Reflections and Aspirations The ACB 2008 Report pptx

A S E A N B I O D I V E R S I T Y 1 ASEAN SEAN CCENTREENTRE BBIODIVERSITYIODIVERSITY FORFOR 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 25 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. Eighty 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: +6349 536-2865, +6349 536-1044 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. 7, No. 4  October - December 2008 Message ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity: Partner of the ASEAN in Conserving Biodiversity 5 Global Conservation News 6 Special Reports Biodiversity is Life 10 The Natural Heritage of Southeast Asia 16 ACB Refl ects on the Year That Was 22 Reduction in Biodiversity Loss: Looking Forward to 2010 28 Profiles Singapore Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve 33 Thailand Kaeng Krachan National Park 36 Viet Nam Kon Ka Kinh National Park 40 4 O C T O B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8  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, Philippines E-mail: publications@aseanbiodiversity.org Editor- in-Chief Monina T. Uriarte 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 Ma. Consuelo D. Garcia Director, Biodiversity Information Management Gregorius Wisnu Rosariastoko Director, Networking, Partnership and Resource Mobilization 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: +63-49.536-2865; +63-49.536-1044 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: Dolmar Press, Inc. 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. aseanasean BIODIVERSITYBIODIVERSITY Conserve Biodiversity, Save Humanity Bookmarks ACB Updates Environment Ministers 43 Training Courses to Enhance Biodiversity Conservation and Management 44 ASEAN Envisions Stronger Wildlife Protection 45 ASEAN Member States and ACB Participate in International Conference on Wetlands 46 Ramsar Wetland Conservation Awards 2008 SE Asian Professor Receives International Recognition 47 Gaps in Marine Conservation 48 Policy Plus Science Equals Better Biodiversity Services 49 Biodiversity Indicators to Assess CBD Targets 50 ACB Supports 11 Biodiversity Research Projects in Southeast Asia 51 Data Sharing to Advance Biodiversity Conservation in Southeast Asia 52 ASEAN and EU Strengthen Collaboration on Biodiversity EU Ambassador Urges Ratifi cation of ACB Establishment 53 Regional Workshop Discusses Management of Invasive Alien Species 54 Policy Brief Ecotourism: When Vacations Nurture Nature 55 Surfing the Web of Life 46 A S E A N B I O D I V E R S I T Y 5 O ver 500 million people in Southeast Asia benefit directly or indirectly from biological diversity or biodiversity. This is not to discount the millions of people in countries outside Southeast Asia who likewise derive varied benefits and services from these biological resources. These services are estimated to be worth over 200 billion US dollars annually within Southeast Asia alone. Beneath the richness - more than 64,000 species recorded - of the Southeast Asian biodiversity, lies the unfortunate fact of massive species loss. Seven of the world’s 25 recognized biodiversity hotspots are in Southeast Asia. Modern de- velopment, the pressures and demands of the growing human population, and our wasteful and ineffi cient consumption patterns are increasingly endanger- ing our sources of life. There could be massive decline and extinction in Southeast Asia if governments and their citizens fail to protect and conserve the region’s biodi- versity. Reducing the rate of biodiversity loss remains a major challenge con- fronting the ASEAN Member States of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. As signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the fi rst global agree- ment to cover the conservation of biological diversity, the ASEAN Member States have committed to reduce biodiver- sity loss by 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. Reducing biodiversity loss also means addressing many other issues and challenges. Food security, climate change, and the lack of critical support systems such as funding for conservation efforts are among the outstanding risks and challenges for biodiversity. As a partner of the ASEAN Member States in helping ad- dress these issues, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) performs its mandate through programme development and policy coordination, human and institutional capacity devel- opment, biodiversity information management, and public and leadership awareness of biodiversity values. The ACB also supports governments in areas that are of global and regional importance such as agriculture and food security; access to, and fair and equitable sharing of benefi ts from biological and genetic resources; climate change and biodiversity conservation; ecotourism and biodiversity con- servation; payment for ecosystems services scheme and valua- tion of biodiversity; Global Taxonomic Initiative; support to the Programme of Work on Protected Areas; and managing biodiversity information and knowledge. From 2005 to 2008, ACB has built on prior activities and lessons learned, and refl ect priorities based on the concerns of the Vientiane Action Programme (VAP) and the ASEAN Member States. Highlighting year 2008 are the completion of ACB’s hu- man resources requirements, enabling the Centre to meet its target programme outputs; enhanced efforts to ensure ACB’s sustainability beyond 2009; identifi cation and implementa- tion of strategic areas of interven- tions with respect to biodiversity conservation and management; and addressing global and region- al issues that emphasize the suc- cess of biodiversity conservation and management. The ACB also undertook many activities that contributed to further strengthening its position as a regional centre of excellence on biodiversity manage- ment. The Centre partnered and is currently ex- ploring other partnerships with international organizations in such fi elds as research, capacity development and data sharing. It has forged strategic partnerships with the Secretariat of the CBD, the French Government, the United Nations Environ- ment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH, the ASEAN Foundation, the United Nations University-Institute of Advance Studies (UNU-IAS), the Span- ish Agency for International Cooperation (AECIDID), the ASEAN-WEN, and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS). These partnerships, along with signifi cant successes in the areas of course development for protected area work- ers, joint research initiatives in biodiversity, public aware- ness, and biodiversity information sharing, have enabled the Centre to cater to the needs of the ASEAN Member States. Though these activities mark major milestones in ACB, the future still holds many challenges, particularly as ACB and the ASEAN prepare for an assessment of biodiversity conservation efforts in 2010. ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity: Partner of the ASEAN in Conserving Biodiversity By RODRIGO U. FUENTES Executive Director ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity 6 O C T O B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8  w w w . a s e a n b i o d i v e r s i t y . o r g GLOBAL CONSERVATION NEWS Colony of rare monkeys found in Vietnam December 11 - Researchers have discovered a new popula- tion of the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey, one of the world’s rarest monkeys, in the forests of northern Vietnam. The Tonkin snub nosed monkey dwindled to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and hunting. In the 1980s scientists believed it was extinct. More recently, only 200 were believed to remain and the latest discovery of a new colony of 20 monkeys, including young, offers a glim- mer of hope for the species. – telegraph.co.uk ADB to launch $200 million carbon fund December 10 – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it is has secured half of the fi nancing commitments for a $200 million post- 2012 carbon fund it plans to launch in 2009. The ADB’s Future Carbon Fund aims to provide money to build clean energy projects in developing countries in the Asia-Pacifi c region. The fund will allow participants to invest in clean energy projects registered under Kyoto’s Clean Develop- ment Mechanism scheme, even in the absence of a global framework on climate change. – Environmental News Network Noise in world’s seas threatens wildlife December 4 – A report by the International Fund for Animal Welfare states that man-made noise in the world’s seas and oceans is becoming an increas- ing threat to whales, dolphins and turtles that use sound to communicate, forage for food, and fi nd mates. Rumbling ship engines, seismic surveys by oil and gas companies, and intrusive military sonars are triggering an “acoustic fog and cacophony of sounds” underwater, scaring marine animals and affecting their behavior. Over the past 50 years, low frequency under- water noise has doubled every 10 years over the previous decade, while the number of ships has tripled. The rising number of vessels, and their increasing speed, has led to more ships striking marine animals already threatened by hunting and climate change. There are also concerns that rising levels of carbon dioxide are pushing water acidity levels up and contributing to noisier oceans, because when acidity rises, water absorbs less noise. – Reuters Centre to boost knowledge on under-utilized crops November 25 – An interna- tional body for gathering and promoting knowledge about underused crops called Crops for the Future will be estab- lished in Malaysia. There are thousands of crops that poor people rely on but are not commercialized, such as maize, wheat and beans. The centre will encourage investment and research into neglected and underused plant species — such as Africa’s baobab and marula trees — for the benefi t of the poor and the environ- ment. Research might include studies of the market chain and niche markets, extended shelf life, or dual use of crops. – SciDev.net Asia-Pacifi c leaders to combat climate change, food scarcity November 24 – At the close of their annual meeting in Lima, Peru, the heads of states and governments belonging Species discovered in the Greater Mekong December 15 – More than 1,000 previously unknown species have been discovered in the Greater Mekong in the past decade, according to First Contact in the Greater Mekong, a report from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The Greater Mekong region comprises Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam and the Yunnan Province of China. The fi ndings include 519 plants, 279 fi sh, 88 frogs, 88 spiders, 46 lizards, 22 snakes, 15 mammals, 4 birds, 4 turtles, 2 salamanders and a toad. The report calls for a formal, cross-border agree- ment by the governments of the Greater Mekong to conserve transboundary forest and freshwater habitats in the region, promote “sustainable landscape management”, and set “regional standards for sustainable infrastructure and climate change adaptation measures”. – mongabay.com Gumprechts green pitviper can be found in the Greater Mekong region except Cambodia. (Photo by Rene Ries) Chiromantis samkosensis (Photo by L Lee Grismer) Tonkinomys daovantieni (Photo by Darrin Lunde) Kerivoula titania (Photo by Gabor Csorba) Desmoxytes purpurosea, a new species of highly toxic shocking pink millipede. (Photo by Somsak Panha) Gekko scientiadventura (Photo by Thomas Ziegler) Annamite striped rabbit (Photo by Trinh Viet Cuong) Tonkin snub-nosed monkey A S E A N B I O D I V E R S I T Y 7 GLOBAL CONSERVATION NEWS to the Asia-Pacifi c Economic Council (APEC) affi rmed their support for “decisive and ef- fective long term cooperation now, up to and beyond 2012 to address climate change”. The APEC leaders’ statement supports “a global emission reduction goal” for heat-trap- ping greenhouse gas emissions that is the primary issue to be negotiated through the UN process. The next step is a 12-day set of talks opening in Poland on 1 December. An agreement acceptable to all parties is to be fi nalized in Copenhagen in December 2009. The agreement will follow the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. APEC consists of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Viet Nam. – Environment News Service impact. Other regions prone to climate change impact are eastern Sulawesi and Kaliman- tan. – China View Indonesia discovers long-lost species of primate November 19 – In a survey of Mount Rore Katimbo in Lore Lindu National Park on the island of Sulawesi, a team led by Texas A&M University captured three pygmy tarsiers, a tiny species of primate that was last collected in 1921 and was assumed to be extinct until 2000 when two scien- tists studying rats accidently trapped and killed an indi- vidual. The team spent two months using 276 mist nets to capture the gremlin-like crea- tures so they could be fi tted with radio collars and tracked. One other individual was spotted but eluded capture. Pygmy tarsiers are among the smallest and rarest primates in the world. The species is distinguished from tarsiers by its diminutive size (50 grams) and its fi ngers that have claws instead of nails, which may be an adaptation to its mossy habitat some 7,000-8,000 feet above sea level. The discovery should encourage the Indo- nesian government to better protect the mountainous park which is facing encroachment. Sulawesi is characterized by high levels of endemism more than 60 percent of its mam- mals and more than one third of its birds are found nowhere else on the planet. Unfortu- nately, Sulawesi’s biodiversity is poorly known by scientists and has long been overlooked by conservationists. – mong- abay.com Confl ict threatens Karen biodiversity in Myanmar November 17 – The Karen people of Myanmar are now facing severe impairment of their environmental and cul- tural foundations. Myanmar has incredibly rich and highly endemic biodiversity that includes a recorded 11,800 plant species with a species collection of 800 orchids, 100 bamboos, 1,000 birds and 145 globally threatened mammals. A great part of this biodiver- sity is found in Karen State in southeast Myanmar border- ing Thailand, which is now suffering heavily due to the ongoing confl ict between the government’s State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and the Karen National Union (KNU). In the past, the Karen people had survived for centu- ries on a seven-year rotational cycle of cultivation where land is left to fallow. Today, with mined lands and military occupation, villagers make do with shrunken land space that is resulting in the overexploita- tion of both biodiversity and land. To add to the problem, indigenous knowledge, a tradi- tion handed orally down the generations, is as threatened, as local biodiversity, forests and traditional lifestyles disappear in the fi ghting. – IPS Mosques support sea turtle conservation in Malaysia November 17 – This week, al- most 500 mosques around the Malaysian state of Terengganu presented sermons on turtle conservation. Terengganu is a state on the northeastern side of Peninsular Malaysia, near Thailand. Four species of endangered marine turtles nest on these beaches, including the critically endangered Hawks- bill and Leatherback turtles. Two years ago, sermons on en- vironmental conservation were delivered in mosques through- out Terengganu. Based on the positive response to these sermons, the state religious administrators have prepared a khutbah focused specifi cally on turtle conservation. The November 21st presentation will support recent efforts by the Ma’Daerah Heritage Com- munity Association (Mekar) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia to involve mosques and religious leaders in conservation work. – mongabay.com Malaysia seizes rare turtle eggs November 4 - The authori- ties in Malaysia say they have seized 10,000 endangered turtle eggs that were being smuggled into the country Indonesia to implement Bali Climate Change recommendation in 2009 November 24 – Indonesia will implement the Bali Climate Change Recommendation, which was proposed by the United Nations (UN) in 2009. Funded by the UN, the programme will involve the forestry, agriculture and public work ministries, and will last for fi ve years. The programme will cover 150 vil- lages in six districts. East Nusa Tenggara has been selected as the location of a pilot project in Indonesia, because the province is one of the regions prone to climate change The pygmy tarsier. (Photo by Sharon Gursky-Doyen/Texas A&M University) Green turtles are under threat from egg hunters and are also harvested for meat East Nusa Tenggara, Bali, Indonesia from the Philippines. The eggs are considered a delicacy and were destined for local food markets where they can fetch a good price. Police in the Sabah region of Malaysia say this is their largest ever haul of smuggled turtle eggs. The police intercepted four men who were unloading the cargo from a speedboat on a beach. The smugglers escaped but abandoned 20 sacks of eggs, which police say are from endangered species like the Green and Hawksbill turtles. – BBC News 8 O C T O B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8  w w w . a s e a n b i o d i v e r s i t y . o r g GLOBAL CONSERVATION NEWS Mekong nations save forests to fi ght climate change October 28 – Representatives from Viet Nam, Cambodia, Thailand, China, Laos, and Myanmar discussed ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and degradation at a workshop co-hosted by the Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam and the University of Queensland in Australia. Viet Nam will be the worst affected by climate change due to sea level rise. The areas along the Hong (Red) River and Mekong River deltas are particularly vulner- able, since these contain most of the Vietnamese population. Workshop participants hope to agree on policies that would speed up the implementation of the reduction of emissions caused by deforestation and degradation. – Viet Nam News Service Shell and HSBC contribute to Borneo rainforest conservation project October 25 – Brunei Shell Petroleum and HSBC have donated 500,000 Brunei dollars ($333,000) each to conserve forests on the island of Borneo. The donation will go to the establishment of the Heart of Borneo Brunei Centre, which will implement the Heart of Borneo initiative to protect roughly 220,000 square kilometers of tropical forest in Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia. – Borneo Bulletin Rare bird rediscovered in Southeast Asia October 23 – Scientists have rediscovered the endangered Wetar ground-dove (Gal- licolumba hoedtii), one of the world’s least known birds, 100 years after it was last seen on the remote Indonesian island of Wetar, reports Columbidae Conservation, a UK-based conservation group. During a survey, the Wetar ground- dove was found to be locally abundant, with 30-40 birds recorded at a fi g tree. The sci- entists also found the endan- gered Timor imperial pigeon (Ducula cineracea) to be locally abundant. In all, the expedi- tion reported 39 new bird species for the island. Wetar lies beside the island of Timor, and is mountainous with 80 percent forest cover encom- passing tropical evergreen forest, tropical dry forest, Eucalyptus savannas and hill forest. - mongabay.com U.S. funds coral reef conservation October 23 – The United States will contribute $39.45 million to the Coral Triangle Initiative, an effort that seeks to protect and promote sustain- able fi sheries in East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and the Solomon Islands. The Coral Triangle, a six million square kilometers expanse of ocean and coastline, is home to 30 percent of the world’s coral reefs, 3,000 species of fi sh, and three-quarters of the planet’s reef-building coral species. This ard habitat for 50 years. The scheme has generated 1.36 million of biodiversity credits, a new class of environment product for sale by emissions markets, and each credit covers 100 square meters of forest. – Reuters Illegal wildlife trade devastating Asia’s pangolins October 15 – The World Conservation Union (IUCN) has changed the status of the Malayan and the Chinese pangolins from near-threat- ened to endangered species since the anteaters have become the victim of illegal wildlife trade in Southeast Asia. Malayan or Sunda pangolin are caught by smug- glers largely in Malaysia and Indonesia then shipped to the black market in China where they are eaten or used for traditional medicine. Pangolin scales are a popular herbal remedy and are believed to cure toxicosis, infl ammation, and rheumatic pain. They are also used to soothe aches and pains, and even as an aphro- disiac. Eating pangolin meat is believed to promote general health. – mongabay.com “Lost” deer species rediscovered October 12 – In the fi rst ever photograph of a live Sumatran muntjac, the dog-size deer awaits release from a poacher’s snare on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The photo is the fi rst record of the “lost munt- jac of Sumatra” in 80 years, says U.K. conservation group Flora & Fauna International. An anti-poaching patrol had photographed the mountain deer at 6,400 feet in 2002. It was only recently, however, that muntjac expert Robert Timmins recognized the rain- forest deer in the photo as the fi rst documented Sumatran muntjac since 1930. The spe- cies closely resembles the red muntjac. Now confi rmed as a distinct species, the Suma- Wetar ground-dove (Photo by Colin Trainor/Birdlife) supports artisanal fi sheries and tourism, but is increasingly at risk from unsustainable fi shing practices, pollution, reef deg- radation, and climate change. – mongabay.com Putting a price on nature October 21 – New Forests, an international forestry investment fi rm, stated that putting a price on nature by creating tradeable credits can limit the loss of forests, wetlands and rivers from the expansion of agriculture. Carbon, water and biodiver- sity are emerging as the three main environmental market forces in this century, and if remaining ecosystems are not priced then they are basically traded as free agricultural input. Earlier this year, New Forests signed a deal with the government of Indonesia’s Papua province and Indo- nesia-based Emerald Planet, which advises and invests in green projects. The aim of the Papua project is to save two tracts of forest from development in return for car- bon credits estimated between US$4 and $10 a ton per year. New Forests has also helped develop the Malua BioBank in Malaysia’s Sabah state on the island of Borneo. The project involves the protection and res- toration of 34,000 hectares (80,000 acres) of orangutan and clouded leop- Coral Triangle A S E A N B I O D I V E R S I T Y 9 GLOBAL CONSERVATION NEWS T he ASEAN region is signifi cant to global biodiversity because it contains 40 percent of all species on Earth despite covering only 3 percent of the world’s surface. It includes three mega-diversity countries (Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines), several biogeographical units (e. g., Malesia, Wallacea, Sundaland, Indo-Burma and the Central Indo-Pacifi c), and numerous centers of concentration of restricted-range bird, plant and insect species. Saving ASEAN’s Natural Treasures is a testament to the richness of the region’s biodiversity, as well as an illustration of numerous threats to local resources. Saving ASEAN’s Natural Treasures provides information on the signifi cance of biodiversity, the wealth of habitats, species and ecosystems of the Southeast Asia, and various threats to the environment. The video also highlights the formation of the ASEAN Heritage Parks Programme and the need for trans-boundary cooperation. It includes video vignettes on the wonders and dangers faced by specifi c species, habitats and ASEAN Heritage Parks. It was Available in DVD and VCD format. To get a copy, log on to www.aseanbiodiversity.org. produced by the ASEAN Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation (now the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity) with support from the European Union. Saving ASEAN’s Natural Treasures tran muntjac has been placed on the global Red List of Threatened Species. – National Geographic Indonesia to protect Sumatran forest October 9 – Indonesian au- thorities have pledged to stop the loss of forests and species in Sumatra, one of the world’s most ecologically important islands. Representatives of the island’s 10 provinces, national government, and the environ- ment group World Wildlife Fund launched the deal at the World Conservation Con- gress. Sumatra has lost about half of its forest cover in the last 20 years. It is also home to a number of important and iconic species such as the tiger, orangutan, rhi- noceros and elephant. Aside from protecting and restoring forests, the Indonesian au- thorities have pledged to make develop- ments in Sumatra conform to principles of “ecosystem-based planning”, where any project detrimental to the island’s ecological health would be banned. – BBC News 13% of the world’s land surface declared protected areas October 7 – The Nature Conservancy, in its book “The World’s Protected Ar- eas”, stated that more than 10 percent of the world has been declared legally protected for the use of future generations. The area is equivalent to the US, European Union and In- donesia combined, and marks a signifi cant step forward for the conservation commu- nity. However, the fi gure also highlights the importance of protecting the world’s oceans of which less than 0.5 percent is currently protected. The book also examines the rela- tionship between people and protected areas, investigates threats and opportunities, cites the history of protected areas, provides expert conser- vation advice, and celebrates the success of protected areas around the world. – telegraph. co.uk Enhanced strategic partnership to benefi t life on earth October 7 – The Secre- tariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and The Nature Conservancy announced that they have entered into a groundbreak- ing partnership agreement to support the 191 United Nations CBD signatories in enhancing the implementa- tion of the objectives of the Convention. Through this new agreement, the CBD and The Nature Conservancy will continue to strengthen imple- mentation of the Programme of Work on Protected Areas; continue to catalyze com- mitment and implementa- tion of the Programme of Work on Island Biodiversity; broaden collaboration to catalyze government action on forests, marine and coastal biological diversity, invasive alien species, inland waters, sustainable use, biodiversity and climate change, and other relevant programmes; analyze common factors of success for catalyzing and implementing commitments under the Con- vention, particularly in the area of national, regional and international collaboration; and strengthen the science and understanding of linkages among biodiversity conser- vation and climate change adaptation and mitigation. – The Nature Conservancy Sumatran muntjac 10 O C T O B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8  w w w . a s e a n b i o d i v e r s i t y . o r g SPECIAL REPORTS BIODIVERSI B iological diversity or biodiversity is the foundation of all life on earth. Under- standing the importance of biodiversity and how it affects the environment, all other living things, humankind and people’s way of life, will provide a better understand- ing of how people’s actions affect others and the natural environment. 10 O C T O B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8  w w w . a s e a n b i o d i v e r s i t y . o r g [...]... eventually leading to the isolation of the islands The topography of the hotspot ranges from the hilly and mountainous regions of Sumatra and Borneo where Mt Kinabalu rises to 4,101 meters, to the fertile volcanic soils of Java and Bali SPECIAL REPORTS Sundaland is bordered by three hotspots The boundary between the Sundaland Hotspot and the IndoBurma Hotspot to the northwest is known as the Kangar-Pattani... encompasses the central islands of Indonesia, east of Java, Bali, and Borneo, and west of the province of New Guinea, and the whole of Timor Leste The hotspot occupies a total land area of 338,494 square kilometers including the large island of Sulawesi, the Moluccas, and the Lesser Sundas (which encompasses Timor Leste, and the Indonesia region of Nusa Tenggara) Wallacea is divided from Sundaland, the other... assess the status of species and habitats, and evaluate efforts in the preservation of the environment and natural heritage of the region In 2009, Parties to the Convention are also expected to submit their Fourth National Reports (4NR) to the CBD These will provide essential information to assess progress towards the 2010 Biodiversity Target, at the national level, and through their contributions to the. .. partner institutions, and gained recognition in the regional and global arena for biodiversity In 2005, the ASEAN and the EU agreed to establish the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity to carry on the work of the completed ARCBC project The ACB envisions a biodiversity that is protected, conserved, managed and sustainably used, and its benefits fairly and equitably shared for the social, economic and environmental... degradation Sundaland The Sundaland hotspot covers the western half of the Indo-Malayan archipelago, an arc of some 17,000 equatorial islands Sundaland is dominated by two of the largest islands in the world: Borneo (725,000 square kilometers) and Sumatra (427,300 square kilometers) More than a million years ago, the islands of Sundaland were connected to mainland Asia As sea levels changed during the Pleistocene,... conservation The development of the Wetland Reserve was undertaken by the Parks and Recreation Department (which is now the National Parks Board) with experts from the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust from the United Kingdom and the Worldwide Fund for Nature The Reserve was officially opened on 6 December 1993 In 2002, the 130-hectare area was officially gazetted as a nature reserve and renamed the Sungei Buloh Wetland... efforts in the region, and discussed opportunities to strengthen collaboration between the EU and the ASEAN October ACB and the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) met in Bangkok on 28 October and discussed potential areas of partnership to combat illegal trade of wildlife species and conserve biodiversity in Southeast Asia ACB joined ASEAN representatives at the 10th Meeting of the Conference... transforms vast areas of forest and tracts of land for agricultural use Intense production requires massive infusions of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to ensure a viable harvest and satisfy increasing demand for food These chemicals poison the soil and crops and other elements in the food chain Large herds of cattle require bigger grazing land and pastures Poultry and other livestock are also given... percent of the Earth’s land surface In all, 86 percent of the hotspots’ habitat has already been destroyed, and the intact remnants of the hotspots now cover only 2.3 percent of the Earth’s land surface Four of these hotspots are in the ASEAN: Indo-Burma, the Philippines, Sundaland and Wallacea Indo-Burma The Indo-Burma hotspot encompasses 2,373,000 square kilometers of tropical Asia east of the Ganges-Brahmaputra... weaver and the olive-backed sunbird A variety of shells can be found embedded in the mud and on the mangrove trees and other structures, including the green and brown mussels A flat clam called the leaf oyster is usually attached to the roots of mangrove trees An herbivorous snail called the common nerita grazes on algae and, during high tide, can be seen on tree trunks and various structures The monitor . the signifi cance of biodiversity, the wealth of habitats, species and ecosystems of the Southeast Asia, and various threats to the environment. The video also highlights the formation of the. demand for food. These chemicals poison the soil and crops and other el- ements in the food chain. Large herds of cattle require bigger grazing land and pastures. Poultry and other livestock. Cambodia and Vietnam, the vast majority of Thailand and a small part of Peninsular Malaysia. The hotspot also covers the coastal lowlands of southern China, and several offshore islands. A