‘spectacular’ new bird species discovered in · 2020. 5. 29. · borneo 9 heart of borneo in...
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February 2010February 2010February 2010February 2010
Issue # 8 Issue # 8 Issue # 8 Issue # 8
Spectacled Flowerpecker
discovery
1
Heart of Borneo Initiative—the
story so far
2
HoB Chairman’s address 3
New National Coordinator for
WWF Malaysia’s Heart of Borneo
Programme
3
Selling local products to support
livelihoods and the environment
4
Filmed for the first time 4
Who pays for conservation of the
Heart of Borneo?
5
Support from the highest levels
of Indonesian government
6
Conserving Orangutans in a
Bornean forest concession
6
Planting a conservation message
in Singapore
7
Notes from the field 8
A volunteer in the Heart of
Borneo
9
Heart of Borneo in the News! 10
Inside this issue:Inside this issue:Inside this issue:Inside this issue:
A new bird species, given the common name of
‘Spectacled Flowerpecker’, has been
discovered in the Heart of Borneo, in the
Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah,
Malaysia.
Details of the discovery, made by David Edwards
of the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the
University of Leeds, UK, were in the latest issue
of the Oriental Bird Club’s magazine,
BirdingASIA. It is hoped that it will lead to
further sightings and its formal scientific
description as a new species.
Dr Edwards and his accompanying guide,
Richard Webster, observed the bird while
walking along a 250m canopy-walkway and very
quickly realized they were on the verge of
discovering something very significant.
“The realization that in all probability we had
been watching a species unknown to science was
an incredible feeling,” Dr Edwards said.
“We were elated because we were on the verge
of an amazing discovery, but it was mixed with
trepidation in case it was never seen again.”
Dr Edwards revisited the area several times, but
there was no further sign of the bird.
Photos of the bird show an attractive grey bird
with bright white arcs above and below the
eye, a white throat extending as a broad white
stripe down the centre of the belly, and white
tufts at the breast sides.
“We hope the announcement of our discovery
will lead to our ultimate goal: conservation of
the new species and large tracts of its habitat,
which is under threat from clearance for oil
palm agriculture,” explained Dr Edwards.
The finding is all the more surprising given its
location in Danum Valley, where a scientific
research station has been in operation since
1986.
“The discovery of a new bird species in the
Heart of Borneo underlines the incredible
diversity of this remarkable area,” said Adam
Tomasek, leader of WWF’s Heart of Borneo
Initiative.
“It further emphasizes the importance of the
commitment already made by Brunei
Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia to
protect the Heart of Boneo, but also highlights
the need to fast-track implementation of these
commitments to ensure the many new species
discovered in the area survive.”
Deputy Director of International Union for
Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Species
Program, Jean-Christophe Vié, said the
discovery shows once more how little is
known about the diversity of life on our
planet.
“With 2010 being the International Year of
Biodiversity, it is an opportunity to increase
our knowledge of nature and its functioning,
explain its importance to the wider public, and
most of all, undertake action to reduce the
current threats in order to allow thousands of
more discoveries like this one in the future.”
‘Spectacular’ new bird species discovered in
the Heart of Borneo
Photo courtesy of Richard Webster
Heart of Borneo Initiative—the story so far
It is eight months since the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Network
Initiative’s core management team was consolidated and
began implementing strategies to secure the conservation and
sustainable development vision envisaged by the
tri-government HoB Declaration. As these strategies take
shape we profile the progress so far.
Whilst the Declaration, secured in February 2007, was a
stunning achievement, in the face of significant challenges - as
time has passed - converting those political words into on-ground
action has proven to be even more challenging.
WWF Indonesia and WWF Malaysia have been diligently
working with their respective governments to develop national
and sub-national HoB action plans, implement on-the-ground
projects in Protected Areas and important flagship species
landscapes, and raiseing awareness of the importance of HoB to
national and global conservation and sustainable development
priorities.
In its turn, the HoB Network Initiative has been working with
these national offices as well as others in the Network,
expanding the base of international partners and decision-makers
to catalyze action to help move the HoB Declaration from ‘paper
concept’ to ‘on-ground reality’. Efforts have been focused
around three strategies:
Strategy 1 – Aligning policy and management across the
three countries.
The tri-national structure of the HoB Declaration is both a
strength and challenge to its effective implementation. Strategy 1
seeks to enhance cooperation among the three HoB
governments to allow good governance and effective decision
making in all aspects of management. The immediate focus of
Strategy 1 is the forthcoming 4th HoB Trilateral meeting to be
held in Brunei in April. 2010. WWF is working with
government partners to prepare new decisions on key areas of
trilateral cooperation such as governance, climate change and
carbon, sustainable financing and ecotourism. In the future,
WWF will leverage support from key regional forums such as
ASEAN and APEC for HoB decisions and actions.
Strategy 2 – Catalyzing private sector transformation via
Green Business Network.
The private sector must play a key role in delivering the HoB
vision - conservation and sustainable use - as we estimate that it
actively manages more than 50% of land within current HoB
boundaries. Working primarily through the establishment of a
'Green Business Network', this strategy will raise awareness in
the private sector of the vital role it can play in delivering the
HoB vision. A series of sector based reports will kick this work
off, demonstrating the impact of each sector and options for
improvement. The Network ultimately aims to become a driving
force for reducing the footprint of companies that operate,
source and finance business in the HoB.
Strategy 3 – Innovative and long-term finance
In order to achieve the far-reaching commitments envisaged in
the HoB Declaration, long-term financing schemes, equitably
shared amongst stakeholders, need to be developed. The HoB
provides ecological connectivity between ecosystems, important
ecosystem service functions for society and an irreplacable
cultural heritage. Our focus is to develop income generating
schemes based on the natural and social capital values of the
HoB which outcompete the financially lucrative, but short-term,
exploitation models. Several financing schemes are being
explored, including Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES),
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation
(REDD) financing schemes and providing incentives to local
government and the private sector to practice sustainable
forestry and encourage the implementation of conservation
measures.
These strategies are being taken forward with the support of
WWF and external partners. For more detailed information on
any of these strategies please contact the relevant strategy
leader.
Strategy 1: Adam Tomasek [email protected]
Strategy 2: Katie Stafford [email protected]
Strategy 3: Anna van Paddenburg [email protected]
Page Page Page Page 2222
HoB Initiative - helping turn a paper agreement into on-ground reality to
protect iconic species. Photo:©WWF-Malaysia/Lee Shan
Page Page Page Page 3333
By Allard Stapel, HoB NI Chair/Chief External Affairs WWF-Netherlands
Dear Heart of Borneo partners
The Heart of Borneo NI is really making strides. The strategy leaders have
developed ambitious yet ‘must deliver’ programs of work related to
private sector engagement and sustainable financing. A focus on strategic
partnerships with external groups and key decision makers is helping put
WWF's work in a new sphere of regional and global influence. The HoB staff
in WWF Indonesia and WWF Malaysia, in close cooperation with Network
teams, have continued to advance the landscape and policy components
necessary to make the trilateral commitment a conservation success story.
This combination of local and regional influence can not be over-emphasized in importance, as it has resulted in the Heart of
Borneo being recognized in important fora such as ASEAN, APEC, UNFCCC and UNCBD. The Shareholder's Group and
Executive Team are working closely to deliver programmatic, fundraising and communications support necessary from the
Network. Some of you will be able to see the grandeur of the Heart of Borneo in the next few months as the WWF Annual
Conference is being held on its doorstep. We will showcase how our work from the deep forest project sites to capital city
offices to international events is making the HoB vision a reality. 2010 might be known as the Year of the Tiger on the Lunar
calendar or Year of Biodiversity on the U.N. calendar, but we are confident that this year will be remembered for undeniable
successes in Heart of Borneo too.
New National coordinator for WWF Malaysia’s Heart of Borneo programme
Ivy Wong, has been appointed as the new National Coordinator, HoB Malaysia. She will also retain
her duties as the Forest Conservation Manager thus ensuring coordination with WWF Malaysia’s
forest programme and HoB strategies. She also has the added responsibility of leading the
development and implementation of the Sarawak Program as one of the main delivery tools for HOB
within WWF-Malaysia.
In accepting her additional roles, Ivy said that Heart of Borneo was a great initiative by the three
governments of Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei striving to ensure conservation of the last strongholds
of species and habitats on the island of Borneo, while at the same time pursuing sustainable
development. WWF, as one of the leading conservation organizations in the region, is bringing its
experience to provide added value to the conservation of HOB.
WWF Malaysia Conservation director, Dr Arun Venkataraman, said in the years to come there will be much focus on curbing defor-
estation by promoting responsible forestry and the security of forest based carbon in the Malaysian
portions of the Heart of Borneo, so Ms Wong’s highly valued talents and experience will be invaluable in her new HoB co-
ordination role.
Former HoB National Coordinator, Dr Rahimatsah Amat will resume his duties as full time Chief Technical Officer (CTO) for the
Borneo Programme but will continue to provide support to the HoB Malaysia programme on strategies surrounding protected areas
and species landscapes in Sabah..
HoB Initiative leader, Adam Tomasek said he looked forward to working closely with Ivy as the leader of the HoB Malaysia team.
“The trilateral initiative will benefit from Ivy’s technical expertise and clear vision. I also want to extend thanks to Dr Rahim for
balancing the responsibilities of HoB Malaysia coordination as well as CTO of the Borneo Program over the past two years”.
HoB Chairman’s address
Photo credit WWF Malaysia/Rahana Husin
Allard Stapel Photo credit WWF /NL
Selling local products to support livelihoods and the environment
By Dora Jok, WWF-Malaysia, HoB community liaison officer
Community handicrafts and products can contribute
significant income to rural communities, but to be
sustainable, the natural resources used in their production
need to be sustainably managed. Community development
staff from WWF Malaysia and Indonesia, have been
working with groups in the highlands of the Heart of
Borneo (HoB) to help develop locally made products which
support rather than destroy the balance of nature.
Despite the interest in indigenous products and the role they can
play in the supporting local livelihoods, the development of
these forms of ‘cottage’ industries has been slow in the HoB.
Successes have been few and far between and so WWF staff, in
partnership with indigenous communities and their
representative group, FORMADAT, recently visited Ba Kelalan
in Sarawak, to identify more products which could be developed,
grown and promoted under a ‘green and fair products from the
highlands’ brand.
The trip in January this year, was an opportunity for WWF staff to
develop a better understanding of which community products had
economic potential and which ones would benefit from further
research and development.
Constraints
The trip provided a number of insights in to the opportunities for
local product production – but just as importantly, it identified the
significant constraints facing a project such as this.
The most significant constraints being the limited marketing and
product development skills of local communities, as well as the
seasonal uncertainty attached to the supply of many natural
products which provide the raw materials for many locally
produced products.
This latter factor is a key one in terms of the sustainable
development of cottage industry products as mass production of
locally sourced products could cause irreversible damage to the
vulnerable environments in the highlands of the HoB.
Fortunately the communities surrounding Ba Kelalan are intensely
aware of the importance of their environment as the crucial asset
in supporting existing livelihoods, so are keen to work with WWF
to find environmentally sensitive products and solutions.
Opinions, ideas and guidance from local communities will be
used by WWF staff in the coming weeks to plan activities and an
agenda for a ‘green and fair trade product workshop ‘to be held in
Ba Kelalan, in the Heart of Borneo, in March 2010.
For more information contact Dora Jok, email: [email protected]
Page Page Page Page 4444
Adan rice - just one of the possible local green and fair trade products
Photo:©WWF-Malaysia/Dora Jok
The Sundaland Clouded Leopard, a
newly identified and little understood
species of big cat in Borneo, has been
filmed for the first time at the Derma-
kot Forest Reserve in the Malaysian
part of HoB.
Until recently, all Clouded Leopards
in Southeast Asian were considered one
species. In 2008 the International Union
for the Conservation of Nature listed the
newly identified Sundaland Leopard as
endangered due to deforestation
throughout Borneo.
Filmed for the first time
Photo courtesy of Mohamed, Wilting & the Sabah Forestry & Wildlife Departments
Despite the considerable benefits associated with effective
conservation, these benefits also entail a cost. Reviewing
current financing mechanisms and exploring additional
options to cover these costs, is the subject of a new report
recently commissioned by WWF’s HoB Initiative.
In close collaboration with WWF, an Indonesia based consulting
company, Starling Resources, is currently leading this effort.
The report seeks to outline what financial mechanisms for
conservation are currently available in the region and what could
potentially be available in the near future. It will provide
recommendations on and how best to secure them to realise the
HoB conservation vision.
According to HoB’s Sustainable Financing and Policy Strategy
Leader, Anna van Paddenburg, this assessment is a critical initial
step in a longer term cost and financial analysis exercise for each
of the three HoB countries.
“The assessment began in late 2009 with initial planning and
methodology design involving a planned program of research on
existing national policies, landscape management issues, and
funding flows. An exploratory review on associated policies and
government funding sources will be carried out, including new
sustainable financing mechanisms such as Payments for
Ecosystems Services (PES) schemes and Reducing Emissions
from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) financing
schemes. A multi-stakeholder trust fund could potentially be a
suitable mechanism to administer the various funding sources,”
Ms van Paddenburg said.
An important aspect of this ‘tri-national financial feasibility
assessment’ will be a series of face-to-face consultations with
appropriate Ministry and tri-national committee representatives
in each HoB country. It will also look at identifying best
practices across the region in terms of budget allocations and
funds management.
“We have identified Ministries and agencies in each of the three
countries as a priority for conducting these consultative
meetings in order to establish the specific responsibilities each
agency have with regard to HoB landscape management and
financing,” Ms van Paddenburg added.
A final project report is expected in April and will be made
available to all appropriate stakeholders at that time.
For more information, contact Anna van Paddenburg email:
Who pays for conservation of the Heart of Borneo?
Page Page Page Page 5555
Photo:©WWF-Malaysia/Raymond Alfred
In a speech given to the German Parliament in Dec. 2009,
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
publically highlighted his government’s support for
initiatives like the HoB.
Below are edited extracts from his speech.
Rainforests are a critical part of the solution to global
warming, but mitigation is only half of the picture; the other
half is preserving and expanding the carbon sinks. I believe
that the next global climate regime must have a very strong
forestry component in it. And because much of the forests in
the industrial countries had been cut down, the hope now
hangs on the developing nations that have tropical forests, in-
cluding Indonesia.
Protecting these forests – the lungs of the earth – is a top
priority for my Government. Protecting our forests is a key to
a low carbon development path.
We have cracked down very hard on illegal loggers: hundreds
of illegal loggers are now in jail and on trial for their
activities. Government officials who are complicit in
providing unlawful licenses to clear forests are tried for
corruption. We have made short, medium and long-term plans
with the aim of managing, conserving and expanding our
forests.
Preserving the forests requires political will by the
Government, but also international cooperation. That is why
Indonesia Brunei and Malaysia are cooperating in the Heart of
Borneo program to conserve approximately 220,000 km2 of
rainforest – almost one third of the island – through a network
Support from the highest levels of Indonesian government
of protected areas and sustainably managed forest.
This is important: the rainforest nations need to be incentivized to
do this. They should not only be incentivized for reforestation but
also for avoided deforestation – for NOT cutting their forests. We
must introduce a new logic to forestry management : that it is more
profitable to keep the trees up, than to cut them down. This is what
is called the REDD plus scheme.
Whatever the mechanism, it is clear that forestry will be a key part
of the next climate regime and part of the future carbon
market.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Germany’s Chancellor
Angela Merkel following a bilateral meeting in late December 2009
Photo: courtesy of Indonesian State Palace
Page 6Page 6Page 6Page 6
Global Forest Trade Network (GFTN)-Indonesia and WWF Indonesia’s Species program are working with a West
Kalimantan timber company, PT Suka Jaya Makmur, to develop a management plan for the co-existence of a 500 strong
orangutan population, within a 171,340 ha forest concession.
Conserving Orangutans in a Bornean forest concession
In January 2010, a team of experts conducted a two week
survey of Orangutan nests inside PT SJM concession.
Hundreds of Orangutan nests, both old and new, were found
inside the concession and the team was lucky enough to
encounter wild Orangutans. The field research will lead to the
development of an Orangutan management plan developed
toward the company’s effort to achieve FSC forest certification.
It is an important commitment in Indonesia for a timber
company to incorporate conservation activity within its
management plan to ensure conservation issues are integrated
with company production activities.
Photo: ©WWF—Malaysia/Lee Shan Kee
In the last weekend of January, 2010, HoB Initiative team
leader, Adam Tomasek, was hosted by WWF Singapore as
keynote speaker at two events, the WWF-UBS, ‘Investing in Our
Future’ event and the opening of National Geographic’s first
retail store in Asia.
The ‘Investing in Our Future’ event was the launching pad for a
strategic partnership between WWF and financial giant, UBS, to
raise awareness of and commitment to forest conservation, as a key
to a sustainable future in the Asia-Pacific region. The event culmi-
nated with a tree planting ceremony on Sentosa Island, with Adam,
Amy Ho, Managing Director of WWF Singapore, Christine Ong,
CEO of UBS Wealth Management, Mike Barclay, CEO of Sentosa
Development Corporation and other senior managers and families.
Later that day, Adam told a packed crowd at the new National
Geographic store in the city centre that: “the Heart of Borneo is in
Singapore’s backyard. It is a global treasure, yet few in Southeast
Asia know much about it. It is a mythical island just a short flight
from Singapore, replete with stories of headhunters, the last
stronghold for orangutans in the world, full of cultural diversity and
under explored jungle adventures.”
Singapore has strong connections to the island of Borneo, some less
positive than others. For example, most Singaporeans had endured
the annual haze where the city is shrouded in an unhealthy and
damaging air. Unfortunately the haze comes from forest fires in
Indonesia and Malaysia.
“The forests of the Heart of Borneo can be the lungs of the region,
but they need to be well protected to capture harmful
greenhouse gases and provide life-giving clean air and
water. Singapore has business connections with Borneo. For
example wood, palm oil, pulp and paper, coal and minerals
that originate from Borneo all find markets or traders in
Singapore. The investors, shippers, traders, retailers, and
consumers all have a role to play in bringing about more
sustainable commerce,” said Mr Tomasek.
What could Singaporeans do to help?
In response to questions as to where Singaporeans could
help support the HoB, Adam outlined four areas:
1/ Encouraging their government to expand financial,
technical, and political support to enhance regional
cooperation and implementation of Heart of Borneo’s
Tri-National Plan.
2/ Supporting establishment of legal and green supply
chains for timber, pulp & paper, oil palm and mineral
resources. This can be done through personal consumer
behaviour or via
advocacy to improve trade policies and investments.
3/ Encouraging the Singaporean government and businesses
to provide leadership on creating long-term financing
mechanisms based on sustainability principles and climate
change realities.
4/ Actively engage others about the importance of the
conservation and sustainable development goals of the HoB.
Planting a HoB conservation message in Singapore
Page Page Page Page 7777
Tree planting ceremony on Sentosa island Photo: ©WWF—Singapore
Adam Tomasek planting the seeds of HoB conservation in the Singaporean
community.
Photo: ©WWF—Singapore
Orangutan Conservation in Danau Sentarum and Betung Kerihun National Park received close attention during a recent workshop
in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Attracting participants from local government, universities, forestry departments, local communi-
ties and donor institutions, the workshop made several recommendations, including: 1. The need for Provincial plans to allocate
viable habitat and corridors between the two national parks to provide a migration path for Orangutans. 2. The obligation of compa-
nies (mostly oil palm companies) to accommodate Orangutan corridors within their concession areas. 3. The need for awareness
raising amongst local people to protect Orangutan, and find economic benefits, such as ecotourism, from Orangutan protection .
Orangutan protection moves up the agenda
The 2010-2011 conservation programme for the protection of the Muller Schwaner conservation area has been developed by WWF-
Indonesia and WWF-Finland. Early key activities include awareness raising among stakeholders and the development of a REDD
options paper.
Muller Schwaner 2010-2011 Programme developed
A photo exhibition displaying Indonesia’s environment and espe-
cially the Heart of Borneo from the eyes of the people around
Danau Sentarum National Park in West Kalimantan was held in
later December, 2009.
The exhibition called “Voices from the Archipelago,” was held at a
private reception at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Jakarta.
The photos taken by villagers from the islands of eastern Indonesia
and Kalimantan impressed both the lay person and - according to
National Geographic representatives - the professionals as well.
“Voices from the Archipelago” photo exhibition
The local photographer explains his inspiration for the photos
Photo: © WWF-Indonesia / Nancy ARIAINI
Page Page Page Page 8888
Orangutan campaign in Pontianak, West Kalimantan
A school campaign to raise awareness of
Orangutan protection was recently
organized by WWF-Indonesia in
Pontianak, West Kalimantan.
School children learning about orangutan conservation
Photo: © WWF-Indonesia / Nancy ARIAINI
Notes from the field
Katherine Barney, a volunteer with WWF-Indonesia’s
Heart of Borneo Initiative shares her experience working on
a coservation project in the peat swamps of Central
Kalimantan in the Indonesian part of the HoB.
Sebangau’s journey has been a rocky one. Comprised of
568,700 hectares of peat land swamp, Sebangau is an area of
Central Kalimantan located between two rivers- Sebangau River
and Katingan River. An area where the orangutan population
alone reaches approximately 9,000, with countless other species
of flora and fauna, Sebangau is a virtual monument to
biodiversity.
Sebangau’s drastic transformation began in 1995 when it was
selected as the site for the Mega Rice Project: turning “one
million hectares” of sparsely populated peat swamp forest into
rice paddies. After considerable investment constructing canals
and felling trees, the project failed and was eventually
abandoned, but only after devastating the landscape.
The canals which were constructed in order to more easily
transport timber out of the forest, have been left to crisscross
the terrain in varying sizes like so many streets and highways.
These canals have delivered one unforeseen consequence; in
continuously draining the water from the soil, they have
artificially dehydrated the peat and transformed Sebangau into a
virtual tinderbox.
Due to the unique nature of the peat swamp, fire spreads both
above and below ground, meaning that once a fire is underway
it is nearly unstoppable. In the dry season, fires consume the
area devouring the wildlife and saturating the air with noxious
smoke.
But, this story is not all bleak. In 2004 the Minister of Forestry
declared Sebangau Indonesia's 50th National Park and since
that time Sebangau has been the focus of tireless conservation
efforts. In 2005 a project was launched to block the canals at
regular intervals, thereby slowing the flow of the water, raising
the water table and allowing the peat to restore itself.
The project is still in full force today. Groups from the local
communities living in and around Sebangau have been
mobilized and trained in dam building, an arrangement that has
multiple benefits. Firstly the program utilizes local man power
rather than outsourcing, spreading awareness among the
community and strengthening the sense of responsibility that
communities have as guardians of their environment
encouraging them to become active agents in the forest's
preservation. In exchange for their labour, the communities are
provided with fisheries and taught how to maintain them
sustainably: providing a steady income for communities whilst
bolstering best practices and a green agenda.
Already, the project has proven to be hugely successful.
Constant surveillance has provided indisputable evidence
that canal blocking is allowing the peat land to rehydrate itself;
reducing the occurrence of forest fires dramatically and
effectively restoring the habitat. Indeed, some areas of new
growth appear to be even greener and healthier than before!
Canal blocking is playing a large part to ensure the continued
success of Sebangau National Park- what is sure to be a fairy
tale ending to its rocky beginning.
A volunteer in the Heart of Borneo
Page Page Page Page 9999
Halting the drainage of the canals as a first step in the rehabilitation of the
peatlands Photo: ©WWF—Indonesia/Katherine Barney
Canal construction had devasting environmental effects on the peat
Photo: ©WWF—Indonesia/Katherine Barney
Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), we’re encouraging our sources and
industry partners to adopt the RSPO standard. Our work on palm
oil ties in with our partnership with the WWF, in particular our
support of their conservation work in the Heart of Borneo region.
This project aims to work with Malaysian, Indonesian and Brunei
governments to end deforestation and to create incentives to
make forests more valuable standing. Vital new activities to
monitor and protect the local Orangutan population will also be
implemented.
Taking the HoB message from Brunei to the world
Source Brunei Times
Brunei based explorers, husband-and-wife pair of Harun Kurt
Eichbauer and Norhayati Abu Bakar, are set to leave for Europe
on a ‘Brunei’s around the world expedition’.
Anointed as roving ambassadors for the Heart of Borneo (HoB)
project by Brunie’s Deputy Minister Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah
Hj Abd Wahab, who is also HoB’s chairman, the pair will travel
from Germany to the Western Sahara via Spain before heading
off to North America and finally to Australia before returning
home at the end of this year. Along the way they will be
spreading the message of the need to preserve the HoB and the
potential of Brunie as an eco-tourism destination.
“Its all about the preservation of the rainforests. We all have to
preserve the rainforests in order to fight climate change. Brunei
should be proud of this initiative and should be seen as a role
model by other countries who had yet to preserve their
rainforests,” Norhayati said.
Experts hails HoB lead to curb degradation
Source: Brunei Times
Brunei's Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiative has spared lowland
trees from further degradation which has already occurred in
some parts of Borneo due to climate change caused by years of
human activities.
This was indicated in an address by Ferry Slik, Ass. Prof. at the
Key Lab in Tropical Forest Ecology, Chinese Academy of
Science, Yunnan, China during the Asem (Asia Europe Meeting)
Workshop 2010 recently held in Brunei.
Each issue we try and bring you a selection of HoB news
reported by media in the region and beyond. This issue we
focus on Brunei where the next Heart of Borneo tri-national
summit is due to be held in April. All stories have been
edited for length and focused for content.
BIMP-EAGA launches new tourism brand, Equator
Asia
Source: Brunei Times
The Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asean
Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) aims to increase its collective tourism
arrivals by promoting the sub-region as a single tourism destination
under new marketing brand, “Equator Asia”.
As result of a collaboration between the BIMP-EAGA Tourism
Council (BETC) and the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), the
new brand hopes to leverage on the sub-region’s status as one of the
most biologically productive and diverse regions in the world.
The new brand effectively includes both
the Heart of Borneo and the Coral
Triangle and claims to be earth’s “true
centre of biodiversity”.
Brunei has green gold too
Source Brunei FM
As well as black gold, Brunei has green gold too, which it protects
and promotes. Venture deep into deepest, darkest Borneo in the
morning and be back in your comfortable hotel room by nightfall.
Really? Where? Brunei!
Brunei might not have the high profile of some of the national parks
of neighbouring Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan, but it tourism
campaigns are making much of its easy accessibility to pristine rain-
forest.
UK retailer Marks & Spencer’s position on palm oil
Source M & S website
By 2015, we aim to use only 100% fully traceable, certified
sustainable palm oil. As an active member of the Roundtable on
Heart of Borneo in the News!
CONTACTS
Adam J. Tomasek HoB NI Leader, [email protected];
Wisnu Rusmantoro, HoB National Coordinator, WWF-Indonesia, [email protected];
Ivy Wong, HoB National Coordinator, WWF Malaysia, [email protected];
Anna van Paddenburg, Sustainable Finance Leader, [email protected]; Katie Stafford, Corporate Engagement Leader, [email protected];
Chris Greenwood, International Communications Manager, [email protected]; Nancy (Ochie) Ariaini, Communications Officer, [email protected]
Visit the Heart of Borneo on the web: www.panda.org/heart_of_borneo Page 10