACE

Every Wednesday night, millions of Filipinos tune

in to GMA-7, one of the Phil-ippines’ largest television networks, as they eagerly watch Born to be Wild, a TV show that features biodi-versity. The weekly program showcases various species and environments found in the Philippines and other countries in Southeast Asia.

In one episode, pro-gram host Dr. Ferds Re-cio finds himself in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, where the sounds of anguished bears are muffled behind the urban noise. Asiatic black bears are captured and trapped in suffocating cages for their bile which is believed to have medicinal value. An estimated 3,000 bears live in these horrible conditions in different bear farms across Viet Nam. Be-cause of the trauma from bile extraction, some bears already manifest signs of in-sanity, banging their heads against cages and biting off

their body parts. Doc Ferds participates in a mission to rescue bears in captiv-ity, and helps to rehabilitate these animals.

After watching this episode, blogger Tobbie Cadhit posted this insight on his blog, “Last night, I wondered what will hap-pen if the bears were the predators and us humans were the prey. Everyday, the bears would try to catch one of us and put us in small cages. During bile harvesting, we will be shot with tranquilizers and pulled like rugs onto the floor. They’ll remove our clothing and with the help of an ul-trasound, locate where our gall bladder is. Then for an hour or so they will extract our bile. Once the process is finished, they will leave us to salivate, tremble and wail in anguish. Interest-

ing picture and we’ll say it is barbaric and unaccept-able. But why do people do it to animals? Because we feel we own this world and have dominion above all creatures? Last night I felt ashamed of being human for such cruelty and inhu-manity to animals.”

To awaken viewers to the harsh realities of human actions against biodiversity is one of the reasons why GMA-7 launched Born to be Wild in 2007.

“Born to be Wild is GMA Network’s response to the growing clamor for envi-ronmental awareness. En-vironmental documentaries like Al Gore’s An Inconve-nient Truth became relevant at the time. That is why in 2007, a show dedicated entirely to the environment, wildlife and biodiversity was created by GMA’s News and Public Affairs division,” Ms. Angeli Atienza, pro-gram manager of Born to be Wild, said.

Showcasing Philippine Biodiversity

“Television is known to be one of the most pow-erful mass media used to disseminate information. However, even if television has a wide range of audi-ence, not much topics on the environment has been aired. Thanks to GMA-7, we now have Born to be Wild, a pioneer television program that has been in-fluential in promoting bio-diversity conservation,” Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim, Director of the Philippines’ Department of Environ-ment and Natural Resourc-es – Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, said. She underscored that through the weekly program, peo-ple are now more aware of the current state of the en-vironment.

The Story behind the Stories

Stories for the show are selected based on rel-

Born to be Wild’s hosts take viewers on various adventures every week.

evance, timeliness, and appeal to mass audience. “We want our topics to be informative but also engag-ing. In terms of relevance, we also produce specials on hot topics related to the environment. For ex-ample, we’ve aired stories on the predicted deple-tion of marine resources, drought, climate change and other current issues. On the wildlife front, we al-ways make sure we are the first to share news of new-ly discovered species and other information that pro-mote pride in the country’s biodiversity,” Ms. Atienza shared.

Producing the show involves a long and me-ticulous process – from re-searching topics, confirm-ing data, gathering expert opinions, and the experi-ences and stories of local residents and organizations at the grassroots level. Ac-cording to Ms. Atienza, “It takes a lot of time for us to approve a topic. There are many considerations – Is it relevant? Is it feasible? Is this the right season to do this? What is the conserva-tion message?”

When a story finally gets the green light, an even more meticulous process follows. “What our viewers see is the final product – the beautiful places, the wildlife moments. But behind the scenes, nature and wildlife filmmaking can be really tough. You are always at the mercy of the elements and you can never tell your subject to show up at the time you prefer. You always have to be patient; waiting is part of the work. But in the process, we also learn a lot. After a while, it’s amaz-ing how our teams almost have a sixth sense for na-ture. They kind of acquire an understanding of how nature works after years of being in the field,” Ms. Atienza said.

Bridging the Gap between Scientists and the Public

To ensure accuracy of information presented in the show, the program re-searchers seek the exper-tise of scientists. According to Born to be Wild Executive Producer Richelle Figureoa, “Before airing a story, we see to it that the facts and information presented are double checked. Through the help of experts like her-petologist Arvin Diesmos or ornithologist Aldrin Mallari, for example, we are able to identify species which are unfamiliar to us. We also confirm with experts about the behavior of a particu-lar species. We are fortu-nate and glad that experts are very willing to help and share their expertise to the program for the benefit of the public.”

The show is often lauded for bridging the gap be-tween scientists and the general public. “The pro-gram is a breakthrough for Philippine conservation. It helps research and conser-vation groups translate our advocacy to Filipino public – volunteerism, conser-vation and environmental education. The show be-comes a bridge that helps deliver science-based research to the commu-nity,” Ms. Cynthia Adeline Layusa, program manager of Isla Biodiversity Conser-vation, Inc., said. The Born to be Wild team and Ms. Layusa worked together at the 2010 Humpback Whale Research and Conservation Project in the Philippines’ Babuyan Group of Islands.

Offering Solutions Apart from presenting a

story, Born to be Wild raises possible solutions to bio-diversity-related problems. Ideas are often based on what researchers, scientists, experts and non-government organizations have studied. According to Ms. Atienza, “In


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Examining a rescued python

Meeting a whale shark A baby sea turtle

Teaching school kids about biodiversity conservation

our own little way, we try to become part of the solution. For example, when the Pawi-kan Conservation Center in Bataan expressed the need for tourists to be educated about these endangered species, our host Kiko Rus-tia and the team produced an on-the-spot audio-visual DVD to help the tourists be-come more informed about marine turtles.”

One of the TV’s hosts, Dr. Ferds Recio, regularly visits wildlife centers which are in need veterinarians. “He offers his services to treat endemic or endangered animals being cared for in these centers. He has also participated in a number of wildlife rescue missions, responding almost on-call to wildlife-saving missions,” Ms. Figueroa said.

When the Cameras Are Not Rolling

“Off camera,” Ms. Atien-za shares, “Born to be Wild also promotes green efforts like recycling. Even when the cameras aren’t rolling, what many don’t know is that our staff works over time to assist viewers who, for example, want to turn over endangered species to proper authorities. The net-work as a whole supports campaigns for the environ-ment such as Earth Hour.

“GMA Network also has a program called Kapuso ng Kalikasan which involves forging partnerships with environmental organiza-tions. One project called Road to 2020 is conducted with conservation group Haribon Foundation. The project is aimed at restor-ing one million hectares of rainforests using native tree species by 2020,” Ms. Figueroa said.

Promoting environmental education, GMA Network also produces documentaries like Signos which discussed climate change, Planet Phil-ippines which showcased the

Philippines’ rich biodiversity, and Wildlife for Sale which tackled the global problem of illegal wildlife trade.

Touching ViewersAmong evidences that

Born to be Wild has had an impact on the general pub-lic are the countless calls and letters from viewers who report illegal wildlife trade or viewers who want to surrender illegally kept species. All these demon-strate the program’s impact on public awareness of the values of biodiversity.

“In many places, we hear of groups and individuals who have taken action, for example, towards reduc-ing wastes and plastics be-cause of what they saw on the show. We get calls from people asking us to help them in their recycling initia-tives and the team assists in any way it can. During off camera, we visit schools and communities to help them kick start environmental ini-tiatives, simple things like segregating and collecting plastics and used bottles for recycling,” Ms. Atienza said.

The show’s annual “Born Project” has drawn many volunteers for various proj-ects – from caring for res-cued and injured animals at the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau to gathering pledges from communities to safeguard their forests and marine reserves.

Probationary Second Lieutenant Ronnel Almazan, an environmental science instructor at the Philippine Military Academy, sum-marized Born to be Wild’s achievement, “The pro-gram has helped us to un-derstand the impact of the loss of biodiversity, raised concern among its viewers, and encouraged us to take action and contribute to biodiversity conservation.”

Indeed, Born to be Wild was born to be an ASEAN Champion of Biodiversity.


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Guarding and protecting Indonesia’s biodiver-

sity and wildlife is a tremen-dous challenge.

Imagine these riches! In-donesia covers a mere 1.3 percent of the earth’s sur-face, yet it harbors ten per-cent of all flowering plants, 12 percent of the world’s mammals, 16 percent of the world’s reptiles and amphibians, 17 percent of all birds, and more than a quarter of all marine and freshwater fish. This wealth can be attributed to the fact that Indonesia spans two major biogeographical realms: Indo-Malaya and Australasia, and is divided into seven distinct biogeo-graphic regions.

The 17,000 islands of the archipelago support a wide range and variety of habi-tats from lowland rain for-ests and mangroves to sa-vanna grasslands, swamp forests and limestone hills; from montane forests to al-pine meadows and snow-topped mountains. These varied habitats support a diverse flora and fauna.

In terms of species di-versity, 55 percent are en-demic plants. Based on the results of a taxonomic assessment in 2007 car-ried out by the Research Centre for Biology of the Indonesian Institute of Sci-ences, 31,746 different species of vascular plants have been recorded and described. For fauna di-versity, about 515 species of mammals may be found in Indonesia, 781 species of reptiles, 35 species of primates, 1,595 species of birds, and 270 species of amphibians.

Taking care of Indonesia’s wildlifeBy Rolando A. Inciong

Indonesia is a key play-er in global biodiversity, counting as one of the 17 countries with the richest biodiversity, or what is also known as megadiversity. Such magnitude of natural heritage requires vigilant law enforcement to ensure protection of wildlife.

In the thick of Indone-sia’s wildlife protection ef-forts is Ms. Santi, an official at the Ministry of Forestry. She is one of the cadres of wildlife law enforcers fac-ing the challenge of pro-tecting the archipelago’s biodiversity.

Ms. Santi studied com-puter science but her love for nature and the outdoors made her decide to join the Ministry of Forestry in 1999 where she was trained as a forest police, specifically in case investigation. In 2006, she underwent 45 days of rigorous training to become a member of Satuan Khu-sus Polisi Kehutanan Reak-si Cepat (SPORC) - a quick response forest police unit.

SPORC has 19 female members.

SPORC is an elite unit of rangers trained to confront illegal loggers. The first batch of SPORC personnel were recruited from exist-ing forest rangers and un-derwent 38 days of special training in shooting, self-defense and ambush skills.

In addition to their rapid response duties, SPORC personnel also undertake patrol duties to detect and deter illegal logging, poach-ing and illegal trade. Some members of SPORC are deployed to guard posts at the entry and exit points to protected areas and on the rivers that fl ow through

Ms. Santi, wildlife law enforcer

Wildlife law enforcers at work


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many forest areas. SPORC units are often involved in the confi scation of animals or tim-ber that is possessed or being traded illegally. They respond to information received from local people, NGOs and other sources.

“On top of my role as a case investigator, I also do patrol-ling assignments. This is most challenging especially when we do foot patrolling in rough terrains,” Ms. Santi said.

Recently, Ms. Santi was the only female participant in the PROTECT (Protected Area Operational and Tacti-cal Enforcement Conserva-tion Training) Enforcement Ranger Training Course held from August 20 to Septem-ber 4 at the Khao Yai Na-tional Park in Thailand. The course was organized by the Freeland Foundation in partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity. Free-land’s work in Asia is funded by the United States Agency for International Develop-ment through the ARREST (Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Traf-ficking) Program.

Other government agen-cies in Indonesia share the responsibility or authority to enforce Indonesia’s wildlife-related laws, including Cus-toms, the Forest Department, the police, the military police and the Quarantine Service but the agencies with pri-mary responsibility for such work are the Directorate of Biodiversity Conservation, Directorate General of For-est Protection and Nature Conservation and the Min-istry of Forestry, also often known as the Department of Forestry.

The Forest Department has an Animal Protection Unit (APU). There is a gen-eral wildlife crime unit and four species-specific units for the protection of tigers, elephants, rhinos and orang-utans within the APU.

he multi-billion-dollar illegal wildlife trade threatens Asia’s

unique ecosystems and robs people of the benefi ts they provide. It also under-mines law enforcement, strengthens criminal syndi-cates, and raises people’s risk of exposure to diseases transmitted from animals to humans. Illegal wildlife traf-fi ckers are well-organized: they prey on endangered species, transport them across borders, and sell them around the world.

Addressing this chal-lenge requires a regional effort that targets each aspect of wildlife crime. USAID’s efforts to address illegal wildlife trafficking began in 2005 with the es-tablishment of the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Net-work (ASEAN-WEN).

Since then, the network has shown impressive re-sults that include: more than 2,000 officials trained in anti-poaching opera-tions and wildlife crime in-vestigations; arrests and seizures of illegal wildlife

increased ten-fold by 2009; a fully functioning secretar-iat established in Bangkok; nearly every ASEAN coun-try has created a National Task Force to combat wild-life crime (www.asean-wen.org).

ASEAN governments have also committed the necessary financial and hu-man resources to enforce legislation governing the conservation, trade and sustainable use of wild fau-na and flora. Likewise, they have also agreed to imple-ment regional commitments to ASEAN-WEN, including cross-border collaboration on wildlife crime cases.

ARRESTUSAID is now building

on ASEAN-WEN’s success-es and sharing its lessons with China and South Asia through the new ARREST (Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking) program. Imple-mented by the FREELAND Foundation, ARREST will fight trafficking in illegal wildlife in Asia in three ways:

Arresting illegal wildlife traffi ckingreduce consumer demand; strengthen law enforce-ment; and strengthening regional cooperation and anti-trafficking networks.

ARREST unites the ef-forts of the member states of ASEAN, China and South Asia, NGOs, and private sector organizations. To-gether, these dedicated people and organizations are helping Asia respond to the challenge of protecting its unique wildlife.

ApproachConsumption Reduction

Campaigns. ARREST will use its extensive media and advertising resources to support campaigns in Chi-na, Vietnam and Thailand that eliminate the consump-tion of protected wildlife. Where monitoring shows these efforts are success-ful, the program will expand them.

Mainstreaming Wildlife Crime in Law Enforcement. ASEANWEN’s activities have already placed wildlife crime on the agenda of ma-jor national and regional law

T

Photo courtesy of FREELAND Foundation

H.E. Linglingay F. Lacanlale, Philippine ambassador to Thailand, inspects rescued wildlife.•

enforcement organizations, such as INTERPOL and ASEANAPOL. ARREST will help police chiefs across Asia include cross- border wildlife enforcement coop-eration in their work plans.

Law Enforcement Ca-pacity Building. ARREST will work with the region’s law enforcement train-ers and institutions to im-prove regional and national courses and materials on the following subjects: Pre-vention — protected area enforcement and manage-ment; Detection — nature crime investigation, foren-sics, and border inspection; and Prosecution — judicial awareness.

Developing Law Enforce-ment Managers. ARREST will also build law stronger en-forcement capacity by focus-ing on law enforcement lead-ers and training managers to lead front line staff in reduc-ing wildlife crime. This should

put large areas of biologically signifi cant habitat under im-proved management.

Sustaining the ASEAN-WEN Secretariat. ARREST will mentor ASEAN-WEN Program Coordination Unit staff and promote new tech-nology. This should help the

On July 22, 2011, im-plementing partners

of the USAID’s new Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking (ARREST) Pro-gram gathered in Bang-kok to publicly introduce the program. Delegations from the US and Asian embassies in Bangkok, the press, and other re-gional stakeholders all at-tended the event.

Speaking at the cer-emony, U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney hailed ef-forts to address wildlife crime as vital to protect-ing the world’s fragile ecosystems and encour-aged continued coopera-tion on the issue.

Honorable Antonio Cuenco, the Secretary General of the ASEAN In-ter-Parliamentary Assem-bly spoke on ASEAN leg-

ARREST Program launched in Bangkok

islators’ interest to support the goals of the program.

The $8 million, fi ve-year program is managed by FREELAND Foundation

Photo courtesy of FREELAND Foundation

A Malaysian sun bear cub rests after being rescued by Thailand’s Nature Crime Task Force at a raid at the Bangkok airport in May 2011. Since 2005, USAID support has helped train Asian task forces, increasing arrests and seizures of illegally traffi cked wildlife ten-fold.

and builds on the prog-ress achieved through the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) in strengthening wildlife law

enforcement capacity; reducing consumer de-mand; and strengthen-ing regional learning net-works.

Secretariat become a stron-ger, more independent, and service-oriented institu-tion that connects directly with enforcement agencies in each ASEAN Member State.

Promoting Regional Co-operation. Through regional

program events - including exchanges, regional inves-tigation meetings and train-ing courses - officers from the new South Asian Wild-life Enforcement Network (SAWEN), and China’s Task Force will join ASEAN-WEN to learn from each other, exchange information, in-telligence, and best prac-tices.

PartnersARREST has the follow-

ing partners: ASEAN-WEN, FREELAND Foundation, ASEAN Centre for Biodiver-sity, ACRES, AsiaWorks TV, Conservation International China Program, Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV), GreenEyes China, IFAW, INTERPOL, JWT, National Geographic, MTV-Exit, Wildlife Alliance, US Depart-ment of State, US Depart-ment of Justice, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the US Forest Service.


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Photo courtesy of FREELAND Foundation Offi cials at the ARREST Program launch

he Government of Lao PDR is kick-starting its new

Law Enforcement Task Force to Combat Wildlife Crime named “Lao-WEN”. Lao-WEN is a national effort to stop poaching, trafficking and illegal trade of protected flora and fauna. On May 20, 2011, the Inaugural Meet-ing of Lao-WEN was held in Vientiane to begin a pro-cess of strengthening wild-life law enforcement, part of a broader regional effort called the ASEAN-Wild-life Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN). Represen-tatives from the ASEAN-WEN Program Coordination Unit (PCU), Vietnam-Wildlife Enforcement Network (VN-WEN) and Cambodia-Wild-life Enforcement Network Coordinating Unit (CWCU) observed the event to share best practices.

During the launch, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry document titled: Forestry Strategy to the Year 2020 for the Lao PDR was released to guide the development of the for-estry sector within Lao PDR. One recommenda-

tion contained within the Forestry Strategy was to enhance the existing legal framework in support of a new law enforcement and governance process.

Leading Lao-WEN is the Department of Forest In-spection (DOFI) which was created to inspect and in-vestigate suspected viola-tions of the new Forest Law, the Wildlife and Aquatic, the National Penal Code and other subsidiary laws. DOFI works in close collaboration with the Department of For-est Resource Conservation and other government de-partments on a wide variety of environmental protection initiatives to address these high expectations.

In September 2010, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry announced the Lao government’s implementing mechanism to operational-ize national commitments to the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforce-ment Network (ASEAN-WEN). On May 20, Lao-WEN’s Inaugural Meeting in Vientiane commited Lao PDR to the international ef-fort against wildlife crime in partnership with other

Southeast Asian Nations.The Minister of Agricul-

ture and Forestry, His Excel-lency Sitaheng Rasphone said, “We are pleased to welcome representatives of the Lao PDR Govern-ment and government de-partments, international non-government organiza-tions, sponsoring agency representatives, local com-munity groups and private industry to the inaugural meeting of the Lao Wildlife Enforcement Network. The success of Lao-WEN will in-volve collaboration between both national and interna-tional partners. The Depart-ment of Forest Inspection will work hard to meet our commitments to ASEAN and the high expectations required through member-ship in ASEAN-WEN.”

Mr. Phoumy Phouma-nivong, Director-General of the Department of Forest Inspection said, “This inau-gural meeting of “Lao-WEN” is a practical example of our commitment as a partner to the ASEAN Wildlife Enforce-ment Network. We look for-ward to working with the ASEAN law enforcement

community and our local community groups. Togeth-er we will develop programs and strategies that prevent, detect and suppress wildlife crime that endangers not only our rich biodiversity, but also national security and human health“

Mr Manop Lauprasert, Senior Officer of the Bang-kok-based Program Coordi-nation Unit of ASEAN-WEN added that, “The ASEAN-WEN PCU is pleased to see the networking prog-ress in Lao PDR. A very positive step in ensuring that wildlife crime does not flourish in this region. Let it be stressed that we are not merely protecting endangered plant and ani-mal species in the ASEAN region. We are protecting the sustainability of our own future. The illegal wild-life trade weakens natural ecosystems, supports or-ganized crime, and is rec-ognized to increase the risk of transmitting emerging infectious diseases such as avian pandemic influenza and severe acute respira-tory syndrome (SARS).”

— ASEAN-WEN PCU

Laos launches new law enforcement task force to combat wildlife crime

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Lao PDR is strengthening its fi ght against illegal wildlife trade not only by launching Lao-WEN, but also by holding a workshop on legal process for wildlife crime prosecution.


FEATURE

Prior to the Southeast Asia launch of the UN Decade on Biodiversity, President Aquino launched a National Greening Program which aims to plant 1.5 billion trees in more than 1 million hectares of land across the Philippines from 2011 to 2016. The program was part of the Philippines launch of the International Year of Forests 2011.

The ceremony took place following the successful launch of the UN Decade for Asia and Pacifi c held in New Delhi, India on 23 May, as well as the national launch by the Republic of Korea held in Sangjo on 20 May.

Following his meeting with the President, Mr Ahmed Djoghlaf stated, “Responding to the biodiversity challenges calls for the full engagement of all stakeholders without ex-ception. Last week in Seoul, I had the immense privilege of meeting H.E. Lee Myung-

obligations as citizens of this planet to protect, conserve and sustainably use our bio-diversity resources,” Presi-dent Aquino said.

the unfolding of the Philip-pines’ rich history.”

“In declaring the Balete as a Heritage Tree, we will con-stantly be reminded of our

he President of the Philippines Benig-no S Aquino III has

launched the United Nations (UN) Decade on Biodiversity for Southeast Asia and has issued a Presidential Procla-mation declaring a National Decade.

The event took place on 30 May 2011 at the Malacanang Palace with the participation of the diplomatic corps from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam; high level government offi cials; and representatives of media, conservation orga-nizations and business com-munity.

In support of the UN De-cade, President Aquino’s proclamation of 2011-2020 as the National Decade on Biodiversity in the Philip-pines recognized the UN celebration as an excellent opportunity to increase pub-lic awareness of the values of biodiversity and promote ac-tions at the national, regional and local levels to conserve and sustainably manage the nation’s rich natural heritage.

The Philippines’ Environ-ment Secretary Ramon Paje handed over a copy of the Presidential Proclamation to Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Execu-tive Secretary of the Conven-tion on Biological Diversity with President Aquino wit-nessing the presentation.

As a further demonstra-tion of his country’s commit-ment to the objectives of the Decade, the President de-clared “the strangler fi g tree, known in the Philippines as Balete, located in front of this hallowed hall, as our Heritage Tree. This balete tree, which is more than 100 years old, has been a mute witness to

The President of the Philippines launches the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity for Southeast Asia

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Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino III hands over to Dr. Djoghlaf a copy of the Presidential Proclamation declaring 2011-2020 as National Decade on Biodiversity in the Philippines, in support of the UN Decade. Witnessing the handover was Environment Secretary Ramon Paje. “We will use the Decade on Biodiversity as an excellent opportunity to increase public awareness of the values of biodiversity and promote actions at the national, regional and local levels to conserve and sustainably manage the nation’s rich natural heritage,” The President said.

Dr. Djoghlaf meets the President of the Philippines, H.E. Benigno S. Aquino III (at centre) at the Malacanang Palace, 30 May 2011, during the launch of the UN Decade on Biodiversity in Southeast Asia. The President reaffi rmed his country’s commitment to achieve the new global biodiversity targets set at the Nagoya biodiversity conference in 2010. In photo are: (left to right) Director Rodrigo Fuentes of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, Dr. Djoghlaf, the President, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Antonio Rodriguez.


FEATURE

bak, the President of Korea. Today, I had the unique privi-lege of meeting the President of Philippines, H.E. Benigno S Aquino III. My meetings with these two tremendous supporters of sustainable de-velopment demonstrated to me that leaders are taking up the challenge.”

The Southeast Asia launch of the UN Decade on Biodiversity coincided with the week-long celebra-tion in the Philippines of the International Day for Biologi-cal Diversity, 22 May and the awards ceremony for the ASEAN Champions of Bio-diversity. The winners are HSBC in Brunei (business), “Born to be Wild” Philippines TV program (media), and Green Community of Indo-nesia (youth). The ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity recognized the outstanding biodiversity conservation and advocacy initiatives of busi-ness, media and youth orga-nizations in Southeast Asia. The awards were organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity and supported

Dr. Djoghlaf and Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino III unveil a marker declaring a century-old Balete (strangler fi g) at the grounds of the presidential palace as a Heritage Tree to commemorate the Southeast Asia launch of the UN Decade on Biodiversity. “In making the Balete a Heritage Tree, it will constantly remind us of our obligations to nature, both as citizens of this country and as stewards of this planet,” President Aquino said.

Biodiversity is much more than what we think it means. The United Nations defines

it as the web of life and the foundation of hu-man living, meaning, it is more than the coral reefs we protect so we can have fish for din-ner. It is more than the forests we nurture so we can produce clothing and shelter, among other things.

Biodiversity means the air we breathe; the ebb and flow of the oceans; the mountains and the valleys that evoke from us inspiration, awe, and an awareness of our own smallness in the face of the world. Biodiversity is the delicate thread connecting every organism that lives and thrives on this planet; it is everything that we call home.

Suffice it to say, the launching of the “United Nations Decade on Biodiversity and Interna-tional Year of Forests in Southeast Asia” is a historic occasion, and we are honored to host it. We thank the United Nations Convention for Biological Diversity and its Executive Secretary, Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, for the honor of having the Philippines as its launching site.

We are fully aware of the need to sustain-ably maintain the balance of our biodiversity. At least 40 percent of the world’s economy and 80 percent of the needs of the poor depend on

by the ASEAN Foundation, European Union, UNESCO, GIZ of Germany and Secre-tariat of the CBD,

Mr. Rodrigo Fuentes, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiver-sity said the launch of the UN Decade on Biodiversity in the Philippines and the awarding of ASEAN Champions of Bio-diversity were very timely.

“The Philippines is one of the world’s 17 mega diverse countries while Southeast Asia, occupying only three percent of the earth’s sur-face, boasts of globally sig-nifi cant terrestrial and marine biodiversity that include an astonishing 18 percent of all species assessed by the In-ternational Union for Conser-vation of Nature (IUCN). It is but fi tting that Southeast Asia and the Philippines play a major role in global conserva-tion efforts and celebrations,” Director Fuentes said.

Information on the Decade, including the logo can be found on the offi cial website of the United Nations Decade at www.cbd.int/2011-2020

Message from H.E. President Benigno S. Aquino III on the occasion of the launch of the UN Decade on Biodiversity and International Year of Forests in Southeast AsiaRizal Ceremonial Hall, Malacañang, PhilippinesMay 30, 2011

Continued, next page


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biological resources. And it is our role as occupants of this world to make certain that we are able to com-pletely and sustainably utilize the resources we have at hand.

Although occupying only three percent of the earth’s total surface, the ASEAN region is the habitat of more than 18 percent of all known plant, animal, and marine species, making us one of the world’s wealthiest bio-logical havens.

The Philippines alone is a highly diverse country. We are ranked fifth for having the most number of plant species in the world, around 7,500 of which are endem-ic to our country, not to mention the many rare species of reef fishes, birds, and corals.

All these resources make the Philippines and the ASEAN region crucial components to the global sus-tainability and stability of the environment. This is one of our main competitive advantages as a region. Un-fortunately, there are those who still see the environ-ment as nothing more than a means to make an easy and quick profit without regard for the long-term con-sequences.

Last week, it came to my attention that a coral reef complex almost twice the size of Manila was decimat-ed by environmental plunderers, all for a quick profit. They took more than 21,000 pieces of sea fan black corals and indiscriminately murdered 161 endangered turtles—from 80-year olds to 4-year olds—to stuff and sell. Not to mention taking 196 kilograms of sea whip black corals as well. Sadly, this single act of environ-mental pillage is only symptomatic of a larger problem. Our region is on the brink of losing a significant number of endangered species due to multiple cases of defor-estation, wildlife hunting, climate change, pollution, and population growth.

If it was not clear before, then it is as clear as day now: we need to act. We need to act now. Our admin-istration has already begun a number of programs to preserve vulnerable species and habitats.

Earlier this month, during the 18th ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, I personally urged our neighbors to continue supporting the operations of the ASEAN Centre for Bio-diversity, which aims to facilitate cooperation among the ASEAN Member States and concerned organizations. Aside from hosting the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, we have also committed to incorporating biodiversity in the national development process.

Our administration will continue pursuing biodiver-sity conservation efforts in the region, such as the Coral Triangle Initiative, the Greater Mekong Program, the Heart of Borneo Initiative, and the ASEAN Heritage Parks.

Just last week, our Department of Environment and Natural Resources launched a project to expand the terrestrial protected areas in the country, beginning with nine key biodiversity areas.

I also just recently launched the National Greening Program, which aims to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5

million hectares of land across the country from 2011 to 2016. This program complements an earlier direc-tive I issued, Executive Order No. 23, which calls for a total logging ban in our natural and residual forests and establishes an Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force to enforce the campaign. This aims, ultimately, to end ex-ploitative and long-entrenched practices that have se-verely damaged our ecology, only for the benefit of a powerful few.

It is important for us to continue down this path of preserving the biodiversity. Therefore, in support of the United Nations, I declare 2011-2020 as the National Decade on Biodiversity in the Philippines.

Some of you may have noticed the towering tree rooted just outside this palace. This balete tree, which is more than a hundred years old, has been a mute wit-ness to Philippine history. And now, as a fitting symbol of our commitment to the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, I hereby proclaim the balete tree located in front of this hallowed hall as our Heritage Tree. In making it a Heritage Tree, it will constantly remind us of our obligations, both as citizens of this country and as stewards of this planet.

I know that we have made several initiatives to curb these threats to our biodiversity, and I know how hard many of us have worked for this cause. It gets tiring, especially when it would be much easier to surrender under the difficulties of protecting what many people pay little attention to, and what some people want to destroy for temporary gain.

Many of us are dissatisfied with the way things are going. I myself am itching to see the fruits of our efforts. But if there is one thing I have learned from facing the many challenges that confront a president, it is that, especially during difficult times, we must put our foot down and hark back to why we are doing what we are doing in the first place: why we choose to act outside of our comfort zones, when we can easily sit back and watch the world, along with its cycle of problems, spin by.

The answer is simple: we want to change the way things are; we want to make life better, not only for Fili-pinos, but ultimately, for the citizens of the world; not only for those who are here now, but more importantly, for those who will come tomorrow.

This is not the first time a group of strong-willed people tried to change the world. This has happened before, and though some may have faltered, many have succeeded. And this is what ties us all together; the collective will to persevere in the face of the seemingly impossible. This is the root from which the enduring tree of humanity has grown.

So in this spirit, together, let us celebrate the Na-tional Decade of Biodiversity from 2011-2020 and the International Year of Forests 2011 and let us constantly work towards everything it promises.

Thank you and good day!

Message from H.E. President Benigno S. Aquino III... Continuation


FEATURE

ll life on the planet is inter-connected. On World Migra-

tory Bird Day, we are re-minded that changes on the land mean changes in the skies.

Human activities on land, through for example for-estry, agriculture, mining and urban expansion, lead to land degradation such as deforestation and wetland loss. This change in the use of land leads to fragmenta-tion of habitat. Migratory birds rely on consistent and secure networks of habitats along their annual migration paths. Changes to these, can have devastating con-sequences.

We know the results. As reported in Global Biodi-versity Outlook 3, the situ-ation of birds is not good. Farmland bird populations in Europe have declined by on average 50 percent since 1980. Of the 1,200 waterbird populations with known trends, 44 percent are in decline. A study in the central Amazon region of Brazil found that forest fragments of less than one square kilometer lost half of their bird species in less than 15 years. Salt marsh-

es, important as natural storm barriers and as habi-tats for shorebirds, have lost some 25 percent of the area they originally covered globally, and current rates of loss are estimated to be between one and two per-cent per year.

Governments are mak-ing stronger commitments to stem this loss. At the Nagoya Biodiversity sum-mit, governments agreed to the Global Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Over the next ten years, this framework will provide the basis for a new relationship between humanity and na-ture, including actions that

can help migratory species.Under the Plan, Impor-

tant Biodiversity Areas will be protected through an increase in effectively managed protected areas. Complete legal protection is currently given to only 26 percent of Important Bird Areas (IBAs). Of nearly 11,000 IBAs in 218 coun-tries, on average only some 39 percent of their area is included in protected areas. Similarly, only 35 percent of sites holding the entire pop-ulation of one or more highly threatened species are fully covered by protected ar-eas. While the proportion of both of these categories of sites under legal protection

has increased significantly in recent years, more needs to be done.

Another Aichi Target in-cludes reducing habitat loss and degradation, by as much as half, through such measures as broad-scale land-use policies that in-corporate biodiversity con-cerns.

A commitment to more sustainable agriculture, for-estry, fisheries and aquacul-ture will include policies that lead to biodiversity-friendly practices that reduce the impact of these activities on migratory species and the habitats they rely upon.

In some cases, restora-tion will be the best way to ensure that migratory birds have the habitat they need. Governments have com-mitted to restoring some 15 percent of degraded eco-systems, as a contribution to ecosystem resilience and other benefits.

In order to ensure that these commitments are honored, the United Na-tions General Assembly has declared 2011-2020 to be the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity. This decade will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and the impacts of human activities on the species and ecosystems of our planet.

Through raising aware-ness of the plight of groups of species, such as migra-tory birds, greater support for policies that will con-serve and protect their hab-itat can be realized.

On this World Migratory Bird Day, I invite you to not only look around you, but also to the skies, and to reflect and take action that preserves the vital habitat of migratory species.

World Migratory Bird Day, May 14By Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity

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FEATURE

orld Environment Day (WED) is an annual event that is

aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive en-vironmental action. Various environmental activities often take place all year round but globally WED is celebrated on June 5 every year.

WED was first celebrated in 1972 and has grown to become one of the main vehicles through which the United Nations and nation-al governments stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment and encour-ages political attention and action. WED is also a day for people from all walks of life to come together to en-sure a cleaner, greener and healthier environment for present and future genera-tions.

This year, the United Nations Environment Pro-gramme (UNEP) spearheads the celebration of WED with the theme Forests: Nature at Your Service, in line with 2011 as the International Year of Forests.

Forests cover one third of the earth’s landmass, per-forming vital functions and services around the world. Around 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.

According to the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, forests play a key role in the battle against climate change, releasing oxygen into the atmosphere while storing carbon dioxide. They feed rivers and are es-sential to supplying water for nearly 50 percent of the world’s largest cities. For-ests create and maintain soil fertility, as well as help regulate the devastating im-pact of storms, floods and fires.

Forests are the most biologically diverse eco-systems on land, and are home to more than half of the terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects. They also provide shelter, jobs and cultural relevance for people who depend on forest resources. They are the green lungs of the earth and are vital to the survival of people everywhere.

Knowing the significance of forests to the Earth and the survival of all forms of

life, it is devastating to note that global deforestation continues at an alarming rate. Every year, 13 million hectares of forest are de-stroyed. Massive and illegal logging, clearing of land for agriculture, major indus-tries and housing, mining and other factors are ma-jor causes of deforestation. This in turn has caused bio-diversity loss, species ex-tinction, and the loss of vital ecosystem services.

Every day is an oppor-

tunity to show that all is not lost, that everyone can contribute to environmental conservation. WED pro-vides an opportunity to cre-ate more green lifestyles, behavior, products and in-dustries that can revitalize and strengthen the envi-ronment. A green economy focusing on renewable en-ergy, a smaller carbon foot-print, environment-friendly products and clean tech-nology will also be vital to ensuring a sustainable en-vironment and economy in the future.

Everyone is a stakeholder in the environment, and can thus contribute to environ-mental conservation. The smallest and most personal act of conservation, such as closing a running faucet or turning off lights when not in use, can multiply into massive energy saving ini-tiatives. Joining mass ac-tions can also push govern-ments and businesses to invest in green industries.

It is essential for every-one to realize that forests provide vital services that are essential to people’s quality of life. As conserva-tion initiatives and actions continue to grow, opportu-nities to contribute to the protection of nature have become widely available, and there is simply no ex-cuse for non-participation.

Plant a tree. Conserve water and electricity. Mini-mize use of plastic prod-ucts. Reuse and recycle. Use mass transport to save on gas. Join critical mass movements that support environmental causes. Vote for political candidates with a green agenda. Big or small, make a contribution and save forests and bio-diversity on World Environ-ment Day!

World Environment Day, June 5

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FEATURE

orld Oceans Day, celebrated every June 11th, is an

opportunity to reflect on the importance of oceans to humankind’s sustainable development. It is also a time to recognize the many severe challenges related to oceans. These range from depleted fishery re-sources, the impacts of climate change, and the deterioration of the marine environment to maritime safety and security, labor conditions for seafarers and the increasingly im-portant issue of migration by sea.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said some of these concerns have arisen since the adoption of the United Nations Conven-tion on the Law of the Sea. The progressive develop-ment of the law of the sea through the Convention and related instruments is meant to contribute to the sustainable development of the oceans and seas as well as to the strengthen-ing of international peace and security, the equitable and efficient utilization of

ocean resources, the pro-tection and preservation of the marine environment, and the realization of a just and equitable economic

order. As such, the law of the sea provides a flexible and evolving framework for adapting to new chal-lenges.

“The ecosystem func-tions that oceans provide, and their importance to the global economy, deserve particular attention as we look ahead to next year’s Rio +20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. For that rea-son, the theme of this year’s observance is Our oceans: greening our future”, Mr. Ban Ki-moon said.

The UN Secretary-Gen-eral said all activities and policies related to oceans and the marine environment need to acknowledge and incorporate the three pil-lars of sustainable develop-ment: environmental, social and economic.

“Only then can we achieve the development objectives set by the inter-national community. On this year’s World Oceans Day, I urge governments and all sectors of society to em-brace our individual and col-lective responsibility to pro-tect the marine environment and manage its resources in a sustainable manner for present and future genera-tions,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

World Oceans Day, June 11

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Check out our website for information materials on biodiversity conservation in ASEAN! The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity produces a number of public awareness materials on biodiversity in the region, including the quarterly newsmagazine ASEAN Biodiversity, as well as profi les of ASEAN Heritage Parks and endangered species.

Proceedings on workshops organized by ACB focusing on issues such as marine gap analysis, multilateral environmental agreements, and business and biodiversity, among others are already available. The Policy Brief Series focuses on ASEAN actions and recommendations on issues such as community conserved areas, ecotourism, and invasive alien species.

Visitors can access the Biodiversity Information Sharing Service (BISS) to check species lists and protected area network data in ASEAN. Links to biodiversity information in other ASEAN Member States can be accessed here as well.

ACB has also produced videos on ACB and its work in ASEAN, as well as the values and the need to protect our treasured natural resources.

For more information log on to www.aseanbiodiversity.org.

Biodiversity information at your fi ngertips!


FEATURE

eople rarely look at the numbers, but in a steadily shrinking

world, a population of seven billion is a staggering figure. When the global popula-tion reaches that number at the end of 2011, seven billion people all over the world will require shelter and habitation, need food, income and employment, necessitate healthcare, and utilize the world’s water, en-ergy and other natural re-sources.

World Population Day, which is observed annually on July 11, seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of popula-tion issues. This year, the United Nations Population Fund seeks to highlight the population issue with 7 Bil-lion Actions. 7 Billion Ac-tions is a global movement open to every organization and individual committed to addressing the most chal-lenging issues of our time. It emphasizes the fact that everyone has a unique role and an inherent calling to help one another to make the world a better place. Every organization has a responsibility to help solve the problems larger than any one person can tackle alone.

7 Billion Actions also aims to highlight organiza-

tions and individuals that have been making signifi-cant impacts and creating innovative solutions in sev-en key areas:

• Poverty and Inequali-ty: Breaking the Cycle. Reducing poverty and inequality also slows population growth.

• Women and Girls: Em-powerment and Prog-ress. Unleashing the power of women and girls will accelerate progress on all fronts.

• Young People: Forg-ing the Future. Ener-getic and open to new technologies, history’s largest and most in-terconnected popula-tion of young people is transforming global politics and culture.

• Reproductive Health and Rights: The Facts of Life. Ensuring that every child is wanted and every child birth is safe leads to smaller and stronger families.

• Environment: Healthy Planet, Healthy Peo-

ple. All seven billion of the global population, and those who will fol-low, depend on the health of our planet.

• Aging: An Unprec-edented Challenge. Lower fertility and lon-ger lives add up to a new challenge world-wide: providing for aging populations.

• Urbanization: Plan-ning for Growth. The next two billion people will live in cities, so we need to plan for them now.

As the population con-tinues to grow at expo-nential rates, the struggle for existing resources will continue to create more health and environmen-tal challenges. A greater population will increasingly stress shrinking forests as people require more space for homes and industries, agricultural space for crops and livestock, wood for shelter, as well as ac-cess to minerals to fuel economies. They will need access to safe and clean drinking water, which is be-coming increasingly scarce due to deforestation, pol-lution, and climate change. Biodiversity of wild plants and animals will continue to be compromised with the increased demand for

food and there is a greater need to mass produce cer-tain crops and livestock to feed a growing population. Dependence on existing energy resources that rely heavily on fossil fuels will also cause greater air pol-lution, which area already causing major respiratory concerns among the cur-rent generation.

The world at seven billion calls for 7 Billion Actions. While all the key issues that highlight World Popu-lation Day 2011 are inter-connected, the drive for a healthy environment should be a major component to ensure a safe world for all of humanity. Governments should strive for a green economy that focuses on carbon neutrality, energy effi ciency and renewable resources; industries that emphasize sustainable pro-duction and biodiversity conservation; businesses that practice clean tech-nology, recycling, and har-mony with the environment; and civic movements that strengthen environmen-tal conservation. Everyone needs to act and no contri-bution is too small to ensure a safe environment for the world’s population.

For more information on World Population Day 2011, log on to www.unfpa.org.

World Population Day, July 11

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FEATURE

n the occasion of the International Day of Indigenous Peo-

ples, August 9, the world community pays tribute to the indigenous peoples (IPs) for their contributions to knowledge, innovations and practices in the con-servation of biodiversity on Earth.

In its preamble and ar-ticles, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recognizes the pivotal role of IPs and local commu-nities and their traditional knowledge in the conserva-tion of life on Earth.

The traditional knowledge of IPs is related to their cus-tomary practices, specifi cal-ly recognized in Article 10(c) of the CBD which stipulates that Parties shall “protect and encourage customary use of biological resources in accordance with tradi-tional cultural practices that are compatible with conser-vation or sustainable use requirements.”

The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CBD has adopted a new major component of work on sus-tainable use of biodiversity with a focus on customary sustainable use (Decision X/43). IPs practice custom-ary sustainable use to main-tain their cultures, in order to realize their cultural expres-sions – their arts, musical instruments, foods, medi-cine, designs, costumes and shelter.

Customary use is guided by customary regulations, ethical standards, and tar-geted sanctions to help pro-mote sustainability. These regulations may include: recognition of mutual re-spect of nature, avoidance of overharvesting, protec-

tion of sacred species and respect for previous and fu-ture generations.

In the past, IPs were among the most marginal-ized sectors in society, and received little recognition for their contribution to history, culture, environment, and the community. Efforts of indigenous peoples’ orga-nizations have fortunately borne fruit, and there has been growing appreciation for indigenous groups and their signifi cance, result-ing in greater awareness among the general public and increased government support.

While contributions to history, language, arts and culture are closely as-sociated with IPs, these communities also have a profound knowledge and understanding of the envi-ronment. As a community that works closely with na-ture and its resources, their

contributions to biodiversity conservation and their un-derstanding of the natural world should prove invalu-able to conservation orga-nizations.

Many indigenous and lo-cal communities live in ter-ritories that are biologically outstanding on a global scale. Traditional indig-enous territories have been estimated to cover up to 24 percent of the world’s land surface and contain 80 per-cent of the earth’s remain-ing healthy ecosystems and global biodiversity priority areas. Centuries of interac-tion with nature have en-dowed IPs with traditional ecological knowledge that encompasses an aware-ness of species behavior, diversity, breeding, migra-tion patterns, seasonal changes, plant growth and crop production, and me-dicinal properties of fl ora and fauna, among others.

Many examples of tradi-tional ecological knowledge are now being acknowl-edged as signifi cant to bio-diversity conservation. In Sabah, Malaysia, the tagal system has been recog-nized by the government as a good strategy for con-serving and ensuring the sustainability of declining and depleting river resourc-es. Under the unique sys-tem, practiced by the IPs of Sabah, fi shing is allowed only once a year in certain rivers to allow the fi sh to mature. The tagal system is enforced under the Native Customary Law of Sabah and under Sections 35, 36 and 37 of the Freshwater and Aquaculture Fisher-ies Enactment 2003. The Malaysian Government has announced plans to employ the tagal system to promote biodiversity conservation and rural tourism, as well as increase the income of rural people from sales of freshwater fi sh. The strat-egy could also be extended to sea cucumber habitats to conserve its resources.

Indigenous knowledge also includes an intimate understanding of the diver-sity of the plant species and ecological balance that con-tribute to general health and well-being. In a study by Mervin Gascon on the Tradi-tional Ecological Knowledge System of the Matigsalug Tribe in Mitigating the Ef-fects of Dengue and Malaria Outbreak, he narrates the various plants used by the Matigsalug Tribe in Marilog District, Davao City, Philip-pines during dengue fever and malaria outbreaks.

The Matigsalugs live along the side of River Salug that runs from Arakan-Cota-

By Sahlee Bugna-Barrer

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, August 9

Indigenous peoples: stewards of biodiversity

A

Photo by Rolando A. Inciong

An Aeta tribesman showing his skill in archery


FEATURE

bato, Bukidnon and Davao mountain areas. The tribe, once part of the big Obo-Manobo tribe of Davao-Bukidnon, got its name only during the 1970s when they began to call themselves the river people. Matig means “from” while Salug means River Salug. During dengue fever and malaria outbreaks, the Matigsalugs keep deaths low by using different medic-inal herbs such as mayana (Coleus scutellarioides), la-gundi (Vitex negundo L.), tawa-tawa (Euphorbia hirta linn), anonang (Anana reticu-lata linn), kugon hilbas (Meu-tha arvensis linn), and gabon (Synsepalum dulcifi cum). The knowledge and skills on the curative application of any of the given herbal medicines has been handed down from generation to generation. Depending on the type of plant, juice can be extracted from the leaves or a decoction can be pre-pared from the leaves, bark or bulbs, which are taken by people affl icted with den-gue fever or malaria. Most of these herbal plants, es-pecially lagundi, hilbas and mayana, are planted in their backyards to ensure enough supply for use whenever the need arises.

The Matigsalugs also use medicinal oils and oil-based mixtures to cure certain mi-nor ailments. These include

lemongrass with pure co-conut oil, madre de cacao (Gliricidia sepium) plus pure coconut oil, pure coconut oil with “36 roots from the forest”, and tubli (Derris el-liptica benth) plus coconut oil, which are liberally ap-plied to affected body parts. Lemongrass is also widely used to keep mosquitoes at bay. Lemongrass leaves are burned, or used as house-hold implements such as broom, polisher or wax. When scrubbed on the fl oor, the lemongrass leaves a waxy secretion that makes the fl oor shiny and leaves a scent similar to citronella oil, which repels mosqui-toes. The Matigsalugs also command their children not to play with or kill frogs as these, they know, eat mos-quitoes voraciously. They said that increasing frog’s population in their sur-roundings could decrease their chance of being bitten by mosquitoes.

In a study on Traditional Natural Resource Use and Development in Northeast Thailand, villagers expressed their regret with mono-crop-ping, particularly of jasmine rice, which marked the be-ginning of the end of indig-enous seeds and the dis-appearance of indigenous rice varieties. Today, only an estimated 27 of over 180 varieties of rice native to the

area are grown. These va-rieties represent more than different food choices and biological diversity since often a certain type of rice was used for a tradition, ceremony, or ritual, such as the building of houses, marriage, and during plant-ing and harvest season. The rice seeds form a signifi cant part of local culture, so their disappearance affected tra-ditional cultural practices as well. Different varieties where planted according to geographic areas and amount of rainfall so there were different planting and harvest seasons among dif-ferent communities. When everyone began planting the same crop, community dynamics and interaction were also affected.

These examples and various studies highlight the signifi cance of IPs in differ-ent aspects of natural re-source management, from biodiversity conservation to climate change mitigation. A report by the World Bank supports the contention that engaging IPs more ef-fectively in biodiversity con-servation represents a win-win situation, particularly in the following issues:

• Expanding beyond national parks - many or most of the world’s major centers of bio-diversity, which may

not be part of national parks, coincide with areas occupied or controlled by indig-enous people.

• Tapping on ancestral knowledge – the ef-fective participation of indigenous people in biodiversity conserva-tion programs as ex-perts in protecting and managing biodiversity and natural resources would result in more comprehensive and cost- effective conser-vation and manage-ment of biodiversity worldwide.

• Addressing the climate change agenda – pre-serving large exten-sions of forests would not only support the climate change ob-jectives, but it would respect the rights of IPs and conserve bio-diversity as well. Some ancestral territories often provide excel-lent examples of a landscape design that can resist the nega-tives effects of climate change. IPs have also developed genetic varieties of medicinal and useful plants and animal breeds with a wider natural range of resistance to climatic and ecological vari-ability.

Indigenous communities have long been responsible for the preservation and maintenance of traditional knowledge and practices that are highly relevant for the sustainable use of bio-diversity. This presents both an enormous opportunity as well as a challenge for con-servation efforts even be-yond protected areas. This makes it imperative that the rights, interests and liveli-hoods of indigenous com-munities are respected and reinforced in biodiversity conservation efforts.

Photo by Rolando A. Inciong


• Lao PDR

PROFILES

LAO PDREstablished on 29 October 1993, the Nakai-Nam Theun (NNT) conservation area in Khammouane Province represents

Lao PDR’s largest and most diverse natural forest area. The park covers 3,710 square kilometers of the Annamite mountains and the adjacent Nakai Plateau in the provinces of Khammouane and

Bolikhamxay.

Protected AreaNakai-Nam Theun

Saola


HabitatsThere is a complex

range of habitats in the protected area, which include evergreen forest, montane fagaceous forest, cloud forest, riverine forest and everwet forest.

The evergreen forest has plant families and genera typical for other parts of Southeast Asia. Commonly found in the area are Dipterocarpus and Shorea in the Dipterocarpaceae, and species of Myristicaceae, Annonaceae, Rutaceae, Sapindaceae, and Fabaceae, among other species.

Undisturbed montane fagaceous forest generally occurs at higher elevations. Ridges above 950 meters toward the Viet Nam border in the southern part of the NNT PA have scattered and small populations of Fokienia hodginsii, a commercially valuable cypress-like conifer.

Cloud forest occurs on mountains south of Ban Nameo and is dominated

by the Ericaceous species, particularly Rhododendron cf. veitchianum Hooker, which grows up to seven meters.

Riverine forest is the only habitat where a tree species of Poikilospermum (Urticaceae) was seen. The habitat protects a large variety of herbs. In the Nam Sot area where riverbanks are shallow and many areas appear to flood regularly, component species of habitat flora remain unknown.

One of the unique features of the NNT protected area is the occurrence of the highly restricted ‘everwet forest’. This occurs only in narrow bands where there are low elevation saddles in the Sai Phou Louang (Annamite) chain. These saddles allow the Vietnamese northeast monsoon to penetrate across the border and consequently these areas receive rain for up to ten months of the year. It is probable that the fauna and flora assemblages in the area are unique as the

habitat occurs nowhere else in Lao PDR.

WildlifeThere are 530 recorded

vertebrates in the protected area, including 377 species of birds, 100 species of mammals, 45 species of bats, eight species of rodents, and 53 species of reptiles and amphibians. The Nakai-nam Theun Protected Area is home to some of the world’s most recently discovered species, including the saola, small dark muntjac and giant muntjac. The Indochinese warty pig was recently rediscovered in the area after being considered extinct. At least nine species of primates occur including pygmy loris, douc langur, Francois’ langur and white-cheeked gibbon.

Many rare cat species can also be found in the area, such as fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), golden cat (Catopuma temmincki), marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata), clouded leopard (Pardofelis

nebulosa) and tiger (Panthera tigris). The Nakai Plateau also holds significant populations of many mammals including an estimated100-150 Asian Elephants.

Nakai-Nam Theun is also known for the diversity of avian species in the area. Slow-flowing rivers and adjacent forest on the Nakai Plateau provide habitats for scarce species such as (Cairina scutulata), lesser fish-eagle (Ichthyophaga humilis), pied falconet (Microhierax melanoleucos) and river lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii). Lowland semi-evergreen forest supports populations of red-collared woodpecker (Picus rabieri), pale-headed woodpecker (Gecinulus grantia), Indochinese green magpie (Cissa hypoleuca), white-winged magpie (Urocissa whiteheadi) and rufous-throated fulvetta (Alcippe rufogularis). The fagaceous forest provides habitat for coral-billed ground cuckoo (Carpococcyx renauldi), green cochoa (Cochoa

PROFILES

Elephant Douc langur

viridis), and red-tailed laughingthrush (Garrulax milnei), among many others.

The beautiful nuthatch (Sitta formosa) is usually found on the boughs of Fokienia hodginsii, while spectacled fulvetta (Alcippe ruficapilla), whiskered yuhina (Yuhina flavicollis) and chestnut-tailed minla (Minla strigula) are confined to cloud and elfin forest close to the summits of the highest peaks. The ‘everwet’ forests are a stronghold of short-tailed scimitar-babbler (Jabouilleia danjoui) and crested argus (Rheinardia ocellata).

ThreatsMain threats to the

protected area include the poaching of wildlife and non-timber forest products (NTFP). Many of the species that are illegally traded are species used in traditional medicine, including turtles and pangolins. NTFPs being harvested include

rattan, keesee, kaysena, pine resins, bamboo and the leaves of fan palms. Occasionally, the stems of a woody climber locally known as ‘hairm’ have been gathered and sold as a malaria cure by local residents.

Another major threat to biodiversity in the protected area is clearance of forest for shifting cultivation due to the increase of human settlements in the park. There is also a certain amount of logging at the edge of the Nakai Plateau. Logging of the cypress forests has also been reported.

Conservation ProgrammeTo strengthen park

management, a number of training programs have been provided including capacity building on participatory assessment and planning, land-use planning, and wildlife monitoring techniques. Joint-patrolling programmes have been

PROFILES


planned with Provincial and District security forces to minimize the extent and impact of widespread poaching in the park. Protected area management also plans to continue participatory conservation activities by strengthening cooperation with existing guardian villages and establishing new guardian villages in critical habitat areas. These activities should include both village conservation monitoring groups, community natural resources management, and support for development activities.

Other project activities include the development of a comprehensive forest/land-use planning and appropriate livelihood development programme for the entire PA; boundary demarcation; assessment of threats and management considerations for the Nakai elephant population; and supplementary surveys on flora and reptiles and amphibians; among others.

EcotourismWhile the area offers

spectacular forests and rivers, difficult access and lack of accommodation or services limit tourism activities. Access to the park requires entry by boat or on foot, and also requires significant amounts of time. There is increasing discussion however of developing the ecotourism potential of Nakai-Nam Theun, particularly for bird watching due to the rich variety of bird species in the park.

Getting thereThere is only one main

road which enters the heart of the protected area, and it is via Route 8B (around Ban Kengdaeng, Khamkeut District) to Ban Thamuang (on the Nam Sot) to Ban Navang (on the Nam Mon). The Nakai Plateau can also be accessed from Thakek via Route 12 and then Route 8 B to Nakai District Town and the Nakai Plateau.

Whiskered yuhina

References:

BirdLife International. Important Bird Areas in Lao PDR (http://birdlifeindochina.org/birdlife/iba_laos/pdf/la025_nakainam_theun.pdf)

Ecotourism Laos (http://www.ecotourismlaos.com/nakainamtheun.htm)

Timmins, R.J. and T.D. Evans. 1996. Wildlife and Habitat Survey of the Nakai-Nam Theun National Biodiversity Conservation Area. The Wildlife Conservation Society. Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Tobias, Joe; Pete Davidson and William Robichaud. 1998. Nakai-Nam Theun: can development save one of South-East Asia’s last wildernesses? in OBC Bulletin 28, November 1998. Oriental Bird Club (http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/publications/bullfeats/nakainam.html)


PROFILES

Mt. Hamiguitan Range

Mt. Hamiguitan is located in Davao Oriental, Philippines and straddles three municipalities, namely Mati,

Governor Generoso, and San Isidro. The wildlife sanctuary covers 6,834 hectares and was declared a protected area under Republic Act 9303 on 30 July 2004. Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS) is being managed by the Protected Area Management Board and the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The highest point in the

• Philippines

PHILIPPINES

sanctuary is Mt. Hamiguitan, which stands at 5,345 feet above sea level. Noted for its rich biodiversity, the protected area has also been identified as one of the country’s Key Biodiversity Areas.

Wildlife Sanctuary

PROFILES


HabitatsMt. Hamiguitan has

been found to have five vegetation types, namely agro-ecosystem (75-420 meters above sea level), dipterocarp (420-920 meters above sea level), montane (920-1,160 meters above sea level), typical mossy (1,160-1,350 meters above sea level) and mossy-pygmy forest (1,160-1,200 meters above sea level). Each of these forest types harbors endemic, threatened, rare and economically important species of flora and fauna. Trees within the mossy-pygmy forest have an average height of only 1.4 meters with a diameter of 8 centimeters. Two dominant species that can only be found in this forest type are Leptospermum flavescens and Wendlandia nervosa. Other species include Tristaniopsis micrantha, Dacrydium elatum, Calophyllum blancoi, Symplocos polyandra, and Agathis philippinensis (almaciga) which has the

highest average height of only 2.4 meters.

The headwaters of different major rivers are also found on Mt. Hamiguitan, such as the Bitaogan River, Maua River, Dumagooc and the Tibanban River and several creeks with discharge points to the Davao Gulf on the west and the Philippine Sea on the east. The Dumagooc and the Tibanban Rivers are the major water sources of the municipality of Governor Generoso.

WildlifeMt. Hamiguitan Range

Wildlife Sanctuary is the only protected forest noted for its unique bonsai field or ‘pygmy’ forest of 100-year-old trees on ultramafic soil. It is also known as a sanctuary of the world famous Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), as well as other endemic species of flora and fauna.

FloraInventory of flora species

in each vegetation type

revealed that the montane forest has the highest species richness of plants with 462 species, followed by dipterocarp forest with 338 species. Mossy and agro-system have the lowest species richness value of 246 each.

Assessment of the conservation status of 477 identified species revealed that 163 species (18.56 percent) are endemic, 35 species (3.99 percent) threatened, 33 species (3.75 percent) rare and 204 species (23.23 percent) economically important. Eight (8) species, namely, Elaeocarpus verticillatus, Patersonia lowii, Astronia lagunensis, Nepenthes argentii, N. mira, Schizaea inopinata and S. malaccana, have been found to be new records in Mindanao and one (1) species, Nepenthes maxima, as a new record in the Philippines.

FaunaRecorded species

in MHRWS include 14

species of mammals and 53 species of birds. Endemic mammals include the golden-crown flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta), Philippine warty pig (Sus philippinensis), Philippine brown deer (Cervus mariannus), Philippine mossy-pygmy fruit bat (Haplonycteris fischeri), Philippine monkey (Macaca fasciularis), Philippine palm civet (Paradoxurus philippinensis), Philippine tree squirrel (Callosciurus philippinensis), Philippine common field rat (Rattus mindanensis) and Mindanao wild pig (Sus celebensis).

Endemic bird species include the Philippine glossy starling (Aplonis panayensis), Philippine flowerpecker (Dicaeum australe austral), Philippine turtle dove (Streptopelia bitoquata dusumieri), Philippine coucal (Centropus viridis viridis), Philippine hawk-eagle (Spizaetus philippensis), Mindanao bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba crinigera), Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia) and Philippine dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx melanurus). Other recorded bird species include the Japanese night-heron, spot-billed Pelican, giant scops-owl, blue-capped kingfisher, and rufous-lored kingfisher.

In 2006, a yellow-brown rodent was discovered in the pygmy forests of Mt. Hamiguitan and identified as a new species. The discovery of the Hamiguitan hairy tailed rat reinforces the rich biodiversity of the wildlife sanctuary and strengthens the need for the effective conservation of the protected area.Twin falls

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distance. Plant species found in the pygmy forest include almaciga, cedar, lokinai, yakal, dapdap and bitanghol. On the southern portion of the bonsai fi eld are springs which run into two creeks. Visitors can also visit Licub Falls and several other waterfalls on the headwaters of the Dumagooc River. The more adventurous tourist can also opt to climb Mt. Hamiguitan. There are also tremendous opportunities for bird watching, trekking and camping in the wildlife sanctuary.

Getting there The protected area is

accessible on the western side via three routes. The first route, which is

References:

National Geographic News (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/02/090219-hairy-rat-picture.html)

Philippine Clearing House Mechanism for Biodiversity (http://www.chm.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=170%3Afeatured-protected-area-mt-hamiguitan-range-wildlife-sanctuary-mhrws-&catid=47&Itemid=73)

UNESCO (http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5487/)

45 minutes by pump boat (motorized banca) from Macambaol, which is also about 45 minutes by pump boat from the port of Mati.

ThreatsThreats to MHRWS

include timber poaching, soil erosion, gathering and collection of wildlife resources, and illegal entry and occupation of informal settlers.

EcotourismVisitors can enjoy a

number of recreational pursuits in Mt. Hamiguitan. Some of the local attractions include the Tinagong Dagat or Hidden Lake, which has an area of about fi ve hectares. The bonsai fi eld or pygmy forest is located southeast from Mt. Hamiguitan and covers an estimated area of 100 hectares. The area looks like a ricefi eld from a

frequently used, is via Sitio Mahayag of Barangay La Union, the starting point of the travel, which is accessible by land transportation and is about 25 kilometers from San Isidro Proper.

Another route is via Purok 8 of Barangay Sergio Osmeña River upstream from Purok 4, the starting point of the hike. Purok 4 is accessible by any land transport and is about seven kilometers from the town proper of Governor Generoso.

The third route, which is via Sitio Magum of Macambol, is not frequently used due to its diffi cult terrain. Sitio Magum is about

Mt. Hamiguitan Cloud rat

Nepenthes micramphora

Philippine cockatoo


• MALAYSIA

PROFILES

MALAYSIAGunung Gading National Park covers 4,104 hectares and is located in the Lundu

District, southwest of Sarawak. The

Gunung Gading National Park

Park features four mountain peaks — Gunung Gading (900 meters), Gunung Perigi, Gunung Sebuloh and Gunung Lundu - as well as waterfalls in the upper reaches of Sungai Lundu, which have become a popular recreational destination for both local and foreign visitors.

PROFILES


Gunung Gading National Park has a very special star attraction - the Rafflesia, the world’s largest flower - and the park is one of the best places in Asia to view the Rafflesia’s spectacular blooms. Gunung Gading was gazetted as a park on 1 August 1983 primarily to provide a conservation zone for the protection of the Rafflesia. However, after extensive environmental impact studies, the National Parks Department decided that Gunung Gading is a treasure that should be shared and it was thus opened to the public in 1994.

WildlifeGunung Gading’s most

famous resident is the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, which is Bunga pakma in Malay. There are thought to be 17 species of Rafflesia, some of which may already be extinct. Three species are found in Sarawak - the Rafflesia pricei, Rafflesia arnoldi and Rafflesia tuan-mudae, which is actually a type of Arnoldi. Only one species, R. tuan-mudae, is found at Gunung Gading. The Rafflesia tuan-mudae was discovered by the 19th century Italian botanist, Odoardo Beccari, and named in honour of the second White Rajah, Tuan Muda Charles Brooke.

Gunung Gading is home to a range of species including wild boar, civet cat, small deer, porcupine, monkey, giant squirrel, great argus, grey-and-buff woodpecker, Diard’s trogon, black broadbill, yellow broadbill and brown fulvetta. However, as the park is surrounded by villages, Gunung Gading is not an easy place for spotting wild animals. Most wildlife stay deep in the jungle on the upper slopes

of the park’s mountains, and therefore visitors who opt for a summit trek are more likely to see some of the park’s wildlife.

The Raffl esiaThe Rafflesia is a

parasitic plant found only in Southeast Asia, and then only in sub-montane hilly forests at elevations between 400 and 1,300 meters. Sir Stamford Raffles and Dr. Joseph Arnold were the first Europeans to discover the Rafflesia in 1818 on a field trip near the town of Bencoolen (Bengkulu) in

Sumatra. The specimen they discovered measured 97 cm in diameter and was later named the Rafflesia arnoldi. At full bloom the Rafflesia can measure up to one meter in width.

Much of the flower’s biology remains a mystery to this day. It has no specific flowering season and it has no roots, leaves or stem. The Rafflesia depends on a host vine - the tetrastigma, a member of the grape family. The choice of tetrastigma as host and the process of germination remain unclear. Threads of tissue spread

out within the vine, absorb nutrients, and after 18 months a small dark brown bud appears. However, even when a bud forms there is no guarantee that it will mature into a Rafflesia flower. A bud takes nine months to mature, and studies have shown that a high percentage of buds do not survive, as they are susceptible to both drought and heavy rain.

After nine months the brown ‘leaves’ of the cabbage-like bud open, revealing the underside of the petal-like lobes. It takes several hours for a flower to open fully. There are usually five thick and fleshy red-coloured petals, covered in lighter coloured spots, warts and blotches. The Rafflesia only blooms for three to five days, before it starts to blacken and rot. Although it is quite common for a number of buds to occur in a cluster at the same site, it is rare for two plants of the same cluster to bloom at the same time.

Rafflesia flowers are either male or female, and therefore cannot self-

PROFILES


pollinate. For pollination to take place, a male and a female flower must bloom at the same time and pollen must be transported over considerable distances. In the Rafflesia’s case pollination is carried out by carrion flies, so while in full bloom the Rafflesia gives off a foul smell of decaying flesh to attract them. Seeds are thought to be dispersed by rodents and other small mammals.

Conservation ProgrammeGunung Gading National

Park was established as a strict conservation zone to ensure the survival of the Rafflesia. With other endangered species it is possible to implement a range of conservation measures such as translocation and the establishment of nurseries. However, these measures are not possible with the Rafflesia due to its very high degree of specialisation. Gunung Gading’s status as a protected area will thus prevent habitat loss, and guarantee the presence of the tetrastigma vine, the Rafflesia’s host.

Gunung Gading National Park is closely monitored

References:

Sarawak Forestry Department (http://www.forestry.sarawak.gov.my/forweb/np/np/gading.htm)

Sarawak Forestry Corporation (http://www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-np-gading.html)

Sarawask Tourism Board (http://www.sarawaktourism.com/content.cfm/id/A11791D1-C03D-41C3-970326BBD2DAD057)

Virtual Malaysia.com (ttp://www.virtualmalaysia.com/destination/gunung%20gading%20national%20park.html)

World Wildlife Adventures (http://www.world-wildlife-adventures.com/directory/malaysia/wildlife-park.asp?sanctuary=Gunung+Gading+National+Park&state=Sarawak)

by the National Parks Department to ensure that visitors will get the best opportunity to view the flowering Rafflesia without causing any damage to the young buds and other flora in the park. Plank walks have been built close to where the Rafflesia are commonly found, making viewing possible when a plant is in bloom.

EcotourismThe Rafflesia is a

rare flower with a short flowering period so visitors should check with park headquarters if a Rafflesia is in full bloom. Visitors can easily view Rafflesia near park headquarters through plank walks. Park wardens also take visitors on guided walks to flowers that are blooming deeper in the forest. Visitors should take notice of the warden’s instructions and tread carefully, to avoid damaging any buds on the forest floor. Blooms are more common during the wetter months and are also more commonly found on the lower slopes of the park’s mountain peaks.

Visitors can also hike the many jungle trails in the park. Since the park features rugged mountain

peaks, most of the jungle treks involve a significant amount of hill walking and requires a reasonable level of fitness. The summit treks are for serious hikers since these may take up to 7 to 8 hours of hiking. Official trekking guides are necessary as Gunung Gading is a conservation zone, and only small trekking groups are allowed. Some of the trails in the park are:

• Waterfall Trail – the easiest and shortest trail in the park. The trail follows a river and passes seven waterfalls, although not all of the wa-terfalls are acces-sible. The whole trail passes through some great jungle scenery before reaching the final waterfall, and a perfect dip pool sur-rounded by forest.

• Batu Berkubu – an optional trek from the Gunung Gading summit, this is fairly easy but takes an ad-ditional two to three hours round trip.

• Gunung Gading Sum-mit Trail – the summit was the location of a British army camp during the communist

insurgency of the 1960s. Hikers will still see remnants of the camp, including a helicopter pad, water tank and barbed wire fencing.

• Plank Walk Trail – the plank walk provides access to nearby Rafflesia and forms a loop, which takes about one hour to complete, allowing time to enjoy the for-est scenery along the way.

Aside from seeing the Rafflesia and hiking the jungle trails, visitors can swim in the jungle streams, walk in the Park and visit the beaches and the whole of Lundu.

Getting thereThe Park is just five

minutes drive from Lundu town or about two hour’s drive from Kuching. You can take Sarawak Transport Company, Lundu Express Bus or Bus No. 2B from Kuching City to Lundu town centre. From there, take a Pandan bus and ask to be dropped off at the park. Alternatively, Kuching tour operators offer guided tours to the park.

Raffl esia

BOOKMARKS

Results of the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition revealed FROM April 26 to June 10, 2011, 31 American expedition team members along with local botanists, entomologists, herpetologists, mammalogists and marine biologists from the University of the Philippines (UP), De La Salle University, University of Batangas, the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture, and the National Museum of the Philippines, explored the shallow-water reefs, deep sea, and terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems of the country for new life or discoveries never been recorded.

Among the places included in the expedition were Lake Taal, Anilao, the Verde Island Passage in Batangas, Mt. Makiling in Laguna, Mt. Banahaw in Quezon, Mt. Malarayat in Batangas, and Mt. Isarog in the Bicol region. The 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition was the largest expedition undertaken by the California Academy of Sciences (CAS). It was the first expedition that involved a comprehensive survey of both terrestrial and marine diversity, which took place in the Philippines, a mega-diverse country with over 7,100 islands.

Participants included the California Academy of Sciences’ Dean of Science and Research Collections, Dr. Terry Gosliner and Director of Teacher and Youth Education, Dr. Meg Burke. Gosliner has worked with researchers, educators, and community leaders in the Philippines, where he has also been active in conservation efforts for the country’s marine biodiversity. Burke on the other hand has been very active in sharing knowledge on Philippine biodiversity with the Filipino-American community in San Francisco, U.S. but also with some counterparts in the Philippines.

The team from the University of Philippines was led by Dr. Edwino Fernando of the UP Los Baños College of Forestry and Natural Resources and Dr. Perry Ong of the Institute of Biology.

“Our country is remarkably rich in biodiversity, from coral reefs to forests, rivers and lakes. Conservation of these resources is most critical to species survival, stable ecosystems and economic development on the Philippines and the world as well,” said Dr. Ong.

With the completion of the scientific researches, the preliminary results and conservation challenges were presented through a symposium titled “The 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition” held on June 8, 2011 at the National Institute of Geological Sciences Auditorium, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. The symposium was attended by scientists, researchers, academicians and policy makers. It served as a venue for the scientific community, national and local government units and the general public to be aware and knowledgeable of the current state of the country’s ecosystems and appreciate its unique but highly threatened biodiversity.

Highlighted in the presentations were the discoveries of new species in the Philippines from the top of the highest mountains to the depths of the sea. The conservation challenges for its unique flora and fauna and discussions

toward developing effective strategies to mitigate the growing impacts of climate change and education and awareness-raising on the values of biodiversity were also given emphasis, especially during the panel discussion series and open forum.

Dr. Sheila G. Vergara, director of the Biodiversity Information Management Unit of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), presented the regional challenges on biodiversity. She stated that biodiversity conservation is progressively acknowledged by Southeast Asian governments as particularly important for human development. This is manifested by various efforts taken by the national and local governments across the region to help conserve the dwindling biological resources. However, there are still numerous issues yet to be effectively addressed such as the need for common information platforms, recognition of connectivity between and among ecosystems and their threats and drivers, awareness of the values of biodiversity, useful knowledge products, and sustained collaboration, management and support.

“It is a challenge to improve presentations by which biodiversity knowledge, the science base and technologies relating to biodiversity, its values, functioning, status and trends, and the consequences of its loss, are stored, improved, widely shared and transferred, and applied,” Dr. Vergara emphasized. “The data exist in a number of countries, but they are not standardized or harmonized. There is no global baseline yet nor a global repository for the data,” she added reiterating the importance of biodiversity information and knowledge management.

ASEAN taxonomists form networkTAXONOMISTS from Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam have formed a taxonomic information network to promote systematic information sharing, dissemination, and institutionalization of taxonomic knowledge in the educational and public awareness systems. The network was organized during a workshop on “Capacity-building and Orientation on Species and Protected Areas Database Interfaces” held in Manila on June 22, 2011.

The workshop was part of a project on “Taxonomic Capacity Building and Governance for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity” being implemented by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), supported by the East and Southeast Asia Biodiversity Information Initiative

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(ESABII) of Japan and funded by the Japan-ASEAN Integrated Fund.

The taxonomists serve as ASEAN Member States’ National Focal Points for the Program of Work of the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The new network also includes China, Japan and Korea as members of the ASEAN+3.

Dr. Filiberto Pollisco, Jr, ACB policy research specialist, said the taxonomic information network for ASEAN+3 countries is vital to the achievement of GTI objectives: assessing taxonomic needs and capacities at national, regional and global levels for the implementation of the CBD; building and maintaining human resources, systems and infrastructure needed to obtain, collate and curate the biological specimens that are the basis for taxonomic knowledge; facilitating an improved and effective infrastructure/system for access to taxonomic information to ensure that countries of origin gain access to information concerning elements of their biodiversity; and including key taxonomic objectives to generate information for decision-making in conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Director Clarissa Arida of ACB’s Program Development and Implementation Unit said the workshop oriented the ASEAN taxonomists on the GTI program of work; introduced them to the Darwin Core database as a platform for biodiversity information sharing Service; and familiarized the participants with ACB’s “Friends of Biodiversity” as a database for taxonomists in Southeast Asia.

Director Sheila Vergara of ACB’s Biodiversity Information Management Unit said the use of the Darwin Core database will contribute to the inter-operability of data for biodiversity conservation planning and decision making.

ACB is working to increase the taxonomic capacities of ASEAN Member States with the help of China, Japan and Korea as ASEAN dialogue partners. According to ACB Executive Director Rodrigo Fuentes, “Taxonomy is a key component of biodiversity conservation but, unfortunately, we only have a few practicing taxonomists in Southeast Asia. Lack of scientific information on biodiversity in the ASEAN region is a crucial issue in the assessment and prediction of biodiversity changes, caused mainly by the lack of taxonomic capacity in data collection and analysis. Having a network of taxonomists will leverage the limited expertise available in the region.”

Key people who attended the Manila workshop included: Dr Dedy Darnaedi, plant taxonomy and senior

staff Herbarium Bogoriense, Indonesia; Dr Kosonh Xayphakatsa, deputy director, Biotechnology Division, Science and Technology Research Institute, Lao PDR; Dr Pan Khang Aun, researcher, Forest Research Division, Forest Research Institute, Malaysia; Dr. Edwino Fernando, professor, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines; Nguyen Thi Van Ah, official, Biodiversity Conservation Agency, Viet Nam Environment Administration; Dr Cai Yikiong, senior biodiversity officer, National Biodiversity Center, National Parks Board, Singapore; and Mr. Panuat, senior environmental official, Biological Biodiversity Center, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, Thailand.

ASEAN and Japan sponsor plants and coral taxonomy internship programTAXONOMISTS from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam participated in a one-month internship program on terrestrial plants and coral taxonomy, respectively in Bangkok and Phuket, Thailand. The internship program, part of a project on “Taxonomic Capacity Building and Governance for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity”, was hosted by Thailand through the Royal Forestry Herbarium and the Phuket Marine Biological Center.

The project, being implemented by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and funded by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund, aims to develop and enhance capacities in taxonomic knowledge for strengthening scientific basis in decision making vital for environmental governance, business and technological developments, as well as collaboration, among ASEAN Member States and the East and Southeast Asia Biodiversity Information Initiative (ESABII) of Japan.

“Taxonomy is a key component of biodiversity conservation but, unfortunately, we only have a few practicing taxonomists in Southeast Asia. Lack of scientific information on biodiversity in the ASEAN region is a crucial issue in the assessment and prediction of biodiversity changes, caused mainly by the lack of taxonomic capacity in data collection and analysis,” Dr. Filiberto Pollisco, Jr, project coordinator for ACB-ESABII and policy research specialist of ACB, explained.

The taxonomy internship from May 31 to June 30 in Thailand developed and enhanced the capabilities of

Workshop participants

Interns discuss lessons on plant taxonomy.

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the ASEAN + 3 (China, Japan and South Korea) in the understanding, analysis and applications of taxonomic knowledge in the context of sustainable biodiversity conservation and management provide opportunities to further enhance expertise on plants and corals taxonomy.

The internship program also enhanced the participants’ awareness and understanding of advancements in taxonomy through hands-on approach. At the end of the one-month internship, the participants produced a detailed taxonomic account of their focus of study and write a publishable scientific article of their selected species of study.

The Royal Forestry Herbarium and the Phuket Marine Biological Center, as host institutions, provided and made available the necessary equipment, facilities, and materials for the internship program.

These institutions provided access to mounted and live specimens in their respective laboratories. They oriented and trained the interns on the nuances of taxonomy and their database system; provided access to specimen stocks, laboratory facilities, and outdoor aquaria; and provided technical input and assistance to the interns, especially in practical and hands-on taxonomy.

SM’s Green Retail Agenda highlights sustainability“The Philippines is a biodiversity hotspot and business is an integral part of the solution to biodiversity loss. Investing in biodiversity conservation makes sound business sense.” This was stressed by Rodrigo Fuentes, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity,

in his presentation on Synergies that Works: Biodiversity and Sustainability during the Green Retail Agenda, an environmental conference annually organized by the SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and SM Supermalls.

With its theme, Empowerment by Sustainability, the event showcased SM’s initiatives as a steward of the environment and emphasized the social, economic, and environmental benefits of engaging into green retail. The conference encouraged every mall tenant and retailer across all SM Supermalls to cultivate sustainable methods and sound ecological strategies beneficial to commerce and trade.

The event was held at the SMX Convention Centre on June 22, 2011 and attended by over 500 tenants, retailers and partners of SM Supermalls. Leading environmental advocates, representatives of government and international organizations, as well as business leaders shared information and experiences on establishing an environment-friendly, ecologically sound and profitable business system. The conference also highlighted presentations on tenant preparedness, sustainable appetites, sustainable design and energy efficiency, and best practices.

Atty. Byron San Pedro, representing Muntinlupa City, talked about his city’s zero plastic policy; Mr. Mark Woodward of The World Bank discussed green procurement; and Mr. Fuentes explained how business is linked to biodiversity.

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. President Hans T. Sy and SM Supermalls President Annie S. Garcia welcomed the participants while Architect Fides Garcia, Assistant Vice-President of SM Supermalls Environmental Program, introduced SM Supermalls Environmental Program and Green Retail Design.

Atty. Felipe Gozon, Chief Executive of GMA Network, Inc. and Vice-President for the Environment of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, introduced the SM Supermalls’ environmental thrusts.

Guests of honor included Secretary Ramon Paje of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, (DENR) who explained the National Greening Program; H.E. US Ambassador Harry Thomas, Senator Miguel Zubiri, and H.E. UK Ambassador Stephen Lillie, who

Taxonomy interns at work

Taxonomists from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam

ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes discusses the role of business in curbing biodiversity loss.

delivered inspirational messages. Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn gave a video presentation on the Underground River of Palawan.

Other speakers were Ms. Reese Fernandez of Rags2Riches, Miss Earth Foundation Executive Director Cathy Untalan, and Illac Diaz of My Shelter Foundation, who presented their environmental advocacy and current ecologically sound projects.

The Green Retail Agenda, a program implemented by SM Supermalls in partnership with the DENR, The World Bank, Epson, Firefly Lighting, MERALCO, NARU Technology Inc. and National Geographic, is directed to make green businesses possible through discussions on new trends, materials, policies, and energy efficient practices.

SyenSaya 2011 features climate change and biodiversityHOW climate change contributes to biodiversity loss was one of the topics exhibited at the SyenSaya fair on July 28, 2011 in celebration of the National Science and Technology Week in Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines. The exhibit was produced by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), who joined 20 other members of the Los Baños Science Community Foundation, Inc. (LBSCFI) in celebrating the annual Los Baños science festival. SyenSaya is a contraction of Filipino syensya (science) and masaya (fun) to refer to science as fun and therefore should be enjoyed not only by young individuals but by adults as well.

This year’s theme Nasa Syensa ang Pag-asa (In Science There is Hope) underscored the role of science and technology (S&T) in the economic development of a country. The event was launched in line with the opening of a science discovery exhibit, dubbed Wonderama, at the Baker Hall in UP Los Baños. Showcased in Wonderama were various research inventions and technology and knowledge products of LBSCFI in three components, namely, basic science principles, science appreciation and S&T application.

The basic science component highlighted 26 interactive exhibits on basic science principles. Among them were bluetooth controlled mobile robot, insect robot, traffic light controller, different types of telescopes, space-time curvature, planets and constellations, magic blue bottle, bioluminescence, DNA extraction, and quantum science.

The science appreciation component featured science and technology experiments that were conducted by selected high school students who have received both local and national recognitions.

The S&T application component presented exhibits addressing issues on climate change, food and agricultural production, energy and the environment.

“Since SyenSaya was started in 2008, it has been a showcase of the strong science culture of the Los Baños community,” Dr. Luis Rey I. Velasco, UP Los Banos Chancellor, said in his welcome remarks during the opening ceremony. He mentioned that science, as geared toward economic growth, poverty reduction and human development, should be able to help in the decision-making of the country’s leaders.

According to Mr. Roberto Cereno, SyenSaya 2011 coordinator, “it was the first time science tourism was used in the Philippines as well as in Southeast Asia. Busloads of elementary, high school and college students from the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon and Rizal, as well as Metro Manila visited Los Baños and witnessed the science festival.

Dignitaries who attended the event included Congressman Angelo B. Palmones, AGHAM Party List Representative; Undersecretary Fortunato T. Dela Peña of the Department of Science and Technology; and Los Banos Mayor Anthony F. Genuino.

UNDP workshop discusses value of communication in biodiversity conservationCOMMUNICATION, as well as education and public awareness areamong the keys to successful biodiversity conservation. This was stressed during a Workshop on Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) for Conservation and Sustainable Management of Timor-Leste’s Biodiversity conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on May 23, 2011at the Catholic Relief Services building in Dili.

The workshop, part of the UNDP-ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Second Project Mission to prepare Timor-Leste’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), was attended by 21 participants from government institutions, non-government organizations, media, and the education sector.

Resource speaker Rolando Inciong, Head ofCommunication and Public Affairs of ACB,explained that Timor-Leste, as a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity, is mandated to prepare an NBSAP that reflects its overall strategy to conserve and sustainable manage its biodiversity resources. An effective CEPA strategy is needed to support the implementation of the NBSAP, especially in mobilizing multi-sectoral support to conservation.

Through the lectures, the participants learned how to prepare a CEPA strategy, including determining CEPA objectives, desired outcomes, target audiences, messages, communication media to be used, and CEPA activities.

During the group discussions, the participants identified ongoing CEPA activities in Timor-Leste; key sectors that

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School kids watch a video on biodiversity at ACB’s SyenSaya booth.

need to be targeted by CEPA; the strategies for delivering biodiversity messages to the general public and priority audiences, as well priority CEPA activities to generate involvement by media, the youth, and the business sector in conservation advocacy; communicating Timor-Leste’s NBSAP to stakeholders; and CEPA strategies for protected areas. The participants agreed to constitute the first batch of Timor-Leste’s CEPA Network.

In a related development, Mr. Inciong, accompanied Dr. Filiberto Pollisco, Jr., Policy Research Specialist of ACB;and Mr. Augusto Pinto, Timor-Leste’s national focal point for the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, met with Mr. Etelvino Mousaco, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Timor-Leste at the Chamber’s headquarters.

During the meeting, Mr. Inciong explained to Mr. Mousaco the crucial role of the business sector in the biodiversity arena, citing that irresponsible business practices worldwide have contributed to biodiversity loss. He briefed Mr. Mousaco on the global Business and Biodiversity (B and B) Initiative and suggested that Timor-Leste’s business get involved with B and B. Mr. Inciong cited that business is also part of the solution to biodiversity loss as the sector has more resources than governments to contribute to biodiversity conservation.

ASEAN workshop discusses investing in natural capital for green growthGOVERNMENT officials and private sector representatives from Southeast Asia and the Pacific responsible for economic development, land management and environmental protection, water supply and hydropower development, regional and local development, ecotourism, non-timber forest products, and energy intensive sectors met in Banda Aceh, Indonesia to discuss ways to “invest in natural capital for green growth”.

The meeting, held on June 12-14, 2011, was third in a series of workshops on payment for ecosystem services (PES) organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), Asian Development Bank-Environment Operations Centre (ADB-EOC), USAID Asia Regional Biodiversity Conservation Programme, and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The Banda Aceh workshop was supported by the ACB Biodiversity and Climate Change Project funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) of Germany.

The workshop was also be attended by regional institutions that support governments to achieve national and regional environmental and economic policy goals including multilateral finance organizations, and UN and other international regional organizations; NGOs, international organizations and others involved in PES-related capacity-building and other types of support to governments in Southeast Asian countries and the Greater Mekong Subregion.

ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes said many Asian countries are currently doubling their national and regional development efforts. “We’ve seen the construction of hydropower systems, roads, and large-

scale tourism infrastructure. Plantation agriculture ventures are expanding. In most cases, these developments are in areas serving as critical habitats to globally significant endangered, endemic and wide-ranging species. They operate in sites associated with ecosystem connectivity and habitat functions that sustain the highest levels of ecosystem services,” Director Fuentes said.

The top biodiversity official in Southeast Asia stressed that without development of sufficient, tangible economic incentives to mitigate economic pressures, fragmentation of natural landscapes, large losses of habitat and ecosystem functions, further deterioration of environmental services, and increased costs to both rural and urban economies are expected.

“Strengthening emerging environmental services markets offers great potential for addressing such issues. These are among the reasons why implementation of PES is important in our region,” Director Fuentes pointed out.

“PES is still in its infancy stage in the Southeast Asia. While the creation of markets for ecosystem services has been theoretically recognized in the region, the benefits of promoting biodiversity conservation and supporting local livelihoods are yet to be implemented and documented on the ground. Clearly, much has to be done in so far as laying the groundwork for PES in the region is concerned. These include the mobilization of policy makers, private sector representatives, and various institutions involved in PES-related capacity building initiatives, as well as related skills and expertise,” the ACB Director said.

Viet Nam has successfully implemented a PES mechanism. Through support from the USAID-funded Asia Regional Biodiversity Conservation Program (ARBCP), Vietnam has become the first Southeast Asian country to develop a national pilot PES policy. Under the PES mechanism in Vietnam, two hydropower facilities have committed to paying $2.8 million to over 2,000 forest-dwelling households to help protect the watersheds that supply water to the power plants. As these payments are being transferred to the communities, incomes for these mostly ethnic minority households are expected to increase substantially. At the same time, the operating costs of the hydropower plants will be reduced by millions of dollars.

Through USAID’s pilot initiative, Vietnam has demonstrated that mobilizing financial investments through the development of environmental services markets can help conserve biodiversity and reverse the trend of environmental degradation.

ACB Executive Director Fuentes said his institution fully supports the implementation of PES in the ASEAN region. “We recognize that the creation of legal and policy-enabling conditions is a crucial initial step toward jumpstarting PES in ASEAN Member States and in other countries. We also recognize the need to mobilize policy makers, private sector representatives, and various institutions involved in PES-related capacity building initiatives, as well as related skills and expertise. With the benefits generated through the PES scheme as documented in Viet Nam, the ASEAN Member States now recognize that this is the most opportune time to learn from the lessons of Viet Nam and other countries,” Director Fuentes emphasized.

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Youth camp discusses role of school children in biodiversity conservationABOUT 100 elementary students, parents and teachers from 11 schools belonging to the San Francisco District participated in a Youth Environmental Camp held on August 17, 2011 at the Don Enrique Bautista Elementary School in San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines. The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) facilitated the event sponsored by the San Pablo City Lions Educators Club and supported by the Seven Lakes Lions Club, Congresswoman Ivy Arago of the Third District of Laguna and Atty. Hizon Arago, president of the San Pablo City Bar Association.

“With Schools as Champions of Biodiversity as the theme, the environmental camp empowered school children by making them aware of the values of biodiversity and their role in biodiversity conservation. The children are members of the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O), a nationwide school movement initiated by the Department of Education,” said Ms. Florian Alimagno, president of the San Pablo City Lions Educators Club, the only Lions Club in the world whose members are mainly school teachers.

The youth camp featured lectures on biodiversity and its importance to human survival, the International Year of Forests 2011, the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020, and San Pablo City Government’s waste management program.

Rolando Inciong, head of ACB’s Communication and Public Affairs Unit, explained to the participants that ecosystem services such as food, water, clean air, shelter and medicine come from forests and their biodiversity. He emphasized that protecting the remaining forests of the planet is a concern for many reasons. “Without the natural resources which we depend on, we cannot survive. Thus, biodiversity conservation is really important.”

In her presentation on the UN Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020, Christmas de Guzman, ACB’s communication and public affairs associate, explained that the Decade aims to highlight the importance of biodiversity and reaffirm the significance of raising public awareness, particularly for the youth, on biodiversity-related issues. She stressed that students can contribute in achieving the goals of the Decade in their own little ways – be it through tree-planting, turning off lights when not in use, or

recycling and waste segregation.Angela Crissie Metin, ACB’s communication and public

affairs assistant, briefed the children on the International Year of Forests 2011. She explained the theme of the celebration, Forests for People, and highlighted the advantages of an environment with healthy forests over degraded forests or without forests. “Forests provide multiple benefits to people as trees and plants store carbon and help slow down human-caused global climate change. Plant and grow trees, they will protect us from the impacts of climate change,” Ms. Metin emphasized.

Engr. Ruelito Dequito, head of San Pablo City’s Solid Waste Management Office, lectured on sustainable solid waste management practices. He said that if cleanliness is maintained, more tourists will visit San Pablo. He also urged the participating students, parents and teachers to support the implementation of city ordinances prohibiting the use of plastic bags and styrofoam specifically in stores, food chains and restaurants. He encouraged them to make waste segregation, recycling and re-using a habit.

After the lectures, the participants held a workshop where they listed down the activities they will do in their schools and communities to promote biodiversity conservation. District Supervisor Nory Alcantara of the San Francisco District - Division of City Schools of San Pablo, said the youth camp served as a great opportunity for the participants to be educated on environmental issues and the essentials of biodiversity conservation.

“It was the first time that students, their parents and teachers from 11 primary schools in San Pablo City were gathered to learn about biodiversity, its values, the threats it currently faces, and more importantly, the solutions that people can take in conserving the dwindling biological resources,” Ms. Alcantara said.

Workshop highlights importance of conserving ecosystems and biodiversity for human prosperityTHE United Nations states that the loss of biodiversity could damage world economy as humans basically get everything, from food to shelter, from biodiversity. Most Southeast Asian countries heavily depend on natural resources.

With this background, a workshop on the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) was held in Viet Nam on June 28-30, 2011 to introduce the main concepts,

ACB Communication and Public Affairs Head Rolando A. Inciong oversees a youth camp session.

Resource persons at the TEEB workshop

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Magazine features taxonomy concerns

Breathing life into taxonomyTAXONOMY used to be an obscure branch of science that has long been ignored for more exciting and lucrative fields. Taxonomy is essentially the science of naming living things. It is important since taxonomy does not just provide the names of organisms, but explains how species are related. This can help people identify patterns in nature and decide how best to protect the individual species that are part of the world’s biodiversity.

In the past few decades, there has been a growing impetus to breathe life into taxonomy primarily because science has identified merely a fraction of all living things

on Earth. The urgency of identifying the world’s species is compounded by the fact that we are losing hundreds of species at an alarming rate. The threat of extinction before species are even identified has strengthened national and global commitments to support taxonomic initiatives, including the Global Taxonomy Initiative of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity supports these efforts with the latest issue of the ASEAN Biodiversity Magazine with the theme “From Linnaeus to GTI: Will Taxonomy Survive?” The publication traces the roots of taxonomy, provides insights into regional and global initiatives in taxonomic research, and profi les a taxonomist and his efforts to strengthen taxonomy in Thailand.

Will taxonomy survive? It must, since taxonomy is an essential component of biodiversity conservation and is integral to the survival of humanity and all species on Earth.

The ASEAN Biodiversity Magazine may be downloaded from the Publications and Knowledge Products Section of the ACB website: www.aseanbiodiversity.org.

elements and strategies of the TEEB approach, exchange experiences from existing initiatives on economic valuation and instruments for biodiversity and ecosystem in Southeast Asia, and identify ways forward and concrete initiatives for integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services into development planning in the region.

Hua Duc Nhi, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam, said the TEEB study marks the relationship between the growing loss of biodiversity and ecosystem degradation and the benefits of conservation and sustainable use. “It aims to promote a better understanding of the true economic value of ecosystem services. TEEB also seeks to offer economic tools and develop policies that properly take this value into account,” he added.

The workshop was highlighted by presentations from key speakers on TEEB concept, elements, methods, examples and experiences as well as the integration of TEEB and Green Economy into policy and planning processes.

Dr. Yyotsna Puri from the United Nations Development Programme-United Nations Environment Programme Property Environment Initiative said the primary message of the green economy was the close connection between environmental and financial poverty.

He stressed that some of the Millennium Development Goals might not be attainable because most of the benefits of biodiversity are not indicated in national and local budgets. They tend not to be considered relevant in economic and financial planning or properly reflected in the policies, prices and markets that people encounter every day.

Mr. Rodrigo Fuentes, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, presented the regional view of the values of biodiversity and ecosystem services for livelihoods, economic growth and development in the Southeast Asian region, as well as options to integrate TEEB in policy development and planning processes.

Participants to the workshop included local and national government planners, policy-makers and decision-makers; academicians, researchers and representatives from NGOs and other organizations; managers and environmental staff from national and international companies and businesses related to the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services; development cooperation partners; and technical staff from bilateral and multilateral donor agencies, international organizations and investment banks working in the region.

ACB and GIZ cooperate on biodiversity and climate changeGERMANY’S development cooperation arm GIZ and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) are working together to enhance capacities of ASEAN Member States to mitigate climate change through biodiversity conservation.

GIZ, Germany’s development cooperation arm, and ACB are working together to enhance capacities of ASEAN Member States to mitigate climate change through biodiversity conservation. Through the ACB-GIZ Biodiversity and Climate Change Project (BCCP), GIZ is strengthening ACB’s role as a promoter of ASEAN-wide cooperation on biodiversity related issues and raising its profile as the ASEAN organization dealing with regional and global policy dialogue in the sector. The project specifically aims to strengthen ACB’s capacity in developing and implementing strategies and instruments in the field of biodiversity and climate change.

“At this stage of the cooperation in the framework of the BCCP, there is an emerging need to determine the feasibility and the degree to which the ASEAN structure given its particularities, governing and coordinating

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requirements and practices are prepared to allow ACB to play a prominent role in the overall ASEAN regional integration process,” Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, executive director of ACB, said.

He added that “It is also necessary to determine the institutional consequences for ACB in terms of personnel, budget and institutional structure that would allow the Centre to play this certainly significant role in regional policy, besides continuing to be a think tank on biodiversity and related issues.”

To discuss these issues, GIZ and ACB hosted a “Dialogue for Promoting Climate Change and Biodiversity Linkages in the ASEAN Regional Integration Process” on July 13-14, 2011 in Manila. High level offi cials who attended the dialogues included Dr. Orlando S. Mercado, former Philippines Senator, Defense Secretary and Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the ASEAN; and Dr. Gil Saguiguit, director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture.

Dr. Berthold Seibert, BCCP project manager, said that while it is recognized that there are existing processes for discussing and charting actions through the ASEAN Working Group Meetings, the dialogue workshop is intended to chart ways on how to strengthen these ASEAN processes, and ensure that they support the regional integration objective as explicitly laid out in the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015).

“It is particularly the interface between the value of natural resources and environmental services to ASEAN societies that provides a rationale and entry point for the strengthening of ACB’s role, enhanced even more through the promising decisions taken in COP10 on Biodiversity and COP16 on Climate Change, in 2010. Member States would have to rely on agreed negotiation and decision mechanisms on these and other relevant or surging issues in order to defi ne and forward their positions,” Dr. Seibert explained.

The interconnection of global climate change and biodiversity loss is now widely recognized. The effects of climate change on biodiversity have negative impacts on the well-being of people. Biodiversity, through the ecosystem services it supports, also makes significant contribution to both climate change mitigation and

adaptation.Biodiversity management is an important means for

helping slow down climate change and its impacts. Missing awareness and knowledge, however, hamper the comprehensive appreciation of the interaction between biodiversity and climate change.

The recent ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook report by ACB has observed that the current management structure of government and non-government stakeholders for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the ASEAN region, either fails to appropriately take climate change into account, or is insufficient to stop biodiversity loss. Many causes of biodiversity loss, as well as their negative consequences, are felt beyond the borders of the individual ASEAN Member States.

The challenge is to have adequate policies, instruments, and the capacity to tackle issues on biodiversity and climate change. The ACB-GIZ Biodiversity and Climate Change Project hopes to respond to this challenge by enabling ACB to provide ASEAN Member States with advisory services on strategies and instruments for biodiversity conservation-related intervention measures on climate protection and adaptation to climate change.

The project targets to benefit the vulnerable population of ASEAN Member States who depend on the ecosystem services and biodiversity resources for their subsistence. It is in line with the ASEAN Vision 2020, the ASEAN Blueprint 2008-2015, and the 2007 Regional Action Plan for ASEAN Heritage Parks and Protected Areas. The project supports regional initiatives such as the Heart of Borneo, the Coral Triangle, and Greater Mekong Sub-Region, as well as the UN Conventions on Biological Diversity and Climate Change.

GEF establishes the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund

THE Global Environment Facility (GEF), the world’s largest public financer of global environment issues, will operate a new landmark fund to help developing countries toratify and implement a key international agreement to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity.

On May 26, 2011, the council of the GEF approved the role of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Di-versity (SCBD) as the operator of the fund, withthe Gov-ernment of Japan reaffirming its pioneer contribution of 1 billion Yen (about US$ 12 million).

Japan’s commitment was joined by additional declarations of financial support to the fund of 1 million Euros (about US$1.4 million) from the Government of France, with additional contributions from theGovernments of Norway and Switzerland.

The establishment of the fund comes less than four months after the Nagoya Protocol on Access toGenetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization wasopened for

GIZ country director visits ACB. Mr. Robert Kressirer, country director of GIZ in the Philippines, receives ACB publications from Ms. Clarissa Arida, ACB director for policy and program development of ACB. Mr. Kressirer visited the ACB headquarters in Los Banos, Philippines to discuss the ongoing collaboration between the two institutions.

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Participants in informal consultations on compliance

Governments establish basis for implementation of Nagoya Protocol on Genetic ResourcesTHE first meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) came to a close in Montreal, Canada on June 10, 2011. During the meeting, Governments from 108 countries discussed the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol and agreed on the way forward on information-sharing, capacity development, awareness-raising and the development of cooperative mechanisms for compliance, with a view to ensuring that the agreement achieves its objectives.

Speaking at the closing session, Co-Chair Janet Lowe said: “This baby, born in Nagoya, is alive and growing. If it is ever to walk, it will have to take its first stumbling steps. This meeting shows that the baby has picked itself up and is making the effort, with your support.”

“The work of Governments during this meeting demonstrates a commitment to the implementation of the Protocol. I congratulate Parties on the spirit of collaboration and compromise that will serve us all in the years to come. The world looks forward to the ratifi cation of the Protocol and its early entry into force in time for the Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP11),” said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary to the CBD.

The Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol (ICNP) is the interim body charged with preparing for the first meeting of the governing body of the new treaty. The Nagoya Protocol was agreed by world Governments in October 2010 at the Nagoya biodiversity summit and will enter into force 90 days after receipt of the 50th instrument of ratification. The Protocol will enter into force before COP11, to be held in Hyderabad, India, in October 2012.

Under the guidance of Co-Chairs Fernando Casas of Colombia and Janet Lowe of New Zealand, delegates concluded discussions on four main areas:

• Governments agreed to establish a pilot phase for the ABS Clearing-house as soon as possible, based on guidance discussed at the meeting. The Clearing-house will provide relevant information for the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, and support capacity-development activities.

• Participants acknowledged the importance of awareness-raising activities for successful implementation of the treaty. To this end, they agreed to the drafting of elements of an awareness-raising strategy based on submissions of lessons learned and experiences from around the world.

• The meeting discussed cooperative procedures and institutional mechanisms to promote compliance and address cases of non-compliance with the Protocol. They agreed to submit views on the elements and options available and also asked for an expert meeting to take place in advance of the next ICNP.

• Capacity-building was recognized as an important element in implementation of the Protocol, and the need to develop a strategy on the basis of domestic needs and priorities. Parties agreed to an exchange of views on this for further consideration at the next meeting.

The meeting was made possible through the financial support of the governments of Denmark, Finland Germany and Norway. The next meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on the Nagoya Protocol will take place in Hyderabad, India, in April 2012. The final report and results of the meeting will be circulated shortly, while the in-session documents discussed during the meeting can be found at: www.cbd.int/absicnp1/insession/.

– SCBD News Release

Participants at the opening plenary

signature at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The GEF, as the financial mechanism of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other international environment agreements, will manage the new fund and encourage additional contributions. The World Bank will

serve as the trustee of the fund.At the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties

to the CBD held in October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, 193 countriesapproved, after years of negotiations, a global agreement called the Nagoya Protocol. The Protocolestablishes the ground rules for how nations

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should cooperate to access and to share the many benefits thatcome from the sustainable utilization of genetic resources of all living organisms. The Conference of theParties also determined that the GEF will be the financial mechanism of the Protocol.

The Government of Japan, acting as the President of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD, last yearproposed the establishment of a new voluntary fund at the GEF to help developing countries build theircapacity to engage in both the ratification and implementation of the Protocol.

“We see this as a groundbreaking opportunity to add economic and social value to biodiversity andgenetic resources, in particular to local and indigenous communities who have in the past not benefited asthey should,” said Mrs. Monique Barbut, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF.

“With the leadership of Japan, the GEF is proud to host this new fund, and provide timely support to the developing countries toratify and implement the Nagoya Protocol.”

The fund is specifically designed to support countries looking to build enabling activities to ratify theprotocol as well as finance projects at the national and regional levels that will promote technologytransfer, private sector engagement, and the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources. Thefund will also help Parties build capacity to ensure appropriate access and use of traditional knowledgeassociated with genetic resources. Resources will also be used to heighten awareness for the Protocol,including through the use of new knowledge management tools.

“Japan appreciates GEF’s support to jump-start a new fund that will rapidly bring developing countries tobuild their capacity to ratify as well as conserve and utilize their valuable genetic resources,” said theJapanese Environment Minister, Mr. Ryu Matsumoto, who played a key role in facilitating the signing ofthe agreement in Nagoya. “We also expect that the private sector will become a key partner and funder tothis mechanism”.

The framework under the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefi t Sharing holds the promise to ultimatelycreate a level playing fi eld between the biodiversity-rich developing countries and those that holdtechnological advantages in adding economic value to genetic resources.

Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, CBD Executive Secretary, added: “We applaud Japan not only for their outstandingleadership in bringing international stakeholders together around the new Protocol agreed in Nagoya, butalso for providing the needed seed funding for its implementation.”

“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the GEF, this new fund represents another historical moment forthe financial mechanism of the CBD, which is demonstrating continued responsiveness to COP guidanceas well as revealing its ability to incorporate new instruments within the realm of global environmentalfinancing. I call on other donors to provide additional financial contributions to ensure the early entry intoforce and speedy implementation of this historical new legal instrument at the service of sustainabledevelopment”.

SCBD News Release

Indonesia bans new forest concessionsINDONESIA has taken a step toward cutting its carbon emissions by issuing a presidential decree banning new concessions in primary forests and on peatlands, but more stringent measures may be needed if the country is to meet its ambitious targets for cuts in greenhouse gases, the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) said.

The two-year moratorium, which started May 20, 2011, is part of a bilateral agreement with Norway signed on May 26, 2010, in exchange of potentially US$1 billion, pend-ing verified emission cuts in Indonesia, which is the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases due to the coun-try’s high rate of deforestation.

“This is a positive development,” said Daniel Murdiyarso, a senior scientist at CIFOR. “This is a win not only for climate change, but also the preservation of the incredible biodi-versity these forests hold, including orangutans, Sumatran tigers, rhinos and other endangered species. Importantly, it will prevent the loss of livelihoods of local people who de-pend on forests. This will see a large area of natural forest protected from being cleared and it will help preserve the country’s carbon-rich peatlands.”

The ban on new concessions in peatland is important because new research has shown that converting peat-lands into plantations produces much more carbon emis-sions long-term that come from turning forests on regular mineral soil into plantations. Indonesia is home to one of the world’s largest areas of peatland globally. More than 100,000 hectares of peatlands in Southeast Asia are cur-rently being converted every year into plantations for palm oil and pulpwood.

The moratorium also bans new concessions on “primary forests,” which are forests still intact, having never been subjected to commercial logging condition. About 64 mil-lion hectares of primary forests remain in Indonesia.

However, of significance, the moratorium does not bar new concessions on so-called “secondary forests,” which are forests that may have had some trees removed for tim-ber or other uses. While they can no longer be considered as dense rainforest, many are still used by local communi-ties for their daily living, rich in biodiversity, thick with flora, and relatively carbon-rich. Some 36 million hectares of for-ests are classified this way in Indonesia.

The omission of secondary forests from the moratorium raises concerns about Indonesia’s ability to meet its stated target to cut the country’s greenhouse gasses by 26 per-cent from a 2020 business-as-usual baseline. Indonesian authorities in the past have suggested that the target could be reached partially by massive tree planting programs.

“Significant reductions in forestry emissions in Indonesia through tree planting alone would not be feasible as the number of trees needed to fully achieve emission reduction targets would require a land area twice the size of the en-tire country,” said Louis Verchot, CIFOR’s principal climate change scientist. “Instead, emission reduction efforts need to focus on keeping existing forests as forests.”

While the moratorium will prevent the issuance of new forestry concessions in much of the country, it will not nec-essarily stop, or perhaps even slow, the rate of deforestation in the short-term. Large numbers of concessions have been issued in recent years that have not yet been developed.

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Some palm oil and pulp companies have criticized the moratorium, claiming it will hurt their businesses and may lead to a loss of jobs for thousands of Indonesians em-ployed in the sector. However, Verchot says this is unlikely to happen.

“Many of these companies are sitting on several large concessions that they have not developed,” he said. “This will not put much of a crimp on the industry.”

However, there are many essential elements necessary for the moratorium to work, including clear delineations of lands no longer eligible for concessions, an effective mech-anism to control illegal logging, and a transparent system for monitoring deforestation and forest degradation.

“While we have a long road ahead of us and many enormous challenges remain, this announcement is a positive first step,” Verchot said. CIFOR

Infl atable shark among 300 new Phl species A GROUP of scientists that recently conducted a biodiversity expedition in Luzon discovered 300 new land and marine species, including a shrimp-eating shark that puffs up to frighten other predators.

A report on LiveScience.com said the team found dozens of new insects and spiders, more than 50 colorful new sea slugs, and corals which protect themselves from nibbling fish by growing large, spiky plates.

The team, which conducted a 42-day expedition in Luzon, was composed of researchers from the California Academy of Sciences and the University of the Philippines. Other new species discovered include a cicada that makes a “laughing call,” a crab with pincers lined with needlelike teeth, and a worm-like pipefish that hides among colonies of soft coral.

The so-called swell shark pumps water into its stomach to swell up and look formidable to other predators. Unlike its relatives, it possesses a distinctive camouflaged pattern.

Terrence Gosliner of the California Academy of Sciences, who headed the expedition, was quoted in the report as saying that a number of species in places rarely visited by people have avoided detection, many of these because of their diminutive size, such as goblin spiders.

He said that in the steep upper slopes of Mount Isarog, a primitive plant called a spikemoss is still found.

Because of these findings, Gosliner said the Philippines is “one of the hottest hotspots for diverse and threatened life on Earth.”

The report said the researchers are sharing the results of the expedition with Philippine agencies and international groups to formulate strategies for the protection of new species.These include the expansion of marine protection areas, identification of locations for reforestation, and reduction of plastic waste.

“We are hoping the findings will result in recommendations that will translate into policies that will produce a more sustainable future for Filipinos while simultaneously protecting the unique biodiversity,” Gosliner was quoted in the report as saying.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) noted that only 1.7 million species of plants and animals have been catalogued and that scientists estimate that there are some 17 million species lying or spread around the country’s biodiversity areas.

Rhodina Villanueva (The Philippine Star)

UN organizations launch Scientifi c Task Force on Wildlife DiseasesEMERGING infectious diseases are appearing worldwide and pose an increasing threat to wildlife, livestock and people. They consist mainly of viruses and bacteria that have increased their capacity to trigger disease, allowing them to appear in new hosts in different parts of the world. Changing ecological, agricultural, and climatic conditions have the potential to increase health risks to wildlife, livestock and people through the infectiousness of germs, which cross into new species. In order to combat this increasing threat, the United Nations Environment Programme Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - Animal Health Service have convened a Scientific Task Force on Wildlife Diseases to seek an integrated approach to manage the health of ecosystems, wildlife, livestock and people within a ‘One Health’ framework.

At the meeting in Beijing, China, which took place at the end of June 2011, UN agencies, professional associations, research organizations, including the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, and governmental bodies from the United States, Australia and Mongolia agreed to enhance research on diseases that have an impact on both domestic and migratory wildlife, and that are of greatest concern with regard to food security, sustainable livelihoods and conservation.

The ‘One Health’ approach is a framework to address the wildlife/livestock/human disease interface, integrating different disciplines and involving UN agencies, governments, conservationists, health professionals and professional associations. Epidemics and pandemics affecting domestic livestock, migratory animals and people occur increasingly frequently, which makes it necessary to place diseases in the broader context of development, food security, natural resource management and ecosystem services to achieve wildlife and ecosystem health.

Photo taken by the California Academy of Sciences shows a pair of swell sharks, a new species discovered in the Philippines.

The understanding of migration ecology is therefore key to prevent and address the spread of disease and to provide early warning systems. Some migratory species can be excellent indicators in this respect. The emergence of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, caused millions of dollars of damage to trade and local livelihoods, led to the deaths of hundreds of millions of domestic poultry, while at the same time killed tens of thousands of wild birds, including 6,000 wild water birds during a major outbreak at Qinghai Lake in China in April - July 2005.

The influenza pandemic of 2009, commonly known as ‘swine flu’, consisted of virus strains from people, pigs and birds that threatened both animals and humans. Spreading rapidly and affecting global economies, it required emergency planning with a coordinated and collaborative international response.

In May 2010 the critically endangered Saiga antelope suffered mass mortalities of 12,000 animals due to the infectious disease pasteurellosis. It shows how important it is to have in place emergency mechanisms to provide an adequate response.

Another example occurred in October 2010, when Mongolian gazelles were infected with foot-and-mouth disease with outbreaks in both livestock and wildlife in Mongolia. In addition this outbreak had significant effects on livelihoods and trade. Migratory species can act as natural reservoirs for disease and help spread the pathogens during their seasonal movements. At the same time they can be victims of disease due to their close proximity and interactions with livestock and people.

The Scientific Task Force on Wildlife Diseases is modeled after the Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds established in 2005, which was highly successful in providing a voice for the wildlife with technical papers and recommendations on how to cope with avian influenza.

The Scientific Task Force on Wildlife Diseases will work on identifying diseases that have an impact on both domestic and migratory wildlife with major implications for food security, sustainable livelihoods and conservation; and finding ways to bridge the gaps between wildlife managers and health practitioners.

The Task Force’s ‘One Health’ approach will promote information sharing among government sectors, wildlife managers, NGOs and relevant United Nations agencies such as UNEP, FAO, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Educational, scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations High Commission for Refugees. A mechanism will be created for CMS and FAO member states to respond to the threat of transboundary animal health crises by reporting wildlife morbidity and mortality events. UNEP News Release

State of the World 2011: Agriculture innovation is key to reducing poverty and stabilizing climateTHE Worldwatch Institute has released its report State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet. The report

highlights successful agricultural innovations and features major successes in preventing food waste, building resilience to climate change, and strengthening farming in cities.

Drawing from the world’s leading agricultural experts and from hundreds of innovations that are already working on the ground, the State of the World 2011 provides a roadmap for increased agricultural investment and more-efficient ways to alleviate global hunger and poverty.

Worldwatch Institute President Christopher Flavin said the report provides governments, policymakers, non-government organizations, and donors with a roadmap for expanding or replicating the highlighted success stories.

The State of the World 2011 is based on hundreds of case studies and first-person examples to offer solutions to reducing hunger and poverty. These include:

• In 2007, some 6,000 women in The Gambia organized into the TRY Women’s Oyster Harvesting producer association, creating a sustainable co-management plan for the local oyster fishery to prevent overharvesting and exploitation. Oysters and fish are an important, low-cost source of protein for the population, but current production levels have led to environmental degradation and to changes in land use over the last 30 years. The government is working with groups like TRY to promote less-destructive methods and to expand credit facilities to low-income producers to stimulate investment in more-sustainable production.

• In Kibera, Nairobi, the largest slum in Kenya, more than 1,000 women farmers are growing “vertical” gardens in sacks full of dirt poked with holes, feeding their families and communities. These sacks have the potential to feed thousands of city dwellers while also providing a sustainable and easy-to-maintain source of income for urban farmers. With more than 60 percent of Africa’s population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, such methods may be crucial to creating future food security. Currently, some 33 percent of Africans live in cities, and 14 million more migrate to urban areas each year. Worldwide, some 800 million people engage in urban agriculture, producing 15–20 percent of all food.

• Pastoralists in South Africa and Kenya are preserving indigenous varieties of livestock that are adapted to the heat and drought of local conditions—traits that will be crucial as climate extremes on the continent worsen. Africa has the world’s largest area of permanent pasture and the largest number of pastoralists, with 15 to 25 million people dependent on livestock.

• The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) is using interactive community plays to engage women farmers, community leaders, and policymakers in an open dialogue about gender equity, food security, land tenure, and access to resources. Women in sub-Saharan Africa make up at least 75 percent of agricultural workers and provide 60 to 80 percent of the labor to produce food for household consumption and sale, so it is crucial that they have opportunities to express their needs in local governance and decision-making. This entertaining

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and amicable forum makes it easier for them to speak openly.

• Uganda’s Developing Innovations in School Cultivation program is integrating indigenous vegetable gardens, nutrition information, and food preparation into school curriculums to teach children how to grow local crop varieties that will help combat food shortages and re-vitalize the country’s culinary traditions. An estimated 33 percent of African children currently face hunger and malnutrition, which could affect some 42 million children by 2025. School nutrition programs that don’t simply feed children but also inspire and teach them to become the farmers of the future are a huge step toward improving food security.

The State of the World 2011 report is accompanied by other informational materials including briefing documents, summaries, an innovations database, videos, and podcasts, all of which are available at www.NourishingthePlanet.org.

Illegal trading of gecko poses threat to environmentILLEGAL trading of geckos, known as tuko in the Philippines, is currently estimated at running up to millions of dollars. A 300-gram gecko can be traded for roughly US$1,200 in a lucrative Asian market. Wildlife traders are feasting on the belief of people who accept that geckos provide the cure for severe human illnesses that cannot be treated by modern medicine.

What do we know about gecko or tuko and how valuable is this species to our environment? Will it matter if the tuko becomes extinct due to illegal trading?

Tuko is a reptile. Reptiles are cold-blooded vertebrates of the class Reptilia, which include crocodiles, tortoises, turtles, snakes, alligators, and lizards (geckos). In the Philippines, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (DENR-PAWB), there are 34 species of geckos distributed throughout the country and 26 of these are endemic. Geckos are nocturnal wild fauna representing the largest family of lizards (Gekkonidae). The Gekko gecko, also known as Tokay Gecko, is the largest species in the family and the second largest gecko in the world.

Unique characteristicsTokay Geckos are highly vocal and are capable of

producing many different sounds. Their body size is 11 to15

inches in length and weigh from 150 to 300 grams. They are territorial and solitary except during the breeding season; reach sexual maturity at nine to12 months and could be productive for fi ve to eight years; and with a life span of seven to ten years.

With a length of around 35 centimeters, the body of a Tokay Gecko is cylindrical, squat and fl attened on the upper side. The limbs are well defi ned and uniformly developed. The head is large and set off from the neck, and the eyes are prominent with vertically slit pupils. The eyelids are fused together and transparent.

Tokay Geckos are famous for their sticky footpads that allow them to climb vertical surfaces, including glass. They have soft, granular skin that feels velvety to the touch. Known to be the only reptiles to use their voice for social interaction, they live in tropical rainforests and are tree- and cliff-dwellers.

The appearance of a Tokay Gecko with regard to color is very important to its lifestyle. The skin is usually gray with several brownish-red to bright red spots. To camoufl age itself in the environment or be less noticeable to other animals, this peculiar species can lighten or darken the coloring of its skin.

Another impressive characteristic is their ability to self-detach their tail at the slightest touch or bite from one of many predators. In terms of eating habits, they are voracious eaters, feeding on a variety of insect prey that includes crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches and mosquitoes.

Gecko’s role in the ecosystemGeckos play a critical role in population control of small

animals like insects and worms. Larger species feed on small birds and rodents. “A healthy population of geckos is needed to regulate pests and maintain the balance of a fragile ecosystem,” the Philippines’ Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said.

“In the web of life, geckos are important like all other species of animals and plants in keeping the ecological balance. If they suddenly become decimated from the food chain, there could be trouble,” warned Executive Director Rodrigo Fuentes of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.

From a different perspective, geckos, like other amphibians and reptiles, refl ect the relative health of the ecosystem where they live in. They are good bio-indicators of both biodiversity and environmental change.

In a study by Fletcher, et al (2005), the role of geckos as bio-indicators of mining pollution was explored. Moreover, geckos may be sensitive and useful bio-indicators of the environmental impacts of some atmospheric pollutants (J. L. Read, 1998).

Gecko tradeAmong the major threats to biodiversity are urbanization,

deforestation, invasive alien species and illegal wildlife trade. Illegal wildlife trade is a serious conservation problem.

During the past years, geckos were not included among the list of commonly traded species. The fast-increasing demand for geckos in Southeast Asia started only in May 2011. This could have been triggered by Internet advertisements that geckos’ saliva and organs can cure various human disorders and illnesses. Tokay Geckos are reportedly sought after and exported to Malaysia, China and South Korea, where they are used as aphrodisiacs and as

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traditional medicine for asthma, acquired immune defi ciency syndrome (AIDS), cancer, tuberculosis and impotence. It is believed that the reptile’s tongue can cure AIDS while its blood and bile suppresses tumors in cancer patients. However, there is no scientifi c evidence proving such claims.

In the Philippines, there is ongoing widespread collection of geckos without appropriate permits from the DENR-PAWB. Geckos are being caught in the wild for gaming or sold as exotic pets while there are speculations that they are also being used for medicinal purposes.

“Before it’s too late, we are implementing precautionary measures to stop the collection, buying and selling of geckos,” said Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim, director of the DENR-PAWB and chairperson of the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN). The ASEAN-WEN is mandated to implement national laws to combat illegal wildlife trade in the national level.

Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act mandates that, “Any person or persons caught in the trading of wildlife, collecting, hunting or possessing wildlife, their by-products and derivatives, maltreating and/or infl icting other injuries and transporting wildlife, will be meted with the corresponding fi nes and penalties.” Anyone caught transporting geckos will be penalized with imprisonment of fi ve to 10 days and a fi ne of P200 to P1,000, and for collecting, hunting undocumented wildlife, a penalty of 10 to 30 days and a fi ne of P1,000 to P5,000, according to Lim.

ACB Executive Director Fuentes said illegal wildlife trade in Southeast Asia remains to be a threat to biodiversity as it causes the loss of species. The sudden gecko trade may lead to the depleting population of the species and may even endanger the survival of other species. “ASEAN Member States must adopt effective legislation on wildlife law enforcement, implement the laws strictly, conduct research and capacity building on conservation of species and sustainable management of biological resources, and conduct public education and information campaigns if we are to save our geckos and other important species for the survival of humankind,” Director Fuentes stressed.

Christmas de Guzman

Asia builds capacity and strategies to save biodiversityGERMANY’S 21 Asian countries, including members of the ASEAN, met in Xi’an, China from May 9 to 16, 2011 to develop the way forward in creating and implementing the national strategies needed to save biodiversity,and to ensure that these form part of the ten-year global effort towards building a sustainable future.

The meeting was organized by the Secretariat of the Convention onBiological Diversity (CBD) with funding support from the Japan Biodiversity Fund and in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China,Shaanxi Province, the City of Xi’an and the Executive Committee for the 2011 Xi’an InternationalHorticultural Expo.

The six-day interactive workshop brought together participants from ministries of planning,environment and others in a capacity-development exercise designed to ensure that biodiversity isplaced at the heart of national

development processes, and strategies for its integration would include theactive participation of a variety of relevant actors. The event also served as an opportunity for the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China to promote the United Nations Decade of Biodiversity and thedevelopment of local biodiversity strategies and action plans.

The workshop guided Governments on ways their policies can contribute to the achievement of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its focal areas. Economic approaches and tools have an important role to play in achieving this. In cooperation with the International Union for Conservation of Nature and with fi nancial support provided by theMercuria Energy Group, the workshop also trained the participants on how the economic value ofbiodiversity and ecosystem services can be used to communicate and mainstream biodiversityconservation to such economic sectors as agriculture, forestry, mining, transport, and energy. Apresentation on the work carried out in China illustrated how spatially explicit valuation can informmanagement and land-use planning.

The workshop also addressed the economic value of biodiversity through a module on the needsfor implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and EquitableSharing of Benefi ts Arising from their Utilization to the CBD. The NagoyaProtocol, when it enters into force, will facilitate the creation of a transparent legal framework to ensurethe fair and equitable sharing of benefi ts arising from the use of genetic resources.

The Xi’an event was the latest in a series of regional and sub-regional capacity-building workshops tostrengthen national capacities for the development, implementation, reviewing, updating, andcommunication of national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs). Regional meetings havebeen organized for the Southern Africa Development and Educational Centre in Kasane, Botswana, from14 to 20 March 2011; for European countries on the Isle of Vilm, Germany, from 15 to 19 April 2011; andin Beirut, Lebanon, from 2 to 7 May 2011, for members of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. More meetings are planned throughout 2011 and 2012 as part of the overall process forrevising NBSAPs that will be reported to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to theCBD in India in 2012. The schedule for regional workshops being held in2011 and 2012 can be accessed at: www.cbd.int/nbsap/workshops2/schedule.

NBSAPs are one of the core tools that Parties to the CBD use to ensure implementation of the provisionsof the Convention. While many countries have created these, few of them have been updated to refl ectnew biodiversity challenges and the latest tools in biodiversity management and engagement of thebroader public.

The capacity-development program for NBSAP is one of the main planks of the Strategic Plan forBiodiversity 2011-2020that was approved by Governments of the world last year at the Aichi-Nagoyabiodiversity summit.

The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 sets out a ten-year program of goals, targets andinstruments designed to ensure that human activity, including economic development, does not harm theability of the planet’s ecosystems to deliver crucial services that are needed by human society and indeedlife itself. SCBD


BIODIVERSITY NEWS SOUTHEAST ASIA

Brunei Darussalam

Brunei working with Singapore to update plant database. Brunei Darrusalam’s Forestry Department is looking forward to pairing with Singaporean authorities in updating the Sultanate’s database of plant species. Brunei last inventoried its flora database, under the “Chief List of Flowering Plant and Gynosperm”, in 1996 with the help of the United Kingdom’s Royal Botanic Gardens. It was estimated that Brunei was home to around 5,000 plant species. To date, 3,955 species have been documented (including 3,567 “higher plant” species). The herbarium known as BRUN is located at the Brunei Forestry Centre in Sg Liang and currently houses about 30,000 specimens. Brunei has already started using an Oxford University-developed online platform for the herbarium, known as the Botanical Research and Herbarium Management System (BRAHMS).

Asia One

JASTRE eyes more youths to promote environment. The Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRE) is on the lookout for more youths to join the Brunei Darussalam Environment Youth Envoy (EYE) programme, an initiative that hopes to nurture young people into “agents of change” in addressing the country’s green agenda. Launched in 2008 and aimed at teaching the younger generation to be environmentally conscious and responsible through participation in environment-related activities, the EYE programme uses peer interaction to spread its message and recruit more EYEs. Some of the activities conducted

under the programme include eco-races and environmental talks and seminars. Active participants are sometimes sent abroad to learn about what other countries and non-government organizations are doing in terms of environmental activities.

The Brunei Times

Ministry of Development. The effort is being made to encourage more Bruneians to reduce their use of plastic bags. As part of the campaign, the ministry inked deals with 18 stores to cut down on the use of plastic bags.

The Brunei Times

Cambodia

Cambodians rally to save one of the region’s last great rainforests. Two hundred Cambodians rallied in Phnom Penh to protest the widespread destruction of Prey Lang, one of Southeast Asia’s last intact lowland rainforests. Located between the Mekong and Stung Sen River, nearly half of Prey Lang has never been logged, making it an incredible rarity in Southeast Asia. Tigers, Asian elephants, banteng, gaur, and Asiatic black bears are all still found in its 200,000 hectares of forest. Up to 50 endangered mammals, birds, and reptiles may live in the forest. In addition to its wildlife, the largely unprotected forest is also home to a quarter of a million people who are largely dependent on its renewable resources, many of whom are from the Kuy indigenous group. The villagers also delivered a petition opposing land concessions in Prey Lang signed by 30,000 people to Cambodia’s National Assembly. The petition calls on the Cambodian government to rescind any current permits and establish Prey Lang as a protected area. mongabay.com

Cambodian monks help protect rare turtles. A center for the endangered Cantor’s giant soft-shell turtle has been set up on the grounds of a temple near the central town of Kratie on the Mekong river,

Photo by BT/Ubaidillah Masli

Youth participants at a JASTRE eco-race.

Over $13m in fisheries resources lost to illegal fishing. Brunei Darussalam has lost about $13 million dollars in fisheries resources over the last decade as a result of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The valuation of lost resources was based on statistics of vessels caught for illegally operating in the Sultanate’s waters, factoring in details such as the size of vessels, their crew and fishing net capacity. Most illegal fishers come from surrounding countries. Foreign encroachment may be due to the lack of Bruneian presence in certain areas, and overfishing in their own waters. Illegal fishers may also not be discouraged by the fines imposed for infringing Brunei’s laws. If found guilty of violating the Fisheries Order, the owner and master of a ship may face a fine not exceeding $100,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or both. Meanwhile, each member of the crew can be fined not more $2,500, imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both, if found guilty. Even with the punishment, it is still economically lucrative for illegal fishers to enter Bruneian territory. The Brunei Times

No plastic bag drive to include Fridays. Brunei Darussalam will include Fridays to the “No Plastic Bag Weekend” campaign, said the head of the Environmental Planning and Management Division under the

Boat caught fi shing illegally in Brunei

Photo by BT/Saifulizam

Trash at Jerudong Beach in Brunei Darussalam.



with support from Conservation International, to help save one of the world’s rarest and largest freshwater turtles from extinction. Capable of growing up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds), the turtle was thought to be nearly extinct until it was rediscovered on an isolated stretch of the river in 2007. At the opening ceremony for the center, a monk blessed a female Cantor’s turtle weighing 18 kilograms (40 pounds) and released her into a large pond inside the temple complex. The center is also home to nearly 100 baby turtles that were moved from their nests for their own protection. The animal spends 95 percent of its life hidden in sand or mud, and is listed as endangered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. AsiaOne

Cambodia hosts 3rd GMS environment ministers’ meeting. The Ministers of Environment of the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries met in Cambodia to decide on the program framework for continued regional environmental cooperation. The GMS countries have engaged in regional environmental cooperation since 2006 through the Core Environment Program and Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative, a US$30-million-program that is expected to end in December 2011. During the meeting, senior government officials presented progress on the first phase and the strategic framework for the follow-on phase to be implemented 2012-2016. The GMS is one of the most economically robust sub-regions of the world with most countries posting impressive growth rates exceeding five to 10 percent in the past two decades. The GMS countries consist of Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. Xinhua News

Sand for sale; environment ravaged. In Cambodia’s Tatai River, lush jungle hills give way to a flotilla of dredgers operating 24 hours a day, scooping up sand and piling it onto ocean-bound barges. The sand is bound for wealthy countries that seek to expand their territory by reclaiming land from the sea. According to villagers,

the churned-up waters and fuel discharges have decimated the fish population, riverbanks are beginning to collapse, and the noise and pollution are killing a promising ecotourism industry. The Nature Tourism Community of Tatai said 270 families along the river have seen an estimated 85-percent drop in catch of fish, crab and lobsters and were being forced to eke out a living from small garden plots. Tourists have all but vanished. Armed with a petition, village leaders, tourism operators and a wildlife group met with government officials who promised to reduce to stop sand mining in October.

Asian Correspondent

Indonesia

Indonesia seizes haul of pangolin meat bound for Viet Nam. Indonesia’s customs office found 309 crates each containing between six to 10 adult and baby pangolins, weighing a total of 7.5 tonnes, at the country’s biggest port in Jakarta, foiling an effort by smugglers to ship the meat to Viet Nam. Also found were 65 kilograms of pangolin scales. Pangolins, or scaly anteaters, are meant to be a protected species in Indonesia. The exporting company had covered up the illegal shipment with frozen smelly fish, but customs received a tip-off and X-rayed the container to discover pangolin shapes. Reuters

Scientists urge Indonesia to stop road construction in Kerinci Seblat National Park. The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) has drafted a resolution urging

the Indonesian government to cancel plans to build four 40-foot wide roads through the country’s oldest national park, Kerinci Seblat National Park. ATBC states that the road building would imperil the parks’ numerous species—many of which are already threatened with extinction—including Sumatra’s most significant population of tigers. ATBC added that increased road access to isolated areas such as Kerinci Seblat National Park increases forest loss and degradation through illegal logging and smallholder encroachment and subsequent human-wildlife conflicts. Located in west-central Sumatra, the park’s famed biodiversity has led to its recognition as an Important Bird Area, ASEAN Heritage Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 1.4-million hectare park is the largest in Sumatra. The park is also the location of the rediscovery of the Sumatran muntjac, a type of small deer, after having gone unrecorded by science for 78 years.

mongabay.com

Photo by AP

Dredgers scoop up sand from the Tatai River in Cambodia

Photo by Rhett A. Butler.

Sumatran tiger in captivity



Participatory map vital for Indonesia’s environment plans. Indonesia’s ambitious forest conservation and emission reduction plans depend crucially on how soon it can develop a ‘participatory map’ in which all stakeholders figure. Participatory maps include not only topographical data but also details like customary forest use by communities living near the forests. Existing maps show 72 million hectares of primary and peatland forest, but these do not show degraded areas or indicate the condition of the forests. The maps also do not have any information on customary use of forests. The mapping process is bound to show up the seriousness of the Indonesian government in factoring in customary usage of forestland. Currently, the government controls over 70 percent of some 190 million hectares spread over a vast archipelago. Government representatives said the country’s vast forest estates would be mapped using satellite technology, but complemented by handwritten maps drawn up in consultation with communities living close to the forests. IPS

The green way to see Sumatra’s orangutans. Efforts to protect Sumatra’s orangutans mean visitors are now educated on conservation issues and wildlife viewing etiquette when they visit Bukit Lawang. Bukit Lawang is located 86 kilometers from Medan, the largest city in Indonesia’s Northern island of Sumatra, at the entrance to Gunung Leuser National Park, the last sanctuary of the Sumatran orangutan. While the tourist dollar is an important conservation tool that highlights the issues of deforestation and wildlife conservation, and provides jobs for local communities, the dilemma is how to ensure that the negative effect of tourism on the orangutans is minimized through sustainable ecotourism standards. At Bukit Lawang, it is forbidden to touch and feed orangutans since orangutans are susceptible to many human diseases, and feeding them undermines rehabilitation by discouraging semi-wild orangutans that have been released into the

area from reducing their dependency on humans. A feeding platform was thus built that is open to tourists, providing an opportunity for a close jungle encounter with the semi-wild orangutans. Tourism standards and visitor protocols were set in place to protect the remaining orangutan population. This includes not just educating tourists but empowering local people who live near orangutan habitats to become guardians of the forest, as well as providing appropriate training and accreditation for tour guides.

The Jakarta Globe

Lao PDR

Lao PDR opens its doors to ecotourists. Nam Ha Protected Area is a 220,000-hectare national park where elephants, gibbons and leopards roam among giant bamboo near villages perched on the banks of a tributary of the Mekong river. The park is currently at the forefront of efforts by Lao PDR to become a leading ecotourism destination - an effort that appears to be paying off. Lured by the wild beauty and cultural riches of the numerous ethnic minorities, almost 250,000 tourists visited northwest Luang Namtha province in 2010, up from 20,000 in 1999. It is the fruit of years of planning to attract more foreign visitors while preserving its cultural heritage. The Laotian government attempted to manage the explosion in tourism to avoid queues of coaches or rows of concrete hotels. Several dozen villages have signed agreements with local trekking agencies to supply guides, maintain paths, share traditional cuisine, and offer a roof

for the night. The Nam Ha national park, with help from a partnership with UNESCO dating back to 1999, has served as a model of development for ecotourism aimed at benefitting local communities.

AFP

Lao PDR announces crackdown on illegal logging, timber smuggling. Lao PDR Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong ordered authorities to crack down on illegal logging and timber trafficking in the midst of accelerating forest loss. He then directed the police and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to set up inspection teams on roads that run to China and Viet Nam, the destination of most smuggled timber from Lao PDR. Immigration authorities will also step up border vigilance, which calls for improve coordination between the military, police, officials, and local communities in protecting forests. Forests in Lao PDR have declined steadily in recent decades, falling from 64 percent cover in 1960 to 41 percent in 2005. Primary forests now cover less than 10 percent of the country according to UN data. Deforestation in Lao PDR has traditionally been driven by small-scale agriculture, but in recent years rubber and timber plantations have consumed large areas of native forest. mongabay.com

Lao PDR exports first green rattan products to EU market. The first sustainable rattan baskets made by local communities in Lao PDR are heading to Switzerland through Da Nang seaport in Viet Nam. WWF’s rattan project, co-funded by the European Union, IKEA and DEG has been promoting sustainability and market links since 2009. The main objective of the project is to set up sustainable rattan forest management models in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam to engage rattan small and medium enterprises (SMEs) towards a cleaner production mechanism. In collaboration with the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI), WWF has been supporting Lao rattan SMEs to participate in both regional and international trade fairs. The fairs have been a

Orangutan at Bukit Lawang

great opportunity for SMEs to learn more about international market requirements and design trends. Furthermore the rattan processors and buyers could meet and get a first impression of the product portfolios. Sourcing rattan from villages that apply sustainable forest management is important to ensure that natural resources will be available in the long-term. A purchase order was done in March 2011 via Leudnilan Agriculture Promotion Co., Ltd. that engaged with seven villages to produce 2,640 sets of sustainable rattan baskets. Leudnilan is the only rattan company in Lao PDR that holds a Forest Stewardship Council Chain-of-Custody (FSC CoC) certificate. Leudnilan hired 120 villagers to produce these rattan baskets and exported them under supervision of LNCCI. WWF

1) an overview assessment of the economic, social and environmental impacts of investments in the two provinces; and 2) four case studies on the impacts of specific investment projects on the surrounding communities. The project also included working with NERI and provincial authorities to develop an “investment checklist” laying out factors for provincial investment committees to consider when determining whether or not to approve an investment project. The final project component involved development of six “issue briefs” that analyze key issues related to investment in hydropower, mining, plantations biofuels, and forestry, in the country as a whole, as well as the gender-specific impacts of investment. IUCN

Malaysia

Malaysia unveils plan to build green economy. Malaysia is launching a plan to build a green economy with the help of an advisory council that includes economist Jeffrey Sachs and Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The initiative is part of economic reforms instituted by Prime Minister Najib Razak, aimed at pushing the Malaysia towards developed-nation status by 2020. His administration has already promised major infrastructure projects and financial market liberalization to attract foreign investment and boost growth. Malaysia’s vision of a green economy would see it moving beyond its status as a manufacturing hub, and establish low carbon emissions, highly efficient use of resources, and a healthy, well-educated populace.

AFP

Sabah applies for heritage status for rainforest reserves to block political expropriation. Sabah, the eastern-most state in Malaysian Borneo, has applied for World Heritage status for three rainforest areas. Maliau Basin, Danum Valley and Imbak Canyon contain a variety of forest types and house rare and endangered wildlife like the

Borneo bay cat, Borneo clouded leopard, Bornean orangutan, pygmy elephants and Hose’s civet. They are also part of the larger contiguous forest concession area belonging to the Sabah Foundation. The area as a whole is vital because it has different forest types such as lowland and highland and supports a number of different species. The listing of the three areas as World Heritage Sites will also protect them from political expropriation and boost ecotourism in Sabah.

mongabay.com 10-point Sabah Charter to address the challenges in wetlands. The Asian Wetland Symposium ended in Sabah, Malaysia with a 10-point declaration tagged “Sabah Call for Action”. These represent strategies that the regional community should take as a united front to address challenges that are getting bigger and more intense. It will be presented at the Asia Regional Ramsar meeting in Jakarta in November, the 11th Meeting of Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands in Romania and the 11th Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in India, in June and October 2012, through the Malaysian Government and the Ramsar Secretariat. These challenges include increasing



Assessing the economic, social and environment costs and benefits of investment in Lao PDR. IUCN Lao PDR and partners presented the results of the project “Baseline Assessment of Economic, Social and Environmental Costs and Benefits of Investment in Savannakhet and Saravan Provinces, Lao PDR”. The assessment provides baseline information for the development of provincial investment strategies and assists in further building the capacity of the authorities to analyze and monitor investments. The project was funded by UNDP and UNEP’s Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) and carried out by IUCN in partnership with the National Economic Research Institute (NERI) between May 2010 and January 2011. The project involved two research components:

Photo by Promsouvanh

Sustainable rattan baskets fromLao PDR

Photo by Joanna Ross and Andrew Hearn of Oxford University’s WildCRU

The mysterious Borneo bay cat

pressures on water quality and quantity caused by continuing degradation and loss of wetlands, and emerging new challenges such as climate change. The Asian Wetlands symposium represents a regional effort to enhance the synergy in implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ramsar Convention, plus other initiatives such as the UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme and the Non-legally Binding Instrument of All Types of Forests, deemed critical to achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the Millenium Development Goals. To achieve these goals, the participants stress that integration of the initiatives at the local, national and regional levels must improve and innovative approaches for sustainable development, financing, human wellbeing and biodiversity conservation, must be found.

Daily Express

Malaysia plans green palm oil certification scheme. Malaysia, the world’s No. 2 palm oil producer, will come up with a certification scheme to ensure the tropical oil is grown without clearing forests and destroying wildlife. Malaysia joins top palm oil producer Indonesia that is set to issue its own certification for planters in 2012. The Malaysian Palm Oil Council stated that the Malaysian scheme will emulate the one by Indonesia, which is mandatory and where offenders could be punished by law. Reuters

Myanmar

Myanmar crucial to conservation of rare sandpiper. The Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) and BirdLife International are hoping their conservation efforts in Myanmar can help pull the spoon-billed sandpiper from the brink of extinction. The spoon-billed sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus) has been designated as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Spoon-billed sandpipers breed on the coastal tundra of eastern Russia, migrating along the Pacific seaboard of Asia to

wintering sites in Southeast Asia, including Viet Nam, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. The species is in decline because of poaching and changing weather conditions during the long migration. BANCA, BirdLife International and their partners have conducted surveys at the Gulf of Martaban (in southern Myanmar) and Nanthar Island (in Rakhine State), which show that in 2008, 48 spoon-billed sandpipers were counted in the Gulf of Martaban and 36 on Nanthar Island. The numbers dropped to 47 and 14 respectively in 2009, but 2010 saw a big recovery in the gulf with 75 counted in that area. The number at Nanthar Island also rose to 16. The surveys show that Myanmar holds the largest population of wintering spoon-billed sandpipers in the world. BANCA and BirdLife are currently conducting more studies to support efforts to proclaim the sites as protected areas as well as educate locals to stop hunting the birds.

Myanmar Times

YCDC to plant more trees this wet season. The Yangon City Development Committee’s Department of Garden and Playground Parks will plant more than 91,660 shade trees, 33,912 fl owering plants and 50,000 toddy palms in the Yangon Region this monsoon season, including 100,000 teak trees at Hlawga Wildlife Park. Most of the fl owers will be planted along median strips and on roundabouts, while new shade trees such as star fl ower trees, mahogany, almond and rosewood would be planted in most townships. In 2010, YCDC planted about 200,000 trees and fl owering plants across the city as part of efforts to replace the large number of trees felled by Cyclone Nargis in May 2008. YCDC is also encouraging high schools to get involved in the tree-planting campaign to boost interest in environmental issues.

Myanmar Times

Irrawaddy dolphins tripled in protected area. A recent survey has found the number of Irrawaddy dolphins living in a protected area on the Ayeyarwady River has almost tripled in the past eight years. The Irrawaddy Dolphin Protected Area

was established in December 2005, spanning a 74-kilometer stretch of the river near Mandalay, from Kyaukmyaung and Singu townships in the north to Mingun in the south. Regular patrols are conducted in the area where a team conducts educational outreach activities and research on dolphin behavior and fisheries, enforces the prohibition on illegal fishing techniques, and monitors the status of the dolphins and threats to their conservation. Several hundred more Irrawaddy dolphins have also been found in coastal areas. Many were found in ‘no fishing areas’ defined by local monks, who order residents not to catch fish within 300 meters of the compound of a monastery situated on the bank of a river. The Irrawaddy dolphin is one of 32 dolphin species globally and one of seven found in Myanmar. It is considered critically endangered. The dolphins live not only in Myanmar, but also in other areas of South and Southeast Asia, particularly the murky waters of rivers and estuaries. Myanmar Times

Illegal wildlife trade on the rise. The Ministry of Forestry stated that trade in endangered or rare animals rose despite stronger enforcement of Myanmar’s anti-trafficking laws. About half of the convictions made under anti-wildlife trafficking laws involve the smuggling of rare and endangered turtles and tortoises but trade in snakes and elephant parts was also common. The increase has been attributed to higher demand, especially from China, where animal parts are used for food and medicine. Other species targeted by wildlife traffickers include the Javan rhinoceros, Asian elephant, Asian golden cat, Bengal tiger, leopard, pangolin and brown antlered deer, and some types of orchid. Under the Protection of Wild Animals, Wild Plants and Conservation of Natural Areas Law promulgated in 1994, it is illegal to kill, hunt or illegally possess protected animals or plants, and those convicted of violating the law face up to seven years imprisonment and a fine of K50,000. The government called for more regional cooperation to stem the illegal wildlife trade, and is currently negotiating with the



Chinese government and other ASEAN countries to control the illegal market. Myanmar Times.

Philippines

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) expands protected areas system. The DENR through the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) has expanded the conservation of 109 threatened species in about 400,000 hectares of conservation sites nationwide. The five-year New Conservation Areas in the Philippines Project (NewCAPP) aims to expand the protected areas system to recognize new conservation areas, such as those managed by indigenous peoples, local communities, and local government units. NewCAPP, led by PAWB with assistance from the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), was launched as part of the national celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity (IDBD) and in line with declaration of 2011 as International Year of Forests (IYF) by the United Nations. The GEF has provided US$3.5 million grant for the project’s implementation. The pilot sites are Balbalan-Balbalasang National Park in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Zambales Mountains in Regions 1 and 3, Mts. Irid Angelo and Binuang in Region 4A, Polilio Group of Islands, also in Region 4A, Mts. Iglit Baco National Park in Region 4B, Nug as Lantoy in Region 7, Mt. Nacolod in Region 8, Mt. Hilong-hilong in Region 13, and Tawi-tawi Island in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Manila Bulletin

Seven new mice species found in Philippines. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported that seven new species of mice have been found by local and U.S. scientists in the mountains of the Philippines. Documented by the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, the discovery showcases the country’s vast, but threatened biodiversity. The mice were found in heavily forested mountain ranges on the

main Philippine island of Luzon. The mice were recorded to actively avoid humans and rarely cause any harm, and prefer to eat earthworms and seeds on the forest floor. The DENR warned that the habitats of many of the new species were not protected areas, making them vulnerable to logging and illegal mining. AFP

Philippine President wants environmental security for Filipinos. For President Aquino, environmental security is the highest form of national security, stated Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje. He added that the marching order given to the DENR and the other agencies comprising the Cabinet cluster on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation was to “prioritize the welfare of the poor and future generations”. Paje chairs the Climate Change cluster, whose membership includes 11 government agencies, including the National Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Metro Manila Development Authority, with the Climate Change Commission as the secretariat. Based on Executive Order (EO) No. 43 issued by President Aquino in May 2010, the cluster shall take

the lead in pursuing measures to adapt to, and mitigate the effects of, climate change in the country. The government’s environmental programs are designed with multi-faceted objectives to combat climate change, improve the socio-economic condition of communities in the rural and upland areas, and ensure food and water supply security. The DENR chief appealed to Filipinos to stop doubting the government in implementing programs for the environment and the poor, and urged them to support these to ensure their success. Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Philippine fishing village embraces ecotourism. A fishing community in the Philippines that once used dynamite to catch fish now advocates ecotourism. The pristine Uacon Lake, located in the northern part of Zambales, Philippines, has been the source of income for thousands of fishermen and their families living nearby. But damage to the ecosystem, caused by indiscriminate fishing, threatened to wipe out their livelihood. With the help of NGOs like Mercy Relief and SIKAT, the community has transformed it into Pantal Paradise. Together, they advocate ecotourism

New species of mice in the Philippines



and rehabilitation of the lake. By transforming Uacon Lake into an ecological park, fishermen and their families can now look forward to a more sustainable livelihood. Future plans for the park include adding kayaking and zipline activities that will hopefully attract more tourists to come to the area. Fishermen will acts as guides and tourists can listen to lectures on the eco-trails, go bird watching, and take part in mangrove planting activities.

Channel News Asia

Singapore

Singapore industrial park awarded for its green leadership. Industrial property developer JTC Corporation announced that it won three separate green building awards from Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA), including the first ever Platinum Award for a new parks scheme, developed to encourage innovative, sustainable development of civic landscape areas. The award is a joint initiative between BCA and Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks) and JTC has won for its “Green Core” – a park that is integrated with the buildings of its CleanTech Park. JTC’s Green Core, located at the 50-hectare CleanTech Park under development at Nanyang Avenue, will act as a recreation space and pedestrian network within the industrial park. It is also designed to preserve the biodiversity of the area and will act as a green corridor that allows the area’s wildlife, including the native Sunda pangolin and harlequin butterflies, to move safely between connected natural areas. The designers chose to incorporate a rare tropical freshwater wetland forest that will include endangered tree species native to Singapore. These species, combined with fruit and nectar-producing plants, are expected to attract wildlife back into the park after development. JTC will plant more than 100 percent of the trees removed for development. Other sustainability features of the project include the use of environmentally-friendly building materials and construction practices, waste reduction and recycling, on-site food

waste treatment, and an advanced building monitoring system to monitor the building’s environmental performance. Eco-Business

Celebrating World Environment Day with the Little Green Dot Research Grant. Eleven teams of secondary and junior colleague students celebrated World Environment Day with the news that they have been awarded grants to carry out research on biodiversity and ensure a cleaner and greener Singapore. These students applied for the inaugural Little Green Dot Student Research Grant, which is a joint collaboration by IKEA Singapore, WWF Singapore and Nature Society (Singapore). The program aims to encourage young inspiring environmentalists to learn about the natural environment through direct discovery and play an active part to help Singapore become a “little green dot” on the planet. The teams comprising 2 to 4 members will receive grants of up to $5000. Funding from the grant comes from proceeds collected from the sale of IKEA Singapore’s “No More Free Plastic Bags” campaign. The theme for this year’s research is marine and freshwater conservation in Singapore. The students will have six months to carry out their research and will be mentored by well-known environmentalists. Upon completion of their research, the groups will also have the opportunity to share their findings with the public. WWF Singapore

Singapore Biodiversity: An encyclopedia of the natural environment. The Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research successfully launched the new book, “Singapore Biodiversity: An Encyclopedia of the Natural Environment.” A cumulative effort of over 65 contributors, the book is a celebration of Singapore’s biodiversity, as pockets of wildlife still persist in the country’s parks, forests and shores. In addition, the biodiversity of Singapore continues to astonish researchers with new species and new records of animals. Part 1 of the book is a collection of essays focusing on a series of topics from the history of biodiversity research in Singapore

and ecosystems, to public policies and biodiversity education. Part 2 is a comprehensive list of organisms found in Singapore, ordered from A to Z. Raffles Museum News

Asian Environmental Journalism Awards 2012. The Singapore Environment Council launched The Asian Environmental Journalism Awards to recognize the important role of the media in educating the public about environmental issues. The awards will be open to journalists and students who report on Asian and Singapore environmental news and current affairs, for foreign or locally owned media, (or schools and universities) recognizing all media platforms, TV, radio, newsletters, magazines, web and social media. Entries submitted would need to be published or broadcast between July 2011 and April 2012. The inaugural Asian Environmental Journalism Awards will be presented in 2012 at SEC’s Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards ceremony.

Singapore Environment Councill

Thailand

Thailand jungles mask surprise rise in tiger numbers. Working with foreign conservationists, rangers have been gathering evidence from camera traps over the past two years that suggests that Thap Lan national park in Thailand may have more tigers than China. Thap Lan, with its spectacular forests of saw-



bladed plan palms, is an oasis of biodiversity amid expanding human development. Elephants, clouded leopards, spotted linsang, boar and deer thrive below the canopy, which is filled with the song of myna, lapwings, laughing thrushes and other exotic birds. Locals have long insisted that tigers also prowl in this area. Camera traps have yielded a treasure trove of images of bears, leopards, itinerant monks, as well as tigers and – worryingly – armed poachers. Rangers have already confirmed eight tigers and park managers are optimistic more animals will be found. Thailand is thought to be home to between 250 and 300 wild tigers, but they are vulnerable. The biggest threat is a loss of habitat. Although nominally protected, Thailand’s national parks are being encroached upon by human development, particularly monoculture plantations, roads and second homes. Many locals also subsidize their incomes by poaching and illegally logging aloe and tropical hardwood. Park managers and police are worried that poachers and illegal traders would target the tigers once news gets out about their numbers in the area. guardian.co.uk

Endangered Madagascar wildlife on sale in Thailand. Conservation group TRAFFIC uncovered nearly 600 Madagascar reptiles and amphibians on sale in Thai markets, including endangered species and those banned for sale by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The animals, representing 24 reptile species and nine amphibians, are being sold for the international pet trade. While the sale of Malagasy chameleons is legal, TRAFFIC’s report found a number of discrepancies in paperwork. A number of species were indisputably on sale illegally, including the Antsingy leaf chameleon (Brookesia perarmata), which is banned outright by CITES. TRAFFIC also uncovered the illegal sale of hundreds of turtles representing three Critically Endangered species, each banned by CITES: the radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata), spider tortoise (Pyxis arachnoids), and

ploughshare tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora). Despite being almost wiped out in Madagascar, the radiated tortoise was the most frequent animal encountered during the survey. Surveyors also found 12 lesser Madagascan tenrecs (Echinops telfairi) in a shop in Bangkok. Tenrecs are bizarre small insectivores about the size of hedgehogs, though more closely related to elephants, hyraxes, and dugongs. mongabay.com

Revoke Preah Vihear as World Heritage Site. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti has called on the World Heritage Committee to revoke the registration of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site in a bid to resolve the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. He stated that Thailand has always insisted to the committee that the border issue must be resolved before registering Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site. UNESCO and the committee have asked Thailand to carefully consider its future course of action in respect to the convention and to continue to be an active participant in international cooperation for the protection of the world’s outstanding heritage. Suwit said consideration of whether to continue to participate in the World Heritage Convention would take

place after Thailand and Cambodia resolved the border conflict.

The Nation

Bang Rakam water plan fast-tracked. After visiting flooded areas in Thailand, it is hoped that the Bang Rakam model, an integrated water-management solution, would be implemented as early as 2012. The Bang Rakam model will be an integrated solution to tackle both floods and drought via efficient water management. Information technology would be used to closely monitor water levels and analyze water-related situations. In the event of floods, assistance and compensation will be given quickly to the affected people. A highlight of the plan was to create the Bang Rakam Water-Retention Area, which will cover over 160,000 rai of land in Phitsanulok and Sukhothai, with a budget of Bt5 billion. Although the new water-retention area would leave more than 10,000 families faced with flooding for a certain period during the year, none would need to relocate because the floodwater wouldn’t be too high. The Bang Rakam Water-Retention Area, once created, will be able to hold 50 million cubic meters of water. It is expected to help ease flooding and drought in the Yom Basin.

The Nation

Photo by M. Todd/TRAFFIC

Panther chameleon from Madagascar that was found in Saraburi City, Thailand.



Viet Nam looks to Lao PDR for further collaboration on illegal wildlife trade control. The Viet Nam Administration of Forestry and other relevant authorities hosted two workshops with government counterparts from Lao PDR to build on recent bilateral efforts to monitor the illegal cross-border trade of wildlife. The workshops brought together enforcement authorities from Savannakhet and Khammouane Provinces in Lao PDR and bordering Quang Tri and Quang Binh Provinces in Viet Nam. The organization of these workshops is one of the priorities under the Collaboration Plan on protecting forests, monitoring and halting illegal timber and wildlife trade and smuggling in the period 2009-2012 signed by the Viet Nam Administration of Forestry and Lao Department of Forestry in 2009. The aim is to develop a plan for improved collaboration and information exchange to halt illegal hunting and trafficking of wildlife along the border in those provinces. Education for Nature-Vietnam

Hanoi takes drastic measures to rescue polluted river. The efforts made by the Hanoi authorities to rehabilitate the To Lich River with biological products have brought the desired effects. Nearly two years ago, the Hanoi People’s Committee decided to invest 1300 billion dong into environment improvement projects, including 600 billion dong to clean the To Lich River, which became the “city’s biggest open wastewater sewer”. In September

The polluted To Lich river

2010, a campaign was launched by the Hanoi Department for Natural Resources and the Environment in four wards of districts located on To Lich riverhead, where households were given environment-friendly biological products derived from mineralization and microorganism. The biological products were used to treat the wastewater in homes before the wastewater goes to the To Lich River. Water samples later taken from different areas of the To Lich River have shown considerable improvement in water quality.

Vietnam Bridge

Rare gibbon community found in Viet Nam. The largest population of a “critically endangered” gibbon species has been discovered in Viet Nam. A new census of the northern white-cheeked crested gibbon by Conservation International (CI) scientists has found a population of 455 - living in 130 groups - in Pu Mat National Park. The discovery represents over two-thirds of the total number of the species left in Viet Nam, and is the only confirmed viable-population of this species left worldwide. CI president Russell A. Mittermeier says all of the world’s 25 different gibbon species are under threat from extinction, but none more so than the white-cheeked gibbon. Population data was collected using “auditory surveying” – a technique, which uses the species’ loud morning calls – for identification and to determine group numbers. But the remote, high-altitude forests, which have fostered the gibbons thus far is under threat from road development, which will not only cut through their habitat but also encourage further dangers. The major issue will be hunting of these gibbons that were previously protected by the harsh terrain. Without direct protection in Pu Mat National Park, it is likely that Viet Nam will lose this species in the near future. CNN

Viet Nam’s carbon forest market roused. After the initial success from the first carbon forest project (forest to absorb carbon), Vietnam Carbon Exchange (VCE) and its partner Voluntary Credits Limited (VCL)

Photo by Terry Whitaker.

Northern white-cheeked gibbons.

from Australia have roused the Vietnamese potential carbon forest market. The field research phase of the REDD project (reducing emission from deforestation and forest degradation) at the Bach Ma National Forest has been completed, while the experts of the companies have entered the period of designing the project. It is expected that the REDD project in Bach Ma will benefit 63,000 local residents and help protect thousands of animal and plantation varieties at the national forest. The project has been scheduled to last 30 years and is expected to absorb 15,500 tons of living mass every year. The total volume of carbon to be collected during the project lifetime would be about 0.36 million tons. Another project by VCE and VCL has also been carried out at the Tam Dao National Forest, which is expected to absorb 50,000-60,000 tons of living mass every year, and about 40-50,000 tons of carbon. As such, the total volume of carbon to be collected from the 30-year project would be 1.2-1.5 million tons. Kicked off in 2009, the project includes 32,000 hectares of the natural forests located on three provinces of Vinh Phuc, Thai Nguyen and Tuyen Quang and will benefit 200,000 local residents. Unlike other carbon projects in Viet Nam which relate to afforestation activities, the REDD at Bach Ma and Tam Dao aim to preserve and promote the biological diversification value of the natural forests in Viet Nam. VCE and VCL are currently conducting the fieldwork for two similar projects at the Xuan Son National Forest in Phu Tho province and Ba Be in Bac Kan.

Vietnam Bridge.Net.



Also known as kauri, the almaciga is a tall, straight tree with a thick greyish-brown bark. The bark fl akes off the tree in places in rounded pieces, leaving a pattern of irregular scars that looks like a jigsaw puzzle. The smooth, narrow leathery leaves are four to fi ve centimeters long, around two centimeters wide, and rounded at the top. The leaves, as well as the cones, are produced from branches that radiate from the crown of the tree. The wood of the almaciga is fi ne-grained and dense, and produces abundant resin.

The almaciga is endemic to the Philippines, but is also distributed in Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea.

Agathis species have a preference for growing on what might be considered second-rate sites, such as mountains and poor soils in the lowlands. They can be found at altitudes between 150 and 2,200 meters, and is one of the few species of conifers that can grow in the humid tropics.

The cones of the almaciga take two years to mature. The larger female cones can be fertilized by pollen from the same tree, or from another tree nearby.

Eventually, the female cone will shatter on the tree and the fertilized seeds will fl oat away from the parent tree on the wind.

Almaciga is exploited for its high quality timber, which is popular with commercial foresters due to their large yield of timber per hectare. The wood has been used extensively for boatbuilding, interior works, decorative plywood and veneers, paneling, and furniture. It is also known for its resin known as Manila copal, which is valued around the world and is used in the manufacture of varnishes and linoleum. Manila copal is also used for making incense. Extensive tapping of the almaciga, in combination with the destructive methods sometimes used, has greatly reduced its population. The almaciga has been granted protected status in the Philippines and logging is currently banned.

Almaciga (Agathis philippinensis)

arkive.com

References:

ARKive (http://www.arkive.org/kauri/agathis-philippinensis/image-G28678.html#text=Facts

The Indi Journal (http://www.indi-journal.info/archives/1507)

The Wood Explorer (http://www.thewoodexplorer.com/maindata/we51.html#Scientifi c_Name)

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Molave is a medium- to large-sized tree reaching a height of 25 to 30 meters and a diameter of 100 to 150 centimeters. In exceptional cases, it reaches a height of 35 meters or more and a diameter of 200 centimeters. Generally, it has an irregular, short, crooked and fl uted bole with thick, low, medium to moderately large buttresses. The leaves are typically opposite or whorled and deciduous. It partially or entirely sheds its leaves during the later part of the dry season. The fruit is either dry, separating at maturity into two to four nutlets, or a drupe containing the nutlets. The average number of seeds per fruit ranges from one to three. Molave is propagated by seeds and planted trees start fl owering fi ve to six years after planting.

Molave occurs most commonly in comparatively dry regions in lowland forest, often in deciduous forest on rocky ground, on grassy slopes and on dry limestone soils, but sometimes also in littoral rain forest or hill forest. It is usually found in regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. The species often occur gregariously

in secondary forest and primary forest. The species is distributed throughout the Philippines and Indonesia.

Leaves of the molave have been used as fodder and the tree is a source of fi rewood and timber. The wood is hard and durable and is resistant to fungal, termite and Lyctus beetle attack. The timber is used for high-grade construction, interior fi nishing, fl ooring, house building, shipbuilding, railway sleepers and carving. The bark and wood of the molave have been used in local medicine as a styptic, emetic, antitoxic and to treat jaundice and dropsy. An infusion or a decoction of the wood is an antidote to poisoning. A decoction of the bark is used for diarrhea. The wood and bark have

also been used to treat wounds.

Molave (Vitex parvifl ora Juss.)

arkive.com

References:

AgroForestry Tree Database (ttp://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/sea/Products/AFDbases/af/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=17969)

Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 2002. DENR Recommends Volume 11. Forest Tree Species with Medicinal Uses. Compiled by Maximo V. Lanting, Jr. and Concepcion M. Palaypayon. September 2002.

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ASEAN BIODIVERSITY MAY - AUGUST 201190

The Thailand rosewood or Siamese rosewood is a

medium-large sized tree that grows up to 30 meters

tall and up to 1.2 meters in diameter. It sheds its

leaves in the dry season. Naturally it occurs in

mixed deciduous and dry evergreen forest mixed

with Syzygium spp., Hopea ferrea and Pterocarpus

macrocarpus. The species is shade tolerant as a

sapling and becomes light demanding when mature.

Natural regeneration is often poor. Flowering is in

April to June and fruiting in September to December.

Thailand rosewood is considered a “fi rst class prime

timber”. Its wood is hard, durable, easy to work

and resistant to termites. The distinctive dark-

red to almost black heartwood is very valuable

and attractive and is used for furniture, interior

decoration, plywood, carving, musical instruments

and sewing machines.

The wood from the stumps and roots is also used

for making handicrafts. The species is nitrogen

fi xing and suitable for agroforestry systems and soil

improvement.

Thailand rosewood grows on altitudes of up to

1,000 meters, but is mainly concentrated at 400 to

500 meters. The species grows on many soil types,

but prefers fertile and deep sandy clay or calcareous

soils along streams. The tree is also drought

tolerant.

The tree can be found in Cambodia, Lao PDR,

Thailand and Viet Nam. The Thailand rosewood is

becoming increasingly rare due to the high rate

of exploitation of the species. It is classifi ed as

vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Thailand Rosewood (Dalbergia cochinchinensis)

References:

Lao Tree Seed Project. Species Monograph No. 21. Dalbergia cochinchinensis. Nam Souang Forest Research Centre. Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Dalbergia cochinchinensis (http://www.biotik.org/laos/species/d/dalco/dalco_en.html)

arkive.com

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The tualang tree is a majestic emergent tree of the Southeast Asia rainforests best known for the disk shaped honeycombs, which hang from its horizontal branches. Towering above the canopy, the tualang can grow up to 250 feet.

Tualangs are a member of the legume family and are related to peas. Their leaves are pinnate with four to fi ve leafl ets growing alternately along a central rib. They create a bright green, feathery crown. Their seeds are contained within large pods. The trunks have a smooth, silvery bark. The slippery surface discourages sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) from climbing up into the tree to reach the honeycombs of the Asian rock bees (Apis dorsata). The bees prefer the tualang because it doesn’t branch until almost 100 feet up. Huge buttresses support the tree at its base and keep the giants from toppling over. The sap is irritating to the skin and produces a rash.

These trees can be found growing in the lowland forests of southern Thailand, peninsular Malaysia, northeastern Sumatra, Borneo, and Palawan. Their habitat is the primary tropical rainforest. They prefer damp locations along rivers, in valleys, and the lower slopes of hills.

The tualang tree is common locally, but is not an abundant tree. There are no great forests of tualangs to be found. Instead solitary trees are often found standing alone in open areas because the wood is hard to cut and local people value the tualang for its honey. A standing tualang is more valuable for its honey than felled for its timber since the immense honeycombs can be 6 feet across and can contain as many as 30,000 bees. One tualang tree can contain more than 100 nests.

The wood is brittle and often splinters when it is cut down. The wood is also incredibly hard and contains silica, making cutting it down a diffi cult process. With the decline of more accessible hard woods however, tualangs are being cut down for timber, and are being sold under the name of Mangaris wood. The tualang is protected under Sarawak’s Wildlife Protection Bill of 1990.

Tualang (Koompassia excelsa)

Reference:

Blue Plant Biomes (http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tualang.htm)

Rainforest Outdoors (http://www.rainforestoutdoor.com/2010/06/tualang-tree-koompassia-excelsa.html)

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ASEAN BIODIVERSITY MAY - AUGUST 201192

asean biodiversity vol. 10 no. 2 may-aug 2011

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