A S E A N B I O D I V E R S I T Y 1 A SEAN SEAN C C ENTRE ENTRE B B IODIVERSITY IODIVERSITY FOR FOR www.aseanbiodiversity.org Conserve Biodiversity, Save Humanity! ASEAN Region’s Rich Biodiversity Despite occupying only three percent of the earth’s surface, the ASEAN region hosts 20 percent of all known species that live deep in the region’s mountains, jungles, rivers, lakes and seas. The region includes three mega-diverse states (Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines); several bio-geographical units (e.g., Malesia, Wallacea, Sundaland, Indo-Burma and the Central Indo-Pacific); and numerous centers of concentration of restricted-range bird, plant and insect species. ASEAN has one-third, translating to 284,000 square kilometers, of all coral reefs, which are among the most diverse in the world. Common land and water borders have allowed the ASEAN states to share many species that are biologically diverse from the rest of the world. All these make the ASEAN region significant to global diversity. The Threat The region’s rich biodiversity is heavily under threat. Out of 64,800 known species, two percent or 1,312 are endangered. Seven of the world’s 34 recognized biodiversity hotspots are in the ASEAN region. If the rate of deforestation continues, the region will lose up to three-fourths of its forests, and up to 42 percent of its biodiversity by 2100. Some 80 percent of coral reefs are at risk due to destructive fishing practices and coral bleaching. Forest conversion, forest fires, shifting cultivation, large-scale mining, wildlife hunting and trading, population growth and poverty, climate change, and lack of conservation resources greatly contribute to biodiversity loss. Biodiversity loss could trigger enormous effects on food security, health, shelter, medicine, and aesthetic and other life-sustaining resources. Without a concerted effort to protect and conserve biodiver- sity, the ASEAN region’s 567 million people and the entire human race would be in danger. ASEAN’s Response: ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity As an intergovernmental regional organization, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) facilitates cooperation and co- ordination among the members states of ASEAN, and with relevant national governments, regional and international organizations, on the conservation and sustainable use of bio- logical diversity guided by fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of such biodiversity in the ASEAN region. ACB aims to contribute to the reduction of the current rate of loss of biological diversity by enhancing regional cooperation, capacitating stakeholders, promoting awareness for biodiver- sity conservation, and maintaining the regional biodiversity database. To contribute to the achievement of socially respon- sible access, equitable sharing, use and conservation of natural ecosystems and the biodiversity these contain, ACB builds stra- tegic networks and partnerships geared to mobilize resources towards optimally augmenting effective programmes on biodi- versity conservation. Contact Us ACB Headquarters 3F ERDB Bldg., Forestry Campus College, Laguna 4031,Philippines Tel/fax: +632.534-4247, +6349.536-2865 Website: www.aseanbiodiversity.org General Inquiry: contact.us@aseanbiodiversity.org A S E A N B I O D I V E R S I T Y 3 Inside Vol. 8, No. 2  May - August 2009 Message from the Executive Director ACB is now a full-fl edged International Organization 5 ASEAN Biodiversity Expert is 2009 Outstanding Filipino Forester 6 Global Conservation News 7 Special Reports MEAs: Why the Need for Harmonised Reporting? 12 ASEAN Action on MEAs 16 Global Harmonisation of National Reporting to Biodiversity-Related Conventions 19 Issue-Based Modules for the Implementation of MEAs 23 The Ramsar Convention: Issues and Progress in Harmonisation of Reporting 25 Indonesia: Using the Modular Approach 29 Thailand: Experiences in Harmonisation of Reports to MEAs 35 Lao PDR: Case Study on Orchid Exports 39 The Development of a Consolidated Reporting Template by Pacifi c Island Countries 45 Profiles Indonesia Ujung Kulon National Park 48 Thailand Thungyai - Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries 52 Viet Nam Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park 56 Photos by Rolly Inciong TINA MARIE C. DE LEON Filipino amateur photographer This photo with the caption “A little boy with his newborn pet bird” was among the fi nalists in the amateur category of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity’s ASEAN-wide photo contest “Zooming in on Biodiversity.” 4 M A Y - A U G U S T 2 0 0 9  w w w . a s e a n b i o d i v e r s i t y . o r g Letters, articles, suggestions and photos are welcome and should be addressed to: The Editor-in-Chief ASEAN Biodiversity ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity College, Laguna E-mail: mturiarte@aseanbiodiversity.org sbbarrer@aseanbiodiversity.org Editor-in-Chief Monina T. Uriarte, PhD Managing Editor Bridget P. Botengan Creative Artist Nanie S. Gonzales Writer-Researcher Sahlee Bugna-Barrer EDITORIAL BOARD Rodrigo U. Fuentes Executive Director Clarissa C. Arida Director, Programme Development and Implementation Rolando A. Inciong Head, Public Affairs ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Headquarters 3F ERDB Bldg. Forestry Campus University of the Philippines-Los Baños College, Laguna, Philippines Telefax: +632.584-4247; +6349.536-2865 E-mail: contact.us@aseanbiodiversity.org Website: www.aseanbiodiversity.org ACB Annex Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City 1156 Philippines Printed by: VJ Graphic Arts No. of Copies: 2,000 Disclaimer: Views or opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent any offi cial view of the European Union nor the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat. The authors are responsible for any data or information presented in their articles. Bookmarks The Intricacies of Sharing the Benefi ts of Nature’s Resources 60 The very fi rst MAD (Mangyan, Aeta, Dumagat) Tribal Games: Wisdom from the Wild 61 ACB and PEMSEA to Promote Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation in Southeast Asia 63 SEA’s Protected Area Execs Enhance Skills in Conservation and Management 64 TV Maria Airs Videos on Biodiversity 65 ASEAN to Strengthen Sharing of Biodiversity Information 65 ACB joins ASEAN Day Celebration 66 Philippine Science Fair Highlights Water and Biodiversity for Human Survival 67 2009 CSR Links Business and Biodiversity 68 ASEAN Workshop Promotes Biodiversity Conservation in Business 70 Uniting with the World to Combat Climate Change 71 ASEAN Workshop Promotes Payment for Ecosystem Services as Tool to Boost Economy and Reduce Poverty 72 Forest Management Bureau Hosts ASEAN Social Forestry Network Meeting 73 Lao PDR Tracks Progress in Reducing Biodiversity Loss 74 IBD 2009 Highlights Invasive Alien Species 75 ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity Celebrates the International Day for Biodiversity 2009 76 UPLB and Los Banos Youth Leaders Hold Forum on Biodiversity 77 ACB, France and Japan Boost Southeast Asia’s Taxonomic Capacity 78 ASEAN Countries Participate in the 2009 World Ocean Conference 79 ACB and UNESCO-Jakarta Partner to Popularize Biodiversity Conservation 80 Surfing the Web of Life 64 ABOUT THE COVER. When countries become members of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), they show their commitment to environmental protection and the future of humanity. MEAs can provide more data, better cooperation among stakeholders, and increase efforts to combat environmental issues such as climate change, loss of key species, and destruction of habitats. These agreements thus provide a better picture of the status of global biodiversity, set directions to protect the environment, and ensure a better quality of life for our children. A S E A N B I O D I V E R S I T Y 5 E stablished in 2005 by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and with support from the European Union (EU), the ASEAN Centre for Biodi- versity) ACB is regarded as the fi rst regional initiative to save the ASEAN region’s critically threatened biodiversity. It is a re- gional intergovernmental organization that works with partners to study and advocate, use and save biodiversity. The Centre promotes biodiversity conservation through policy and program development, capacity building, information management and sharing, and public advocacy. The Establishment Agreement of the Centre, however, re- quires the ratifi cation of majority of the ASEAN Member States for the organization to become a full-fl edged international orga- nization. This came into fruition when U Nyan Win, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar signed the instru- ment of ratifi cation on 08 July 2009. Following Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Singapore, and Viet Nam, Myanmar is the sixth ASEAN Member State to ratify the agreement. The ACB Establish- ment Agreement embodies the commitment of ASEAN Mem- ber States in establishing ACB as a regional centre that facili- tates cooperation and coordination among ASEAN Member States and with relevant organizations on the conservation and sustainable use of Southeast Asia’s rich but highly threatened biodiversity. The ratifi cation augurs well for the peoples of ASEAN who depend on biodiversity for food, medicine, livelihood, and shelter. With ACB’s new status as an international orga- nization, we can sustain our efforts in assisting ASEAN Mem- ber States in preventing the loss of known animal, plant and marine species that are critical to sustainable food production, health, and livelihood. ACB will be able to mobilize more re- sources and forge more partnerships that will result in more services to ASEAN Member States. The ratifi cation will further strengthen the momentum gained by ASEAN Member States, the European Union and ACB in working together to build ASEAN Member States’ capability to meet their obligations to the Convention on Bio- logical Diversity and other relevant Multilateral Environmen- tal Agreements, and increase Southeast Asia’s signifi cant role in reducing biodiversity loss by 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity. We thank Myanmar and all those who ratifi ed the Establishment Agreement. We also look forward to the ratifi cation by Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand this year which will greatly contribute to the One ASEAN, One Community Vision. Rodrigo U. Fuentes Executive Director ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity ACB is now a full-fl edged int’l organization 6 M A Y - A U G U S T 2 0 0 9  w w w . a s e a n b i o d i v e r s i t y . o r g R odrigo U. Fuentes, ACB Executive Director, was chosen 2009 Outstanding Professional in the fi eld of Forestry by the Philippines Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). The forester and biodiversity expert received the Outstanding Professional Forester Award on 19 June 2009 during the PRC Awards Night after showing exemplary performance in his fi eld. The award is the highest honor bestowed by PRC upon a professional as recommended by peers and colleagues for having amply demonstrated professional competence of the highest degree. PRC also recognized Fuentes for contributing signifi cantly to the advancement of the profession. Fuentes has been specifi cally working in the fi eld of environment and natural resources in the past 28 years notably as consultant and technical advisor to various intergovernmental and multilateral organizations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Asian Development Bank, United Nations agencies, and World Bank. A sustainable development and urban and regional planning expert, Fuentes also specializes in environmental program design and project development, policy and institutional assessment, policy and institutional assessment, environmental monitoring and assessment, and capacity development in environmental management and sustainable development. His previous undertakings at the regional and sub-regional levels included assisting governments to comply with their commitments to global agreements such as the implementations of Agenda 21 and UN Convention to Combat Desertifi cation (UNCCD), UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). He is also credited for developing the Regional Framework program for implementing the UNCCD and the Regional Action Program for the Asian region. Prior to his appointment at ACB, Fuentes was engaged by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines to undertake an independent and thorough assessment and review of the UNDP Country Program Action Plan (CPAP) on the Environment and Energy Portfolios, within the ambit of the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). He also served as advisor to the Secretariat of the UNCCD in Geneva, Switzerland, where he established the regional network and prepared the regional action plan for developing and pursuing subsequent work in implementing the commitment of Asian countries to the UNCCD. His expertise was also sought by the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund’s (OECF) Environmental Infrastructure Support Credit Program (EISCP), and by the Asian Development Bank. Before getting into the regional and international arena, Fuentes was with the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which he served for 14 years, and became the National Director (1991- 1994) of the Environmental Management Bureau. Fuentes holds a B.S. Forestry degree and a masteral degree in Urban and Regional Planning, both from the University of the Philippines. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR! ASEAN Biodiversity Expert is 2009 Outstanding Filipino Forester ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes (center), Outstanding Forester 2009, with offi cials and guests of the Professional Regulation Commission. 6 M A Y - A U G U S T 2 0 0 9  w w w . a s e a n b i o d i v e r s i t y . o r g A S E A N B I O D I V E R S I T Y 7 rests within the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, one of the Philippines’ most important parks. Nearby communities are supportive of the reintroduction and are working to develop a community-based ecotourism project with the Mabuwaya Foundation. – mongabay.com Rat-eating plant discovered in Philippines August 17 – A carnivorous pitcher plant that eats rats and insects has been discovered in the Philippines and named Nepenthes attenboroughii after wildlife broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. The plant is among the largest of all pitchers and is believed to be the largest meat-eating shrub, dissolving rats with acid-like enzymes. The team of botanists, led by British experts Stewart McPherson and Alastair Robinson, found the plant on Mount Victoria in the municipality of Narra, Palawan, Philippines. The team published details of their discovery in the Botanical Journal of Linnean Society following a three-year study of all 120 species of pitcher plant. The Philippines is home to 17 Nepenthes species, 16 of which are endemic. Other discoveries were made during the expedition, including a new species of sundew, strange pink ferns and blue mushrooms, as well as another pitcher plant Nepenthes deaniana, which is said to have not been visible in the wild for a hundred years. – abs-cbnNEWS.com Palawan’s highest peak now a protected area August 15 – Mt. Mantalingahan, towering over Palawan, Philippines at 6,800 feet above sea level, has been offi cially declared as a protected site. The 120,457- hectare Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape is a key biodiversity area. A survey by Conservation International (CI) has recorded about 861 plant species in the area, including eight that were “previously undescribed by scientists” and fi ve newly discovered ones in the province. CI also counted 169 species of vertebrates, 26 of which are in varying stages of threat or near-extinction, and 90 bird species, making it one of 11 important bird sanctuaries in Palawan. – GMANews.TV Nearly half of Sabah is protected forest August 3 – Nearly half of Sabah’s 7.6 million-hectare land area is now under permanent forest cover following amendments to a state law that has seen the creation of 12 new forest reserves. About 3.6 million ha are now preserved as forests, thus exceeding the national forestry policy requiring states to preserve 47 percent of their land under forest cover. – the star online Hope of freedom for orangutans dashed July 27 – A program by the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre to release orangutans into the forests of Kalimantan suffered a blow when the mining company BHP Hilton announced its withdrawal from Indonesia. BHP Hilton had been supporting Wood-pigeon, Slender-billed Curlew, Sulu Bleeding-heart, and White-eyed River-martin. – mongabay.com Gold mining threatens the Komodo dragon August 24 – Critics contend that the proposed development of eight gold mines around Komodo National Park threatens the ecology of the park and the species within. The park is home to the Komodo dragon and the Timor deer, both listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Created in 1980 over several islands, the park contains half of the world’s Komodo dragons: 2,500 individuals. Many also believe that the mines will damage tourism. Komodo National Park brings annual revenues of US$7 million. Mining activities near the park will only ruin the park’s image and diminish the government’s revenue. – mongabay.com Birders asked to look for extinct species August 24 – Birdlife International has called on birders around the world to keep an eye out for birds classifi ed as extinct. It wants to confi rm whether or not 47 species of birds have actually disappeared from the face of the earth. Since 1600, 133 bird species have gone extinct, but, Birdlife International is focusing on 47 species that may still exist. Birdlife is asking birders to look for specifi c species in specifi c regions. In Asia, these species are Banggai Crow, Blue- fronted Lorikeet, Crested Shelduck, Himalayan Quail, Javan Lapwing; Negros Fruit- dove, Pink-headed Duck, Rueck’s Blue-fl ycatcher, Siau Scops-owl, Silvery The Komodo dragon is endemic to a small number of Indonesian islands. Photo by Rhett A. Butler 20,000 orangutans killed or poached in 10 years without a single prosecution August 24 – The Indonesian Chainsaw Massacre, a report published by Nature Alert and the Centre for Orangutan Protection, states that at least 20,000 orangutans have been killed or captured for the illegal pet trade in the past 10 years in Indonesia without a single prosecution. The report urges the Indonesian government to enforce existing laws designed to protect endangered species; immediately stop issuing new permits, and cancel existing permits for logging and plantation concessions in forests that contain orangutans; and ban new roads that bisect orangutan habitat. – mongabay.com 50 Philippine crocodiles released into the wild August 18 – Fifty critically endangered Philippine crocodiles have been released into Dicatian Lake, Isabela Province on Luzon Island. Ten crocodiles were fi tted with radio transmitters, so their movements can be monitored by the Mabuwaya Foundation, an NGO devoted to saving the crocodile, and the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The groups hope to gather information that will be helpful in future reintroductions of the crocodile. Dicatian Lake was chosen as a reintroduction site since it Rat-eating pitcher plant. Photo by Stewart McPherson GLOBAL CONSERVATION NEWS 8 M A Y - A U G U S T 2 0 0 9  w w w . a s e a n b i o d i v e r s i t y . o r g longer. Its largest passageway has been measured at 460 by 460 ft. The cave features an underground river, poisonous centipedes, and monkeys that enter the cave through various skylights. A more extensive survey will be done in 2010. – National Geographic World’s 1st commission on ecosystem loss launched July 21 – The International Commission on Land Use Change and Ecosystems was set up by the Global Legislators Organization (GLOBE) with fi nancing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Untied National Environment Programme (UNEP). The aim of the commission is to propose public policy frameworks that will build on the increased understanding of the economic value of the world’s natural capital. The commission was launched in Nairobi, Kenya, where the commission discussed policy instruments that can place an economic valuation on ecosystem services, such as generating rainfall, preventing fl ooding, regulating the soil, storing carbon, and providing clean air and clear water. Other measures included the creation of a Global Network of Marine Protected Areas, a globally consistent ban on the trade in illegal timber and a payment mechanism to ensure that forests are protected. – China.org.cn Malaysia’s rainforests being replaced with plantations of clones July 20 – Rainforests once managed for selective logging in Malaysia are now being replaced with latex-timber clones—rubber trees that yield latex and can be harvested for timber. Up to 80 percent of Malaysia’s remaining forest cover could be at risk. Permanent forest reserves are forest areas that have been set aside for selective logging under sustainable forest management. They account for 82 percent of Malaysia’s remaining forest cover. The development has been facilitated by a system which classifi es single-species monocultures as forests. The replacement of natural forests with plantations has signifi cant ecological implications. Plantations house fewer plant and animals species and generally store less carbon than natural forests. Clear-cutting also results in soil erosion and increases the risk of fi re. – mongabay.com the rehabilitation centre by airlifting and releasing endangered orangutans into forests that were concessions of the mining company. 650 orangutans are currently housed in the rehabilitation center and 48 were set to be released into the wild. A plan for BHP to create a 250,000-hectare wildlife reserve in central Borneo that could have sited 1,000 orangutans is now unlikely. Some conservationists fear that orangutans could be wiped out in the wild in little more than a decade due to the destruction of their habitat for logging, mining and palm oil plantations. – The Independent World’s biggest cave found in Viet Nam July 24 – Measuring 262-by- 262 feet in most places, the Son Doong cave in Phong Nha-Ke National Park in Viet Nam beats the previous world-record holder, Deer Cave in the Malaysian section of the island of Borneo. Explorers walked 4.5 kms into the cave before being blocked by seasonal fl oodwaters and the passage may be even ecological service and save governments millions of dollars a year in pest destruction as natural controllers of termites and ants. – mongabay.com G8 pledges US$20 billion for agriculture July 11 – G8 leaders meeting in Italy unveiled a plan to commit US$20 billion of funding to the development of agriculture to tackle persistent food shortages in developing countries. The initiative will also help developing countries develop scientifi c research in agriculture; foster international collaborations and improve the dissemination of research. By linking the efforts of partners and stakeholders around the world, the leaders agreed to design and implement a food security strategy whose core principles will be country ownership and effective management. – SciDev.net Conservationist Lone Dröscher Nielsen interacts with a baby orangutan. Photo by AP Photo by BARM/Fame Pictures Pangolins threatened by illegal trade for traditional Chinese medicine July 14 – Due to poaching for use in traditional Chinese medicine, Asian pangolin populations are rapidly declining and are nearly wiped out in Cambodia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR. Though the species has been protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 2002, slowing international trade in pangolin will require better enforcement of existing national and international laws, better monitoring of the illegal trade, and basic research to fi nd where viable pangolin populations still exist and whether ravaged populations can recover. Pangolins provide a major Malayan pangolin. Photo by Bjorn Olesen and © 2009 TRAFFIC Southeast Asia. New conservation fund to protect Singapore’s endangered species July 10 – Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) has set aside S$1 million to protect and save Singapore’s native endangered species. The fund will concentrate on native animal conservation efforts and the issue of climate change. The fi rst recipient is the National University of Singapore’s (NUS’) Ah Meng Memorial Conservation Fund, which will receive S$500,000 over fi ve years. This will support the Wildlife Healthcare & Research Centre GLOBAL CONSERVATION NEWS A S E A N B I O D I V E R S I T Y 9 academic research and study of endangered native wildlife undertaken by students and faculty members of NUS. The fi rst NUS project will focus on a detailed study of the ecology of the banded leaf monkey. More information is available at www.wrscf.org.sg. – Channelnewsasia Forest clearings leave orphaned orangutans June 25 – As Borneo’s rain forests are razed for oil palm plantations, wildlife centers are taking in more and more orphaned orangutans. Orangutans at the Nyaru Menteng Center run by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS) are mainly “oil palm orphans” whose forest habitats were destroyed, and parents killed, by the swiftly spreading oil palm industry in Indonesia. BOS hopes to eventually release all of these orangutans back into their natural habitat, but increasing deforestation mean that many orangutans will remain in captivity. Two thousand orangutans are currently in the rehabilitation system. Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’s largest producers of palm oil, accounting for more than 85 percent of global output. – Yale Environment 360 wood and soil. Peat forests can release more than 2,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare when drained and burned, as well as large amounts of methane, a far more powerful greenhouse gas than CO2. The program is one of the fi rst large-scale demonstration projects under the UN forest carbon scheme called reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD), which aims to use carbon credits from saving forests to reward developing nations. KFCP aims to tackle the causes of deforestation, such as subsistence farming, logging or other uses of the forests, and focus on economic development opportunities to address them. – Reuters Biofuel does well in fl ight test June 17 – Continental Airlines said a blend of biologically derived fuel and jet fuel performed slightly better than jet fuel alone during a test fl ight. Continental estimates greenhouse gas emissions were cut at least 60 percent by using the blend. Airlines have been exploring alternative fuel sources for years in an effort to counter volatile fuel prices. Jet fuel rivals labor as the top cost at most major airlines. The biofuel blend consisted of oil derived from algae and jatropha plants. – Reuters Mekong dolphins on the brink of extinction June 18 – The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) population inhabits a 190-km stretch of the Mekong River between Cambodia and Lao PDR. Since 2003, the population has suffered 88 deaths of which over 60 percent were calves under two weeks old. The latest population is estimated between 64 and 76 members. Necropsy analysis identifi ed a bacterial disease coasts. This prompted vows from the Timorese leadership to declare the area a protected national park and develop it for ecotourism. – Associated Press New online tool for conservation June 20 – The Zoological Society of London has developed a National Red List website that currently holds over 50,000 species from 40 countries and regions. It highlights that some of the world’s most biodiverse countries, such as Indonesia and Madagascar, lack National Red Lists and are in dire need of conservation investment. This is the fi rst time that National Red Lists have been centralised, and is a powerful complementary information source to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The website will also allow people to track the success of their nation in meeting the targets set by the Convention on Biological diversity to reduce biodiversity loss by 2010. – Red Orbit Borneo project to yield lessons on saving forests June 18 – Conservation groups are currently helping Australia and Indonesia develop the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership (KFCP) which aims to preserve and rehabilitate 100,000 hectares of carbon-rich peat land in Central Kalimantan. Half the area has been cleared and half is still forested but under threat unless alternative livelihoods are found for the 20,000 people living in and around the project area. Australia has pledged A$30 million to fund the project until 2012. Tropical rainforests and particularly peatland forests, soak up vast amounts of carbon-dioxide, locking away carbon in the More animals than ever in danger of becoming extinct July 2 – The extinction crisis facing the world’s wildlife could be even worse than previously thought with more than 44,000 species under threat. The Wolrd Conservation Union (IUCN) of Nature reports that there are currently 44,838 species on the IUCN Red List considered under threat – the greatest figure ever recorded. Of those, 16,928 species are in danger of going extinct. Considering that only 2.7 percent of the world’s 1.8 million known species have been analysed, conservationists say this is a gross underestimate. Nearly one third of amphibians and coral, more than one in eight birds and nearly a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction. For some plant groups, the situation is even more serious with 28 percent of conifers in danger of dying out. The situation is expected to get worse as a result of climate change. Since records began, more than 1,000 species have gone extinct including the dodo and passenger pigeon and more recently species like the golden toad. - telegraph.co.uk Photo by PA Orphaned orangutans at the Nyaru Menteng rehabilitation center in the Borneo. Photo by Rhett Butler/ mongabay.com Timor seeks help to protect whale, dolphin hotspot June 25 – The government of East Timor says it plans to establish a national park to protect a bounty of dolphins and whales. East Timor is one of a few places in the world with an exceptional diversity and abundance of large sea mammals due to its unusual geography and years of relative isolation. Researchers have spotted endangered blue whales, sperm whales and sei whales, as well as spinner and spotted dolphins along the island’s northern and southern GLOBAL CONSERVATION NEWS 10 M A Y - A U G U S T 2 0 0 9  w w w . a s e a n b i o d i v e r s i t y . o r g as the cause of the calf deaths. This disease would not be fatal unless the dolphin’s immune systems were suppressed by environmental contaminants. In these cases, researchers found toxic levels of pesticides such as DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and high levels of mercury were found in some of the dead dolphins. A transboundary preventative health programme is urgently needed to manage the disease affected animals in order to reduce the number of deaths each year. The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin has been on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species since 2004. – WWF information on the long- beaked echidna’s biology, feeding behavior and ecology has prevented conservationists from formulating plans for its protection. Echidnas are members of the monotremes, an order of mammals that lay leathery eggs. They are more reptile-like than other mammals. Echidnas lay a single egg, which the female holds in a sticky pouch. The hatchling resides in the pouch for between 40-50 days and receives milk from two mammary patches. Once the hatchling develops spines, the mother digs a nursery, which she returns to every fi ve days to nurse the hatchling. The baby is weaned in seven months. – ENN Forest conservation in Indonesia could be as profi table as palm oil plantations June 5 – A study in the journal Conservation Letters found that selling credits for the billions of tons of carbon that are locked in Indonesia’s tropical rain forests could be quite profi table. It also found that conserving the 3.3 million hectares that are slated to become plantations on Kalimantan on the island of Borneo would boost the region’s biodiversity. The 800 proposed plantations that were studied contain 40 of the region’s 46 threatened mammals including orangutans and pygmy elephants. The study concluded that conserving forests would be more profi table than clearing them for palm oil if the credits could be sold for $10 to $33 per ton. Currently, the rate per ton is around $20. – ENN Degraded ecosystems can recover in less than a lifetime May 31 – A study by the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies rebuts a common assumption that ecosystem recovery take centuries. Researchers analyzed 240 independent studies that explored the recovery of degraded ecosystems due both to human-caused disturbances and natural disasters. In the study published in PLoS ONE, the researchers found that on average forests recover in 42 years, while ocean bottoms recover in less than a decade. Ecosystems that suffered from a variety of disturbances took on average 56 years, while those recovering from mining, invasive species, oil spill, and trawling recovered on average in fi ve years. These recoveries may not mean the ecosystem returned to a truly natural state and many of the ecosystems had likely already experienced large- scale changes such as loss in biodiversity, loss in water and air quality, and climatic changes. The message however is that if societies choose to become sustainable, ecosystems will recover. – mongabay.com change could see animals and plants “trapped” in homes that become too hot or dry, raising the possibility of extinction. Some scientists have developed a plan that is partly funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), which involves moving species into more accommodating habitats. Species that could be saved by assisted migration include the Spanish lynx, which has become trapped in increasingly arid pockets of the Iberian peninsula, while certain species of butterfl ies and corals have been previously identifi ed as good candidates. Rare fi sh trapped in lakes could also be moved to cooler waters. – telegraph. co.uk “Alien” pests wreak vast economic damage May 21 – The United Nations noted that many governments are ignoring invasive alien species (IAS) such as weeds or rats but these cause $1.4 trillion in damages a year to the world economy. The cost is split between losses from introduced pests in crops, pastures and forests and other environmental damage. IAS spread from one continent to another via the global agricultural, horticultural and pet trades or by hitch-hiking lifts in ballast water and on ship’s hulls. The UN stressed that too many countries have failed to grasp the threat of IAS to global biodiversity, and praised countries such as South Africa for eradication programs or New Zealand for imposing tough customs controls. – Reuters Logging threatens orangutans, tigers, elephants May 19 – Five conservation groups warned that a logging operation by Asia’s biggest pulp producer in Indonesia’s Sumatra island threatens the habitat of rare orangutans, Irrawaddy dolphins at Koh Kon Sat, Mekong River, Cambodia. Photo by David Dove / WWF Greater Mekong First study on rare egg laying mammals June 10 – A study by the Wildlife Conservation Society, published in the Journal of Mammalogy, chronicles the behaviors of the long-beaked echidna (also called the spiny anteater), the fi rst mammal to lay eggs. The long-beaked echidna is widespread in the montane forests of New Guinea and fi nds refuge in hollow logs, root or rack cavities, and burrows. The long-beaked echidna population has greatly declined largely due to hunting, since it is a highly prized game animal. Limited Echidna Deforestation in Borneo. Photo by Rhett A. Butler Rare animals to be moved from native habitats because of climate change May 25 – Conservationists fear that rapid climate The Spanish Lynx has become trapped in increasingly arid pockets of the Iberian peninsula. Photo by EPA GLOBAL CONSERVATION NEWS [...]... reservoirs, and salt pans At the centre of the Ramsar philosophy is the “wise use” concept The wise use of wetlands is defined as the maintenance of their ecological character, achieved through the implementation of ecosystem approaches, within the context of sustainable development” “Wise use” therefore has at its heart the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and their resources, for the benefit of. .. by the Conference of the Parties, present to the Conference of the Parties, reports on measures which it has taken for the implementation of the provision of this Convention and their effectiveness in meeting the objectives of this Convention.” With the Of- fice of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) in the lead, Thailand has produced three national reports to the CBD, and the. .. and submit specific reports to the conventions To facilitate the UNEP-WCMC project, the Government of Indonesia (with the Ministry of Environment as the lead) and UNEP signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2001 The pilot project was funded by the United Kingdom and was assisted by MainStream Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd The members of the national team of experts who reviewed the progress of the. .. provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources It is the only global environmental treaty that deals with a particular ecosystem, and the Convention’s 159 member countries cover all geographic regions of the planet The Convention’s mission is the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national... the 1960s because of concerns over the destruction of wetlands and its impact on waterbirds Despite the early development of the convention, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in 2005 noted that the “degradation and loss of wetlands (both inland and coastal) is continuing more rapidly than for other ecosystems” The problem continues since economic development and land-use change are often prioritized... on the economy of the six nations within the area, where 100 million residents depend on mangroves, seafood beds, and marine resources for their food, livelihood, and housing material – guardian.co.uk Protecting global biodiversity must include islands May 12 – A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences states that islands are the key to saving global biodiversity While islands... maintaining the world’s ecological 14 MAY-AUGUST 2009 underpinnings as countries go about the business of economic development The Convention establishes three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources There are currently 191 Parties to the CBD (www.cbd.int) Convention on the. .. national and international agencies Reporting such information, however, may be hindered by lack of coordination among relevant agencies There is also limited collaboration between the secretariats of various global agreements to streamline their approaches Gathering and use of information also poses a problem The CBD encourages parties to harmonize the gathering and management of data for the biodiversity- related... reports The potential elements of a core report include: • General factual and statistical information about the reporting Party – this may encompass an overview of the state of biodiversity as well as relevant government departments and agencies • General framework for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity – including the status of conventions and agreements; legislation, strategies, plans, and. .. biodiversity- related conventions The Conference of Parties (COP) encouraged the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity- related Conventions to give further consideration to issues of harmonization of reporting among the biodiversity- related conventions, and to develop proposals thereon “Ratification of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) is largely motivated by national concern for ecosystems and species ASEAN . species, and destruction of habitats. These agreements thus provide a better picture of the status of global biodiversity, set directions to protect the environment, and ensure a better quality of. 2009 Outstanding Professional in the fi eld of Forestry by the Philippines Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). The forester and biodiversity expert received the Outstanding Professional. the ecology of the park and the species within. The park is home to the Komodo dragon and the Timor deer, both listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Created in 1980 over several islands, the