Asean Biodiversity Sep-Dec 2010 by Nanie Gonzales

VOL. 9

NO. 3

SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2010

SPECIAL REPORTS

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A Malayan egg fly pupa Photo by Wong Ah Kim (entry to the ASEAN-wide photo contest “Zooming in on Biodiversity) While the ASEAN region, like the rest of the world, failed to meet the global target of reducing biodiversity loss, hope remains. Biodiversity loss can still be prevented if factors driving biodiversity loss are addressed now.

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Nations unite vs biodiversity loss World’s biggest biodiversity conference held in Nagoya New global strategy to halt biodiversity loss International regime on ABS Nations to share benefits of world’s genetic resources World to mobilize resources vs biodiversity loss Nations adopt new treaty on living modified organisms UNEP launches The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity New book features ASEAN Heritage Parks ASEAN countries: On way to reaping benefits from biodiversity ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook Biodiversity Beyond 2010 ACB Side Events at COP10

FEATURE

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Teen Eco-hero: Championing biodiversity at 14 First ASEAN tribal olympics Marine protected area support network in the Philippines SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

47 SPECIAL SECTION

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ASEAN-WEN: A shield over Southeast Asia’s biodiversity Campaign vs illegal wildlife trafficking launched in Manila

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ACB and FREELAND Foundation unite for wildlife enforcement

Asia’s forest managers trained to wrest control from poachers, illegal loggers

The Coral Triangle Heart of Borneo Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area

BOOKMARKS

Elite ranger force trained to protect Indonesia’s forests

PROFILES

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Mt. Makiling biodiversity race draws 700 runners ASEAN and Germany cooperate on biodiversity and climate change Int’l forum links business and biodiversity Search for biodiversity champions in Southeast Asia

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Science journalists hold seminar on biodiversity ACB holds workshop on PA integration Expert conclude review process for protected areas data in Asia Aiming for stronger biodiversity informatics in Asia ASEAN +3 boost taxonomic capacities on corals Asian and European schools fight climate change NASA expert discusses GBO network MBG opens rainforest biodiversity diorama Strengthening law enforcement in Mts. Iglit-Baco Science film fest features web of life Padunungan 2010 highlights biodiversity APC celebrates biodiversity week IYB wins Green Award Cancun climate change confab sets path to low emissions future GEO-5 in the making

BIODIVERSITY NEWS SOUTHEAST ASIA www.aseanbiodiversity.org

The future of biodiversity is in our hands. Rodrigo U. Fuentes Publisher Rolando A. Inciong Editor-in-Chief Leslie Ann Jose-Castillo Managing Editor Sahlee Bugna-Barrer Head Writer and Researcher Nanie S. Gonzales Designer, Graphic and Layout Artist Estelita T. Macalum Angela Rose Crissie A. Metin Circulation Assistants EDITORIAL BOARD Clarissa C. Arida Rodrigo U. Fuentes Rolando A. Inciong Wilfredo J. Obien Monina T. Uriarte Sheila G. Vergara ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Headquarters 3F ERDB Bldg. Forestry Campus University of the Philippines-Los BaĂąos 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: Dolmar Press, Inc. No. of Copies: 2,000 Disclaimer: Views or opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent any official views 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. Letters, articles, suggestions and photos are welcome and should be addressed to: The Editor-in-Chief ASEAN Biodiversity Magazine ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity College, Laguna E-mails: rainciong@aseanbiodiversity.org lavjose2@aseanbiodiversity.org sbbarrer@aseanbiodiversity.org

Let us work together to conserve the web of life. ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS Steve Galster is the Chief of Party of the ASEAN-WEN Support Program and Director of the Bangkok-based FREELAND Foundation. His background covers investigative research and media campaigning relating to wildlife trafficking, arms trafficking, and human trafficking in many parts of the world, including the former Soviet Union, U.S., China, Afghanistan, Africa and Southeast Asia. Investigative reports and films he developed about wildlife and human trafficking have been featured in TIME magazine, CNN, BBC, ABC, US News and World Report, as well as by many Russian, East European and Asian media outlets. Mr. Galster presently directs a USAID-funded program to support ASEAN Member States in combating wildlife crime in the region through the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network. Brian V. Gonzales is the program liaison officer of the ASEAN-WEN Support Program under FREELAND Foundation. He works closely with the ASEAN-WEN Program Coordination Unit (PCU) and the ASEAN-WEN National Focal Points on policy development, program management, sustainability strategy, partnership development and PCU operations. He has over 10 years environmental policy and capacity building experience in Asia, including the past four with ASEAN-WEN. Previously, he worked for the Asian Development Bank on multisectoral partnerships for clean air and with WWFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Southeast Asia Policy Program. Dr. Antonio Manila is a forestry and rural development specialist with 33 years of professional experience in community/social forestry, watershed management, forest renewal programs, protected areas/biodiversity conservation and environmental projects. He has led a number of organizations that have focused on protected areas, biodiversity conservation, and community-based forest management, including the ASEAN Institute of Forest Management (AIFM) in Malaysia, Conservation of Priority Protected Areas Project, and the National Integrated Protected Areas Programme. At the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Philippines, he served as Chief of the Wildlife Resources Division and more recently as Assistant Director. Dr. Manila received his PhD in Forestry from the University of the Philippines, Los Banos, Laguna, with Silviculture and Forest Ecosystems Management as the major field of specialization. Dr. Manila is currently the Regional Technical Director for Forest Management Service, NCR, Philippines. Lynette T. Laroya is a Senior Ecosystems Management Specialist, and is Chief of the Resources Protection and Habitat Management Section of the Biodiversity Management Division of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Philippines (PAWB). She has a degree in Biology from Adamson University, and has a Masters Degree in Applied Science from Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand. Ms. Laroya is currently involved in the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) as part of the National CTI Coordinating Committee Secretariat. She is also the focal point for coastal and marine concerns in the Biodiversity Management Division of PAWB.

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Nations unite vs biodiversity loss

WORLD’S BIGGEST BIODIVERSITY CONFERENCE HELD IN NAGOYA

The COP10 opening ceremony.

agoya, Japan took center stage when it hosted the world’s biggest biodiversity conference ever, drawing 15,000 representatives of governments and their partners from 193 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the CBD, held from October 18 to 29, 2010, resulted in the adoption by five heads of state and 130 ministers of environment of an agreement on access and benefit sharing of the world’s rich but highly threatened biodiversity. The Parties also adopted a new strategic plan for reducing biodiversity loss from 2011 to 2020 with a new biodiversity vision for 2050, a resource mobilization strategy, and a proposal to the United Nations to declare 2011-2020 as the UN Decade on Biodiversity. 6

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Ahmed Djoghlaf, CBD Executive Secretary

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Photos courtesy of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director

Jochen Flasbarth, president of the COP9 bureau

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Ahmed Djoghlaf, CBD Executive Secretary, termed COP10 as the most important meeting on biodiversity in UN history, in light of the relevance of the strategic plan and the ABS protocol, for sustainable development. Major decisions were made in the areas of integrating biodiversity into poverty eradication and development, scientific and technical cooperation, technology transfer and cooperation, gender mainstreaming, public awareness, business

engagement, South-South cooperation, participation of local governments, CBD cooperation with other relevant conventions, ecosystems biodiversity, climate change, biofuels, invasive alien species, and taxonomy, among others. The COP decisions may be downloaded from http://www.cbd.int/decisions/cop. A number of important activities were held during COP10. Among them were: a session on business and biodiversity attended by over 500 companies from 13 countries; a meeting of 200 city mayors from around the world which adopted a plan that will strengthen the conservation and sustainable use of urban biodiversity; a ministerial meeting to prepare the Cancun Climate Change Conference on issues related to sustainable forest management, climate change and biodiversity; and a summit on parliamentarians and biodiversity.

Ryu Matsumoto, COP10 President and Environment Minister of Japan

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Jochen Flasbarth of Germany, on behalf of the COP9 Presidency, declared the meeting open and pointed to the failure to meet the 2010 biodiversity target, calling for finalizing the strategic plan and the international ABS regime. He then handed the COP chairmanship to Ryu Matsumoto, Environment Minister of Japan. COP10 President Matsumoto said this was a critical time for measures to protect biodiversity, and called for new realistic global targets and for the establishment of an international ABS regime. Masaaki Kanda, Governor of the Prefecture of Aichi, shared the expectation that COP 10 will adopt post-2010 targets and the international ABS regime. Takashi Kawamura, Mayor of the City of Nagoya, stressed the important role of municipalities and citizens in living in harmony with nature.

Achim Steiner, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, expressed UNEP’s commitment to address shortcomings in multilateral environmental agreements’ parallel governance and administrative arrangements, and emphasized that COP10 can become a source of inspiration for successful multilateralism. Ahmed Djoghlaf, CBD Executive Secretary, termed COP10 as the most important meeting on biodiversity in UN history, in light of the relevance of the strategic plan and the ABS protocol, for sustainable development. Delegates witnessed a performance of traditional arts, with Yoko Deva playing the Shinobue (Japanese flute) and the Kakashi-za group in Tekage-e (shadow play). They also saw a video prepared by the Japanese government and a performance of the song “Life in Harmony” by Misia, COP10 Honorary Ambassador. The CBD, where all ASEAN Member States are Parties, is an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity, and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. The CBD seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments; the development of tools, incentives and processes; the transfer of technologies and good practices; and the full and active involvement of stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, NGOs, women and the business community. R.A. Inciong www.aseanbiodiversity.org

NEW GLOBAL STRATEGY TO HALT BIODIVERSITY LOSS

he international community has adopted a new ten-year global strategy designed to halt the loss of biological diversity. Environment ministers from 193 countries that attended the two-week Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010 signed the Nagoya Biodiversity Compact, a new strategy that aims to reduce by half the loss of natural habitats and raise nature reserves to 17 per cent of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land area and 10 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2020.

The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 aims to promote effective implementation of the CBD through a strategic approach, comprising a shared vision, a mission, and strategic goals and targets (the Aichi Biodiversity Targets) that will inspire broadbased action by all Parties and stakeholders. The plan provides a flexible framework for the es-

tablishment of national and regional targets and for enhancing coherence in the implementation of the provisions of the CBD and the decisions of the Conference of the Parties, including the programs of work and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, as well as the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing

of the Benefits Arising from their Utilization. The plan also serves as the basis for the development of communication tools capable of attracting the attention of and engaging stakeholders, thereby facilitating the mainstreaming of biodiversity into broader national and global agendas. Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the CBD,

said that with countries agreeing to craft new national biological diversity plans, they will have an instrument to stop over-fishing, reduce pollution, protect coral reefs, and reduce the loss of genetic diversity in agricultural ecosystems. The full texts of the Strategic Plan and the Biodiversity Targets are published in this magazine. R.A. Inciong

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STRATEGIC PLAN FOR BIODIVERSITY 2011-2020 AND THE AICHI BIODIVERSITY TARGETS â&#x20AC;&#x153;Living In Harmony With Natureâ&#x20AC;? 1. The purpose of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 20112020 is to promote effective implementation of the Convention through a strategic approach, comprising a shared vision, a mission, and strategic goals and targets (the Aichi Biodiversity Targets), that will inspire broad-based action by all Parties and stakeholders. The Strategic Plan will also provide a flexible framework for the establishment of national and regional targets and for enhancing coherence in the implementation of the provisions of the Convention and the decisions of the Conference of the Parties, including the programs of work and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation as well as the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of the Benefits Arising from their Utilization. It will also serve as the basis for the development of communication tools capable of attracting the attention of and engaging stakeholders, thereby facilitating the mainstreaming of biodiversity into broader national and global agendas. A separate Strategic Plan has been adopted for the Biosafety Protocol that will complement the present one for the Convention. 2. The text of the Convention, and in particular its three objectives, provide the fundamental basis for the Strategic Plan.

I. THE RATIONALE FOR THE PLAN 3. Biological diversity underpins ecosystem functioning and the provision of ecosystem services essential for human well-being. It provides for food security, human health, the provision of clean air and water; it contributes to local livelihoods, and economic development, and is essential for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, including poverty reduction. 4. The Convention on Biological Diversity has three objectives: the conservation of biological diversity; the sustainable use of its components; and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. In the Conventionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Strategic Plan, adopted in 2002, the Parties committed themselves to a more effective and coherent implementation of the three objectives of the Convention, to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth. The third edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-3), drawing upon national reports, indicators and research studies, assesses progress towards the 2010 target, and provides scenarios for the future of biodiversity. 5. The 2010 biodiversity target has inspired action at many levels. However, such actions have not been on a scale sufficient to address the pressures on biodiversity. Moreover, there has been insufficient integration of biodiversity issues into broader policies, strategies, programs and actions, and

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therefore the underlying drivers of biodiversity loss have not been significantly reduced. While there is now some understanding of the linkages between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being, the value of biodiversity is still not reflected in broader policies and incentive structures. 6. Most Parties identify a lack of financial, human and technical resources as limiting their implementation of the Convention. Technology transfer under the Convention has been very limited. Insufficient scientific information for policy and decision making is a further obstacle for the implementation of the Convention. However, scientific uncertainty should not be used as an excuse for inaction. 7. The 2010 biodiversity target has not been achieved, at least not at the global level. The diversity of genes, species and ecosystems continues to decline, as the pressures on biodiversity remain constant or increase in intensity mainly, as a result of human actions. 8. Scientific consensus projects a continuing loss of habitats and high rates of extinctions throughout this century if current trends persist, with the risk of drastic consequences to human societies as several thresholds or tipping points are crossed. Unless urgent action is taken to reverse current trends, a wide range of services derived from ecosystems, underpinned by biodiversity, could rapidly be lost. While the harshest impacts will fall on the poor, thereby undermining efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, noone will be immune from the impacts of the loss of biodiversity. 9. On the other hand, scenario analysis reveals a wide range of options for addressing the crisis. Determined action to value and protect biodiversity will benefit people in many ways, including through better health, greater food security and less poverty. It will also help to slow climate change by enabling ecosystems to store and absorb more carbon; and it will help people adapt to climate change by adding resilience to ecosystems and making them less vulnerable. Better protection of biodiversity is therefore a prudent and cost-effective investment in risk reduction for the global community. 10. Achieving this positive outcome requires actions at multiple entry points, which are reflected in the goals of this Strategic Plan. These include: (a) Initiating action to address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, including production and consumption patterns, by ensuring that biodiversity concerns are mainstreamed throughout government and society, through communication, education and awareness, appropriate incentive measures, and institutional change; (b) Taking action now to decrease the direct pressures on biodiversity. Engagement of the agricultural, forest, fisheries, tourism, energy and other sectors will be essential to

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II. VISION 11. The vision of this Strategic Plan is a world of “Living in harmony with nature” where “By 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people.” III. THE MISSION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN 12. The mission of the Strategic Plan is to “take effective and urgent action to halt the loss of biodiversity in order to ensure that by 2020 ecosystems are resilient and continue to provide essential services, thereby securing the planet’s variety of life, and contributing to human well-being and poverty eradication. To ensure this, pressures on biodiversity are reduced, ecosystems are restored, biological resources are sustainably used and benefits arising out of utilization of genetic resources are shared in a fair and equitable manner; adequate financial resources are provided, capacities are enhanced, biodiversity issues and values mainstreamed, appropriate policies are effectively implemented, and decision-making is based on sound science and the precautionary approach.”

Photo by Edgan Castañeda

A farmer carries rice seedlings ready to be planted.

success. Where trade-offs between biodiversity protection and other social objectives exist, they can often be minimized by using approaches such as spatial planning and efficiency measures. Where multiple pressures are threatening vital ecosystems and their services, urgent action is needed to decrease those pressures most amenable to short-term relief, such as over-exploitation or pollution, so as to prevent more intractable pressures, in particular climate change, from pushing the system over the edge to a degraded state; (c) Continuing direct action to safeguard and, where necessary, restore biodiversity and ecosystem services. While longer-term actions to reduce the underlying causes of biodiversity are taking effect, immediate action can help conserve biodiversity, including in critical ecosystems, by means of protected areas, habitat restoration, species recovery programs and other targeted conservation interventions; (d) Efforts to ensure the continued provision of ecosystem services and to ensure access to these services, especially for the poor who most directly depend on them. Maintenance and restoration of ecosystems generally provide cost-effective ways to address climate change. Therefore, although climate change is an additional major threat to biodiversity, addressing this threat opens up a number of opportunities for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use; (e) Enhanced support mechanisms for capacity-building; the generation, use and sharing of knowledge; and access to the necessary financial and other resources. National planning processes need to become more effective in mainstreaming biodiversity and in highlighting its relevance for social and economic agendas. Convention bodies need to become more effective in reviewing implementation and providing support and guidance to Parties.

IV. STRATEGIC GOALS AND THE AICHI BIODIVERSITY TARGETS 13. The Strategic Plan includes 20 headline targets for 2015 or 2020 (the “Aichi Biodiversity Targets”), organized under five strategic goals. The goals and targets comprise both: (i) aspirations for achievement at the global level; and (ii) a flexible framework for the establishment of national or regional targets. Parties are invited to set their own targets within this flexible framework, taking into account national needs and priorities, while also bearing in mind national contributions to the achievement of the global targets. Not all countries necessarily need to develop a national target for each and every global target. For some countries, the global threshold set through certain targets may already have been achieved. Other targets may not be relevant in the country context. Strategic Goal A. Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society. By 2010: Target 1: People are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably. Target 2: Biodiversity values have been integrated into national and local development and poverty reduction strategies and planning processes and are being incorporated into national accounting, as appropriate, and reporting systems. Target 3: Incentives, including subsidies, harmful to biodiversity are eliminated, phased out or reformed in order to minimize or avoid negative impacts, and positive incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are developed and applied, consistent and in harmony with the Convention and other relevant international obligations, taking into account national socio economic conditions. Target 4: Governments, business and stakeholders at all levels have taken steps to achieve or have implemented plans for sustainable production and consumption and have kept the

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impacts of use of natural resources well within safe ecological limits. Strategic Goal B. Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use. By 2020: Target 5: The rate of loss of all natural habitats, including forests, is at least halved and where feasible brought close to zero, and degradation and fragmentation is significantly reduced. Target 6: All fish and invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants are managed and harvested sustainably, legally and applying ecosystem based approaches, so that overfishing is avoided, recovery plans and measures are in place for all depleted species, fisheries have no significant adverse impacts on threatened species and vulnerable ecosystems and the impacts of fisheries on stocks, species and ecosystems are within safe ecological limits. Target 7: Areas under agriculture, aquaculture and forestry are managed sustainably, ensuring conservation of biodiversity. Target 8: Pollution, including from excess nutrients, has been brought to levels that are not detrimental to ecosystem function and biodiversity. Target 9: Invasive alien species and pathways are identified and prioritized, priority species are controlled or eradicated, and measures are in place to manage pathways to prevent their introduction and establishment. Target 10: By 2015, the multiple anthropogenic pressures on coral reefs and other vulnerable ecosystems impacted by climate change or ocean acidification are minimized, so as to maintain their integrity and functioning. Strategic Goal C. Improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity. By 2020: Target 11: At least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas, and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes. Target 12: The extinction of known threatened species has been prevented and their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved and sustained. Target 13: The genetic diversity of cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and of wild relatives, including other socio-economically as well as culturally valuable species is maintained, and strategies have been developed and implemented for minimizing genetic erosion and safeguarding their genetic diversity. Strategic Goal D: Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services. By 2020: Target 14: Ecosystems that provide essential services, including services related to water, and contribute to health, livelihoods and well-being, are restored and safeguarded, taking into account the needs of women, indigenous and local communities, and the poor and vulnerable.

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Target 15: Ecosystem resilience and the contribution of biodiversity to carbon stocks has been enhanced, through conservation and restoration, including restoration of at least 15 per cent of degraded ecosystems, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation and to combating desertification. Target 16: By 2015, the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization is in force and operational, consistent with national legislation. Strategic Goal E. Enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management and capacity-building. Target 17: By 2015, each Party has developed, adopted as a policy instrument, and has commenced implementing an effective, participatory and updated national biodiversity strategy and action plan. Target 18: By 2020, the traditional knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and their customary use of biological resources, are respected, subject to national legislation and relevant international obligations, and fully integrated and reflected in the implementation of the Convention with the full and effective participation of indigenous and local communities, at all relevant levels. Target 19: By 2020, knowledge, the science base and technologies relating to biodiversity, its values, functioning, status and trends, and the consequences of its loss, are improved, widely shared and transferred, and applied. Target 20: By 2020, at the latest, the mobilization of financial resources for effectively implementing the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 from all sources, and in accordance with the consolidated and agreed process in the Strategy for Resource Mobilization, should increase substantially from the current levels. This target will be subject to changes contingent to resource needs assessments to be developed and reported by Parties.

V. IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING, REVIEW AND EVALUATION 14. Means for implementation: The Strategic Plan will be implemented primarily through activities at the national or subnational level, with supporting action at the regional and global levels. The means of implementation for this Strategic Plan will include provision of financial resources in accordance with respective obligations under the Convention, taking into account Article 20 of the Convention. The Strategic Plan provides a flexible framework for the establishment of national and regional targets. National biodiversity strategies and action plans are key instruments for translating the Strategic Plan to national circumstances, including through the national targets, and for integrating biodiversity across all sectors of government and society. The participation of all relevant stakeholders should be promoted and facilitated at all levels of implementation. Initiatives and activities of indigenous and local communities, contributing to the implementation of the Strategic Plan at the local level, should be supported and encouraged. The means for

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implementation may vary from country to country, according to national needs and circumstances. Nonetheless, countries should learn from each other when determining appropriate means for implementation. It is in this spirit that examples of the possible means for implementation are provided in the note by the Executive Secretary on the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020: provisional technical rationale, possible indicators and suggested milestones for the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. It is envisaged that implementation will be further supported by the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of the Benefits Arising from their Utilization and other components of the international regime on access and benefit-sharing which will facilitate the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. 15. The programs of work: The thematic programs of work of the Convention include: biodiversity of inland waters, marine and coastal biodiversity, agricultural biodiversity, forest biodiversity, biodiversity of dry and sub-humid lands, mountain biodiversity and island biodiversity. Together with the various cross-cutting issues, they provide detailed guidance on implementation of the Strategic Plan, and could also contribute to development and poverty reduction. They are key tools to be considered in the updating of national biodiversity strategies and action plans. 16. Broadening political support for this Strategic Plan and the objectives of the Convention is necessary, for example, by working to ensure that Heads of State and Government and the parliamentarians of all Parties understand the value of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Parties to the Convention should be encouraged to establish national biodiversity targets that support the achievement of the Strategic Plan and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and outline the measures and activities that will achieve this, such as the development of comprehensive national accounting, as appropriate, that integrates the values of biodi-

versity and ecosystem services into government decision-making with the full and effective participation of indigenous and local communities and other stakeholders. 17. Partnerships at all levels are required for effective implementation of the Strategic Plan, to leverage actions at the scale necessary, to garner the ownership necessary to ensure mainstreaming of biodiversity across sectors of government, society and the economy and to find synergies with national implementation of multilateral environmental agreements. Partnerships with the programs, funds and specialized agencies of the United Nations system, as well as with other conventions and multilateral and bilateral agencies, foundations, women, indigenous and local communities, and non-governmental organizations, will be essential to support implementation of the Strategic Plan at the national level. At the international level, this requires partnerships between the Convention and other conventions, international organizations and processes, civil society and the private sector. In particular, efforts will be needed to: (a) Ensure that the Convention, through its new Strategic Plan, contributes to sustainable development and the elimination of poverty, and the other Millennium Development Goals; (b) Ensure cooperation to achieve implementation of the Plan in different sectors; (c) Promote biodiversity-friendly practice by business; and (d) Promote synergy and coherence in the implementation of the multilateral environmental agreements. 18. Reporting by Parties: Parties will inform the Conference of the Parties of the national targets or commitments and policy instruments they adopt to implement the Strategic Plan, as well as any milestones towards these targets, and report on progress towards these targets and milestones, including through their fifth and sixth national reports. Suggested milestones, as well as suggested indicators, are to be developed in accordance with the processes laid out in Paragraphs 3 (b), (e) and 17 (g)

Photo by Rolly Inciong

Rows of trees on a mountain side in Bohol, Philippines.

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of Decision X/2 on the Strategic Plan as well as Decision X/7 on goals, targets and associated indicators. Parliamentarians, by responding to the needs and expectations of citizens on a regular basis, should play a role in reviewing the implementation of the Convention at the national and subnational levels, as appropriate, to help Governments produce a more comprehensive review. 19. Review by the Conference of the Parties: The Conference of the Parties, with the support of other Convention bodies, in particular the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention, will keep under review implementation of this Strategic Plan, and support effective implementation by Parties ensuring that new guidance is informed by the experience of Parties in implementing the Convention, in line with the principle of adaptive management through active learning. The Conference of the Parties will review the progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets as set out in the Strategic Plan and make recommendations to overcome any obstacles encountered in meeting those targets, including revision of the provisional technical rationale, possible indicators and suggested milestones for the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and measures contained therein, and, as appropriate, to strengthen the mechanisms to support implementation, monitoring and review. To facilitate this work, the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) should develop a common set of biodiversity metrics to be used to assess the status of biodiversity and its values.

VI.SUPPORT MECHANISMS 20. Capacity-building for effective national action: Many Parties, especially the developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, small island developing States and the most environmentally vulnerable countries, as well as countries with economies in transition, may require support for the development of national targets and their integration into national biodiversity strategies and action plans, revised and updated in line with this Strategic Plan and guidance from the Conference of the Parties (Decision IX/8). Global and regional capacity-building programs could provide technical support and facilitate peer-to-peer exchange, complementing national activities supported by the financial mechanism in line with the four-year framework of program priorities related to utilization of GEF resources for biodiversity for the period from 2010 to 2014 (Decision IX/31). Capacity-building on gender mainstreaming in accordance with the Conventionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gender plan of action, and for indigenous and local communities concerning the implementation of the Strategic Plan at national and subnational levels should be supported. 21. The Strategic Plan will be implemented through the programs of work of the Convention on Biological Diversity, implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and other national, regional and international activities. 22. Clearing-house mechanism and technology transfer: Collectively those involved in implementing the Convention have a wealth of experience and have developed many useful good practice cases, tools and guidance. There is ad-

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ditional useful information beyond this community. A biodiversity knowledge network will be developed, including a database and network of practitioners, to bring together this knowledge and experience and to make it available through the clearing-house mechanism to facilitate and support enhanced implementation of the Convention. National clearinghouse mechanism nodes comprising networks of experts with effective websites should be developed and sustained so that in each Party, all have access to the information, expertise and experience required to implement the Convention. National clearing-house mechanism nodes should also be linked to the central clearing-house mechanism managed by the Convention Secretariat, and information exchange between these should be facilitated. 23. Financial resources: The strategy for resource mobilization including the proposed concrete initiatives, targets and indicators to be developed, and processes for developing innovative mechanisms, provides a roadmap for achieving the effective implementation of Article 20, paragraphs 2 and 4, of the Convention, in order to provide adequate, predictable and timely new and additional financial resources, in support of the implementation of this Strategic Plan. 24. Partnerships and initiatives to enhance cooperation: Cooperation will be enhanced with the programs, funds and specialized agencies of the United Nations system as well as conventions and other multilateral and bilateral agencies, foundations and non-governmental organizations and indigenous and local communities, to support implementation of the Strategic Plan at the national level. Cooperation will also be enhanced with relevant regional bodies to promote regional biodiversity strategies and the integration of biodiversity into broader initiatives. Initiatives of the Convention such as South-South cooperation, promoting engagement of subnational governments, cities and local authorities, and business and biodiversity and promoting the engagement of parliamentarians, including through inter-parliamentary dialogues will contribute to the implementation of the Strategic Plan. 25. Support mechanisms for research, monitoring and assessment: The following are key elements to ensure effective implementation of the Strategic Plan: (a) Global monitoring of biodiversity: work is needed to monitor the status and trends of biodiversity, maintain and share data, and develop and use indicators and agreed measures of biodiversity and ecosystem change; (b) Regular assessment of the state of biodiversity and ecosystem services, future scenarios and effectiveness of responses: this could be provided through an enhanced role for the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice as well as the proposed intergovernmental platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services; (c) Ongoing research on biodiversity and ecosystem function and services and their relationship to human well-being; (d) The contributions of knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity to all the above; (e) Capacity-building and timely, adequate, predictable and sustainable financial and technical resources. !

www.aseanbiodiversity.org

International regime on ABS

NATIONS TO SHARE BENEFITS OF WORLD’S GENETIC RESOURCES

wo decades of debate have finally resulted in a global agreement on sharing the world’s genetic resources. Meeting in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010, governments from around the world agreed to a new treaty on managing the planet’s wealth of genetic resources – from animals to plants to fungi – more fairly and systematically.

Coming on the last day of the two-week Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the new treaty is a protocol to the CBD which establishes an International Regime on Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources (ABS) and lays down the basic ground rules on how countries will cooperate in obtaining genetic resources. Many countries own plants that serve as source of genetic resources. Other countries turn such resources into commercial products. Such situation has brought disagreements between the sources and the developers. The new Nagoya Protocol on ABS outlines how benefits will be shared with countries and communities who conserve and manage genetic resources. It lays out rules on how substances and

compounds derived from genetic resources will be dealt with, as well as on the issue of pathogens, including how developed countries could obtain a flu virus in emergency situations to develop a vaccine to counter a possible epidemic. Dr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, said the Nagoya Protocol highlights the day to celebrate in terms of a new and innovative response to the alarming loss of biodiversity and ecosystems and opportunities for lives and livelihoods in terms of overcoming poverty and delivering sustainable development. “This achievement also shows how countries can put aside the ‘narrow differences that all-too-often divide in favor of the broader, shared issues that can unite peoples

and nations’. I congratulate the governments for ‘bringing a fresh vision’ to the more intelligent management of life on Earth,” Dr. Steiner emphasized. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the historic protocol, calling the agreement a significant step to reaching global development goals. “The new protocol provides an innovative approach to conserving and protecting the world’s rapidly diminishing living resources, while providing benefits to all, in particular, local communities in developing countries,” Mr. Ban Ki-moon said. Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the CBD, described the protocol as one of the most important legal instruments in the history of the environmental protection, saying it would help achieve

sustainable development and facilitate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, the eight poverty alleviation and social development targets which States and their partners have agreed to achieve by 2015. “The protocol will allow us now to fully implement the Convention,” he said, “adding that it had established the foundation of a new international economic and ecological order based on respect of nature in its diversity, including human beings.” R.A. Inciong The complete text of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity may be accessed at http://www.cbd. int/abs/text/.

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

WORLD TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES VS BIODIVERSITY LOSS

global effort to pool resources to reduce biodiversity loss has been launched with the adoption of a Resource Mobilization Strategy by the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The decision was made at the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010 The Strategy stresses the importance of mobilizing the necessary resources for mainstreaming biodiversity in national strategies for sustainable development and poverty reduction in order to integrate biodiversity better in the national, regional and local decision-making processes. The Strategy reiterates that national implementation should include the design and dissemination of a countryspecific resource mobilization strategy, with the involvement of key stakeholders, in the framework of updated national biodiversity strategy and action plans. Parties were invited to appoint their respective resource mobilization focal points to facilitate national implementation of the strategy for resource mobilization. The CBD Executive Secretary was requested to organize regional and subregional workshops to assist with the development of country-specific resource mobilization strategies, including for indigenous and local 16

communities. The identified, and to workshops will be create enabling conpart of the process ditions for those of updating national countries yet to unbiodiversity strategy dertake such analyand action plans; ses to identify their promote exchange respective needs. of experience and The Strategy good practice in fitargets to increase nancing for biologithe annual internacal diversity; and fational financial flows cilitate the national by 2020 to partner monitoring of the countries to conoutcomes of countribute to achieving try specific resource the CBDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three mobilization strateobjectives; and progies. The Global vide all Parties with Environment Faciladequate financial ity will be engaged resources by 2015. to provide timely Possible sources of and adequate fifunding include nancial support for Official Developupdating national ment Assistance, Photo by Tan Ai Bee biodiversity strat- Tourists admire a giant tree domestic budgets, egies and action private sector, nonand are working to close the plans, which may include governmental organizations, financial gap to effectively the development of countryfoundations, academia, interconserve their biological respecific resource mobilization national financial institutions, sources, the Strategy invites strategies. United Nations organizations Parties to share their experiRecognizing that many and programs, South-South ences and lessons learned. It developing countries have cooperation initiatives, and calls upon developed counundertaken analyses of the technical cooperation. tries to respond to the needs values of their biodiversity R.A. Inciong

! SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

www.aseanbiodiversity.org

NATIONS ADOPT NEW TREATY ON LIVING MODIFIED ORGANISMS

he international community has adopted a new treaty on rules and procedures on liability and redress for damage to biodiversity resulting from the use of living modified organisms (LMOs).

The adoption of the new treaty, after six years of negotiations, came at the conclusion of the five-day meeting of the governing body of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010. The new treaty is called the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is a supplementary treaty to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Biosafety refers to the need to protect biodiversity as well as human and environmental health from the potential adverse effects of the products of modern biotechnology. The Cartagena Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. To date, more than 120 countries have developed legal and administrative frameworks necessary to implement the Protocol. Article 27 of the Protocol states that “the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to this Protocol shall, at its first meeting, adopt a process

with respect to the appropriate elaboration of international rules and procedures in the field of liability and redress for damage resulting from transboundary movements of living modified organisms, analyzing and taking due account of the ongoing processes in international law on these matters, and shall endeavor to complete this process within four years.” At its first meeting in Kuala Lumpur in 2003, the Parties to the Protocol established an Ad Hoc Open Ended Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts on Liability and Redress to elaborate options for elements of international rules and procedures on liability and redress under the Protocol. At its fourth meeting in Bonn, Germany in 2008, the Parties, on the basis of the final report of the Working Group, further negotiated and produced proposed operational texts for the international rules and procedures on liability and redress as the basis for further negotiations. To continue the process, the Parties established a Group of the Friends of the Co-Chairs Concerning Liability and Redress in the Context of the Protocol.

The Group of the Friends of the Co-Chairs further negotiated the proposed operational texts and produced draft text for a supplementary protocol on liability and redress to the Biosafety Protocol. The draft text was further negotiated at the second and fourth meetings of the Group. The fourth meeting of the Group was held in Nagoya from October 6 to 11, 2010, prior to the Fifth Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol. Mr. Rene Lefeber of the Netherlands, one of the CoChairs of the Group of the Friends of the Co-Chairs that negotiated the text of the new treaty said: “It has been many years since the last global environmental agreement was agreed. The adoption of a new supplementary Protocol during the International Year of Biodiversity will give new impetus to multilateral environmental negotiations. This agreement will also make important contribution to the on-going work under the Convention on Biological Diversity to protect life on earth.” Signing of the new treaty by member countries will begin on March 7, 2011 at the UN Headquarters in New

York. Countries will have until March 6, 2012 to sign the treaty, which will enter into force 90 days after being ratified by at least 40 Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The meeting in Nagoya also adopted a ten-year Strategic Plan for the implementation of the Protocol; a program of work on public awareness, education and participation concerning LMOs; and further guidance on risk assessment and risk management. In 1992, the CBD identified biosafety as one of the critical issues that should be addressed. The importance placed on biosafety-related issues resulted in the adoption of the Biosafety Protocol to the CBD. The Protocol provides a regulatory framework for biotechnology products, making it possible to generate the maximum benefit from the potential that biotechnology has to offer, while minimizing the possible risks to human and environmental health. According to the CBD, risk assessment involves identification and evaluation of potential adverse effects In the ASEAN region, the Philippines, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) are in the process of developing or implementing their biosafety frameworks, policies and laws. R.A. Inciong

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

UNEP LAUNCHES THE ECONOMICS OF ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY

he United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) reports at a side event during the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010. The TEEB reports present findings from a global study on the economics of biodiversity loss.

Pavan Sukhdev, TEEB study leader, explained that TEEB is not a cost-benefit analysis of the Earth. He explained that TEEB recognizes that biodiversity has many different types of values, not all of which can be given a price tag. He added that market solutions represent only a small fraction of the economic solutions available to value biodiversity. Sukhdev highlighted key findings from the TEEB study, including that: natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s value must be made visible; better management requires better measurement; incorporating ecosystem services values into policy is particularly critical for the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poor because they depend heavily on ecosystem services for their livelihoods; and ecosystem conservation 18

Pavan Sukhdev, TEEB study leader, stresses the urgency of upgrading the system of national accounts, and of doing so in a manner that incorporates carbon soundly so that appropriate systems are in place to enable effective REDD+ development.

! SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

www.aseanbiodiversity.org

and restoration should be evaluated and pursued in support of climate change. He introduced a partnership between TEEB and MOFILM, a global community of filmmakers, from which 25 TEEB-related films have been selected and will be made available online. Ibrahim Thiaw of UNEP explained that the TEEB study was spearheaded by Germany and the European Commission in response to a proposal in 2007 by the G8+5 Environment Ministers. During the launching side event, Hideki Minamikawa, Japan’s Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Environment, on behalf of Japan’s Minister of Environment, said TEEB could be a revolutionary measure to trigger a new means to facilitate poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation. Ahmed Djoghlaf, CBD Executive Secretary, stressed the importance of integrating findings from TEEB into the 2011-2020 strategic plan for the CBD and the next generation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans. Nicola Breier, Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, said stakeholders increasingly understand that conserving biodiversity can yield business and saving opportunities, while biodiversity can also have a hard economic value. She said the second phase of TEEB requires implementing the report’s findings. Karl Falkenberg, European Commission director general for the environment, said TEEB demonstrates the

NEW BOOK FEATURES ASEAN HERITAGE PARKS

ducational and inspirational sites of high conservation importance, lush evergreen tropical forests, and ecosystems that cradle life-giving resources for the ASEAN region’s over half a billion people. These are the 28 ASEAN Heritage Parks found across Southeast Asia. Taking a trip to these most wonderful natural destinations is now easier with the book “The ASEAN Heritage Parks: A Journey to the Natural Wonders of Southeast Asia.” Launched at the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity on October 19, 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, the book aims to encourage greater appreciation for the ASEAN’s natural heritage, as well as generate greater support for their protection and conservation and encourage more collaborative activities for their sustainable development and management. “The ASEAN Heritage Parks were established to generate greater awareness, pride, appreciation, enjoyment and conservation of ASEAN’s rich natural heritage, through a regional network of representative protected areas, and to generate greater collaboration among ASEAN Member States in preserving their shared natural heritage,” said Dr. Monina Uriarte, editor-in-chief of the book. “As Secretariat of the ASEAN Heritage Parks Programme, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity produced the book in collaboration with the ASEAN Member States so that people may understand the significance of the ASEAN Heritage Parks to regional and global biodiversity, cultural identity, as well as the well-being of the people of the ASEAN region. Stories on management activities and interrelationships between local communities and natural resources are fea-

enormous opportunities provided by nature. Supporting Falkenberg, Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment, said

tured to provide a picture of the human element that is crucial to protected area management,” Dr. Uriarte explained. “ASEAN shall continue to focus efforts on the ASEAN Heritage Parks Programme and also encourage further expanding the list of ASEAN Heritage Parks as well as World Heritage Cultural Sites in the region. This is in support of the ASEAN Vision 2020 that calls for ‘a clean and green ASEAN with fully established mechanisms to ensure the protection of the region’s environment, sustainability of its natural resources, and the high quality of life of its peoples’,” Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, said in his message. To know more about the book and to order a copy, please e-mail contact.us@ aseanbiodiversity.org.

biodiversity concerns will not be mainstreamed in the absence of strong economic arguments. He encouraged parties to remove brackets in

negotiating text to ensure that biodiversity is adequately addressed in national accounting. IISD Reporting Services

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

ASEAN COUNTRIES: ON WAY TO REAPING BENEFITS FROM BIODIVERSITY !

By ROLANDO INCIONG

SEAN Member States do not get a fair share of the benefits derived from the use of biological resources for the development of high-yielding crop varieties, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and other products despite holding 18 per cent of the world’s known plant, animal and marine species assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Such situation, said Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), reduces the incentive for the world’s biologically rich but economically poor countries to conserve and sustainably use their biodiversity resources. The indigenous peoples, in particular, have an intimate link with biodiversity and it is no accident that along with the massive loss of biodiversity, indigenous cultures with their largely undocumented knowledge are being wiped out, the executive director added.

Addressing the International Conference on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity: Global Environmental Action in Nagoya, Japan in preparation for the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Director Fuentes stressed the need for equal access to and protection of biological and genetic resources. The ten member states of the Association of Southeast 20

Asian Nations (ASEAN) have a common interest to benefit from their biological and genetic resources in the development of products, compounds and substances that have medicinal, industrial, agricultural and related applications. Equally important is the task to protect such resources from biopiracy in the midst of unregulated use. Toward this end, the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Access to, and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising

! SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

From the Utilization of Biological and Genetic Resource was completed in 2004. Aimed at facilitating coordinated actions by the ASEAN Member States, the Framework Agreement supports national policies and regulations on access and benefit sharing (ABS), providing a level playing field for all member states wishing to control the exploitation of their biological and genetic resources. It also recognizes and protects the traditional knowledge of indigenous peo-

ples and local communities to ensure that the use of biological and genetic resources and equitable sharing of benefits are consistent with the principle of prior and informed consent. As far as indigenous people’s (IP) communities are concerned, there should be fair and equitable sharing where traditional knowledge is utilized. “The ASEAN Framework Agreement, together with the Bonn Guidelines on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Photo by Leslie Ann Jose-Castillo

IP children in Lao PDR

and Equitable Sharing of the Benefit Arising out of their Utilization, provides clear directions to ASEAN Member States in developing their ABS protocols, but stakeholders need to be more involved in discussions and capacity building initiatives. Through these initiatives, countries could fully understand how to negotiate ABS terms with users and providers of biological and genetic resources and ensure that the local communities gain from these benefits and translate these into conservation actions,â&#x20AC;? said Director Fuentes. The Framework Agreement has not been adopted because of varying degrees of developments in each ASEAN Member State, which include differences in population, territories, development, economy, history and government. Several provisions in the Framework Agreement have yet to be discussed more thoroughly and agreed upon by the countries. Added to this is the lack of awareness and appreciation on the values of biodiversity and on the critical roles of eco-

system services. Most member states also lack the capacity to implement ABS.

ABS issues and challenges in the ASEAN The ASEAN faces several issues and constraints in the implementation of ABS. Uniformed sharing of benefits is not feasible because of the varying costs of products and research inputs. There are also varying degrees of product time and cycles, economic value of products, and the extent of contribution of traditional knowledge related to genetic resources used in final products. The challenge, Director Fuentes explained, is to estimate the extent and type of benefits to be shared that cover the interests of the different stakeholders. For users and providers, there is the issue on genetic resources and related knowledge found in parallel in different countries, and cross border common resources. On the other hand, the issues of user countries include finding the appropriate level of monetary benefits,

charges of bio-piracy, intellectual property rights, and unclear regulatory frameworks on ABS.

ABS action in the ASEAN The CBD recognizes the sovereign rights of countries over their biodiversity resources in areas within their jurisdiction. Parties to the CBD have the obligation to take appropriate measures aimed at sharing the benefits derived from their use. Malaysia. Malaysia is one of the ASEAN pioneers that initiated an institutional framework on ABS, with Sarawak as the first State that passed its ABS Law in 1997. The law was amended in 2003 to establish the Sarawak Biodiversity Council and the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre. With the establishment of these bodies, the Sarawak Biodiversity Regulation was enacted a year later, applicable to local and foreign individuals and institutions. With the establishment of the Centre, a documentation program was developed wherein the traditional

knowledge of local indigenous communities of Sabah are preserved through proper recording or documenting techniques. The program also aims to discover chemicals and enzymes from biological resources that would be useful as industrial-related products such as essential oils, bio-pesticides and commercial dyes. Malaysia has developed the Research Permit System and Research Agreement that provides guidelines for the evaluation of proposals for those applying for permits to conduct research on biological resources. The agreement states that research specimens and data be deposited at the Centre, together with a report that includes provisions on the sharing of benefits from the ethno-biological research with the Sarawak Biodiversity Council/State Government and with indigenous communities. A permit is required for any research to be conducted by academicians on biological resources whether taxonomic or experimental, especially in the collection of specimens.

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

The Sarawak Forest Department issues the permits for access to biological resources whether for medicinal, pharmaceutical or commercial uses as defined in the Sarawak Biodiversity Regulation. An export permit is also required if research is done outside Sarawak. The indigenous community whose traditional knowledge is used for the purpose should be compensated. A benefit-sharing scheme is provided in the Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous and Local Community Rights under the Sarawak Biodiversity Regulation 2004 and SBC Research Agreement. Payment is given to indigenous peoples as reward for traditional knowledge (TK) or information provided. If the TK leads to the development of products (medicinal, pharmaceutical, health or nutritional), intellectual property rights should be shared with the indigenous community that provides the TK or adequate compensation in monetary value and/or benefits arising from them.

Philippines. In 1995, the Government of the Philippines issued Executive Order 247 that prescribes the guidelines and procedures for the bioprospecting (research, collection and use of resources) of biological and genetic resources for scientific and/or commercial purposes. The guidelines contain provisions on Prior and Informed Consent (PIC) of indigenous and other local communities as custodians of the resources or knowledge where these are located. The tedious process involved before agreements are finally approved was questioned by applicants. Some local scientists and researchers have found this regulation too demanding and a barrier to research and development. Thus, in 2001, bioprospecting procedures were revised with the passage of the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. The Act redefined bioprospecting as â&#x20AC;&#x153;research, collection and utilization of biological and genetic resources for the pur-

pose of applying knowledge derived solely for commercial purposesâ&#x20AC;?. The procedure has likewise been streamlined and now includes a more reasonable period for approval. For scientific research activities, separate procedures have been made more simple and practical. The draft implementing guidelines cover ABS system, quota for the collection of specimens, determination of the amount of performance, ecological and rehabilitation bond, and the monitoring scheme. The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, which recognizes and promotes the rights of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indigenous peoples within the framework of national unity and development, protects their intellectual property rights as it relates to species of plants and animals. The Act recognizes their entitlement to the full ownership and control and protection of their cultural and intellectual rights in particular human and other genetic resources, seeds, including derivatives

of these resources, traditional medicines and health practices, vital medicinal plants, animals and minerals, indigenous knowledge systems and practices, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, and oral traditions, among others. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order No. 2 of 1993 (Rules and Regulations for the Identification, Delineation and Recognition of Ancestral Land and Domain Claims), laid down the basic policy on indigenous communities in relation to traditional knowledge and practices in their ancestral domain, which usually includes areas declared by the government as protected areas or national parks. Indigenous communities are to exercise general supervision and control over the management of their ancestral domains including resources found therein. The Council of Elders in the community is the decision-making and managing body.

Photo by Rolly Inciong

Members of the Aeta tribe from the Philippines

! SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

www.aseanbiodiversity.org

In the Philippines, no government programs under the control of the DENR are to be implemented within any ancestral domain without the written consent of the indigenous cultural community concerned, signed in its behalf by a majority of its recognized leaders. Any program or activity should include indigenous community participation in the protection, conservation, development and exploitation of natural resources in the area; protection and maintenance of indigenous community rights over livelihood resources; and provision of supplemental source of livelihood, among others. The DENR rules and regulations also require the preparation of a comprehensive ancestral domain management plan by each indigenous community that includes the documentation of indigenous land use and tenurial system (customary laws, beliefs and traditional practices). Viet Nam. The Biodiversity Law of Viet Nam is expected to complement related laws such as the Law on Environmental Protection, Fisheries Law, Law on Land, and Law on Forest Protection and Development. Chapter 5 of the Law specifically provides for the conservation and sustainable development of genetic resources. The chapter has three sections with several protective measures to support the livelihoods of people who depend on natural resources and biodiversity. The Law also proposes benefits for custodians of traditional knowledge of biodiversity, and thus encourages them to participate in biodiversity conservation and rehabilitation. Section 1 provides for the management and access to genetic resources and shar-

Photo courtesy of the Viet Nam Enviroment Administration

Viet Namâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ha Long Bay

ing of benefits from genetic resources. Section 2 outlines the measures for the storage and preservation of genetic specimens, assessment of genetic resources, and management of information on genetic resources, and traditional knowledge copyrights on genetic resources. Section 3 provides guides in managing risks caused to biodiversity by genetically modified organisms and genetic specimens of genetically modified organisms.

Way forward According to Director Fuentes, the registration process for indigenous knowledge may be feasible for scientists and people from the cities but not for indigenous people. The complicated process makes it more difficult for indigenous peoples considering their lack of knowledge, financial resources, and language difficulties. In this light, several measures are needed to protect the interests of indigenous peoples in particular their traditional knowledge. Financial resources should be provided to fully document and propagate indigenous

knowledge for registration and to carry out this activity at the local level (towns, cities, provinces). More importantly, indigenous people and other local communities must be encouraged to conserve and continue the use of ethnomedicinal plants for community healthcare. If ethnomedicinal plants are not used, indigenous knowledge will be lost especially if documentation has not been done on their uses. There is also the need to strengthen awareness and knowledge on Indigenous Knowledge and Intellectual Property Rights. To assist the ASEAN Member States in meeting these needs and help them implement the Bonn Guidelines in a harmonized manner, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity has given top priority to capacity building. The ASEAN Regional Workshop on Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources and their Uses recently held in Cambodia provided the opportunity for member countries to discuss the status of ABS activities and issues on traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources.

The COP10 held in Nagoya in October 2010 bore positive steps toward access and benefit sharing for the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biodiversityrich countries, including the ASEAN Member States. The Parties to the CBD adopted the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Secretary-General of the UN will be the Depository of the Protocol and will open it for signature at the UN Headquarters in New York from February 2, 2011 to February 1, 2012. With this recent development, and the ASEAN Member Statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recognition of the importance of access and benefit sharing to the overall conservation and sustainable management efforts, the ASEAN countries are on their way to reaping the benefits from biodiversity. ! ! Rolando A. Inciong is head of communication and public affairs at the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook

BIODIVERSITY BEYOND 2010 !

By LESLIE ANN JOSE-CASTILLO

n studying the mass extinctions of the 20th century and their relation to modern society, E.O. Wilson once said, “Now when you cut a forest, an ancient forest in particular, you are not just removing a lot of big trees and a few birds fluttering around in the canopy. You are drastically imperiling a vast array of species within a few square miles of you. The number of these species may go to tens of thousands. Many of them are still unknown to science, and science has not yet discovered the key role undoubtedly played in the maintenance of that ecosystem, as in the case of fungi, microorganisms, and many of the insects.”

“Unfortunately, this fundamental lesson on the web of life still escapes many of us. We exploit the earth’s bounty with absolute disregard to ecological balance, acting as if biodiversity is an infinite resource solely designed for the human species to use. It, therefore, no longer comes as a surprise that our global biodiversity report card shows our overall failure to meet the 2010 target of halting biodiversity loss,” Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, executive director of 24

the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), said in his preface for the ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook (ABO). Produced by the ACB, the ABO confirms the findings of the Third Global Biodiversity Outlook that the world failed to meet the target of significantly reducing biodiversity loss by 2010. The ABO is based on the 4th National Reports of the ten ASEAN countries to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Fourth

! SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

Photo by Lee Chin Yong

A school of barracuda in Sipadan, Malaysia. The ASEAN region’s rich marine resources are prime sources of livelihood for millions of people. www.aseanbiodiversity.org

ASEAN State of the Environment Report, the Global Biodiversity Outlook, and numerous other sources. Biodiversity experts from a number of international organizations independently reviewed the ABO. A contribution to the International Year of Biodiversity 2010, the ABO is envisioned as a tool to generate awareness on the status of biodiversity in the region, the obstacles faced by countries in their efforts to conserve biodiversity, and the next steps that have to be undertaken. The prospects of biodiversity in the region beyond 2010 are likewise outlined in the report. “This is a modest attempt at responding to the question of whether or not we as a region met the 2010 target. Through the report, we tried to capture and present the progress made by the ASEAN Member States in this global effort. With the region’s wellrecognized richness in biological resources and its impact on global environmental sustainability, the ASEAN countries saw it as imperative to come up with an outlook focusing on the region,” Fuentes said. One of the major conclusions of the ABO is that the ASEAN region, like the rest of the world, is increasingly losing its biodiversity within various ecosystems – forest, agro-ecosystems, peatlands, freshwater, mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass. Among the significant facts and figures on the various ecosystems were: • The growing population’s dependence on timber, fuel wood, and other forest products, as well as the conversion of forests into agricultural and industrial lands, are taking their toll on the region’s forests. Already, Southeast Asian coun-

Photo by Sai Kham Lynn

A summer paddy field in Yangon. Agriculture depends highly on biodiversity and the whole range of ecosystem services that it offers. When life forms essential to agriculture are destroyed, it will have catastrophic effects on agricultural production and the food security of the global population.

tries had lost a total of 555,587 square kilometers of forests between 1980 and 2007. • While the ASEAN region is gifted with immense mangrove resources, it nonetheless suffers the highest rates of mangrove losses in the world. An area of 628 square kilometers of mangrove got stripped away each year throughout the last couple of decades. In 1980, the estimated regional total mangrove area was 63,850 square kilometers. As of 2005, this whittled down to 46,971 square kilometers for an aggregate decline of about 26 percent within a 25-year period. • There has been a general decline in coral reefs in the ASEAN region between 1994 and 2008. Although the region hosts the largest coral reef areas in the world, it also has the highest rate of loss, which today stands at 40 percent. • Bottom-trawling, extensive coastline de-

struction and modification, decline in coastal water quality, and human-induced development have endangered seagrass beds in the ASEAN region. Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand have each experienced from 30 up to 50 per cent losses of seagrass habitats, compounded by the fact that the loss figures for other Southeast Asian countries remain largely unknown. “The implications of biodiversity loss to human well-being can be profound, affecting not only human societies’ way of life, but its very existence, as well,” Fuentes warned. He added that “No one will be spared from the impacts of biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystem services, but the first one who will bear the heaviest burden will be the poor and marginalized whose lives are strongly linked with the environment.” The ABO also underscores that the drivers of biodiversity loss continue to intensify. The key drivers of biodiversity loss in the

ASEAN region include ecosystems and habitat change, invasive alien species, overexploitation (as a result of deforestation and land-use and water-use change, as well as wildlife hunting and trade for food), pollution, poverty and climate change. The ABO also emphasizes that the impacts of climate change on biodiversity remains to be better understood. A formidable challenge, it reports, is enhancing the resilience of biodiversity components to adapt to climate change. In terms of addressing the drivers and threats to biodiversity loss, the ABO points out that the ASEAN region remains slow in delivering progress, particularly in preventing invasive alien species, addressing the impact of biodiversity to species and ecosystems, and abating pollution and the exploitation of forests and wetlands. In his foreword to the ABO, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, said, “Concerted efforts, however, have been made to address biodiversity loss at both the regional and national levels. Innovative ecosystembased approaches to address these challenges that have been implemented include the establishment of more protected areas, the ASEAN Heritage Parks Programme, the Heart of Borneo Initiative, Coral Triangle Initiative, and the Greater Mekong Subregion Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative, all of which have attracted worldwide attention.” One success story highlighted in the ABO is the progress made by the region in expanding the coverage of terrestrial and marine protected areas. Since 1950, the designated protected areas have increased by 98 per cent

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Summary of progress in achieving the headline indicators under the 2010 Biodiversity Target in ASEAN Status and trends of the components of biological diversity Trends in extent of selected biomes, ecosystems and habitats

State and condition are becoming serious, moving towards tipping points. While efforts are being pursued to arrest declining trends in selected biomes, ecosystems and habitats, actions taken are deemed insufficient as over-exploitation continues, coupled with the slow but manifesting effects of climate change.

Trends in abundance and distribution of selected species

Status remains an area of concern and declining trend of selected species and fragmentations of habitats remain unabated.

Change in status of threatened species

The change in status is quite slow through the years and activities addressing these are inadequate.

Trends in genetic diversity of domesticated animals, cultivated plants and fish species of major socio-economic importance

An emerging concern in the region especially with countries moving towards intensification of agricultural production. However, notable efforts are recorded for genetic improvement of native domesticated animals, and increasing genetic materials conserved in gene banks for plants. However, genetic diversity of fish species is still low and needs to be addressed.

Coverage of protected areas

State and conditions are improving with notable increases and expansion of protected areas. However, efforts need to be focused on enhancing management effectiveness and revisiting management objectives.

Ecosystem integrity and ecosystem goods and services Connectivity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; fragmentation of ecosystems

State and condition of ecosystems are becoming a matter of concern for the region. Fragmentation of ecosystems is increasingly associated with increase in development activities in many of the region. The biodiversity corridor approach has been applied in some key ecosystems but needs to be expanded and replicated in other key biodiversity areas.

Water quality of aquatic ecosystems

The state and condition of aquatic ecosystem are a matter of concern. Freshwater eco-regions in Southeast Asia have manifested a declining water quality due to fragmentation of habitats and use of agrochemicals in agricultural production areas such as in plantations. Major rivers and some lakes in the region are silted due to soil erosion as a result of various activities taking place in upland areas and coastal areas. Trend is likely to continue unless current efforts are stepped up and undertaken in a strategic manner.

Nitrogen deposition

Actual measurement of nitrogen deposition in a number of critical water bodies has not been uniform and consistent. Anecdotal evidence based on increasing reports of signs of water body eutrophication such as algal blooms have been noted especially in water bodies fed by agricultural areas. There is a need for comprehensive monitoring of this incidence in the region.

Trends in invasive alien species (IAS)

Status and condition are not very much known due to limited information. As such, it is an emerging concern in the region. Although notable initiatives in IAS especially in the Mekong Subregion and some other ASEAN Member States are pursued, these efforts are deemed insufficient given the potential magnitude of impacts of these species. The absence of monitoring protocol adds to the seriousness of the issue.

Sustainable use Area of forest, agricultural and aquaculture ecosystems under sustainable management

Related to the condition of agroecosystems where there is an emerging concern over the impacts of intensive and extensive agriculture. On a positive note, trend in conservation agriculture, sustainable agriculture, sustainable forest management, organic farming and the like are catching on in the region. However, the area coverage of these types of land uses is still insignificant to make an impact.

Ecological footprint and related Concepts

Region-wide, the ecological footprint is rapidly increasing in the face of shifting consumption patterns associated with rising income and shifting demographic distribution. The situation is compounded by the effects of climate change. Although there are initiatives already implemented, the efforts are considered to be inadequate to cause significant shifts towards more sustainable consumption patterns.

Status of traditional knowledge, innovations and practice Status and trends of linguistic diversity and numbers of speakers of indigenous languages

The region is known for its cultural diversity, maintaining its social and cultural rich heritage. Multiple languages are spoken in the region including the preservation of ethnic languages. Countries are taking efforts to preserve the language diversity especially those spoken by ethnic communities.

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www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Summary of progress in achieving the headline indicators under the 2010 Biodiversity Target in ASEAN (continuation) Status of access and benefit sharing Indicator of access and benefitsharing to be developed

One indicator may be the development of national ABS framework. Capacity building activities to this end have been conducted among ASEAN Member States including consultations on the proposed International Regime on ABS.

Status of resources transfers Official development assistance (ODA) provided in support of the Convention

Although acknowledged as insufficient, ODA funds have been increasing in the region for thepast 5 to10 years in relation to compliance to CBD requirements.

State and condition are considered to be good but require efforts to maintain or expand them. State and condition are emerging to be concerns and need attention. State and condition considered to be critical and needing utmost attention. Trend is increasing, taking into account the positive (negative) influence of initiatives to address the situation over the period. Trend is declining, taking into account the positive (negative) influence pursued to address the concern over the period. No change in the trend over the period assessed in spite of the efforts pursued. NB: Indicators such as Marine Trophic Index under ecosystem integrity and ecosystem goods and services were not included in the assessment due to lack of information.

by area and by 89 per cent by number. The ASEAN region also met the suggested target of having 10 per cent of its terrestrial land declared as

protected areas, having established 13.2 per cent for such purpose. Six ASEAN Member States have exceeded the 10 per cent target. The coun-

tries were also successful in shoring up efforts to further develop capacities and expand the network of wildlife law enforcers.

Drivers of biodiversity loss Forest conversion

Infrastructure and housing development High value crops

Forest fires

Habitat Change

Deforestation both terrestrial and mangroves Use of destructive fishing implements Temperature increase

Climate Change

Variability in precipitation Sea level rise

Direct Drivers of Biodiversity Loss in Southeast Asia

Ballast water

Invasive Alien Species

Introduced to improve food production, aquarium industry Hunting for bushmeat

Over-exploitation

Over fishing Wildlife trade Industrial waste

Pollution

Domestic waste Livestock run-off Agriculture Insecticide/fertilizer run-off

Poverty

Source: www.vulnerability-asia.uni-hannover.de/

– Under and/or unemployment – Inadequate access to institutional support – Few resources, options and capacity to respond to economic shocks

The ABO points out that these initiatives have to be sustained in the long term. “This requires sustained political, technical, financial and stakeholder engagement at all levels,” Fuentes said. He stressed that the ASEAN region, as with the entire global community, has to move forward in collectively achieving the Biodiversity Target beyond 2010. The ABO presented the outlook for the ASEAN region’s biodiversity: • Terrestrial ecosystems – The region’s forest ecosystems and agroecosystems shall continue to play the crucial role of providing ecological stability to the ASEAN countries and globally. Both, however, face numerous pressures. Addressing the pressures on these two ecosystems is critical for ASEAN. It will entail taking multiple measures that should be linked to enhancing the productivity from existing crop and pasture lands, reducing post-harvest losses, sustainable forest man-

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agement and changing excessive and wasteful consumption. • Inland water ecosystems – Inland water ecosystems in the ASEAN region are considered to be high value areas. These cover wetlands, peatlands and freshwater bodies. Unfortunately, these ecosystem functions are often undervalued, consequently placing the rich biodiversity resources in these areas at imminent risk. As many of these areas are the initial frontiers for conversion for development expansion, there will be an increasing need for an integrated management of the ecosystems. By approaching the development of these areas in such a manner, the potential negative impacts from competing pressures can be minimized or averted. • Marine and coastal ecosystems – Marine and coastal ecosystems are considered as one of the most valuable natural

assets of the ASEAN region. They, however, are faced with multiple pressures that may affect their ability to supply food, functional buffer zones for natural weather disturbances, and livelihood for communities. There is an urgent need to promulgate policies that allow marshes, mangroves and other coastal ecosystems to persist and even migrate inland to make these ecosystems more resilient to the impact of sea level rise, and thus help protect the vital services they provide. According to Fuentes, the ASEAN Member States have to exert greater effort to inch their way toward achieving the biodiversity targets set for the region. The ABO lists a number of ways forward that have to be explored in order to meet the targets. These include targeting efforts to critical areas and ecosystems; mainstreaming biodiversity in the national development process; connecting biodiversity management with climate

change efforts; taking pride on the current efforts and building on them for designing future efforts; and supporting efforts that will lead to the adoption of the access and benefit-sharing regime in the region. To move forward, the ABO recommended that in developing the strategic plan for biodiversity, the actions that will be identified must address both the direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss. It also underscored that efficiency in the use of a natural resource must be balanced with the need to maintain ecosystem functions and resilience. Other recommendations include: • Where multiple drivers are combining to weaken ecosystems, aggressive action to reduce those more amenable to rapid intervention can be prioritized, while longer-term efforts continue to moderate more intractable drivers, such as climate change and ocean acidification. • Avoid unnecessary tradeoffs resulting from maximizing one eco-

Photo by Harazek

Wetlands are among the most biologically productive natural ecosystems.

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system service at the expense of another. • Continue direct action to conserve biodiversity, targeting vulnerable and culturally-valued species and habitats, and critical sites for biodiversity, combined with priority actions to safeguard key ecosystem services, particularly those of importance to the poor such as the provision of food and medicines. • Take full advantage of opportunities to contribute to climate change mitigation through the conservation and restoration of forests, peatlands, wetlands and other ecosystems that capture and store large amounts of carbon. • Use national programs or legislation to create a favorable environment to support effective “bottom-up” initiatives led by communities, local authorities, or businesses. This also includes empowering indigenous peoples and local communities to take responsibility for biodiversity management and decision-making. • Strengthen efforts to better communicate the links among biodiversity, ecosystems services, poverty alleviation and climate change adaptation and mitigation through education and the more effective dissemination of scientific knowledge. “Addressing biodiversity loss is a shared responsibility for all humanity. While it is recognized that the challenges are daunting, involving foremost a major shift in perception and priorities in societies’ current lifestyles, it is an imperative shift to carry out the actions identified in the ABO www.aseanbiodiversity.org

ACB Side Events at COP10 Marine and Terrestrial Protected Area Gap Analyses in the ASEAN Region 18 October 2010, 13:15 – 14:45 Room 210, 1st Floor, Building 2, Nagoya Congress Center

Photo by Ariebasuki

Protecting natural resources helps ensure that future generations will continue to benefit from the bounty of biodiversity.

at the necessary scale and address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss. The continued failure to avert the current trends of biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystems services is simply unacceptable. We need cogent and comprehensive actions that will replace the current business-as-usual effort for addressing the issues. This will require political will and collective actions,” Fuentes said. According to Dr. Surin, much more needs to be done both by the Member States individually and by the ASEAN community collectively, to put an end to the deterioration of biological resources. “We need to re-examine our lifestyles and consumption patterns to make our choices more responsible and environmental friendly. We need to assume a fair and equitable share of burden and responsibility as users and providers of these natural resources. We must exert greater efforts in increasing the awareness among the

people to protect these ecosystems for future generations, more so to ensure our own continued prosperity and survival,” the ASEAN Secretary-General said. Dr. Surin emphasized that the ASEAN Vision 2020 to achieve “a clean and green ASEAN with fully established mechanisms for sustainable development, and ensure that protection of the region’s environment and natural resources are sustained as well as the high quality of life of its peoples” is clear on ASEAN’s commitment to biodiversity conservation. “As we in the region continue to realize this vision through various programs and projects, we need all the commitment and dedication we can get to face the daunting challenges through international collaboration,” he concluded. ! ! Leslie Ann Jose-Castillo is a development communication specialist at the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.

The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) promoted greater awareness for the need to conserve Southeast Asia’s rich and pristine terrestrial and coastal and marine environment through a side event it conducted during the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10) on October 18, 2010 at the Nagoya Congress Center in Japan. The “Marine and Terrestrial Protected Area Gap Analyses in the ASEAN Region” side event highlighted the results of the terrestrial and marine protected areas gap analyses conducted in the ASEAN region. The event also provided a venue where experts and protected area managers and practitioners shared insights on how to enhance the management of the region’s protected areas. The side event was attended by over 50 participants. ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes opened the event with a presentation on the process of engaging the ASEAN Member States to implement gap analysis to both terrestrial and marine protected areas; the gap analysis methodology; and a summary of the results and analysis of the data presented. He emphasized the importance of robust data sets and the value of a good analysis such that all information ultimately contributes to biodiversity conservation. The analysis indicated that despite a significant number of ASEAN countries having complied with the CBD’s ten-per cent target, the area covered by important ecosystems such as forests, seagrasses and mangroves in the region are on a steady decline. The presentations from Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines provided information on the conservation status of some protected areas in the region. The countries articulated the ecosystem and management gaps. Common among the presentations was the difficulty of obtaining information for representation gaps due to the lack of capacity to collect and integrate georeferenced species-related information. Of particular interest was the presentation of the Philippines that based a majority of their results on the key biodiversity areas (KBAs) identified in the country. They noted that a significant number of protected areas were outside of these KBAs. Thailand emphasized management effectiveness assessment and the need to integrate protected areas into wider landscape and seascapes, including transboundary management of protected areas. In-depth ecological studies, even outside of protected areas are needed. In many countries, a number of Centers of Plant Diversity are outside of protected areas. In Indonesia, for example, 30 percent of important bird areas (IBAs) are outside of designated protected areas. The country presentations were followed by comments from two experts: Mr. Joseph D’ Cruz, Regional Advisor – Environment, Bangkok Regional Centre, United Nations

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Development Programme; and Ms. Cristi Marie Nozawa, Regional Director, BirdLife International (Asia). The open forum that followed emphasized that there should be focus beyond national boundaries to address transboundary issues, e.g., approaching the issues on a regional or sub-regional scale, particularly on marine conservation. Issues were raised on expansion of protected areas versus effectively managing existing protected areas. How to convey these messages to policy makers also poses a challenge. The participants agreed that linking fisheries to economic issues is crucial. The perception on protected areas as no-take zones must be broken and to do this, various sectoral agencies and communities must work together, e.g., social engagement in protected areas or in community conserve areas. A critical management feature, in some cases, involves partnership with local authorities – how their local authorities and community efforts contribute to the larger conservation and sustainable use goals. To ‘fill the management gaps’ would require consolidating national efforts through various agencies involved, including local communities, private sector and the local authorities. Director Fuentes said ACB will continue to support ASEAN Member States to address representation gaps in refining gap assessment methodology and undertake capacity development initiatives to assess conservation needs at species level versus protected area coverage. He added that ACB will continue to conduct regional data analyses and disseminate best practices in protected area designations. !

Communicating Biodiversity in the ASEAN Region 19 October 2010, 13:15 – 15:00 First Floor of Building 2, Nagoya Congress Center The ASEAN region’s capacity to reduce biodiversity loss is constrained by several roadblocks, including the dire lack of awareness and knowledge on the values of biodiversity. Increased public and leadership awareness is needed to create a groundswell that will catalyze all sectors of society to promote the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity resources. Communication, education, public awareness (CEPA) and media play a crucial role in this challenge. Communicating biodiversity is a daunting task. While successes have been achieved on some fronts, a lot of communication gaps still need to be filled. These were emphasized during a side event conducted by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) during the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP10) on October 19, 2010 at the Nagoya Congress Center in Japan. The “Communicating Biodiversity in the ASEAN Region” side event featured a number of successful CEPA initiatives from the ASEAN Member States. ACB shared how some organizations and individuals teach others about biodiversity conservation by employing a range of techniques. Among these communication projects are Sahabat Alam from Indonesia, Dalaw-Turo from the Philippines, and Team Seagrass from Singapore. These pockets of

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ACB Executive Director Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes (right) turns over a copy of the book “The ASEAN Heritage Parks: A Journey to the Natural Wonders of Southeast Asia” to CBD Executive Secretary Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf.

success stories were featured in hopes that people will learn from the strategies used by the project implementers. ACB also launched the ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity – the first awards program to recognize outstanding biodiversity conservation projects by business, youth and media in the ASEAN region. ACB launched the initial version of the ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook. The Outlook offers a regional barometer of the progress made by the ASEAN Member States towards achieving the 2010 biodiversity target. A timely contribution to the International Year of Biodiversity, the Outlook features the status and trends across all ecosystems and looks into the pressures faced by each ecosystem, as well as the responses initiated to address these pressures. It likewise presents a snapshot of some of the actions by ASEAN nations in combating the loss of biodiversity. The prospects of biodiversity in the region beyond 2010 are outlined in the report. ACB also took the participants to a most exciting trip to 28 of the ASEAN region’s most wonderful natural destinations with the launch of the book “The ASEAN Heritage Parks: A Journey to the Natural Wonders of Southeast Asia.” As Secretariat of the ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) Programme, ACB produced the book so that people may understand the significance of AHPs to regional and global biodiversity, cultural identity, as well as the well-being of the people of the ASEAN region. Stories on management activities and interrelationships between local communities and natural resources provide a picture of the human element that is crucial to protected area management. ASEAN Member States present at the launch (Brunei Darussalam, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam) expressed their appreciation for the information shared by ACB through the two publications on the state of biodiversity and the wealth of natural resources in the region. The Centre handed over to the CBD Secretariat and ASEAN Member States copies of the two publications. !

www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Feature

TEEN ECO-HERO: CHAMPIONING BIODIVERSITY AT 14 !

BY LESLIE ANN JOSE-CASTILLO

ike many teens her age, 14-year-old Adeline Tiffanie Suwana used to love hearing news of flooding in her native country, Indonesia. For most kids, a flood means they can skip classes and play in flood waters with their friends. But when flood ravaged Adeline’s home, things changed.

“At first, flood waters reached only our front fence. Succeeding floods reached our house and occupied almost a quarter of our home’s first floor, causing difficulties for me and my family. We had to move our refrigerator, tables and other equipment and furniture to the second floor. Eventually, we had to move out of our house because there was no electricity and clean water,” Adeline recounts. The experience moved her to question why catastrophes happen. After surfing the Internet, she learned about the relationship between global warming and floods – as the world is heating up, the sea level is rising. In her research, Adeline found that Southeast Asia already is experiencing the impacts of climate change. It was devastated by a spate of typhoons, floods, cyclones, heat waves, drought, and other calamities brought about by

fied as one of the most vulnerable countries. As Adeline found out more about climate change, she started asking herself, “What can I do to help my own community?”

extreme weather conditions in recent years. The Asian Development Bank’s The Economics of Climate Change in Southeast Asia: A Regional Review confirms this, reporting

that the sea level is rising one to three millimeters annually, and average temperature rose 0.1 to 0.3 degrees Celsius between 1951 and 2000. In the report, Indonesia was identi-

Founding Sahabat Alam Curiosity and the passion to help led the then 12year-old Adeline to continue researching about ways she can support her community. After learning about the importance of mangroves in preventing floods and other natural disasters, she invited 150 friends and classmates to plant 200 mangrove saplings at Wisata Angke Kapuk during a long school holiday. She briefed her fellow teenagers about the key role that mangroves play in providing significant flood protection in low coastal areas. With massive root systems, mangrove forests serve as buffer zones. These ecosystems regulate the impact

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of strong storm surges to coastal communities by absorbing the energy of strong waves and wind. Mangroves also serve as carbon sinks that mitigate pollution. The roots also attract marine species that may be harvested, sold or consumed by local inhabitants. Adeline learned that mangrove forests are one of the world’s most threatened tropical ecosystems. Despite the direct and indirect provisioning and regulating services from mangrove ecosystems, their degradation and conversion to less ecologically sound uses continue on a widespread scale. There is an urgent need to take action that will better protect mangrove ecosystems. Taking action is exactly what Adeline and her friends are doing. Apart from planting mangroves, Adeline and her group visited Suaka Margasatwa Muara Angke, a conservation area located in North Jakarta. There, they saw important species such as the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis), gold-ringed cat snake (Boiga dendrophilia) and water monitor. They also learned about 91 species of birds found in Suaka Margasatwa. For them, it was a fun activity that turned into a memorable

learning experience. That day, July 6, 2008, Adeline formed Sahabat Alam or Friends of Nature with her 150 friends and classmates as initial members. Today, Sahabat Alam is a well-known environmental education program with almost 2,000 members – an extraordinary feat for a young organization. Adeline uses the program as a tool to generate awareness of biodiversity conservation through school seminars, events, talk shows, films and various activities to encourage young people to do something for the environment. “Indonesia is a mega-diverse country. We are rich in mammals, reptiles, birds and plants, but people do not know what biodiversity or Keanekaragaman hayati is. We don’t have any classes or school activities about the environment or biodiversity. Most of my friends and teachers have not heard the word biodiversity. This is how my interest in biodiversity conservation began,” Adeline shares.

Conservation activities Apart from planting mangroves, Adeline and Sahabat Alam conduct other activities that provide young people

Cover photo of the book “Our Earth” featuring Adeline

the opportunity to experience conservation first-hand. In October 2008, the group visited a conservation area for hawksbill turtles (known as penyu sisik in Indonesia) in Balai Taman Nasional Kepalauan Seribu. They helped free the turtles into their natural habitat. “In the conservation area, turtle eggs are incubated. After reaching 36 months, the turtles are released into the ocean. By freeing the turtles, we hope that their population will increase,” Adeline said. Apart from freeing penyu sisik, Adeline also reminds members of Sahabat Alam not to pollute the ocean as the dirty environment will affect the turtles and many other species. In celebrating World Environment Day on June 5, 2009 and the World Sea Day on June 8, 2009, Sahabat Alam joined other organizations such as Yayasan KEHATI, Yayasan Terumbu Karang Indonesia, Teens Go Green, Ciliwung Merdeka, Joint Society for Nature and other groups for an environmental activity at the Ciliwung River in Bogor. Apart from gathering river trash, the groups held a river expedition and a story-telling session about the importance of maintaining

Adeline with UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner

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the river’s cleanliness. They also launched a “no styrofoam” campaign that aims to reduce trash being thrown into seas and rivers. Related to this project is a coral reef conservation initiative at the Indonesian Thousand Islands of Pulau Pramuka. Adeline brought together children to educate them about the importance of conserving marine biodiversity. Members of Sahabat Alam were involved in planting coral reefs to provide homes to many species of fish and to encourage ecotourism. To curb pollution, Adeline also advocates the increased use of bicycles among her friends. Leading by example, Sahabat Alam members join Indonesia’s quarterly Hari Bebas Kendaraan Bermotor or Car Free Day. “By riding bicycles instead of cars, we help decrease the percentage of pollutants released into the environment. When you bring down pollution, you help curb climate change. Riding a bicycle also promotes health and well-being,” the young conservation advocate explains. Sahabat Alam also bridges the information gap between experts and young people. Regular teach-and-learn activities are conducted to advo-

A clean-up activity initiated by Sahabat Alam www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Adeline and other Indonesian youth with Mr. Al Gore at the Climate Project Asia Pacific Summit dinner reception

cate conservation to primary, secondary and university students. During the International Day for Biodiversity in 2009, Sahabat Alam gathered over 350 students and introduced them to biodiversity and invasive alien species. The group invited experts such as Ms. Rina Kusuma of Yayasan KEHATI and Dr. Rajimun Mushlihudin of Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment as resource persons. An ecotour and a film showing were also part of the activity. Adeline and her friends also operate the Electric Generator Water Reel project where they connect remote villages to an electric grid, providing potential economic growth to villagers and improving health and education facilities. They utilize clean renewable energy to provide electricity to villages.

Recognition Adeline’s many contributions to environmental conservation have not gone unnoticed. Her long list of awards include the 2009 Youth Biodiversity Award from Yayasan KEHATI, the 2009 International Young Eco Hero from the United States’ Action for Nature, the Indonesian Ecology 2009 “Realize Our Ecology and Make it as Our Lifestyle” from the Agriculture

Institute of Bogor, and the 2010 Energy Globe Award’s World Award for Sustainability. She was also nominated in the Youth Category of the ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity. These are in addition to her awards from joining essay writing, art and mathematics competitions. All of her winnings are donated to Sahabat Alam. Adeline represented Indonesia in the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) 2009 Tunza International Children’s Conference in Korea, the Brazilian Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environment’s 2010 Children and Youth International Conference “Let’s Take Care of the Environment,” the United States’ Teen Climate Leaders Trained by Al Gore, and Indonesia’s 24th Caretaker of the Environment International. She was also a delegate at the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010 and the Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico in December 2010.

Young people can be eco-heroes too For Adeline, being young is not a hindrance to saving biodiversity.

Freeing penyu sisik

“At first, I thought, I’m only a young student. What can I possibly do to help? Then I realized that I can help bring together young people and adults through various environmental actions. Initially, I invited only my friends to join the movement. By word of mouth, more young people heard about Sahabat Alam and started joining our activities. Now, we even have university students in our group,” Adeline shares. The group targets to reach 10,000 schools and 300 universities throughout Indonesia, as well as those in other ASEAN countries and eventually the rest of the world. “I want to encourage other youth leaders worldwide to initiate similar environmental actions,” Adeline says. Asked whether her many environmental projects get in the way of her regular youth activities like hanging out in shopping malls, Adeline says, “By having many environment activities with children, I have the opportunity to hang out with them. I am happy and excited that I am able to involve them in worthy activities. Young people should not always be in shopping malls or play computer games. They should

also allocate time for other activities.”

Supporting a young environmentalist Adeline credits her success to the firm support that she receives from her parents, siblings, relatives, schoolmates, teachers and community. “My parents always advise me and my sisters to do what we really want to do. They support my ideas and actions. They give suggestions for my environmental advocacy and support me financially. My friends support me by bringing their friends to take part in our many activities,” she shares. Her elder sister Aldilla Stephanie, 19, supports Adeline by hosting Sahabat Alam’s seminars. Stephanie is also supporting her younger sister in the event “Preserving National Flora and Fauna” which involves over 1,500 participants from 25 schools. Averina Geffanie, Adeline’s 10-year-old sister, has also started joining Sahabat Alam’s projects. Today, whenever there is news of flooding, Adeline is reminded of her advocacy to do something to save the environment. “I believe that the young generation can be environmental heroes in their own communities,” she said. !

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Feature

A tribal athlete takes aim at the target board

FIRST ASEAN TRIBAL OLYMPICS !

BY SAHLEE BUGNA-BARRER

eta, Mangyan and Dumagat athletes from the Philippines dominated the first ASEAN Tribal Olympics held from September 14 to 16, 2010 in the mountains of Nanuk Ragang, Ranao, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia with three golds, a silver, and four bronzes. The games were organized by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Philippine Soft Tennis Association, Southeast Asian Soft Tennis Federation, Sabah Soft Tennis Association of Malaysia and Partners for Community Organizations (PACOS) with the support of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB). 34

! SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

www.aseanbiodiversity.org

The First ASEAN Tribal Olympics is an offshoot of the first “POC-ACB MangyanAeta-Dumagat (MAD) Tribal Games: Protecting Our Natural Heritage,” held in 2009. The games were initiated by the Philippine Olympic Committee in partnership with ACB to showcase how indigenous peoples (IPs) conserve their natural environments and generate a greater awareness for biodiversity conservation among the people of the ASEAN region. From the Philippines, the Games were brought to Malaysia to highlight the significance of traditional knowledge in the protection and conservation of the ASEAN’s natural heritage. The ASEAN Tribal Games were held in conjunction with the Nunuk Ragang World Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration in Kota Kinabalu. The Philippine delegation was led by Col. Jeff Tamayo of the POC, and was composed of POC members, tribal athletes and coaches, local government

support, and staff from the ACB. They were warmly welcomed by members of PACOS, a community-based voluntary organization registered under the Trustees Ordinance Chapter 148 in Sabah to help raise the quality of life of the indigenous communities in Malaysia. PACOS is also connected with indigenous groups in Indonesia and Thailand. The Filipino athletes were composed of Jerry Manalo, Arnulfo Bernardo, Reynaldo Panagsagan, Ryan Pacifico (Mangyan); June Ablong, Manalo Ablong, Dumlao Naval, Jimmy Ablong (Aeta); and Marlon Luna and Ricardo Turgo (Dumagat). The Mangyans, Aetas and Dumagats competed against the Kadazandusun and Murut tribes of Malaysia and other indigenous people from Indonesia. The two-day competition featured the following events: Tribal Archery, Tree Top Archery and Spear Throwing using the javelin, Blowpipe, and an Assault (obstacle) Course.

The tribal games fostered camaraderie among participating tribes.

A number of Filipino indigenous groups still keep their traditional sports alive, either through actual hunting practices, by teaching them to the next generation, or exhibit them during special events. Many of their Malaysian counterparts however, are no longer familiar with spears or bows and arrows, although some showed great proficiency with the blowpipe. The Malaysian and Indonesian groups showed great interest in the games and hoped to revive their own traditional sports activities. On the day of the competition, the athletes donned their traditional clothes and prepared themselves for a competitive, but fun, day of sports. Families and children of the local athletes converged and enjoyed watching their fathers and brothers in action. The Filipino athletes dominated the events but also enjoyed the opportunity to introduce the various indigenous sports to fellow IPs in ASEAN. More than a competition, the ASEAN Tribal

Games was a chance to enjoy the camaraderie of being with fellow IPs, share experiences, celebrate traditional knowledge and practices, and revel in the dignity of indigenous life. Tired but proud, the bemedalled Philippine team left Nanuk Ragang with the knowledge that they had successfully ignited interest in reviving traditional sports among indigenous communities from Malaysia and Indonesia. They hope that this interest would spread among other IPs in ASEAN and create a stronger community of indigenous groups in the region. The Philippines will host the 2012 edition where the POC hopes to attract 80 different tribes in the ASEAN region. These Tribal Olympics will also serve as preparatory games to the international level competitions scheduled in 2015. ! Sahlee Bugna-Barrer is publications officer at the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.

Organizers and participants of the tribal olympics

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Feature

MARINE PROTECTED AREA SUPPORT NETWORK IN THE PHILIPPINES !

By DR. ANTONIO C. MANILA and LYNETTE LAROYA

he Philippines is an archipelagic country located entirely in the tropics in the Western Pacific Ocean. It is composed of more than 7,100 islands with an estimated land area of about 300,000 km² or 30 million hectares. It has a coastline of about 33,900 km with an extensive marine area that includes coral reef systems that cover about 27,000 km². More than 80 per cent of the country’s population resides within 50 kilometers from the coastline and about 70 per cent of the 1,525 municipalities in the Philippines, including ten of the country’s largest cities, are located along the coast (EMB, 1992). The country’s coastal and marine waters are endowed with a wide array of coastal and marine resources including ecologically important habitats such as coral reefs, mangroves and sea grass beds. It lies totally within the Coral Triangle, which is recognized as having the highest coral diversity in the world. The Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor, located within the SuluSulawesi Marine Eco-region (SSME) and inside the Philippine territory, has been identified by scientists as the “Center of the Center of Marine Shorefish Diversity in the World”. These habitats are also the source of food and employment for a majority of the populace, primarily through fisheries and tourism/eco-tour36

ism. These coastal and marine areas support fisheries, which is the source of livelihood and about half of the dietary protein requirement of the Filipino people. More than 80 per cent of animal protein consumed by the rural coastal communities of the country is derived from municipal waters fisheries.

Threats to coastal and marine environments A large portion of the country’s coastal and marine environments, including coral reefs, has unfortunately been subjected to tremendous damage, such as serious habitat/ecosystem degradation due to efforts toward economic growth. Among these are sedimentation and siltation from coastal development

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activities, domestic and industrial wastes, unsustainable resource use practices, such as overexploitation, population pressure, poverty, destructive fishing methods, over fishing (Gomez et al. 1994), and other detrimental factors. The country’s remaining mangrove forest area is less than 24 per cent, and between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of seagrass beds are already lost (Fortes, 1994). Only about 4 per cent of the country’s coral cover is in excellent status, making the Philippines the “hottest of the marine biodiversity hotspots in the world” (Roberts et al. 2002).

Nature conservation in the Philippines The conservation of ma-

MPAs in the Philippines www.aseanbiodiversity.org

rine ecosystems and the concept of establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) were first officially discussed during the First World Conference on National Parks held in Seattle, USA in 1962. In truth, the Philippines is quite advanced in this endeavor with the establishment of the first MPA in 1940, the Hundred Islands National Park. This was later followed by MPA designations both at the local and national government levels. To date, there are approximately more than 500 existing MPAs of varying sizes in the country (UPMSI database, 2007), including coastal parks, which include a marine ecosystem component. The conservation of the coastal and marine resources in the country is being supported by various legislations, including the following: • Republic Act 7586, National Integrated Protected Areas System Act (NIPAS Act, June 1992). This law provides a country-wide perspective for marine biodiversity conservation and poverty. It is the controlling law with respect to enacted national parks and reserves to protect areas with natural and unique biological or physical diversities of the environment, nota-

bly those with rare and astonishing biological features to sustain human life and development, as well as animal and plant life. Generally, it seeks to ensure that the use and enjoyment of such protected areas are consistent with the principles of biological diversity and sustainable development. To date, 30 areas have been proclaimed under the NIPAS Act, with coastal and marine components. These MPAs are under the national control and supervision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and are being managed through their respective

Protected Area Management Boards (PAMBs). The Management Board is a multi-sectoral body composed of representatives from various stakeholders of the MPA. • Republic Act 7160, Local Government Code (LGC, June 1991). The Local Government Code devolves basic powers to municipalities, cities and provinces on coastal resource management, particularly within the 15-kilometer municipal waters. These powers include enactment of local ordinances and law enforcement strategies, imposition of license fees, charges and rentals, closed seasons, and the designation of fish

reserves, refuges and sanctuaries. • Republic Act No. 8550, Philippine Fisheries Code, 1998. The Fisheries Code comprises the country’s primary legislation for fisheries and aquatic resources. It allocates the jurisdictional responsibilities over fisheries between the national government and the cities and municipalities, through the legal concept of municipal waters extending from the shoreline up to a maximum of 15 kilometers away. It mandates the setting aside of 15 per cent of municipal waters for fish sanctuaries and allows 25 to 40 percent of fishing grounds beyond municipal waters for fish sanctuaries or mangrove reserves. • Presidential Proclamation No. 1028 (20 June 1997). This law declared the entire Sulu and Celebes Seas as an integrated conservation and development zone and also created the Presidential Commission for the Integrated Conservation and Development of the Sulu and Celebes Seas (PCICDSCS). The Commission is com-

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the enclosed area. PhilMarSast targets 10 per cent of marine waters to be fully protected by 2020 in an MPA network. Under the NIPAS Act of 1992, 30 areas with marine components have been proclaimed covering an area of about 15,000 km². Among these areas is the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and World Heritage Site in the Central Sulu Sea, covering 332 km² coral atoll in a no-take status that is well protected. Currently, there are more than 500 locally managed marine protected areas established nationwide, with various objectives and sizes.

posed of representatives from various national government agencies and civil society. The Commission approved the Integrated Conservation and Development Plan (ICDP) and adopted the Conservation Plan for the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Eco-region (SSME). The Commission oversees the compliance of the Philippines to the SSM Eco-region Conservation Plan through its Technical Working Group. • Executive Order No 533 (June 2006). This Executive Order was issued by adopting the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) Policy as the national management policy framework to promote the sustainable development of the country’s coastal and marine environment and resources in order to achieve food security, sustainable livelihood, poverty alleviation and reduction of vulnerability to natural hazards, while preserving ecological integrity. 38

• Executive Order No. 578 (November 2006). This Executive Order established the national policy on biological diversity, prescribing its implementation throughout the country particularly in the Sulu Sulawesi Marine Ecosystem and the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor. This Order likewise instructed the PCICDSCS to: review and update the Philippine Ecoregion Conservation Plan; create and organize a Task Force on Verde Island Passage to ensure sustainable use of its resources; and identify other marine biodiversity corridors within the SSME that require urgent attention and formulate appropriate conservation and management strategies.

Philippine marine protected areas The establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is the most accepted intervention in coastal and marine areas aimed at habitat reha-

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bilitation. This intervention provides a venue where the community is involved in a participatory manner and the responsibility of local governance in marine resources management is recognized. In the Philippines, there are a variety of terms used specifically referring to a marine protected area, such as Marine Reserve, Marine Sanctuary, Fish Sanctuary, and Protected Seascape, among others. However, these MPAs, when properly managed, serve the same purpose of rehabilitating degraded habitats and eventually increasing fishery yields. A Marine Protected Area, as defined during the Third National Workshop on the Philippine Marine Sanctuary Strategy (PhilMarSast) in 2002, refers to “an area of the sea established and set aside by law, administrative, regulation or any other effective means, in order to conserve and protect a part of or the entire enclosed environment, through the establishment of management guidelines”. It is a generic term that includes all declared areas governed by specific rules and guidelines in order to protect and manage activities within

The Marine Protected Area Support Network The need for collaborative efforts among various MPA practitioners and supporters nationwide to help improve MPA effectiveness led to the establishment of the MPA Support Network (MSN). It is a multi-sectoral alliance of government and non-government organizations that aims to support MPA initiatives through complementary collaborative efforts at the local, regional and national level. MSN aims to build on the Philippine Marine Sanctuary Strategy (PhilMarSaSt) and Philippine Coral Reef Information Network (PhilReefs) to contribute to the improvement of MPA management effectiveness and to achieve at least 10 per cent full protection of coastal areas by the year 2020. MSN aims to: develop an action agenda that supports local and regional adaptive management raining through its monitoring, evaluation, response and feedback system; facilitate the establishment of an incentive system for good MPA governance and performance through annual recognition awards; assist in financial leveraging; and advowww.aseanbiodiversity.org

cate for better enabling environments through policy and legislative reforms. Part of MSN support is to provide an incentive system for the best-managed MPA through annual recognition awards and to document protocols of best practices in the country. In 2007, MSN conducted an adaptive management training, local forum and MPA Congress as well as recognition of outstanding MPAs in the country. There were nine semifinalists and the top three were given, among others, cash prizes.

The Sulu- Sulawesi Marine Eco-region (SSME) The Sulu-Sulawesi is a transborder marine eco-region in the epicenter of global marine biodiversity. This region is being gravely threatened by prevailing modes of unsustainable resource uses. The current conservation approaches and initiatives are insufficient

to address threats that operate over a large scale. Thus, innovations in conservation must be adopted to abate threats and maintain and/or restore biodiversity in an eco-regional scale. Some 45 million people live within the eco-region, who derive most of their protein and income from the resources around them. Moved by the common vision of the SSME and the commitment to make eco-region conservation work, the stakeholders of Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines have employed innovative mechanisms to overcome the constraints of working together under highly dynamic political and sensitive cultural environments. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2004 between the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines on the adoption of the Conservation Plan for the SSME

indicates the sincerity of these countries to act jointly and to talk in terms of managing shared resources instead of their overlapping boundaries. The signing of the MOU also led the way for the establishment of the Tri-National Committee, a mechanism that oversees the implementation of the Eco-region Conservation Plan (ECP). Consequently, the Tri-National Committee has formed the Sub-Committees on Endangered, Charismatic and Migratory Species; Sustainable Fisheries, Aquaculture and Livelihood Systems; and Marine Protected Areas and Networks to facilitate the implementation of the ECP.

Future perspectives The Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; future directions on coastal and marine resources management are embodied on the five-point agenda of the MSN: strengthening coastal law enforcement and compliance mechanisms

within the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) approach; sustaining MPA management through enhanced coordination of MPA network synergies and highlight working MPA network models; institutionalizing MPA incentives for good performance and increased adaptive management; improving cost effectiveness and equitable allocation of costs and benefits including governance, performance and impact evaluation; and developing public-private partnerships and linkages of actions at various management scales. ! Dr. Antonio C. Manila is the Regional Technical Director for Forest Management Services of the Department of Environment and Natural Services, while Ms. Lynette T. Laroya is Chief of Resources Protection and Habitat Management Section, Biodiversity Management Division of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau.

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

and recommendations on issues such as community conserved areas, ecotourism, and invasive alien species.

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

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

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

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

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Feature

Thai authorities conduct a raid at the JJ Market in Bangkok, Thailand.

Photos courtesy of FREELAND Foundation

ASEAN-WEN: A SHIELD OVER SOUTHEAST ASIA’S BIODIVERSITY !

By STEVEN R. GALSTER AND BRIAN V. GONZALES

ommercial hunting driven by consumer demand in cities will probably drive many wildlife species to extinction in the near future unless effective measures are implemented soon, including law enforcement, community participation, provision of alternative protein, and the establishment of simple and practical wildlife monitoring systems. This was the warning made by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010. 40

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www.aseanbiodiversity.org

In June 2010, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime report, The Globalization of Crime: A Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment, declared that the illegal exploitation of natural resources and the trafficking in wildlife from Africa and Southeast Asia are disrupting fragile eco-systems and driving species to extinction. The UN Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 Report launched on May 10, 2010, stated that among the five principal pressures directly driving biodiversity loss is overexploitation which is either constant or increasing in intensity. As a direct response to this major environmental concern, the young ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN), in collaboration with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and other partners, has made incredible strides in building a protective shield over the region’s wild fauna and flora through new task forces, training programs, and most of all, “action”.

ASEAN-WEN was launched in December 2005 to stem the enormous flow of illegal wildlife trade out of and through Southeast Asia. Ten member countries vowed to create national wildlife crime task forces and a regional secretariat, and to train as many front line staff as they could. Some thought such goals were unrealistic and nothing but big talk. With support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), FREELAND Foundation – lead agency implementing the ASEAN-WEN Support Program – teamed up with each member country to achieve and exceed these goals.

Enforcement actions In only five years, seven national task forces were created, over 2,000 officers trained, and over 350 metric tons of wildlife worth $55 million seized. Over 500 traffickers were arrested, with 100 of them being prosecuted. ASEAN-WEN has its own

National enforcement ranger training co-organized by the FREELAND Foundation, ASEAN-WEN and ACB in Indonesia.

permanent Secretariat based in Bangkok, with full time staff manning the desks and facilitating events. ASEAN agencies teamed up with the United States Government and INTERPOL to investigate major organized wildlife crime groups, resulting in several international cases. For the first time ever through the efforts of ASEAN-WEN Support Program, the first dedicated INTERPOL Wildlife Crime Analyst for Southeast Asia was installed at the international police group’s regional Asia office in Bangkok. This analyst facilitates intelligence packaging and exchange of information on wildlife crime in the Asia region. A formalized partnership is forthcoming to involve ASEAN’s very own police network, the ASEANAPOL.

High-level support Many international leaders have signified their support and recognition to ASEANWEN. Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, affirmed in a recent statement to build upon the success of the ASEAN-WEN and reach out to all of Asia to develop a region-wide effort to protect endangered species for future generations. He emphasized that ASEANWEN represents the necessary approach to arresting wildlife depletion and the need to start exploring how to take the network to a new

level. In February 2010 during the 1st Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation in Hua Hin, Thailand, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced his government’s continuing support to Thailand’s commitments to ASEAN-WEN and its inclusion to Thailand’s priority areas to the Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) process. On the occasion of the World Environment Day in June 2010, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton highlighted the United States’ support to ASEAN-WEN and how other regions are developing their own regional response modeled after ASEAN-WEN. At the First International Tiger Forum in St. Petersburg in November 2010, World Bank President Robert Zoellick confirmed the organization’s efforts to support the network in combating wildlife crime.

“WEN-WEN solution” The “WEN” model is encouraging other regions around the world to take up similar action. In May 2010, South Asian countries agreed to replicate the ASEAN-WEN, aptly called South Asia-WEN (SAWEN), which will enhance inter-regional enforcement cooperation through establishment of parallel focal points. At the ASEAN-WEN’s 5th Annual Meeting held in Myanmar in May 2010, China outlined a list of action points to further cooperate with ASEAN-WEN and step up exchanges of information on wildlife crime and coordinate cross-border investigations. China presented the newly established Inter-agency CITES Enforcement Task Force (ICETF). Comprising of CITES, Customs and Forest Police and openly modeled on

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the ASEAN-WEN Task Force approach, ICETF will coordinate with ASEAN-WEN task forces. In April 2010, the US Department of Interior with CITES Secretariat and INTERPOL held a Central American Wildlife Enforcement Network (CA-WEN) establishment workshop in El Salvador, which explored the need and potential development of a WEN within the region.

Media and public outreach Recognizing that enforcement alone will not solve the problem, ASEAN-WEN launched public awareness campaigns in four regional airports and many border areas, reaching four million people a month, and rising. Media coverage of wildlife crime has increased dramatically, with nearly 700 stories recorded in 2010. Stronger ties are being made with China and the United States on enforcement cooperation and public awareness, including new border banners between Vietnam and southern China, warning travelers not to smuggle wildlife. With seven national task forces established in the ASEAN region, ASEANWEN, among its many

upcoming engagements, is exploring formalized working relationships with South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SA-WEN), ASEANAPOL, China’s newly established Inter-agency CITES Enforcement Task Force (ICETF), Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion (SSME), Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) and Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF). Deeper collaborative work will continue with existing partners such as the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, CITES Secretariat, World Customs Organization, UN Office on Drugs and Crimes, INTERPOL and UNEP. While ASEAN-WEN is young and much more needs to be done, it is safe to say that wildlife traffickers are finding it harder to steal ASEAN’s rich biodiversity. Let us make ASEAN-WEN strong and sustainable by supporting your national ASEAN-WEN Task Force (www.asean-wen.org). ! ! Steven Galster is director of FREELAND Foundation and chief-of-party of the ASEANWEN Support Program. Brian Gonzales is regional program liaison officer of the ASEANWEN PCU.

Airport authority staff supports the “Wildlife Trafficking Stops Here” campaign at Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

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news Campaign vs wildlife trafficking launched in Manila

anners and streamers printed with “Wildlife Trafficking Stops Here” were unfolded on December 14, 2010 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila to signal the start of a more aggressive campaign against illegal wildlife trafficking. The banners and streamers, with eyecatching photos of endangered wildlife, will inform travelers about the illegality of exploiting and transporting species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The campaign also urges travelers not to buy endangered species and to report wildlife crime to authorities. Illegal wildlife is a profitable but environmentally destructive crime that threatens species to extinction. Aside from the risks illegally traded wildlife pose to human health and safety, many trafficked animals do not survive the journey. The campaign is a joint undertaking of the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Manila International Airports Authority (MIAA), and the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEANWEN). Under the ASEAN-WEN Support Program, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of State provide financial and technical assistance to the ASEAN-WEN’s efforts to stop wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia, with the Bangkok-based FREELAND Foundation as the lead implementing partner. The launching event included a seminar for airport personnel to enhance their knowledge on wildlife collection, transportation and trade requirements, and to train them to better detect and prevent wildlife trafficking. The campaign is part of a regional effort to combat wildlife trafficking through Southeast Asia’s airports that started at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhunmi International Airport in March 2009, and has since expanded to airports in Laos and Viet Nam. The Philippines is the latest country to join this effort to stamp out trafficking of endangered animals and plants through airports. “Thousands of wild animals and plants flow through hotspots, such as airports, everyday. From January until September 2010, about 95 arrests had been made, 13,000 live animals rescued, and over 63,000 animal parts and derivatives recovered in the region, amounting to more than $10 million. We need partnerships – between government agencies and between governments and the private sector – to confront this menace effectively. We are pleased to be a partner with the Government of the Philippines, as well as with the local and international non-government organizations in launching the ‘Wildlife Trafficking Stops Here’

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A united front against wildlife trafficking in the Philippines.

campaign at NAIA,” Mr. Manop Lauprasert, senior officer of the ASEAN-WEN Program Coordination Unit, said. In his message read by Director Mundita Lim of the DENR’s Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje reported that an estimated 1,887 live animals—parrots, mynah birds, doves, turtles, geckos, leopard cats, bear cats, otters and snakes—had been rescued from January to September 2010. Authorities had also intercepted more than Php7.2 million worth of illegally obtained timber and an estimated $2 million worth of African elephant tusks. Calling for a firm resolve and conviction in combating illegal wildlife trade, Secretary Paje said, “Future generations will never forgive us if we allow our precious wildlife heritage to be irreparably damaged or disappear altogether. We must join hands in fighting all the challenges that threaten our wildlife conservation efforts.” Steven Galster, director of Freeland Foundation and chief-ofparty of the ASEAN-WEN Support Program, said the region’s wildlife protection and conservation efforts have been paying off, with 500 wildlife traffickers arrested and 100 charged and prosecuted since the campaign began. The campaign targets the illicit trade on endangered and threatened species and strongly discourages trade of any wild animal sold as pets. Ambassador Wilfrido Villacorta, the Philippines’ permanent representative to the ASEAN, said Southeast Asia and the Philippines stood much to lose if wildlife trafficking went unabated. “The ASEAN region comprises only three percent of the Earth, but contains over 18 percent of all known plants, animals and marine species, many of which are endemic, or not to be found elsewhere. The Philippines, for its small size, has the fifth highest number of endemic birds and mammals in the world. Wildlife trafficking should indeed be a major concern of ASEAN and the Philippines as well,” Ambassador Villacorta said.

Other dignitaries present during the event were Indhira Banares, Director for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Division of the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs; Retired Major General Jose Angel Honrado, General Manager of MIAA; Rolf Anderson of USAID Manila; Dr. Sheila Vergara, Director for Biodiversity Information Management of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity; Laureano Lingan Jr. and Reynaldo Villafuerte, Regional Executive Director and Regional Technical Director of the DENR-National Capital Region, respectively; and officials of Haribon Foundation, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, and the cities of Pasay and Paranaque. ASEAN-WEN PCU and ACB

Elite ranger force trained to protect Indonesia’s forests

espite the designation of protected areas, Indonesia’s forests remain under constant threat from poaching and illegal logging to supply international demand for timber and wildlife. To strengthen the capacity of law enforcement officers to stop poaching, illegal logging and illegal wildlife trade, the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN), the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and FREELAND Foundation are assisting Indonesia’s Directorate of Investigation and Forest Protection to train officers from protected areas across Indonesia. A two-week counter poaching and illegal logging operations training course for 25 commanders and senior officers representing six SPORC (Satuan Polisi Hutan Reaksi Cepat - Rapid Reaction Forest Police Unit) brigades from Sumatra and Java and five officers of POLHUT (Polisi Hutan - Forest Police) was conducted on September 17 - 30, 2010 at Taman Nasional Gunung Gede Pangrango, Jawa Barat, Java. Graduates were

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equipped with the skills necessary to pro-actively patrol, seek out and stop poaching and illegal logging in protected areas crimes that threaten the integrity, biodiversity and resilience of Indonesia’s natural ecosystems. Conducted by experienced instructors from the enforcement training and conservation group FREELAND Foundation, the intensive two-week course covered remote first aid, navigation, enforcement, weapons handling, patrolling operations, takedowns and arrests. This was a pilot course based on standardized ASEAN-WEN training being delivered across the ASEAN region, utilizing ACB Competency Standards for Protected Area Law Enforcement Jobs. Participating SPORC commanders helped test and tweak the training with the Indonesian National Police and FREELAND instructors to develop a training program that can be delivered to more of the 850 SPORC and 7,200 POL HUT officers responsible for securing protected areas throughout Indonesia. Pilot trainings like this and complimentary training management packages provided by ASEAN-WEN are helping national authorities institutionalize best-practice forest protection capacity building for ongoing, nation-wide improvement of protected area security. In Indonesia, the Directorate of Investigation and Forest Protection, Indonesian National Police, and the United States Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) are strongly supporting efforts to institutionalize best practice law enforcement training. At the opening of the course, FREELAND Director of Field Operations Mark Bowman, said, “We must not forget about enforcement at the source locations in protected areas. Capacity has to be enhanced here, this is our first line of defense; our second line of defense is building the capacity of police investigators in urban areas to stop the crime there. Once the logs are cut and the animals stolen from the forest, the damage has been done, the crime committed - in most cases it is irrevocable. This is potentially worth billions of dollars in lost revenue, not to mention loss of environmental services, for the country and

region, and a threat to regional security and stability.” “The ASEAN-WEN has reported that the scale of illegal wildlife trade in Southeast Asia is alarming. Due to the nature of illicit trade, it is difficult to obtain exact figures but some experts estimate the value of illegal wildlife trade at 10 to 30 billion U.S. dollars annually. Almost all wild species including illegally cut timber, birds, reptiles, and mammals are traded in the region,” Mr. Bowman said. “Illegal wildlife trade is an alarming problem. The ASEAN region is a known hotspot for illegal wildlife trade and without proper law enforcement we stand to lose so much of our natural resources. It is crucial for forest rangers to learn how to patrol confidently and safely in a tropical forest environment. A huge and great responsibility rests on their shoulders. This is precisely why the ACB worked with Freeland on this training course. We want to equip forest rangers with much-needed skills that they can use in their line of work,” Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, ACB executive director, said. Manop Lauprasert, Senior Officer of the ASEAN-WEN Program Coordination Unit, added, “Protecting large areas of forest from poaching and illegal logging can be difficult. No country has unlimited resources or manpower to dedicate to forest protection. However, with the right training and equipment, rangers are able to patrol far more safely and effectively to better protect Southeast Asia’s remaining forests.” In its gap analysis, the ACB found that ASEAN Member States’ effort to fight illegal wildlife trade is constrained by inadequate training, equipment and infrastructure support, as well as information and science-based technology. Targeted investment in these areas is necessary to secure protected areas and give overexploited ecosystems a chance to rebound. The counter poaching and illegal logging operations training was jointly organized by the ASEAN-WEN, ACB, and FREELAND Foundation, with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development and ACB, as well as funding and in-kind support from Indonesia’s Directorate of Investigation and Forest Protection. !

Organizers, trainers and participants of the elite force ranger workshop.

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www.aseanbiodiversity.org

menting an integrated approach to law enforcement and biodiversity conservation. “These activities are set to benefit the millions of people in the ASEAN region who stand to lose so much if illegal wildlife trade continues. They will also assist protected area staff to fulfill their commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Programme of Work for Protected Areas,” Ms. Arida said. !

Mr. Steve Galster, chief of party of the ASEAN-WEN Support Program and director of the FREELAND Foundation, and Ms. Clarissa Arida, program development and implementation director of ACB, sign the LOC between ACB and FREELAND.

ACB and FREELAND Foundation unite for wildlife enforcement

ildlife enforcement in the ASEAN region is expected to further improve with the signing of an agreement between the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and FREELAND Foundation in the area of capacity development. “FREELAND and ACB will participate in joint or complementary law enforcement capacity building for terrestrial and marine protected areas. We will continue our capacity building efforts which started in 2009 with FREELAND and ASEAN-WEN, particularly the Enforcement Ranger Training Course in Thailand and counter poaching and illegal logging operations training for officers in Indonesia,” Ms. Clarissa C. Arida, ACB director for program development and implementation, said. Representing ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes, Ms. Arida signed the Letter of Cooperation (LOC) with Mr. Steve Galster, Chief of Party of the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) Support Program and Director of the Bangkok-based FREELAND Foundation. FREELAND Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the illegal wildlife trade, conserving natural habitats, and protecting human rights. The Foundation works throughout Asia to raise conservation awareness and build regional, national and local capacity to protect wildlife and ecosystems. FREELAND Foundation is lead in the Support Program of the ASEAN-WEN. “As we know, enforcing laws is one of the most critical parts of managing protected areas and forests. ACB is a proud partner of FREELAND in equipping the region’s forest workers with the skills necessary to pro-actively patrol, seek out and stop poaching and illegal logging in protected areas,” Ms. Arida said. Information exchange is another area of collaboration. ACB and FREELAND will establish and maintain an information exchange and awareness campaign that will promote their respective mandates and activities. They will also explore opportunities to strengthen regional cooperation in imple-

Asia’s forest managers trained to wrest control from poachers, illegal loggers

esigned to dramatically reduce poaching and illegal logging in Asia’s forest ecosystems, the first ASEAN Regional Protected Area Protection Enforcement Manager (PAPEM) and Strategic & Tactical Operational Patrolling (STOP) Training Course was conducted at the Regional Nature Protection Training Center in Khao Yai National Park on October 4 and 5. The course was designed and conducted by FREELAND Foundation and attended by senior forest officers from across the ASEAN region and Bhutan. The course was initiated by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN), and FREELAND Foundation with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union (EU), and Thailand’s Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). This new course aims to significantly reduce poaching and habitat destruction by preparing senior officials to utilize their ranger force to patrol with stealth, efficiency, professionalism and safety. Previously, only enforcement rangers were trained. During this workshop, their managers joined them in action. The Park Enforcement Managers were trained in patrolling strategies, investigations, intelligence gathering, conducting threat assessments and implementing patrol staff training courses. Participants included many high-ranking officers from the region, such as park superintendents, senior protected area officers, and investigators. Opening the course, Mr. Wattana Vetayaprasit, Director of the CITES Management Authority of Thailand and representing the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) of the Royal Thai Government’s Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment (MoNRE), said, “We are at a critical juncture right now. Our national parks and forests and the unique natural resources and biodiversity they contain are faced with constant external threats such as poaching and illegal logging.” Manop Lauprasert, Senior Officer of the ASEAN-WEN Program Coordination Unit, added, “Protecting large areas of forest from poaching and illegal logging is a big challenge to all ASEAN member countries, and even Bhutan, but there are always opportunities for us to overcome limitations by dedicating more resources to protection and training. With this course, our park managers have become more empowered to conduct stronger protection and enforcement plans, for our remaining forests in the region.”

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“Conservation in Asia has become too much about documents, policies, and meetings,” added FREELAND Director Steven Galster. “Conservation is becoming Conversation. The wildlife traffickers and illegal loggers are not having meetings, they are getting on with their illegal business and doing so

very efficiently. It’s time to stop meeting and start patrolling, investigating and making arrests. The protection of forests requires hands-on-protection, real enforcement -- patrolling the forests against poachers and illegal loggers. That is what this course equips Asian governments to do effectively.” !

Planning exercise for protected areas

Participants during a classroom lecture

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Overview of course equipment

www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Photo by Darryl Leniuk/ Getty Images

The Coral Triangle By SAHLEE BUGNA-BARRER

he Coral Triangle is the global centre of marine biodiversity and is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top priorities for marine conservation. Occupying an area of six million square kilometers, roughly half the size of the United States, it spans Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste. It is called the Coral Triangle since the area is defined by marine zones containing at least 500 species of reef-building coral, which, on a map, looks roughly triangular in shape. The Coral Triangle encompasses portions of two biogeographic regions: the Indonesian-Philippines Region and the Far Southwestern Pacific Region. SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

An area of extremely high biodiversity, the Coral Triangle also has substantial economic value, supporting livelihoods and providing income and food security for 150 million people, particularly the 2.25 million fishers who are directly dependent on the area’s marine resources. Tuna spawning and nursery grounds support a multi-billion dollar tuna industry and supply millions of consumers worldwide. Marine resources also contribute to a growing nature-based tourism industry valued at over US$12 billion annually.

Biodiversity A complex mix of diverse habitats, from river estuaries and mangrove forests, to seagrass beds and coral reef ecosystems, support a tremendous array of marine biodiversity. The waters of the Coral Triangle hold the highest diversity of iridescent corals, fish, crustaceans, mollusks and marine plant species in the world. Corals. Its waters host 76 per cent (605) of the world’s coral species (798), the highest coral diversity in the world. The epicenter of that coral diversity is found in the Bird’s Head Peninsula of Indonesian Papua, which hosts 574 species (95 per cent of the Coral Triangle, and 72 per cent of the world’s total). Within the Bird’s Head Peninsula, the Raja Ampat archipelago is the bull’s eye of

Pygmy seahorse

Photo by Alexander Safonov / Getty

Feather star

the world’s coral diversity with 553 species. The Coral Triangle also has 15 regionally endemic coral species, and shares 41 regional endemic species with Asia. Fish. The Coral Triangle has more coral reef fish diversity than anywhere else in the world: 37 per cent (2,228) of the world’s coral reef fish species (6,000), and 56 per cent of the coral reef fishes in the Indo-Pacific region (4,050). About 8 per cent (235 species) of the coral reef fishes in the Coral Triangle are endemic or locally restricted species. Within the Coral Triangle, four areas have particularly high levels of endemism (Bird’s Head Peninsula, Lesser Sunda Islands, Papua New Guinea-Solomon Islands and the Central Philippines). Commercially vital fish species include yellowfin, skipjack and bigeye tuna. Marine Turtles. The shores of the Coral Triangle provide nesting grounds for six of the world’s seven species of sea turtles, specifically green, hawksbill, olive ridley, leatherback, loggerhead and flatback. They are mostly found in the Northern Bird’s Head Peninsula/Waigeo region, Papua (Indonesia), as well as Lea region (Papua New Guinea), and New Georgia (Solomon Islands). Marine Mammals. The Coral Triangle provides

Photo by Norbert Wu, Science Faction/Getty

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habitats for at least 27 species of marine mammals including dolphin, porpoise, whale and the endangered dugong. Whales that can be found in the area include the blue whale (the largest animal to ever live on Earth), sperm whale (found throughout Coral Triangle waters and the Savu Sea, especially the Solor-Alor region), migrating populations of whale sharks, as well as massive manta rays.

Threats Various threats now undermine the significant biodiversity of the Coral Triangle, placing the livelihoods of millions at risk. Unsustainable fishing, poorly planned development, pollution, a growing population and the effects of climate change are all contributing to the degradation of the Coral Triangle. Illegal fishing practices that use dynamite and cyanide have led to the destruction of coral reefs. A growing population and demand for marine resources such as tuna, shark fin, turtle products and live reef fish have depleted fish stocks and forced endangered fish to the brink of extinction. Deforestation also contributes to coral reef degradation when sediment run-off flows into the coast and smothers corals. Other infrastructure development, such as the construction of roads, airports,

Organ pipe

Photo by Norbert Wu, Science Faction/Getty

www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Moon jellyfish

Photo by David Doubilet, National Geographic/Getty Images

ports, buildings, and tourist resorts also have massive impact on the environment of the Coral Triangle. New threats are apparent with climate change, which has caused massive and more frequent coral bleaching, and has affected the reproductive cycles and migration patterns of fish and other marine mammals. The 1997-1998 El Niño weather event triggered the largest worldwide coral bleaching ever recorded, and damaged or destroyed 18 per cent of the corals of Southeast Asia. Coral bleaching is predicted to become an annual event within 25 to 50 years. With various threats affecting the resources of the Coral Triangle, scientists estimate that more than 85 per cent of reefs in Malaysia and Indonesia are threatened, and that 79 per cent of spawning aggregations (reproductive gatherings) of reef fish have stopped forming or are declining.

Conservation Programs The primary conservation program in the area is the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI). Centered on highlevel political commitments and proactive implementation by governments of the Coral

Triangle area, and supported and carried forward by the private sector, international agency and civil society (NGO) partners, the CTI could provide a major contribution toward safeguarding the region’s marine and coastal biological resources for the sustainable growth and prosperity of current and future generations. The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security was initially proposed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia in August 2007, and subsequently endorsed by the leaders of the other countries of the Coral Triangle area at the APEC Leaders Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development in September 2007. The BruneiIndonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and the ASEAN again formally endorsed the CTI in November 2007. The first formal CTI Senior Officials Meeting was held in Bali, Indonesia on December 6 – 7, 2007, where the leaders agreed on the following: • Common understanding of the value of the CTI’s marine and coastal biological resources • Provisional set of nine Guiding Principles

• Framework for a “CTI Plan of Action” to be developed in 2008 and adopted at the highest political level The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) also supports the conservation of the Coral Triangle through various projects in the SuluSulawesi, Banda Flores Marine, Bismarck Solomon Seas and Fiji Island Marine ecoregions. Conservation and sustainable management of reefs and livelihoods in Bali Barat National Park, as well as work in the regional conservation of leatherback turtles also provide significant contributions to the protection of the Coral Triangle. With these various projects, WWF plans to reach the following targets by 2020: 1. Coral reefs: 50 per cent increase in area of priority coral reef habitats that is protected and sustainably managed with effective financing in place. 2. Species: Zero decline in the populations of three endangered marine turtle species (leatherback, hawksbill, green) from 2008 levels. 3. Transforming business: Halting and reversing the degradation of key marine resources - coral reef habitats, turtles, reef fish, and tuna. SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

Mantis shrimp

Photo by Alexander Safonov / Getty Images

The Nature Conservancy is also working with a range of partners to protect the coastal and marine ecosystems of this vast area by addressing key threats, such as over-fishing, destructive fishing, and mass coral bleaching. To address these threats, the Nature Conservancy established the Coral Triangle Center in Bali, Indonesia in 2008. The Center’s mission is to establish resilient networks of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and aims to fulfill its mission by a three-pronged approach: on-site conservation, technical support (i.e., science, training and communications) and policy. The CTC’s on-site work focuses on three ecoregions in Indonesia (Papua, the Lesser Sundas, the Sulawesi Seas), one ecoregion in Papua New Guinea (the Bismarck Sea), and two ecoregions that cross national boundaries: Northeast Borneo (shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines) and the Solomon Archipelago (shared by Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands). Action sites include Komodo National Park, Wakatobi National Park, 50

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the Raja Ampat Islands, the Derawan Islands, the Penida, Savu Sea Marine National Park, Kimbe Bay at Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. The CTC’s work on these sites encompass a variety of conservation work and support, including the design, development and co-management of MPAs; development of management plans; joint ventures in ecotourism; innovative funding mechanisms; law enforcement, monitoring and surveillance; information and education campaigns on the importance of MPAs; training for park rangers and other personnel; promotion of sustainable resource use and livelihoods for local people; as well as the conduct of marine surveys and other scientific studies. The CTC also has programs that focus on science, training, communications and policy. CTC’s Science Program aims to generate knowledge on marine biodiversity conservation and on sustainable use of marine resources in the Coral Triangle, and to ensure that

this knowledge is applied in on-site MPA management, in awareness and communication, and in policy. The Science Program provides technical advice for on-site programs, provides tailor-made monitoring protocols and content for training programs, and ensures that communications and policy initiatives have access to the latest scientific insights. The goal of CTC’s Training Program is to transfer knowledge and skills on planning and management of MPAs as an effective management tool for biodiversity conservation and for managing sustainable use of marine natural resources. CTC’s Communications Program helps on-site programs by formulating communications strategies, and with producing information materials. It also leads media campaigns and stakeholder workshops, and monitors media reports on marine resource management. CTC also works closely with local and international partners to develop and support marine conservation policies, which requires pro-active engagement with government agencies and multi-lateral organizations. CTC also provides support to the introduction of innovative financing schemes for management of MPAs, and develops mechanisms and policies to involve stakeholders in MPA planning and management. ! ! Sahlee Bugna-Barrer is a publications officer at the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.

References: Coral Triangle Initiative (http://www. cti-secretariat.net/home-mainmenu1#) World Wide Fund for Nature (http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/ wherewework/coraltriangle/) and (http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/ where_we_work/coraltriangle/) The Nature Conservancy (http://www. coraltrianglecenter.org/) www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Heart of Borneo By SAHLEE BUGNA-BARRER

orneo is divided among three countries, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia. The Heart of Borneo, which covers a transboundary forest region of 220,000 square kilometers, refers to Borneoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extensive central highland rainforests. It is inhabited by endangered animals such as orangutans, elephants and rhinoceros.

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Straddling the equator, Borneo is subject to an intense tropical climate. In the lowlands, temperatures range between 25°C and 35°C, while temperatures at higher elevations can get noticeably cooler. Borneo has two monsoon seasons: “dry” (May - October) and “wet” (November - April). The entire island lies within what is called the ‘ever-wet zone’, receiving between 2,000 to 4,000 millimeters of rainfall per year. The Heart of Borneo is mostly inhabited by the Dayak, a term which is generally agreed to mean “interior” or “upriver” person, and refers to the variety of indigenous peoples living in the area, each of which has a specific language and culture. Various surveys already attest to the tremendous biodiversity found in the Heart of Borneo, and yet the island continues to reveal new biodiversity wonders as more species are constantly discovered. Between 1995 and 2010, more than 600 species have been discovered, which means more than three new species are found each month. As the whole area has yet to be fully studied, more species are likely to be discovered, making it more significant in the effort to protect the ecological integrity of the Heart of Borneo.

Biodiversity Habitats The landscape of the Heart of Borneo offers a variety of habitats: mangroves, peat swamps and freshwater swamp forests, lowland dipterocarp forests, ironwood forests, heath forests and montane forests are all part of a complex ecosystem that has evolved over thousands of years. Dipterocarp forests. The dipterocarp forests of the Heart of Borneo are characterized by high plant diversity, with as many as 240 different tree species growing within one hectare. The Dipterocarpaceae (dipterocarps) 52

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and Euphorbiaceae (spurges) are the most dominant tree families. In areas below 150 meters, lowland dipterocarp forests often contain high numbers of trees of the legume family and massive strangler fig plants. Beyond 150 meters, the dipterocarp forests in some parts of Borneo contain a greater diversity of plants than the extreme lowlands, in addition to large timber trees and wild fruit trees. Above 500 meters, it is possible to encounter one of the 17 species of Rafflesia, which produces the largest flower in the world, reaching around one meter in diameter. At about 1,000 meters, coniferous trees start appearing, and the dipterocarp forest gives way to montane forests. More than 270 species of dipterocarp trees have been identified so far in Borneo, of which 155 are endemic to the island. A prominent tree of the lowland forests of Borneo is the Borneo ironwood (Eusyderoxylon zwageri), also known as belian. Much sought after by the timber industry, this tree’s durable and dense wood does not need to be treated, and is in high demand for bridges, roof tiles and pillars for houses. Other notable species include the giant nyatoh (Palaquium species) and kenari (Canarium odontophyllum) trees. Montane forests. These forests receive more rainfall than lowland forests and cover 7 per cent of central Borneo. At this level, vegetation collects water from passing clouds, which accumulates in mosses and other epiphytes. As a result, montane forests are much cooler and have more moisture than forests in the lowlands. Montane forests can be found at elevations from 1,000 to 3,300 meters. At the higher end of this range, forests are dominated by oaks (Quercus species) and laurels (Lauraceae family), while rhododendrons (belonging to family Ericaceae) and pitcher plants become more common. At their highest altitudinal limits, montane forests are

covered by moss-draped bushes and epiphytes (orchids, ferns, moss, lichen, and liverworts) abound. Freshwater ecosystems. About 14 of the island’s 20 river systems can be found in the Heart of Borneo. Some of the major waterways that stand out in the Borneo landscape include the Kapuas (in Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo), which is 1,143 kilometers long and drains some two-thirds of West Kalimantan province - a watershed of 100,000 square kilometers. Other major rivers in Kalimantan include the Barito (900 kilometers), which flows south, and the Mahakam (775 kilometers), which empties into the Makassar Strait to the east of Borneo. The mix of temperatures, vegetation, water flow and food supply that characterize the range of water systems - from fast and clear headwaters to wide and slow-flowing rivers - of the Heart of Borneo has evolved an array of wildlife that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Wildlife Borneo is conservatively estimated to hold 222 mammals (including 44 endemic), 420 resident birds (37 endemic), 100 amphibians and 394 fish (19 endemic). Just in the Heart of Borneo, there are 10 primate species, over 350 bird species, and 150 reptiles and amphibian species. Mammals. Although bats are the most common mammals of Borneo’s rainforests with approximately 90 species, the most famous animals in the region are the orangutan, pygmy elephant and rhinoceros. The Borneo orangutan is the only great ape found in Asia. The orangutans share Borneo’s forests with 12 other primate species, including two gibbon species, five langurs, two macaques, the tarsier (Tarsius bancanus), the slow loris (Nycticebus coucang), and the endangered proboscis monkey www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Sumatran rhinoceros

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

(Nasalis larvatus). The eastern Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni), the most critically endangered of all rhino species in the world, lives in the northeast corner of the Heart of Borneo. This rhino is a subspecies of the Sumatran rhinoceros, represented by at least 13 individuals in fragmented populations on the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. The Borneo subspecies now has a remaining population of about 50 individuals, confined to eastern and central Sabah (Malaysia). The Borneo pygmy elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis), is restricted to the northeast corner of Borneo, and has an estimated population of 1,500 individuals. The small Borneo mammals include many squirrels, such as tiny pygmy squirrel (Exilisciurus species), giant squirrel (Ratufa affinis), and flying squirrels (Pteromyinae sub family), of which there are 12 known species in Borneo. These animals have developed membranes between their fore and hind legs, allowing them to launch themselves off high trees and glide through the air with outstretched limbs. Small-medium carnivores include the endangered clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), and Sunda otter-civet (Cynogale bennettii). Reptiles and amphibians. Freshwater reptiles include the

Green crested lizard

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

endangered spiny terrapin (Heosemys spinosa), forest soft-shelled turtle’s (Dogania subplana), and false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii). Some 105 species of lizards can be found in Borneo’s tropical rainforests, including the green crested lizard or Borneo bloodsucker (Bronchocela cristatella) and 5-banded gliding lizard (Draco quinquefasciatus). In terms of amphibians, some two-thirds of all known Borneo amphibian species are found in Gunung Mulu National Park (Sarawak, Malaysia), including the visually striking Wallace’s flying frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus). Some species show very restricted ranges, such as Philautus saueri, which is known to reside in only five locations in Sabah, Malaysia, and has the unique habit of placing its eggs and larvae in the receptacles of pitcher plants. Birds. Many spectacular birds can be found and heard above the forests of Borneo, including eight species of hornbills, 18 woodpecker species and 13 pitta species, along with two endemic species, namely the black-browed babbler (Malacocincla perspicillata) and the white-crowned shama (Copsychus stricklandii). Hornbills include the bushycrested (Anorrhinus galeritus), helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil), and great rhinoceros (Buceros rhinoceros), which are important seed dispersers of

Pitcher plant

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

many fig trees. Borneo is also a major stopover for hundred of migratory species. Plants. Borneo has a conservative estimate of 15,000 plant species, and may well have the highest plant diversity of any region on Earth. Borneo has about 3,000 species of trees, more than 1,700 species of orchids, and more than 50 carnivorous pitcher plant species. Peaks of plant diversity can occur in very small areas. For instance, in Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak, 1,175 tree species were recorded in a 52-hectare plot, the highest documented tree diversity in Borneo. Many of Borneo’s plants are endemic, including some 5,000 species (or 34 per cent) of flowering plants found on the island.

Threats Logging, land clearing and conversion activities are considered the greatest threats to the Heart of Borneo. A particular concern is the conversion of forests to oil palm plantations. Approximately half of the Heart of Borneo area and its buffer zones are covered by logging concessions. In addition to legitimate logging operations, illegal logging contributes to massive deforestation, especially in Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). Studies show that some 56 per cent of protected lowland tropical rainforests in KalimanSEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

tan were cut down between 1985 and 2001 to supply global timber demand. Conversion of forests to oil palm plantations has been just as large scale, as Malaysia and Indonesia now account for a considerable part of the world’s total oil palm plantation area. Oil palm plantations in the two countries are likely to increase due to greater global demand for palm oil. Deforestation seriously damages the water catchment functions of forests. Water supply will be depleted and exposed soil will be carried down during heavy rainfall, causing damage downstream.

Montane forest

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Damaged forests also lead to drier conditions and greater susceptibility to forest fires and atmospheric haze. Fire and haze produce many adverse effects ranging from impacts on human health, short and long-term medical treatment costs, losses in tourism and forfeited timber revenue. Other threats include the illegal collection of species for commercial trade, and shifting cultivation, all of which threaten the integrity of Borneo’s highly distinctive biodiversity.

Conservation Programs In 2007, the governments of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia signed an historic declaration establishing the Heart of Borneo (HoB). The 54

declaration provides a framework for cooperation on HoB and commits the three countries to preparing strategic and operational plans with joint road maps for realizing “One Conservation Vision” for the HoB. Substantial support for the HoB Declaration has been provided by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), as well as other organizations such as the Global Environment Facility and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Projects have focused on various areas of biodiversity conservation, including sustainable forest and biodiversity management; development and adoption of systems and

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measures to promote reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD); ecotourism; sustainable livelihood, monitoring and surveillance; training and capacity building; as well as public awareness campaigns on the rich biodiversity of the HoB. Under the HoB Initiative and with assistance from ADB, a strategic framework has been prepared for the management of Indonesia’s Borneo forest resources for biodiversity conservation, forest conservation and reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Also, systems to measure and reduce GHG emissions will be developed and adopted. To sustain the implementation of measures to

protect and conserve the forest resources of the HoB, sustainable livelihood activities for forest-dependent communities will be implemented under the project. The HoB Initiative will be guided by the progress and outcomes of the ongoing local, national and regional initiatives towards the collective conservation and sustainable management of the HoB. The Nature Conservancy is working with the HoB Initiative in implementing a REDD pilot in a district adjacent to the HoB. WWF launched the Heart of Borneo Initiative to support the efforts of the three governments, which have mapped out a course of conservation and management of the Heart of Borneo around five pillars of protected area, transboundary and sustainable natural resource management, ecotourism and capacity building. One HoB Initiative activity is the establishment of a ‘Green Business Network’ to raise awareness in the private sector of the vital role it can play in delivering conservation and sustainable development to the HoB. The HoB Initiative also recognizes the need for long-term financing schemes and equitable sharing from the benefits derived from biodiversity resources. Several financing mechanisms are being explored, including Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation to provide incentives to practice sustainable land use and encourage the implementation of conservation measures. ! References: Asian Development Bank (http:// www.adb.org/Environment/adb-hob. asp) Borneo’s New World: Newly Discovered Species in the Heart of Borneo (http://wwf.panda. org/what_we_do/where_we_work/ borneo_forests/) Brunei Forestry Department (http:// www.forestry.gov.bn/heart.htm) World Wide Fund for Nature (http:// wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_ we_work/borneo_forests/) www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Pawikan Conservation Project staff Nilo Ramoso observes a green turtle safely making its way back to the sea. Photo by Dennis Velasco

Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area By SAHLEE BUGNA-BARRER

he Turtle Islands are the first transfrontier protected area for sea turtles in the world and Southeast Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s single most important green turtle conservation area. The Philippine-Sabah Turtle Islands is located in the Sulu Sea, at the southwestern tip of the Philippines, about 1,000 kilometers southwest of Manila and some 40 kilometers north of Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia. These nine islands (six in the Philippines and three in Malaysia) lie adjacent to the international treaty limits that separate the two countries. SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

In the Philippines, the Turtle Islands is part of the Sulu Archipelago which is composed of approximately 400 islands of varying shapes and sizes. The municipality of the Turtle Islands is right at the edge of the international treaty limits separating the Philippines and Malaysia. The islands, namely, Boan, Lihiman, Langaan, Great Bakkungan, Taganak and Baguan, are situated south of Palawan, northwest of the TawiTawi mainland and northeast of Sabah, Malaysia. The islands have an aggregate land area of 308 hectares. The smallest island, Langaan, measures about seven hectares, while the largest, Taganak Island, is about 116 hectares. The Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary was established under Proclamation No. 171 on August 26, 1999 and identified as Extremely High for biodiversity conservation. The Turtle Islands Park of Sabah in Malaysia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; composed of Pulau Selingan, Pulau Bakungan Kechil and Pulau Gulisan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; was gazetted as a national park on October 1, 1977. The park is a safe haven for the endangered green and hawksbill turtles. In a historic bilateral agreement, the Governments of the Philippines and Malaysia established the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area

Green turtle

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Hawksbill turtle

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(TIHPA), the first and only trans-frontier protected area for marine turtles in the world. The TIHPA harbors one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s few remaining major nesting grounds for green turtles (Chelonia mydas).

Biodiversity The Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area is a natural laboratory where scientists can study many different aspects of geology, oceanography, marine biology, reef ecology, fisheries biology and sociology. However, it is most famous for the turtles. Here, scientists can study many aspects of the biology and ecology of green and hawksbill turtles year-round. The turtles and their habitats are important sources of information for developing, updating and testing conservation and management policies for marine turtles around the world. Marine turtles fulfill important roles in marine ecosystems. Seagrasses and algae on which green turtles feed also happen to be among the most productive ecosystems on the planet as well as providing a nursery for many species of invertebrates and fish. Green turtle (Chelonia mydas). Baby green turtles that live in the open ocean feed on small animals found on the surface of the sea, while juveniles and adults feed are

Photo by Dennis Velasco

the only true herbivorous marine turtles, feeding mainly on seagrasses and algae. The green turtle is widely distributed in the Philippines, though its major nesting grounds in the country is on the Turtle Islands. Green turtles are named after the greenish color of their cartilage and the fat deposits around their internal organs, but are black-brown or greenish yellow in color. The carapace is oval when viewed from above, and the head is relatively small and blunt. Their size ranges from 80 to 150 centimeters in length and may weigh up to 130 kilograms. Current estimates suggest the age of sexual maturity is 45 to 50 years. Females migrate huge distances between feeding grounds and nesting areas, but tend to follow coastlines rather than cross open water. An individual female nests approximately every three years, and lays one to six clutches of between 70 and 110 eggs. The incubation period lasts 50 to 70 days. Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate). Hawksbills are most common where there are living coral reef formations found in clear, shallow waters of mainland and island shelves, including lagoons and bays, and feed mainly on sponges and soft corals. There are few hawksbills in the

Olive Ridley turtle

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Philippines, but they are widely distributed. The hawksbill nests in the Turtle Islands, but in low numbers. The shell is thin, flexible and highly colored with elaborate patterns. The carapace of the hawksbill is unusual among the marine turtles as the scutes (the hard, bony plates that constitute the shell) are overlapping. These are often streaked and marbled with amber, yellow or brown. The hawksbill got its name from its narrow pointed beak reminiscent of a bird of prey. Hawksbills are usually less than one meter in length, weighing from 40 to 60 kilograms. The hawksbill appears to nest every two to three years and lays 60 to 200 eggs at a time. The hawksbill often nests close to coral reefs, and can be encountered by snorkelers and scuba-divers at localities where turtle habitat is in good condition. They are mainly carnivorous and use their narrow beaks to extract invertebrate prey from crevices on the reef. Both sessile and mobile animals are eaten and hawksbills appear to be opportunistic predators, although sponges normally constitute a major proportion of their diet. Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). The Olive ridley has infrequent nesting grounds in Sabah, Malaysia. The carapace is nearly round and highly domed, with a uniform olive green color in adults, and dark gray or black in hatchlings. The edge of the carapace, toward the rear, can be slightly scalloped and upturned in juveniles. The head of the Olive ridley is triangular, medium-size, with a parrot-like beak. The average length is 70 centimeters, and adults weigh approximately 45 kilograms. After reaching sexual maturity when they are about 12 years old, many thousands of females emerge from the sea and nest simultaneously

ACB staff Dennis Velasco helps clear the path for a green turtle.

over a period of two to three days. They often choose small, narrow beaches and their nests may be so closely packed that subsequent waves of females often dig up other nests in efforts to lay their own eggs. Olive ridleys feed essentially on crabs and shrimps, but also jellyfish, small invertebrates, tunicates, and fish eggs. Aside from the marine turtles, the Turtle Island Heritage Protected Area supports a remarkable diversity of marine fauna, notably corals and fishes, as well as a number of species of terrestrial plants, birds and other reptiles.

Threats Populations of green and hawksbill turtles have been widely decimated due to overharvesting of both eggs and adults, and from accidental mortality in the nets and longlines of fishing fleets. The main threats which affect marine turtles are: â&#x20AC;˘ Habitat loss and degradation - marine turtles use a number of habitats, such

as coral reefs for hawksbill feeding grounds, seagrass beds as green turtle feeding grounds, sandy beaches for nesting, and open seas as migratory avenues. With the development of the tourism industry, many coastal habitats, including beaches and coral reefs, have been degraded. Seagrass beds are damaged by fishing trawlers, and the high seas are littered with debris and deadly drift nets. â&#x20AC;˘ Illegal wildlife trade - turtle and turtle products are widely illegally traded due to the demand for turtle meat, as well as shells used as ornaments and jewelry. â&#x20AC;˘ Collection of eggs and meat for consumption - many coastal villagers consume turtle eggs as a regular component of their diet. There is also great demand for turtle meat and eggs in other countries where these are considered delicacies and thus fetch high prices. SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

• Incidental capture (bycatch) - with the development of commercial fisheries, turtles have come under severe pressure due to entrapment in trawl and drift nets. • Climate change - rising sea temperatures have affected migratory patterns of marine turtles as well as their nesting behavior. • Pollution - marine turtles have been known to ingest and die from plastic products found at sea, since they mistake plastic for jellyfish. Plastic products also strangle marine turtles. Chemical pollution also poisons feeding grounds and marine species. Green turtles are particularly sought for their meat. Another factor affecting green turtles is disease, as a high percentage has been found to be affected by fibropapillomas, a tumorous disease that can kill marine turtles. While the cause of the tumors has not yet been discovered, a herpes-like virus that causes similar tumors has been identified in the wild. It has been suggested that the increased occurrence of fibropapillomas may be the result of run-off from land

or marine pollution that may weaken the turtles’ immune system, rendering them more susceptible to infection by the wild herpes-like virus. Hawksbills are particularly threatened by the illegal wildlife trade, despite their protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as well as under many national laws. They are much sought after for their beautiful brown and yellow carapace plates that are manufactured into tortoiseshell items for jewelry and ornaments. Juvenile hawksbills, and other marine turtles, are often collected and stuffed for sale as tourist curios. Although many countries have banned this trade, stuffed marine turtles can still be found in many markets in Southeast Asia and across the globe. The belief that turtle eggs have aphrodisiac properties is a major threat to Olive Ridley populations. They were also once killed in large numbers for meat and leather.

Conservation Program On May 31, 1996 a Memorandum of Agreement

Photo by Dennis Velasco

Green turtle hatchling

! SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

between the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of Malaysia was signed establishing the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area (TIHPA). The TIHPA is regarded as the only major nesting ground of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in the whole ASEAN region, with more than 1,000 nesters annually. There are only 10 remaining nesting sites worldwide. The hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is also found in the TIHPA but with a low density nesting in contrast to the green turtle. Management of the TIHPA is shared by both countries, making possible the conservation of habitats and sea turtles over a large area independent of their territorial boundaries. The implementing agencies of the TIHPA are the Pawikan Conservation Project under the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Sabah Parks of Malaysia. The joint activities identified to protect the biodiversity of the TIHPA include developing the following: 1. Management-oriented research 2. Centralized database and information network 3. Information awareness programs 4. Marine turtle resource management and protection program 5. Ecotourism program To implement the plans and programs of the TIHPA, a Joint Management Committee (JMC) was created to oversee the overall direction of the collaboration. The regular meetings of the JMC serve as the primary venue for planning and resolving joint issues related to sea turtle conservation. www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Visiting the TIHPA Turtle Islands Park in Sabah, Malaysia. Nesting in Sabah, Malaysia occurs primarily on the three islands of the Turtle Islands Park (Selingan, Bakungan Kechil and Gulisan) and on Pulau Sipadan, Sabah’s scuba diving resort island. Three species of turtles nest on the State’s islands and beaches, the green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricate) and Olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). The green turtle is the most abundant, whereas the Olive ridley is only infrequently found nesting on the beaches. Turtles lay their eggs throughout the year, but the driest months and the calmest seas are between March and July. The peak egglaying season is July to October. The seas can get rough between October and February. The turtles have become one of Sabah’s major tourist attractions, and centers have been established to provide tourists with closeup experiences with nesting females. Much of the efforts on the part of the park rangers and guides are aimed at the translocation of the eggs from fresh nests back to the hatcheries, where tourists can see conservation efforts in action. Additionally, adult turtle tagging is practiced for new sightings, and carapace measurements are taken for new and re-sighted individuals. Selingan, the largest of the islands, houses the park’s headquarters, a turtle hatchery, tourist accommodation and basic facilities. The other two islands are more for conservation activities. The nearest mainland town to the park is Sandakan. Visitors may ask tour operators organize a speedboat pick-up service to and from Turtle Island Park. It takes about one hour from Sandakan to reach the islands by boat.

Photo by Dennis Velasco

Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary in the Philippines

It is important to book accommodations in advance since only a limited number of visitors are allowed in the park. Aside from the turtles, there are other attractions in the park. The clear turquoise colored sea and coral reefs are ideal for swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. When the fruit trees are in season, the islands have another interesting visitor - the Island Flying Fox. More information on the park can be found at the Sabah Parks website on (www.sabahparks. org.my) Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary in the Philippines. Turtles come to nest on the beaches from April to August, and the best time to visit is in July. Visitors can fly to Sabah, Malaysia and from a pier in Sandakan, take a 45-minute speedboat ride to Taganak Island to register with the Coast Guard. They can then proceed to Baguan Island, a strict protection zone where the most number of turtles nest. This is also the location

of the local base of the Pawikan Conservation Project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The islands are not really accessible to tourists, but the Protected Area Management Board of the town approved an ecotourism plan on July 23, 2010. The plan provides guidelines for ecotourism where the island can be open to visitors during several months of the year. ! References: ARBEC Turtle Conservation (http:// www.arbec.com.my/sea-turtles/ tihpa1.php) Ocean Ambassadors (http://www. oneocean.org/ambassadors/track_a_ turtle/tihpa/) Sabah Parks (www.sabahparks.org. my) Sabah Tourism Board (http://www. sabahtourism.com/en/destination/33turtle-island-park/) Sunday Inquirer Magazine (http:// showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/sim/ sim/view/20100807-285464/A-SlowDay-on-Turtle-Islands) Tourism Malaysia (http://www. tourism.gov.my/en/destinations/item. asp?item=turtleisland) World Heritage Convention (http://whc.unesco.org/en/ tentativelists/5032/) SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

Biodiversity Run 2010 promoted the rich biodiversity of Mt. Makiling Forest and nearby ecosystems.

Mt. Makiling biodiversity race draws 700 runners

ome 700 runners, including Filipino singer-actress and environmentalist Karylle and band vocalist Yael Yuzon, converged at the foothills of the legendary Mt. Makiling in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines for the First Biodiversity Run organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) on September 4, 2010. The race with the theme “Run for Biodiversity, Biodiversity is Life, Run For Life” was co-managed by MacRunners Sports Incorporated, a local running organization composed of professionals based in UP Los Banos (UPLB) and co-organized with the European Union, UPLB Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau. Sponsors included PTT Philippines Corporation, Eksalife Pte Ltd, Unilever

Philippines, Aboitiz Power, 2GO, Ford/Mazda Philippines, Pepsi Cola Philippines, Pocari Sweat, Cebuana Lhullier/Prudential Guarantee and Business Mirror. Samsung Electronics Philippines sent the largest delegation with 70 runners. Among the business companies that participated in the race with more than 20 runners were PTT Philippines Corporation, Amkor Technology Philippines, Littelfuse Philippines Incorporated, and Techlog Center Philippines. It took one hour, 21 minutes and 16 seconds for Allan Ballester, many-time member of the Philippine national team and one of the country’s respected long-distance runners, to rule the premier 21K class, besting the likes of running coach Rio de la Cruz, who clocked in at 25 seconds after Ballester, and Darry Bado who came in third at

! SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

1:32:10. Topping the women’s 21K were Divine Grace Tapit (1:52:55), Bing Lu (2:13:11) and Celma Hitalia (2:14:25). With the scenic backdrop of the verdant Forestry Campus of UPLB, the runners made history as it was the first marathon dedicated to call public attention to the crisis of biodiversity loss facing the Philippines and Southeast Asia. It was also part of the global celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity. Race organizer and ACB resource mobilization specialist Reynaldo Molina said, “We used the marathon to call public attention to the biodiversity crisis. This was a unique run because of its objective, aside from the challenging rough, slippery and rolling terrain as most of the races are done on flat tracks.”

Molina said that the proceeds from the run will go to the ASEAN Biodiversity Fund, an endowment fund developed and established to support the implementation of biodiversity-related programs in the ASEAN region. “We plan to have the second race next year and we hope to tap more companies to contribute to raise money for the fund.” Runner Jerome Aragones, a CPA lawyer from Manila, in his Internet blog after the race, said, “Some runners say that the UP Diliman heartbreak hill is quite a difficult climb. Others say that McKinley Hill at the Fort is also a very challenging climb. Still others say that the Buendia and Edsa flyovers during the Milo marathon are very tough climbs. All these climbs combined would just be baby climbs when you compare www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Allan Ballester, many-time member of the Philippine national team and one of the country’s respected longdistance runners, ruled the premier 21K class.

Filipino singer-actress Karylle Tatlonghari led the oath of sportsmanship.

A man and his canine friend joined the race.

The youngest runner was two-and-a-half-year-old Mariz Barnes who joined the 5K category.

Celebrity running coach Rio de la Cruz joined the 21K race and finished second.

Karylle joined the 5K race.

Divine Grace Tapit topped the women’s 21K category.

Spongecola vocalist Yael Yuson joined the 5K category of the Biodiversity Run.

Amateur and professional runners braved the slopes of Mt. Makiling for Biodiversity Run 2010.

these with the uphill route at the Biodiversity Run. The organizers should have posted in the Internet that more than half of the 21k was composed of killer, I mean, KILLER uphills. Just imagine running Kennon road and you would see how difficult the climbs are. Had they posted these facts in the internet, I would have convinced all of the members of the running group from Slimmers Adriatico to join.” Drawing support from running clubs, local and foreign students, conservation organizations and businesses, the first Biodiversity Run attracted the participation of Karylle, who said it was a refreshing experience for her to run on the rolling slopes of Mt. Makiling. “I’m proud to be part of an initiative that promotes the values of biodiversity,” Karylle exclaimed. Another celebrity who joined the race was Rio de la Cruz, a running coach popular among celebrities.

Other winners were Jolly Ann Ballester (31:47) in the female 5K category, followed by Chndyli Tara Rogel (32:39) and Daphne Rose Codilla (33:28). In the 5K male category, Phil Anthony Aldemita (23:59) won, followed by Noriel Angeles (25:03) and Ballester’s nephew Rommel (25:03). Jolly Ann and Rommel Ballester are husbandand-wife runners. In the 10K female category, Naomi Wells (1:00:43) topped the run, followed by Sophie Clayton (1:08:05) and Minerva Corcoro (1:19:47). The men’s category was won by June Moslares (45:32), Herbert Mayembra (45:57) and George Silva (54:44), respectively. Both young and old ran the race. The youngest was two-and-a-half-year-old Mariz Barnes in the 5K category and the most senior was Edgardo Caubang, 60, who joined the 10K run. Leslie Ann Jose-Castillo

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

ASEAN and Germany cooperate on biodiversity and climate change

ermany is supporting the ASEAN in enhancing capacities of its member countries to mitigate climate change through biodiversity conservation. An inception meeting for the ASEAN Biodiversity and Climate Change Project is scheduled in January 2011 in Jakarta, Indonesia. To be implemented by the ASEAN Centre for Biodi-

versity (ACB) and Germany’s development cooperation arm, the GTZ, the project will strengthen ACB’s capacity in developing and implementing strategies and instruments in the field of biodiversity and climate change. The project was mobilized through an arrangement between the ASEAN Secretariat and the Government of the Federal

Republic of Germany with a budget of Euro 2,000,000 in the next three years. More than 20 per cent of the global biodiversity, approximately 35 per cent of the global mangrove forests and 30 per cent of the coral reefs are found in the ASEAN Member States. Owing to their long coastline (173,000-kilometer

coastline) and island nature (113,000-square kilometer ocean surface between land surfaces), many ASEAN countries are most affected by climate change. The project targets to benefit the vulnerable population of ASEAN Member States who depend on ecosystem services and biodiversity resources for their subsistence. It is in line with the ASEAN Vision 2020, the ASEAN Blueprint 2008-2015, and the 2007 Regional Action Plan for ASEAN Heritage Parks and Protected Areas and supports regional initiatives such as the Heart of Borneo, the Coral Triangle, and Greater Mekong Sub-Region, as well as the UN Conventions on Biological Diversity and Climate Change. !

Int’l forum links business and biodiversity

usiness and biodiversity experts from Southeast Asia and Japan gathered at the “Business Opportunities in Biodiversity International Conference and Exhibition” on October 8, 2010 in Manila to raise the business sector’s awareness on the values of biodiversity and encourage corporations to support conservation initiatives. Organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), in cooperation with the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the European Union and the ASEAN, the conference featured discussions and presentations on the impact of biodiversity on business sustainability. Media partners were BusinessMirror and the Global

News Network. The conference, which was part of the global celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity, highlighted the clear link between business and biodiversity. “At first glance, people do not recognize the crucial connection between business and biodiversity. Business is perceived to be detached from

biodiversity. Biodiversity, however, knows no boundaries, cutting across all sectors – the business sector included,” Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, ACB Executive Director, said. In his message, Environment Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje urged small and medium enterprises in the Philippines to be actively involved in business and biodiversity activities.

“Business operations impact on biodiversity, directly or indirectly, and it is only fitting that biodiversity should likewise influence business. Indeed, many big corporations have been contributing to biodiversity protection and conservation. But because there are not many big corporations, we would like to see the more numerous medium

Forum resource persons

! SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Search for biodiversity champions in Southeast Asia

hile the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region is home to 18 per cent of all known plant and animal species assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it is losing biodiversity at alarming rates. Unfortunately, this threat has not attracted enough attention from leaders, the public and the media to generate a concerted effort to halt the rate of biodiversity loss. This lack of awareness is attributed to the dearth of information campaigns and materials on the values of biodiversity. To help fill this gap, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the ASEAN Founda-

tion, Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC), the European Union, GTZ, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have launched the search for the ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity. Launched at the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Conven-

tion on Biological Diversity on Nagoya, Japan in October 2010, the ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity is a recognition program for ongoing projects on biodiversity conservation and advocacy in Southeast Asia. It is aimed at generating greater leadership, public and media awareness of the problems facing the region’s rich but highly threatened biodiversity and the need a concerted effort in biodiversity

and small enterprises get actively and positively involved in biodiversity promotion,” Secretary Paje said. He added that “medium and small operators have had a significant impact on biodiversity, albeit negatively. This is apparent from the profile of participants in illegal trading in endangered species – from the poachers, transporters and middlemen, to restaurants, pet shops and makers of traditional medicines. Even simple folks who may not have the intent to harm endangered species can indirectly damage them by intruding into and reducing their habitats, as swidden or kaingin farmers do when they clear forests for farms. Those who contribute to global warming can also disrupt marine ecosystems through coral bleaching.” The conference featured presentations on biodiversity and its current situation in the region, and actual business

case presentations by selected corporations from Japan and Southeast Asian countries. Resource persons were Dr. Mario Tabucanon, visiting professor, United Nations University – Institute of Advanced Studies, and advisor, Executive Board, the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park Foundation; Dr. Naoki Adachi, executive director, Japan Business Initiative on Biodiversity; Mr. Satoshi Nimura, chairman, Nimura Genetic Solutions, Japan; Mr. Jose Reaño, managing director, Broadchem Corporation; Mr. Atsuhisa Takahashi, president, Corporate Environmental Strategy Unit, Fujitsu Limited, Japan; Mrs. Srisurang Massirikul, social and environment division manager, PTT Public Company Ltd., Thailand; Dr. Berthold Paul Seibert, Project Manager, GTZ-ACB Biodiversity and Climate Change Project; and Mr. Vincent de Paz, Corporate Environment

Officer, Holcim Philippines, Inc. Participants and exhibitors included government agencies responsible for promoting cooperation between business and biodiversity conservation; companies with corporate social responsibility initiatives focused on natural resource and environmental management and biodiversity conservation; and international and regional institutions that support and encourage linkages between governments and the private sector, as well as those who promote business and biodiversity initiatives. The international conference was held back-to-back with the 3rd ASEAN+3 Leadership Programme on Sustainable Production and Consumption held in Manila on October 6 - 7, 2010. ! Leslie Ann Jose-Castillo

conservation and advocacy. Specifically, the award seeks to recognize ongoing projects of the private/corporate sector, media, and youth which have a clear impact on biodiversity conservation in the ASEAN region; identify leaders among the private/corporate sector, media, and youth from which a cadre of champions will be selected to serve as Ambassadors of Goodwill for biodiversity; promote awareness of the values of biodiversity among ASEAN leaders and the public in general; promote corporate social responsibility in biodiversity conservation and advocacy; and encourage the private sector, youth, and media to participate in biodiversity conservation and advocacy. “We need action to build societies that live in harmony with nature. People can be inspired to act by the examples of champions,” said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “This is why we are keen supporters of the ASEAN project to find Champions of Biodiversity in South-East Asia.” During the launch, Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity said, “We welcome the opportunity to partner with CBD in our search for modern-day heroes who can bring biodiversity closer to everyone, and inspire people to conserve and preserve our region’s dwindling biological resources.” For more information on the ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity, log on to www. aseanbiodiversity.org or www. aseanfoundation.org. The Secretariat may be contacted via e-mail at champions@aseanbiodiversity.org. ! Leslie Ann Jose-Castillo

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

Science journalists hold seminar on biodiversity

ome 50 science journalists discussed the values of biodiversity and ways to promote biodiversity conservation at a seminar held on September 30 - October 1, 2010 at the SEARCA auditorium in Los Banos, Philippines. Organized by the Philippine Science Journalists Association Inc. (PSciJourn), the seminar was PSciJourn’s contribution to the observance of the International Year of Biodiversity. Held in cooperation with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), SEARCA, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), AGHAM Party-list, Science and Technology Institute and

the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development, the seminar was addressed by Congressman Angelo Palmones, representing the science sector. Resource speakers in-

cluded Rodrigo U. Fuentes, Executive Director of ACB; Dr. Edwino Fernando, professor at the UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources; Rolando A. Inciong, head of the ACB Communication and Public Affairs

PsciJourn President Lyn Resurreccion (2nd from left) and ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes (4th from left) ink the partnership between their organizations. AGHAM Party-list Representative Angelo Palmones, SEARCA Director Gil Saguiguit, Jr. and ACB Communication and Public Affairs Head Rolando Inciong witness the MOC signing.

department; Dr. Randy A. Hautea, Global Coordinator and Southeast Asia Center Director of the ISAAA; Dr. Edwin Alcantara, University Researcher at the UPLB Biotech; and Mr. Roberto Cereno, head of the Botanic Gardens, Parks and Ecotourism Division, Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems. During the event, PsciJourn signed a memorandum of cooperation with the ACB, SEARCA and ISAAA to enhance the promotion of biodiversity conservation. The event was also highlighted by the inauguration of the “Rainforest Biodiversity Diorama” funded by the ACB and Smart Communications Inc. !

ACB holds workshop on PA integration

rotected area (PA) integration refers to the process of ensuring that the design and management of PAs, corridors and the surrounding matrix fosters a connected, functional ecological network. It includes any planning, strategy or related activities that contribute to the economy of the community or country that affect the creation, integrity, and/or management of the PAs. It is also a strategy for the inte-

grated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. On November 8 - 11, 2010, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) conducted the Regional Workshop on PA Integration with 17 participants from ASEAN Member States. The participants discussed steps in PA integration, analyzed case studies of successful integration efforts, and developed strategies

Organizers and participants of the PA integration workshop.

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and action plans on PA integration that may be recommended to environment agencies in their countries. They were also introduced to e-learning opportunities at the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), which presented an action plan to promote e-Learning in ASEAN. The UPOU plans to co-sponsor the conduct of e-learning modules, organize writeshops, establish a network of technical experts, as well as conduct training in

the use of Darwin Core 2 for taxonomists, which will significantly assist ASEAN Member States in their conservation efforts. In her welcome remarks, Clarissa C. Arida, Director for Programme Development and Implementation of ACB, stated that the workshop was particularly significant in light of the 10th Conference of Parties (COP 10) of the Convention on Biological Diversity. She stressed that after long and arduous negotiations at COP10, the Parties came up with an updated strategic plan, which calls for unprecedented efforts to halt biodiversity loss by 2020. In ASEAN, there has been an increase in the number and coverage of protected areas as a conservation measure, which stresses the need to increase the effectiveness of PA management to better conserve dwindling biodiversity resources. Sahlee Bugna-Barrer www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Through the workshop, participants gain a deeper understanding of WDPA data standards and strategies.

Expert conclude review process for protected areas data in Asia

rotected area experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature – Asia Regional Office (IUCN-ARO), the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEPWCMC), the Korean National Park Service (KNPS) and representatives from the governments of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines gathered in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines on August 30 – 21, 2010 for the terminal workshop of the project “Enhancing the Quality of Protected Area Data: Developing and Field Testing an Expert Review Process to Improve Data in the World Database on Protected Areas in Asia” (WDPA Asia Project). The WDPA Asia Project was implemented to support the efforts of ASEAN Member States and the Republic of Korea in managing and reporting information on their protected areas following globally accepted standards.

The major components of the project included an inception workshop with all project partners, data reviews by expert reviewers from the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), country consultations with Indonesia, Thailand and Korea, and a terminal workshop of the project steering group. A final project report is currently being prepared. The project stemmed from UNEP-WCMC’s recognition of the crucial need to improve the quality of information in the WDPA. UNEP-WCMC recently redeveloped the WDPA data structure and standards. To complement this move, ACB, IUCN, and the stakeholders field tested an expert review process for WDPA data in three pilot countries. The expert review focused on the comparison and reconciliation of WDPA data vis-à-vis national protected area data sets for Indonesia, Thailand and the Republic of Korea in

terms of spatial and non-spatial data. In the final stage of the project, ACB hosted a terminal workshop with the participation of partner organizations, government representatives and expert reviewers from the three pilot countries. The workshop drew a deeper understanding of WDPA data standards and management strategies, with particular attention to the ASEAN region; and responded to stakeholders’ concerns and expectations regarding sources and validation of national protected area data. The workshop presented results of the review, and outlined recommendations regarding both the expert review process and the improvement of the national data for the WDPA. The project also drew lessons on methodologies used during field testing in Indonesia and Thailand; and developed plans to apply validation methodologies and protocols in other ASEAN Member States.

According to the participants, the data review was a positive process, particularly helpful in evaluating the status of protected area data. “ASEAN Member States will be able to use WDPA IUCN-categorized data as decision-support tools, especially if Indonesia and Thailand will upload their data into their national clearing-house mechanisms. Our next step is to evaluate the expert-review process and study the possibility of adapting the process in Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Viet Nam,” Dr. Sheila G. Vergara, ACB’s director for biodiversity information management, said. Dr. Vergara added that ACB will continue to work with UNEP-WCMC in enhancing the Center’s Biodiversity Information Sharing Service (http://bim.aseanbiodiversity.org/biss/), particularly on biodiversity data and information tools and applications. “National parks and protected areas are primary tools to protect biodiversity and ensure that key ecosystem services such as fresh water, carbon and tourism continue to be produced. Having a consistent and updated set of protected areas information from the ASEAN region and Korea allows us to measure and monitor the many benefits that they bring to society. The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity is the ideal partner for the United Nations Environment Programme’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) to manage this information sustainably at the regional level and ensure it is disseminated globally,” Charles Besançon, the Head of UNEP-WCMC’s Protected Areas Programme, said. !

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

Aiming for stronger biodiversity informatics in Asia

urrent, accurate and readily available data on species, protected areas, and other aspects of biodiversity are vital to the formulation of appropriate strategies and approaches in conservation. Biodiversity information management is thus a primary concern of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), which has established the Biodiversity Information Sharing Service (BISS) to provide and share data on protected areas, species and other aspects relevant to biodiversity in ASEAN. ACB has inked a number of agreements with major

global and information, communication and technology (ICT) tools and applications providers to increase digital data and information on the BISS to better serve ASEAN biodiversity conservation stakeholders and end-users. These include collaboration with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), FishBase and the IUCN. To further strengthen the BISS as well as increase the ICT capacity of the ASEAN Member States, a workshop on biodiversity

informatics was organized so that stakeholders will have a clear understanding of biodiversity information and data flow processes, and learn leading-edge tools and applications to ensure reliable data and information sharing. The Asia Regional Workshop on Bioinformatics was organized by ACB in collaboration with GBIF on October 20 - 23, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand to demonstrate and build the capacity of participants on GBIF publishing tools and applications, provide hands-on training using national protected areas and species data, as well as give

Workshop participants discuss the latest trends in biodiversity information sharing.

Representatives from the ASEAN Member States, Korea, Chinese Taipei-Taiwan and India participated in the workshop.

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participants an overall view of the flow, aggregation, and use of biodiversity data by global biodiversity data aggregators and researchers. Thirty-two participants from ASEAN Member States, GBIF participant nodes in Korea, Chinese Taipei-Taiwan, and India and resource persons from GBIF, UNEP WCMC, and IUCN attended the workshop. The workshop brought together the different stakeholders of BISS and provided them with a common forum to share experiences and lessons, learn about the latest trends in biodiversity information sharing, and increase their capacity on data publishing using tools and applications with the help of GBIF. UNEP WCMC conducted preliminary validation of existing national protected areas data on the 2010 World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) while the IUCN discussed the advantages of using standard categories for national protected areas. Overall, the workshop enhanced ICT skills that will help ASEAN Member States improve data harmonization and sharing; validate ASEAN subsets of global datasets in biodiversity; prepare reports and comply with obligations to various multilateral environmental agreements; analyze data and provide regional perspective reports such as the ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook; and update national clearing house mechanisms. These and other efforts to strengthen biodiversity data and information sharing and harmonization will contribute to more significant progress in biodiversity conservation in ASEAN. Sahlee Bugna-Barrer www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Organizers, resource persons and participants gather for the workshop on taxonomy of corals.

ASEAN+3 boost taxonomic capacities on corals

axonomy, which forms an important basis for biology and the protection of biodiversity, is in peril. The last few decades saw the discipline of taxonomy falling off the global political, funding, and academic agendas. To boost the ASEAN region’s taxonomic capacities and save the dying science of taxonomy, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), in partnership with Japan’s Ministry of Environment, began conducting a series of training workshops that will enhance the capacities of ASEAN+3 countries in the understanding and application of taxonomic knowledge in the context of sustainable biodiversity conservation and management. ASEAN+3 include the ten ASEAN Member States, Japan, China and Korea. The workshops are part of a project on “Taxonomic Capacity Building and Governance for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity” funded by the JapanASEAN Integration Fund.

The first in the series, held in cooperation with the University Sains Malaysia (USM) on December 4 - 8, 2010 in Penang, focused on corals taxonomy. There were 30 participants, with experts from the USM, Kyoto University of Japan and Phuket Marine Biological Centre serving as resource persons. The training workshop introduced the participants to the general biology of reefbuilding corals; upgraded their skills on the methods of morphological observation, sample collection, processing and managing of corals; and taught them advanced taxonomic methodologies such as molecular techniques. The participants learned corals photography and the use of the Internet in corals taxonomy, and had hands-on experience on museum collections management, cataloguing and storage. The ASEAN region is home to 34 per cent of the world’s coral reefs. This richness, however, is increasingly at risk due to a number of cul-

prits such as human activities and climate change. According to the USM, the workshop, which brought together young scientists from all over the region, was an important step towards the protection and conservation of corals reefs. “Taxonomists, like many endangered species, are not increasing in numbers,” Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, executive director of ACB, said. “There is a dire need to revive interest in taxonomy. The diminishing status of this science and profession is crippling the ASEAN Member States’ and other Asian countries’ capacity to effectively catalogue our biological resources. We are all aware that without knowledge and understanding of species, it would be difficult to plan and implement biodiversity conservation efforts.” Director Fuentes said people relate taxonomy to science only. “But we believe that taxonomy is one of the fundamental tools required by our global community to implement the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)

and the development targets set by the World Summit for Sustainable Development. Without sufficient long-term investment in human resources, infrastructure, and information resources necessary to promote taxonomy, this gap could prevent implementation of sound and scientifically based sustainable environmental management and development policies. We are all aware that development and environment that are not sustainable are a bane to poverty reduction and other MDG goals.” He emphasized that the workshop in Penang supported the Programme of Work of the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The GTI aims to remove impediments in the taxonomy profession and attract more students and professionals to go into taxonomy. The removal of taxonomic impediments to biological diversity conservation is crucial to maintaining nature’s wealth in the ASEAN region. !

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Asian and European schools fight climate change and biodiversity loss

igh school teachers and students from Asia and Europe gathered in Gurgaon, India to learn how to combat climate change and reduce biodiversity loss. The 9th Asia-Europe Classroom Network (AEC-Net) Conference held on November 12 - 16, 2010 gathered 100 delegates from 20 Asian and European high schools. The event was co-organized by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and St. Mark’s Senior Secondary Public School in Meera Bagh, New Delhi. The conference brought together Asian and European high school teachers and students to promote collaborative learning and cross-cultural exchanges through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The theme of this year’s Conference was Climate Change and Biodiversity: How They are Connected and the Impact

of Biodiversity Losses in the Community in Asia and Europe. The conference enabled the participants to strengthen environmental awareness and practices in their own school community. “The AEC-Net Conference went a long way in making classroom education more purposeful in order to ensure all round development

of our children,” said Ms. Sheila Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi. Mr. Rolando A. Inciong, Head of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity’s Communication and Public Affairs Unit, delivered the key presentation on “What Can Be Done to Help Ease or Prevent Biodiversity Loss Through the Schools in Asia and Europe?”

Highlighting the conference was the awarding of the AEC-Net Award, an annual prize which recognizes outstanding online collaborative learning schemes conceptualized by secondary and high school teachers from Asia and Europe. More information about the AEC-NET Conference can be found at http:// aec.asef.org. !

Students present ICT projects to promote inter-school links.

NASA expert discusses GBO network

r. Gary Geller, deputy director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Ecological Forecasting Program, provided an overview of the Group on Earth Observations – Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO-BON) at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture’s (SEARCA) seminar series on November 11, 2010 in Los Baños, Philippines. The Group on Earth Observations has initiated a process of building a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) designed around nine “Societal Benefit 68

Areas.” One of these areas is “Biodiversity,” and the major task within the area is to build a Biodiversity Observation Network focused on detecting and monitoring change.

This system, called GEOBON, will work with data at all scales, from satellite images to in-situ data collected on the ground. Consistent with the GEOSS concept, GEO-BON

Dr. Geller briefs the audience about the GBO network.

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will be built largely out of existing observation systems, with special attention to filling the many gaps. “Building such a system of systems will be challenging, since each component system was independently built and has its own suite of technical, resource, and sometimes political constraints. The concepts underlying GEO-BON, the planned implementation approach, and associated development challenges will be discussed,” said Dr. Geller. Dr. Geller’s seminar was co-organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity and SEARCA. ! www.aseanbiodiversity.org

MBG opens rainforest biodiversity diorama

arking the celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and Smart Communications handed over the Rainforest Biodiversity Diorama to the University of the Philippines Los Baños’ College of Forestry and Natural Resources (UPLB-CFNR) and the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME). “The Makiling Botanic Garden’s (MBG) green and lush environment is the perfect home for this diorama.

Science reporters cover the opening of the rainforest biodiversity diorama.

We are certain that the thousands of students and professionals who visit the garden will learn a lot about rainforest biodiversity, not only from

this diorama, but also from the educational activities conducted by MBG officers and staff in the garden’s Conservation Education and Informa-

tion Center. This diorama forms part of our efforts to address the lack of information materials on biodiversity which results in low public awareness of the values of biodiversity and conservation,” ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes said. The handover ceremony was witnessed by Dr. Rex Victor Cruz, Dean, UPLBCFNR; Mr. Roberto Cereno, Head, Botanic Gardens, Parks and Ecotourism Division, MCME; and members of the Philippine Science Journalists Association, Inc. !

Strengthening law enforcement in Mts. Iglit-Baco

SEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs) are protected areas that represent the very best of ASEAN ecosystems and biodiversity. There are 28 AHPs in the region with three in Philippines, namely Mt. Apo Natural Park (54,974 hectares), Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park (47,270 hectares), and Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park (75,445 hectares). Run by protected area managers and environment agencies from the respective ASEAN Member States, the parks also receive guidance from the ASEAN Heritage Parks Programme. Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park is the only place in the world where one can find the tamaraw, a type of water buffalo that is endemic to Mindoro Island in southern Philippines. There are around 200 tamaraws living in the wild, and is the major reason for the park’s declaration as an ASEAN Heritage Park. In 2010, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, through the ASEAN Heritage Parks Programme, provided grants

Iglit-Baco training participants

to on-the-ground projects in AHPs to improve various aspects of management in the protected areas. Mts. IglitBaco National Park utilized the grant to provide paralegal training for its staff. The Paralegal Training for Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park was held on September 20-22, 2010 in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, with members of the park’s Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), Tamaraw Conservation Project (TCP) staff, as well as heads of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region IV-B Protected Areas and Wildlife Sec-

tor and Forestry Sector. The paralegal training enhanced the effectiveness of PAMB members, TCP staff and regional sector heads in the implementation of environmental laws. The training oriented the participants on relevant environmental laws and policies; explained the concept of paralegalism, and identified the roles of paralegals in environmental and natural resources conservation. The training also clarified the structures of the Philippine national and local governments, as well as the powers and duties of the different national and local government agencies

regarding environmental issues; and equipped the participants with knowledge on the proper procedures for dealing with violations in the protected area. During the workshop, the participants learned about the wealth of biodiversity of Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park, its significance as a protected area and as an ASEAN Heritage Park, as well as the many factors that threaten the integrity of the park. The paralegal training strengthened conservation efforts in the park, supporting efforts for the continued survival of the endangered tamaraw. Sahlee Bugna-Barrer

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Science film fest features web of life

leven-year-old Chicoy Maralit, a Grade 5 student at the Los Baños Christian Faith School in the Philippines, watched intently as the film “Sineskwela: Climate Change” played in the school’s auditorium. He was eager to know more about global warming and its impact on people and their surroundings. He also listened to a brief talk explaining the relationship between biodiversity and human well-being. After the movie and the talk, he gamely participated in the question and answer portion which focused on what kids like him can do to protect biodiversity or the web of life. Chicoy and his schoolmates formed part of the over 130,000 students from Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand who participated in the Science Film Festival, an activity which demonstrated that science can be communicated in an educational, as well as entertaining manner. By using “edutainment,” the festival contributed to the development of a science communication infrastructure and supported science education, both of which are integral to the capacity development of a new generation that has to exist in a global knowledge society. Held from November 16 to 30, 2010, the festival was spearheaded by the GoetheInstitut. Involving primary, secondary and university students, the festival screened films non-commercially at selected museums, schools and universities. The films addressed diverse issues such as biodiversity, science in everyday life, climate change, ecology and environment, life science, natural science and technology, culture and history. 70

Filipino elementary students conduct a simple science experiment as part of the activities for the Science Film Festival.

“‘The International Year of Biodiversity’ was the festival’s theme. To help promote biodiversity conservation, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) participated as a regional partner,” Mr. Rolando A. Inciong, head of ACB’s communication and public affairs unit, said. “ACB and the ten ASEAN Member States recognize that there is an urgent need to popularize biodiversity. The region’s capacity to reduce biodiversity loss is constrained by several roadblocks, including the dire lack of awareness and knowledge on the values of biodiversity. Increased public and leadership awareness are crucial in encouraging all sectors of society to promote the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity resources. One medium used to creatively and effectively communicate biodiversity conservation is film. Movies and documentaries merge education and entertainment to generate a greater awareness for the significance of protecting biodiversity.” Mr. Inciong explained. ACB participated by screening its documentary “The Values of Biodiversity,”

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mounting exhibits about the web of life, and conducting briefings about biodiversity. The Centre’s participation in the Science Film Festival was made possible by the GTZ-ACB Climate Change and Biodiversity project. GTZ was a major supporter of the film festival in Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. “The public’s response to the festival was overwhelming. Students trooped to the screening centers to watch the films that we and our partners lined up. They also gamely participated in the experiments, briefings and question and answer portions. Their enthusiasm for science and biodiversity was very encouraging,” Mr. Inciong said. The Science Film Festival was organized in Thailand for the sixth time in 2010 by the Goethe-Institut Thailand, the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) and the French Embassy in Thailand, with the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and BAYER Thai as key festival partners and generous sup-

port from SIEMENS, GTZ (German Technical Cooperation) and RWTH University Aachen & TGGS. In Cambodia, the festival was organized for the second time in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut, UNESCO, the French Embassy in Cambodia, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the Khmer Youth and Social Development Organization. The activity was organized for the first time in Indonesia in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Indonesia, Universitas Paramedina, UNESCO in association with the Indonesian National Commission, BAYER Indonesia, EKONID, Blitz Megaplex, the German Embassy in Indonesia and the French Embassy in Indonesia. In the Philippines, a selection of the festival program was also organized for the first time in 2010 in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Philippines, the ABS-CBN Foundation, the French Embassy in the Philippines, the Department of Education, the Department of Science and Technology and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity. The event was held at the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, the Ateneo de Manila University - Ateneo de Manila Department of Modern Languages and Ateneo de Manila Science and Technology Cluster, Museo Pambata, the National Library of the Philippines, the National Museum, the Philippine Science Centrum, the Quezon City Science Interactive Center (with Felta MultiMedia, Inc.), the SM Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center, SM Mall of Asia, SM City North EDSA and the Podium in Manila. Leslie Ann Jose-Castillo www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Padunungan 2010 highlights biodiversity

ore than 100 high school students from across the Bicol region participated in Padunungan 2010 held on October 29, 2010 at the Aquinas University in Rawis, Legazpi City, Philippines. Padunungan (or battle of intellect in Filipino) is an annual event conducted by the University of the Philippines Ibalon (UP Ibalon), a Bicolano organization. With the theme Green is the New Gold: Unearthing the Treasures of Biodiversity, UP Ibalon’s Padunungan was aimed at inspiring students to appreciate the natural beauty of the Philippines, cultivating a sense of responsibility in caring for the environment, and developing stewards of nature who understand the value of biodiversity conservation and its benefits to humanity. This year’s Padunungan featured educational discussions and workshops, as well

as academic and cultural competitions related to biodiversity issues. Represented by senior writer Sahlee BugnaBarrer, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) provided a presentation on ASEAN Biodiversity: Challenges and Concerns, which focused on global and regional biodiversity conservation issues. Myrna Baylon, Chief of the Wildlife Management Section of the Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Management Services (PAWCZMS) of the Department

A student asks about what youth can do to help conserve biodiversity.

IYB wins Green Award

ith the slogan “Biodiversity is Life. Biodiversity is our Life”, the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) won the coveted 2010 Green Award for best Global Campaign. The award recognized the campaign that inspired activities throughout the world that showcased the value and beauty of biodiversity. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) served as the United Nations’ focal point for the Year. Taking place at London’s Natural History Museum on December 2, 2010 with more than 400

of Environment and Natural Resources, highlighted the wealth of the country’s biodiversity, with special focus on significant species in the Bicol region. She also discussed threats to biodiversity and how the youth can participate in conservation. Yolanda Sa-ong, a Forester at the PAWCZMS, discussed actions to conserve biodiversity in the Philippines, including laws and penalties, and encouraged the youth to explore various ways to participate in biodiversity conservation. !

guests, the awarding ceremony was attended by Sir David Attenborough, Britain’s best loved naturalist. The Green Awards, now in their fifth year, illustrate the crucial role that green marketing and sustainability communications play in informing people about green issues, products and lifestyle choices. The Awards showcase examples of excellence and best practice in communicating sustainability and green issues. For the first time in the history of the UN General

Assembly, a high-level event on biodiversity with the participation of heads of state and government took place on September 22, 2010 to mark the celebration of the International Year on Biodiversity. The celebration took place with the participation of the actor and film-maker, Edward Norton, appointed in July by the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon as the UN Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity. Building on the success of the IYB and based on an initiative of Japan, the UN General Assembly declared 20112020 the UN Decade on Biodiversity in support of the new biodiversity vision. SCBD

APC celebrates biodiversity week The Asia Pacific College (APC), in partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), celebrated Biodiversity Week on November 30 - December 4, 2010 at the APC Campus in Makati City, Philippines. APC is an educational collaboration between the SM Foundation and IBM Philippines. The Biodiversity Week is APC’s contribution to the celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity by educating the youth about the need to protect the various forms of life on earth. The celebration included a photo exhibition on flora and fauna by the APC faculties and students, a film showing about biodiversity, a biodiversity awareness field trip to UP Los Banos, a biodiversity party, and a run for biodiversity. The APC Biodiversity Week was highlighted by the launching and induction of officers of “Target Biodiversity”, a new school-wide organization dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. !

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Cancun climate change confab sets path to low emissions future

he United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico adopted a balanced package of decisions that set all governments more firmly on the path towards a low-emissions future and support enhanced action on climate change in the developing world. “The beacon of hope has been reignited and faith in the multilateral climate change process to deliver results has been restored,” said Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “Nations have shown they can work together under a common roof, to reach consensus on a common cause. They have shown that consensus in a transparent and inclusive process can create opportunity for all,” she said. “Governments have given a clear signal that they are headed towards a low-emissions future together. They have agreed to be accountable to each other for the actions they take to get there, and they have set it out in a way which encourages countries to be more ambitious over time.” Ms. Figueras emphasized. “Nations launched a set of initiatives and institutions to protect the poor and the vulnerable from climate change and to deploy the money and technology that developing countries need to plan and build their own sustainable futures. They agreed to launch concrete action to preserve forests in developing nations, which will increase going forward. “They also agreed that countries need to work to stay below a two-degree temperature rise and they set a clear

Photo courtesy of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

timetable for review, to ensure that global action is adequate to meet the emerging reality of climate change. “This is not the end, but it is a new beginning. It is not what is ultimately required but it is the essential foundation on which to build greater, collective ambition,” said Ms. Figueres. Elements of the Cancun Agreements include: • Industrialized country targets are officially recognized under the multilateral process. These countries are to develop low-carbon development plans and strategies and assess how best to meet them, including through market mechanisms, and report their inventories annually. • Developing country actions to reduce emissions are officially recognized under the multilateral process. A registry is to be set up to record and match developing country mitigation actions to be financed and technologically supported by industrialized countries. Developing countries are to publish progress reports every two years. • Parties meeting under the Kyoto Protocol agree to continue negotiations with the aim of completing their work and

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•

ensuring there is no gap between the first and second commitment periods of the treaty. The Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanisms has been strengthened to drive more major investments and technology into environmentally sound and sustainable emission reduction projects in the developing world. Parties launched a set of initiatives and institutions to protect the vulnerable from climate change and to deploy the money and technology that developing countries need to plan and build their own sustainable futures. A total of $30 billion in fast start finance from industrialized countries to support climate action in the developing world up to 2012 and the intention to raise $100 billion in long-term funds by 2020 are included in the decisions. In the field of climate finance, a process to design a Green Climate Fund under the Conference of the Parties, with a board with equal representation from developed and developing countries, is established. A new “Cancun Adap-

tation Framework” is established to allow better planning and implementation of adaptation projects in developing countries through increased financial and technical support, including a clear process for continuing work on loss and damage. • Governments agree to boost action to curb emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries with technological and financial support. • Parties have established a technology mechanism with a Technology Executive Committee and Climate Technology Centre and Network to increase technology cooperation to support action on adaptation and mitigation. With 194 Parties, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has near universal membership and is the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified by 191 of the UNFCCC Parties. Under the Protocol, 37 States, consisting of highly industrialized countries and countries undergoing the process of transition to a market economy, have legally binding emission limitation and reduction commitments. The ultimate objective of both treaties is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. The 2010 meeting was held in Cancun, Mexico from November 29 to December 10. The next Conference of the Parties is scheduled to take place in South Africa from November 28 to December 9, 2011. UNFCCC Secretariat www.aseanbiodiversity.org

GEO-5 in the making

he First Global Intergovernmental and Multistakeholder Consultation on the Fifth Global Environment Outlook (GEO-5) was held in Nairobi, Kenya on March 29 - 31, 2010 to kick off the long and tedious preparations for the publication of the GEO-5. The consultation was convened to enable governments and other stakeholder groups to discuss, agree on, and adopt the objectives, scope and process for GEO-5. The GEO-5 report will be published in 2012, the year of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (or the Rio+20 Conference) where possible themes include ‘a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication’ and the ‘institutional framework for sustainable development’. The GEO is a comprehensive, integrated and scientifically credible global environmental assessment that aims to support decision-making

processes at appropriate levels. Since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, global, regional and national concern for environmental and developmental issues has increased. This has led to an extensive range of internationally agreed environmental and development goals. The development of various editions of the GEO provides an assessment of efforts as well as future directions in global biodiversity actions. The GEO-5 seeks to engage all governments, relevant United Nations bodies and stakeholders in its preparations to provide scientific credibility, policy relevance and legitimacy of the assessment. It aims to identify data gaps in the thematic environmental issues, and strengthen capacity building for developing countries in conducting environmental monitoring and assessments. The GEO-5 will also include an analysis of case studies of policy options that incorporates environmental, eco-

nomic, social and scientific data to identify promising policy options to speed up achievement of internationally agreed goals such as those agreed at the Millennium Summit in 2000 and in Multilateral Environmental Agreements. The GEO-5 specifically aims to provide an analysis of policy options to improve efforts towards achieving international environment and development objectives. It will have three main parts: Assessment of the State and Trends of the Global Environment; Options for Regional Policy Action; and Opportunities for a Global Response. The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) has been chosen as the Lead Author for Part II, Chapter 3: Options for Asia and the Pacific. The preferred thematic areas for this chapter are Climate Change, Environmental Governance, Biodiversity, Freshwater, and Chemicals and Waste. The main responsibility of a Lead Author is to supervise the production of designated sections addressing items of the work program on the basis of

the best scientific, technical and socio-economic information available. As part of its obligations to GEO-5, ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes participated in the First Production and Authors’ Meeting held in Cairo, Egypt on November 8 - 11, 2010, hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme in collaboration with the Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe. In this meeting, the chapter authors developed annotated chapter outlines and agreed on group roles and responsibilities for the duration of the GEO-5 process. This and other regional consultations will serve as an important step in the preparation process for the production of GEO-5, where regional stakeholders and the Secretariat will discuss, agree and formulate the crucial building blocks and next steps for advancing the regional components of the assessment. More information on the GEO-5 is available at www.unep.org. Sahlee Bugna-Barrer

ASEAN Biodiversity magazine online For in-depth information and news on biodiversity across Southeast Asia, check out the ASEAN Biodiversity Newsmagazine, the quarterly international publication of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)! ASEAN Biodiversity features special reports on biodiversity-related themes in the ASEAN context, such as climate change, ecotourism, transboundary protected areas, and ASEAN Heritage Parks. Profiles on protected areas provide information on the status of habitats and wildlife, and interesting activities in the parks. A pull-out section on specific species can be interesting reference materials for researchers and students. The magazine also features ongoing programs and activities of ACB that assist ASEAN Member States in addressing various biodiversity conservation issues. ACB welcomes contributions from volunteer writers and photographers who want to help popularize biodiversity. Interested parties may contact Mr. Rolando Inciong, Editor-in-Chief of ASEAN Biodiversity at rainciong@aseanbiodiversity.org, or Ms. Leslie Castillo at lavjose@ aseanbiodiversity.org, or call ACB at (+632) 928-3210 and (+632) 929-4147. For more information visit the ACB website at www.aseanbiodiversity.org.

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

US offers Brunei support in environmental protection efforts The US government is keen to provide research and development assistance to Brunei Darussalam in the areas of environmental protection, according to the Oxford Business Group. Future initiatives will focus on forest carbon initiative and reduced emissions in Borneo. Brunei Darussalam and the US are members of TransPacific Partnership Agreement, which aims to create a platform for economic integration across the Asia Pacific region. BruDirect.com

Cambodia builds biggest hydroelectric plant The Cambodian government has begun construction of the country’s biggest hydroelectric power plant in Koh Kong province, 290 kilometers west of Phnom Penh. The power plant is expected to help reduce power prices and meet power demand for the national economic development. The 338-megawatt plant, which is scheduled to join the national grid in mid-2015, is being built on Rusei Chrum River in Mondol Seima district at a cost of US$558 million. ReportLinker

Indonesia chooses climate pact pilot province Indonesia has chosen Central Kalimantan province on Borneo to pilot test efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by saving forest and peatlands, a key part of a $1 billion climate deal with Norway. With nearly a million hectares of oil palm plantations and a rapidly growing coal-mining sector, Central Kalimantan has some of the largest areas of threatened peatlands and peat swamp forests in the country. The agreement with Norway aims to test efforts that save and restore forests as a way to fight climate change. Under the agreement, Norway will pay Indonesia for proven emission reductions based on a transparent auditing system and 74

a key part of the pact is selecting a province to test programs that boost conservation, training and steps to improve livelihoods. Reuters

New Lao PDR hydro project to spur development, improve lives The inauguration of Nam Theun 2, Lao PDR’s largest hydropower facility, signals a new era for growth, development and poverty reduction in the country. Over 90 per cent of the electricity generated by the project is being sold to Thailand, providing Lao PDR with a $2 billion revenue stream over the next 25 years. The funds are earmarked for health and education services, and other poverty alleviation programs. The project has also placed great emphasis on environmental management: over $60 million has been invested in downstream water quality management and $1 million is annually provided for the protection of the 4,000 km2 Nakai-Nam Theun Biodiversity Conservation Area. eco-business.com

Malaysia expedition yields rich marine gift basket Preliminary results from an expedition in the seas off Sabah, Malaysia have uncovered a huge diversity of marine life, and this part of the Coral Triangle might be the most biologically diverse area in the planet. Scientists examined Semporna’s famed coral reefs, and recorded a surprising abundance of mushroom corals, reef fish, shrimp, gall crabs, ovulid snails, and algae. The expedition documented 43 species of mushroom corals and 844 different kinds of fish, making the area one of the richest within the Coral Triangle in terms of species diversity. However, signs of coral bleaching and coral disease were also observed at a number of different sites. WWF

Smuggled lumber from Myanmar seized in Thailand Authorities confiscated more

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than 3,000 teak logs estimated to be worth more than 200 million baht and believed to have been smuggled into Thailand from Myanmar. A joint operation between the Department of Special Investigation, Customs Department and Royal Forestry Department raided two sawmills and seized the logs. The importer had falsely declared the confiscated logs to the Customs Office as sawn timber using 57 documents that claimed the imports had been approved by officials from Myanmar. AseanAffairs.com

Viet Nam-WEN is a network that seeks to strengthen the support and cooperation between relevant national, regional and international authorities in response to wildlife crimes, such as poaching, trafficking, trade and captive breeding of endangered species. Viet Nam is the sixth ASEAN country to form a national wildlife enforcement network under the regional ASEANWEN, after Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Vietnam News Agency

Reusable bag campaign launched

Scientists push to save world’s carbon-rich peatlands

Earth Day Network Philippines, Inc. (EDNPI), with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the National Solid Waste Management Commission, the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association, Philippine Retailers Association, and major malls and supermarkets in the Philippines, launched PagbaBAG Ko, PagbaBAGo!, a Reusable Bag Campaign on September 23, 2010. The campaign addresses the use of disposable plastic bags; promotes the use of reusable bags; and provides disincentives in the use of plastic bags in groceries. The campaign aims to raise environmental awareness of the consumers on the harmful effects of indiscriminately using nonbiodegradable plastic; reduce the use of plastic bags by an industrywide initiative to promote the use of re-usable bags; and influence the industry and more importantly, the consumers to a gradual shift to the use of reusable bags by an initial once-a-week Reusable Bag Day. DENR

Enforcement network launched vs wildlife crime The Viet Nam Government, together with the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN), has launched the Inter-Agency Executive Committee for Viet Nam Wildlife Enforcement, which involves members of the Viet Nam Wildlife Enforcement Network (Viet Nam-WEN).

Scientists with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) called for a special focus on peatlands in any future deal on REDD+, a global mechanism for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, as well as the conservation and sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks. Peatlands cover about 3 per cent of the earth’s land area, but store as much as one-third of all soil carbon. More than 100,000 hectares of peatlands in Southeast Asia are being converted every year into plantations for palm oil and pulpwood. In Indonesia, which is home to one of the world’s largest areas of peatlands, protection of these carbon “sinks” was put at further risk by a 2009 national regulation that permits the development of oil-palm plantations in peatlands with peat depth less than three meters. A hectare of palm oil in Indonesia nets a landowner between $4,000 and $10,000. This is more profitable than leaving the forest and peat undisturbed and earning carbon credits from the voluntary markets, which at present rates would yield $500 to $1000. CIFOR

Borneo launches reforestation effort to save rhino The Rhino and Forest Fund (RFF) has partnered with the www.aseanbiodiversity.org

Forestry Department of Sabah in northern Borneo to launch a long-term reforestation project to aid Malaysia’s threatened species particularly the Bornean rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni), one of the world’s most imperiled big mammals. The reforestation project will focus on the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, which is surrounded on all sides by oil palm plantations. The Bornean rhino is a subspecies of the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. After decades of extensive forest loss and poaching, the Sumatran rhino has dwindled to some 250, while the Bornean rhino is down to 50 animals at best. Already, one of the Sumatran rhino subspecies, the Northern Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis), is likely extinct, though a few may survive in Myanmar. While the Bornean rhino has become the focal species of the reforestation project, implementers hope the project serves a number of threatened species in Tabin, including orangutans, Bornean pygmy elephants, and the clouded leopard. mongabay.com

the survey suggest that a network of forest fragments may be appropriate for some species of high conservation concern. The scientific community needs to continue to support the business community to find ways in which threatened wildlife can persist in managed areas over the long-term. msnbc.com

New snub-nosed monkey found in Myanmar Fauna & Flora International (FFI) reports that a new species of monkey with an upturned nose that causes it to sneeze when it rains has been found in northern Myanmar. The animal is almost entirely black with white tufts on its ear and chin. Although the species is new to science, it is well known to locals who call it the “monkey with an upturned face”. On rainy days they often sit with their heads tucked between their knees to avoid getting water in their upturned noses. Interviews with locals suggested there were just 260 to 330 individuals, which would make it critically endangered. The monkey inhabits an area in Kachin State that is geographically isolated from other species by the Mekong and the Salween rivers, which may explain why it has not been discovered earlier. The Independent

Sumatran rhino

Snub-nosed monkey

Bridges built to help Borneo orangutans meet mates Malaysian authorities are building makeshift bridges using firehouse hoses slung across rivers to help endangered orangutans move around

be the yellow-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae). However, analysis of the animals’ DNA and distinct calls convinced researchers that they were in a different species. Both of the gibbons belong to the family of ‘crested gibbons’, one of the most imperiled groups of mammals in the world. Yellowcheeked gibbons are currently classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List. Other crested gibbon species are down to less than 200 individuals. The crested gibbons are the most threatened group of primates and all species require urgent attention to save them from extinction. mongabay.com

Endangered species listing could hit Malaysian Borneo’s timber trade The IUCN has indicated that three important timber species — keruing, meranti and kapur — may be threatened with extinction due to decades of logging. The species are not presently listed and would need to undergo a lengthy verification process before they could appear on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Sarawak Timber Association states that any listing would impact Sarawak’s timber trade. The three genera account for up to 62 per cent of total log and 24 per cent of sawnwood exports from Sarawak and generated 1.79 billion ringgit ($580 million) in revenue. The three genera include 166 species, of which 113 species are on the Red List. mongabay.com

New ape species uncovered in Asia

Rare bat found in Indonesian forest fragment Conservationists from the UK discovered the Ridley’s leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros ridleyi) in a 300-hectare fragment of forest during a biodiversity survey in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The forest fragment is surrounded by a palm oil plantation. The bat roosts in the cavities of trees and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The results of

isolated forests to potentially meet new mates and boost the species’ chances for survival. Conservationists estimate about 11,000 orangutans live in Sabah, Malaysia, but many are isolated from each other because swaths of forest have been cut for development, logging and oil palm plantations. Old fire hoses were strung together between trees on different sides of rivers to help orangutans — which cannot swim — swing or walk across them. The first bridge was set up seven years ago, but cameras caught orangutans using them only in 2010. More bridges are now being built, although intensive reforestation programs provide long term solutions to the survival of the species. Reuters

Researchers with the German Primate Center announced the discovery of a new species of ape in the gibbon family, the northern buffed-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus annamensis). The new species was discovered in rainforests between the borders of Viet Nam, Lao PDR, and Cambodia, an area that contains a number of gibbon species. The new species had been thought to

Ibis

Population of Asia’s rarest waterbird is higher than previously thought A record-breaking 429 whiteshouldered ibis (Pseudibis davisoni) were recorded in a new survey in Cambodia, dramatically expanding the known global population of the critically endangered bird species. The discovery exceeds the previous estimate of 330 birds by 30 per cent. Despite the positive news, the species - which is considered the most endangered waterbird in Southeast Asia due to habitat loss and hunting - is still in dire need of help. The species is still very close to extinction so efforts continue to better understand and protect the ibis. mongabay.com

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY !

Vultures rebound in Cambodia The number of threatened vultures in Cambodia is on the rise according to the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Cambodia Vulture Conservation Project. The annual census found 296 birds among the country’s three vulture species: the white-rumped, red-headed, and slender billed. All three are listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, with higher populations noted for the whiterumped vulture. Cambodia is now the only country in Asia where vulture populations are increasing as a result of several programmes organized by the Cambodia Vulture Conservation Project. Local communities are paid to protect vulture nests while vulture food sources are supplemented by ‘vulture restaurants’ or feeding stations that also provide an opportunity to see the birds. mongabay.com

No biologist has ever reported seeing a saola in the wild, and the species is classed as critically endangered with probably no more than a few hundred surviving. AFP

Malaysia passes wildlife protection law

Orangutan

continues in many parts of their range. The study found that orangutans in the Indonesian province of East Kalimantan use secondary forest, protected areas, as well as acacia plantations for feeding and nesting. The results can provide the wildlife department with better tools to design landscapes consisting of protected core areas, forest corridors, timber concessions, and plantations. The Star Online

Rare sighting in Lao PDR of mysterious saola

Vultures

Hope for the orangutan A study in Sabah, Malaysia and Kalimantan, Indonesia show that there might be hope yet for the endangered orangutan in forest plantations and sustainably logged forests. This is important as 75 per cent of the primates live outside protected areas in Borneo. Well-protected natural forests are still best for biodiversity conservation, but this new understanding will help government authorities optimally design land use outside protected areas to support both conservation and development objectives. The orangutan’s native habitats in Indonesia and Malaysia have been much reduced in size and fragmented, and hunting of these apes 76

One of the world’s rarest animals, the secretive and mysterious twin-horned saola, has been seen for the first time in a decade. Villagers in Lao PDR captured a saola and took it to their remote community. Unfortunately, the saola died after a few days in captivity. The animal was photographed before its death, the first confirmed record since 1999 when pictures of wild saola were taken by automatic cameras in Lao PDR.

Saola

! SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2010 ! ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

Malaysia recently passed a wildlife law with significantly higher penalties and mandatory jail terms for a wide range of wildlife crimes. Conservationists, concerned that Sumatran rhinos, orangutans, Malayan tigers and clouded leopards are losing their fight for survival, will be watching how the new law is implemented. If effectively enforced, the law can give wildlife a respite against open and blatant poaching. upi.com

Philippine forestry thrust gets €3M The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has signed an agreement with the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) to improve forestry policies and implement Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) measures. The agreement entails 3.2 million for these two thrusts until September 2012, where GTZ will provide 2.7 million, while the rest will come from the local counterpart. Tasks under the agreement consists of analyzing the causes of deforestation and forest degradation; revising forestry policies to address climate change concerns; reviewing incentives for protection and rehabilitation of forests; implementing REDD pilot measures, including establishment of forest boundaries, development of forest land use plans, forging co-management agreements, establishment of communal/ individual land use rights, and funding of rehabilitation, reforestation and agro-forestry measures; establishing a REDD monitoring system; holding consultations on REDD with stakeholders; as well as exchanging knowledge and

experience at the national, regional and international levels. The projects to be undertaken particularly entail the rehabilitation and protection of 5,000 hectares of natural forests and establishment of 2,000 hectares of “species-rich” forests. Business World Online

Viet Nam’s legendary turtle tops list endangered turtle species. Conservation International released a list of ten endangered species of turtles in the world, with the turtle species in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake considered the most endangered. The list has two species from Viet Nam, the Hoan Kiem turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) and Mauremys annamensis, an endemic tortoise species in central Viet Nam. Rafetus swinhoei is a species of soft-shell turtle, which may be the largest fresh water turtle in the world. It is listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List 2006, and only two are known to survive in China, and both are in zoos. In Viet Nam, two examples of this species also exist, one in Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of Hanoi, and the other in Dong Mo Lake near Hanoi. In 2007, scientists conducting surveys west of Hanoi discovered the world’s only living example of Rafetus swinhoei in the wild. The Vietnamese pond turtle or Annam leaf turtle (Mauremys annamensis) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae (Bataguridae). Endemic to a small area in central Vietnam, it was reportedly abundant in the 1930s, but all field surveys after 1941 had failed to locate any in the wild. Vietnam.net bridge

Hoan Kiem turtle www.aseanbiodiversity.org

The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity Conserving Southeast Asia’s Biodiversity for Human Development and Survival

he ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) is an intergovernmental regional centre of excellence that facilitates cooperation and coordination among the ten ASEAN Member States and with relevant national governments, regional and international organizations on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of such natural treasures. ACB’s goals are: • To serve as an effective coordinative body to facilitate discussion and resolution of cross-country biodiversity conservation issues; • To provide a framework and mechanism for sharing information, experiences, best practices and lessons learned for efficient access of ASEAN Member States; • To implement a pro-active approach in monitoring and assessing biodiversity conservation status as a strategic approach towards identifying critical issues and future trends; • To deliver/facilitate conduct of capacity-building services and technology transfer through engaging relevant and appropriate expertise; • To enhance common understanding of biodiversity conservation issues, strengthening ASEAN regional positions in negotiations and in compliance with relevant multilateral environmental agreements; • To promote regional public awareness to develop champions and enhance support at different stakeholder levels on biodiversity concerns; and

• To undertake innovative resource generation and mobilization measures to pursue impact activities that will enhance biodiversity conservation in the region. ACB supports ASEAN Member States in the following thematic concerns that are of global and regional importance: Agriculture and food security, including food certification and biodiversity; Access to, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits from biological and genetic resources; Climate change and biodiversity conservation; Ecotourism and biodiversity conservation; Payment for ecosystems services scheme and valuation of biodiversity; Wildlife enforcement; Managing invasive alien species; Peatland management and biodiversity; Support to the Global Taxonomic Initiative; Support to the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Programme of Work on Protected Areas; Managing biodiversity information and knowledge; and Business and biodiversity. For more information, log on to www.aseanbiodiversity.org. ACB Headquarters 3F ERDB Bldg., Forestry Campus College, Laguna 4031,Philippines Tel/fax: +6349 536-2865, +6349 536-1044

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Pygmy Loris

(Nycticebus pygmaeus) Also known as lesser slow loris and pygmy slow loris, the pygmy loris is a nocturnal, tree-dwelling Asian primate with short, thick, woolly hair that is light brownish-grey to deep reddish-brown in color. The individual hairs often have silvery tips giving a ‘frosted’ appearance and a darker stripe runs along the spine. The underparts are lighter in color, being almost white or grayish. Its large eyes are encircled with dark rings and separated by a streak of light fur. The pygmy loris is about 18 – 21 centimeters long, and may weigh up to 800 grams. Like other lorises, each digit on the hands and feet bears a nail, except for the second digit on each foot, which instead has what is known as a ‘toilet’ claw, used for grooming. Unlike many other primates, lorises do not possess a tail to assist with moving through their forest habitat, but instead a special arrangement of muscles in the hands and feet enable an effortless and powerful grasp, allowing the pygmy loris to grip tightly to a branch at lofty heights all day. This species is found in Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam. In Viet Nam, the pygmy loris was found to live in primary rainforest on limestone, secondary forests, and bamboo thickets. In Lao PDR, this species lives in dense evergreen forest. The pygmy loris can also be found in altitudes up to 1500 meters. By day, lorises are known to sleep curled up in the fork of a tree, but during the night, these animals can be seen moving slowly and deliberately through the trees on all fours. Pygmy lorises feed on insects, seizing flying insects in their hands while they grip a branch with both hind feet. This protein-rich food is supplemented with fruit, as well as gum from trees.

The pygmy loris gives birth to just a single young each year, after a gestation period of 184 to 200 days. The young are weaned at the age of 123 to 146 days, but generally stay within their mother’s territory until they are sexually mature and establish a range of their own. The life span of the pygmy loris is believed to be about 20 years. In Viet Nam, the pygmy slow loris is heavily exploited for traditional “medicine” as well as for local and international pet trade, including international trade. It is also used as a food source by many locals. Some hunting involves the use of elaborate traps, as well as snares. Levels of exploitation in Lao PDR are significantly lower. Habitat loss, due to agriculture (cashew plantations, corn, rice paddies and so forth), and human settlement, may be resulting in localized declines. Nycticebus pygmaeus is listed as Vulnerable, as the species is believed to have undergone a decline of more than 30 per cent over the last three generations (24 years, given a generation length of eight years) due primarily to hunting, but also as a result of habitat loss. References: Edwards, David P., Richard E. Webster and Rose Ann Rowlett. ‘Spectacled Flowerpecker’: a species new to science discovered in Borneo? BirdingASIA. National Geographic (http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/ news/chiefeditor/2010/01/spectacled-flowerpecker-bird-speciesdiscovered.html)

Photo by Richard Webster/news.momgabay.com

Spectacled Flowerpecker The “spectacled flowerpecker” is a bird species new to science,

in logged and unlogged forests in the area, but focusing mostly

which has been discovered in the Heart of the Borneo rainforest.

on understorey and lower canopy avifauna. It seems likely that

Richard Webster, a biologist from the University of Leeds, UK,

the spectacled flowerpecker is a canopy specialist, which may

and two leaders from tour company Field Guides came across

account for its ability to evade detection in a heavily surveyed

a pair of the new species near the Borneo Rainforest Lodge,

area. Since no known species of flowerpecker is confined to

in the Danum Valley Conservation Area in Sabah, Malaysia,

the canopy, although they often occur there, such specialization

in 2009. Their findings were published in BirdingASIA, the

towards a canopy life-style would represent a unique behavior

magazine of the Oriental Bird Club.

for the spectacled flowerpecker.

The spectacled flowerpecker’s upperparts, wings and tail are

Named after its unique white, broken eye-ring, scientists have

uniform dark gray. It has bright white arcs above and below the

been unable to assign a scientific name given the lack of a

eye, creating a broken eye-ring. A white throat was bordered by

type specimen. It has been suggested though that it is from

a diffuse dusky malar, which was darker than the cheek, and

the genus Dicaeum based on the delicate bill structure of the

this merged into solid grey sides that were separated by a white

bird.

stripe from the throat towards the center of the underparts. The upperparts were medium-slate grey in coloration, with

References:

no additional markings, but there were prominent, pure white

Edwards, David P., Richard E. Webster and Rose Ann Rowlett.

pectoral tufts emerging from the carpal joint. The eye, bill and

‘Spectacled Flowerpecker’: a species new to science discovered

legs were all dark.

in Borneo? BirdingASIA.

All observations of spectacled flowerpecker were made at about

National Geographic (http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/

35 meters from ground level in the subcanopy and canopy of

news/chiefeditor/2010/01/spectacled-flowerpecker-bird-species-

large emergent trees. Ornithological studies have been extensive

discovered.html)

Photo from SixWise.com

Stick Insect

(Phobaeticus chani) Phobaeticus chani is a stick insect from Northern Borneo that has only recently been described by British entomologist Philip Bragg (Hennemann & Conle 2008). These animals are very long, very slender and have very long legs. They also resemble pencil-thin dark green bamboo. The overall length of the largest known specimen with the fore legs stretched out straight is 56.7 cm. Body length only, including the subgenital plate is 33.35 to 35.7 cm. This makes P. chani the longest known extant insect in the world. It beats other previous record holders for overall length, which include Phobaeticus serratipes (found in Malaysia and Indonesia) and Phobaeticus kirbyi (from Borneo). Also known as Chanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Megastick, a specimen of Phobaeticus chani was donated to the Natural History Museum of London by Datuk Chan Chew Lun. Only three specimens of the new insect have been found so far, all from Sabah, Malaysia. Datuk Chan obtained the first and largest known specimen (a female) from a local collector. The other two specimens are in collections in Sabah. Datuk Chan runs the Natural History Publications, which is based in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. He has been collecting all types of stick insects since 1981 and had even written a number of articles about the creatures. He would go out to meet villagers and ask

them to obtain specimens of the insect for him and in 1989, he met a farmer who handed over a huge stick insect found somewhere at Ulu Moyog in Penampang district. Datuk Chan realized that it could be a totally new species and eventually sent the specimen to Bragg in 2007. In addition to its size, the eggs of the Phobaeticus chani may also be unique in the insect world. Each egg capsule has wing-like extensions on either side, allowing them to drift in the wind when the female drops them, thereby helping the species to spread. There are around 3000 known species of stick insect, mainly living in the tropics and subtropics. Virtually nothing is known about the biology and ecology of this super-sized insect, except that it probably lives in the canopy of the rainforest, making it especially hard to find. References: National History Museum (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/ news/2008/october/worlds-longest-insect-revealed22619.html) The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/ iphobaeticus-chanii-the-worlds-longest-living-insect-964310. html)

Photo by Tim Laman

Wallace’s Flying Frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus)

Also known as parachute frogs, Wallace’s flying frog is named for the 19th-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who first described the species in 1869. Wallace’s flying frogs inhabit the dense tropical jungles of Malaysia and Borneo. They live almost exclusively in the trees, descending only to mate and lay eggs. When threatened or in search of prey, they will leap from a branch and splay their four webbed feet. The membranes between their toes and loose skin flaps on their sides catch the air as they fall, helping them to glide, sometimes 50 feet or more, to a neighboring tree branch or even all the way to the ground. They also have oversized toe pads to help them land softly and stick to tree trunks. Probably the most dramatic looking frog in the region, Wallace’s Flying Frog is distinguished from other flying frogs by its large size, and the black coloration of the webbing on all four feet. Living mainly at mid-canopy level of tropical rainforests, the species can also be found at ground level when it descends to mate and construct its bubble nest. The dorsal surface of the body and legs is a vivid green, and the side yellow. The large eyes have horizontal pupils. They grow to about four inches and survive mainly on insects. It is found typically in primary evergreen rainforest, but it has also been found in old shifting cultivation, but not in open areas. Breeding aggregations form in vegetation near forest pools,

descending from higher strata in the forest to breed at rain pools, and also animal wallows, and usually egg masses are attached to low vegetation overhanging these pools. The Wallace’s flying frog population is considered stable, and they have special status only in certain localities. However, they are partial to breeding and laying eggs in the fetid wallowing holes of the nearly extinct Asian rhinoceros, and further decreases in rhino populations may negatively affect the species. This species is known from mainland Southeast Asia with certainty from the Thai-Malay Peninsula from Ranong south to EndauRompin, from Borneo from eastern Sabah south to southeastern Kalimantan and west to central Sarawak, and also from Sumatra, in Indonesia. It probably occurs more widely than current records suggest, especially in areas between known sites. It is native to Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. References: Ecology Asia (http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/amphibians/ wallace’s_flying_frog.htm) National Geographic (http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/ animals/amphibians/wallaces-flying-frog/) Peter Paul van Dijk, Djoko Iskandar, Robert Inger 2004. Rhacophorus nigropalmatus. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. <www.iucnredlist.org>.