Best of our wild blogs: 2 Feb 09

Carrying Capacity and Singapore
on Hell Hath No Fury Like Nature Scorned

New ways to look at old stuff?
on the Raffles Museum News blog

Javan Mynas and wild boars
on the Bird Ecology Study Group blog

Juvenile Black-shouldered Kites
on the Bird Ecology Study Group blog

S is for
on the annotated budak blog and Bye Rye and Fly Shooting and Pray feed me

Exploring Ubin
on the Urban Forest blog

Common Sandpiper @ Labrador Park Nature Reserve
on the sgbeachbum blog

WaterSpider@Cyrene
on the sgbeachbum blog

Monday Morgue: 2nd February 2009
on the Lazy Lizard's Tales blog

New Recycling Bins Along Orchard Road
on the Zero Waste Singapore blog

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Fortunes of our wetlands ebb and flow like the tide

Evangeline Majawat, New Straits Times 2 Feb 09;

KUALA LUMPUR: In the aftermath of the Asian tsunami in 2004, wetlands were thrust into the nations' consciousness when people realised how wetlands cushioned the full force of the waves, saving many lives.
Overnight, mangrove replanting and wetland rehabilitation projects received a boost in funding and manpower.

Sadly, five years on, enthusiasm has ebbed, leaving environmentalists frustrated.

Wetlands International Malaysia communications officer Gabriel Chong said wetlands' contribution to the ecology remain "undervalued".

This is evident from how wetlands are threatened by continuous encroachment.
"Short-term economic gains such as logging, aquaculture and agriculture are valued over the long-term implications of destroying wetlands.

"With climate change upon us, the value of these ecosystems is more important and has to be recognised."

He suggested that the potential losses incurred from the degradation of these ecosystems be calculated in ringgit and sen so that people better understand the problem.

Malaysian Nature Society executive director Dr Loh Chi Leong said the government must coordinate its efforts.

"The government's effort to replant mangroves are appreciated: however, while some areas are rehabilitated, other areas are threatened. Over the years, a lot of mangrove forest reserves have been de-gazetted for development."

He said awareness of the value of wetlands might have increased but many still think peat swamps have no value.

"Swamps are some of the cheapest land, which is why they are almost always the first to be developed."

He said the message for World Wetlands Day is simple: "Wetlands are crucial for our existence but we have not been taking good care of it.

"From the mangroves and swamps at the coast and upstream in catchment areas, we must take care of them."

Wasteful ways leave us high and dry
New Straits Times 2 Feb 09;

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will be "headed for a water crisis" if water resources are not managed properly.
"Malaysians seem to think that we have a lot of water, but we have a finite number of rivers. A country like Britain has far fewer water resources but is still able to support a larger population because they take care of their rivers.

"We're just wasteful. This is why we're forced to build more dams and take water from more rivers, spend a lot on inter-basin water transfer and purifying our water," said Malaysian Nature Society executive director Dr Loh Chi Leong.

He said the theme of this year's World Wetlands Day, "Upstream-Downstream-Wet-lands Connect Us All", highlights the interdependence of different ecosystems and the need for coordinated management of water resources.

"What we do upstream will affect us downstream."
The way forward to sustainable water resources management was through integrated river basin management (IRBM), he said.

This means one body managing land and other resources in a river basin, from catchment area, river, wetlands and coast, without affecting the soil and water.

At present, land matters are under the state governments' jurisdiction. But natural resources, such as water, are managed by several federal departments, including the Drainage and Irrigation Department, and some local councils.

"At present there is no coordination. It is only logical that one body manages our river basins. Everyone has their own targets and objectives. Local planners want to maximise land use, so, to them it makes sense to develop land near rivers. But factories located upstream of water intake points could pollute the river if development is not carried out properly."

While Loh credits the government for "sponsoring many discussions on IRBM and its implementation nationwide", he says it has remained just that -- talk. It has been implemented only for Sungai Selangor and Sungai Kinabatangan in Sabah.

"Everyone has demands on our river basins. But only with proper management will everyone achieve what they want without jeopardising the environment."

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Cat management courses for Town Council officers

Letter from Dr Tan Chek Wee, Today Online 2 Feb 09;

I refer to “No easy solution for strays”(Jan 30).

The AVA’s stand is “It is a fact that stray cats, including sterilised ones, create numerous disamenities to the public, ranging from nuisance to hygiene concerns, even physical threat”.

The experience of caregivers like myself and Ms Dawn Kua when she was with the Cat Welfare Society (CWS), (whose experiences are still available on her blog atwww.catwelfare.blogspot.com/) indicate that many complaints arise from irresponsible cat owners who let their pets roam and irresponsible feeders, such as those who lure cats upstairs to feed them.

I have spoken to complainants who said they did not want cats culled.

Problems have been and can be solved without culling, if Town Council (TC) officers are guided on how to approach cat-related feedback.

At the moment, I believe TC officers do not attend formal training on this aspect of their jobs, and hence some resort to culling as a default solution.

I suggest that the AVA, with the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and CWS, organise courses on “cat management” so that these officers can carry out their jobs more effectively.

As for physical threat, it is a fact that cats rarely attack unprovoked.

A father in my estate complained tothe TC that his daughter was attacked but fortunately, a senior property officerinterviewed residents who bore witnessthat the cat had not been known to beaggressive.

We cannot take complaints of “physical threat” at face value.

It is often the complainants who provoke cats to attack.

Perhaps the AVA can include “how to approach community cats correctly” in its public education.

As for the call for AVA and TC to work with the caregivers, we are, and the TC as well, waiting for clear guidelines on how caregivers can apply for sterilisation disbursement.

So far, the TC officers I have emailed are in the dark about this disbursement scheme.

Give sterilisation a chance
It’s better for cats’ health, reduces aggressivenessand eradicates need to cull
Letter from Joanna Hughes, Today Online 2 Feb 09;

I refer to “No easy solution for strays” (Jan 30).

I was at first enheartened that the AVA had finally come to recognise the importance of sterilisation. But the let-down came immediately after. Stray cats a physical threat? Or a cause of “disamenities”, whatever they are?

I live in an urban area, where I have to put up with drunks who pass out on my porch, fights, dirty diapers left next to the rubbish bins and directly in my path, spitters, smokers, loud people of every description, loud motorbikes in need of tune-ups and mufflers, blocked drains that have to be pumped out — ah, the sounds and smells of urban life ...

But there are also community cats who, unless they are having a small dust-up over food or territory, are quiet, generallysmell-free and friendly — and if not human-oriented, shy and retiring.

We live through this and adjust to the minor inconveniences they cause.

Yes, cats do fight. The ones who fight are the ones who are not sterilised; the ones who spray urine, ditto.

It’s very simple: Sterilise. Sterilisation reduces much of the aggro that hormones cause (take for example,teenagers who join gangs and beat up others for “staring” at them).

Sterilised cats live longer and healthier lives, create relationships with those who live around them and keep down the vermin population (there was a media report about rats on Orchard Road).

There is more that can be done. One is to give community carers a break — time to work with owners of unsterilised cats, time to get them caught, neutered and help with transport and costs of sterilisation.

Another is to allow HDB dwellers to keep cats, provided they are licensed and neutered. (By the way, let’s make sterilisation part of the licensing requirement for pet dogs, too.)

Finally, to help educate the public about cats: That there are simple ways to deal with “disamenities” (such as putting out mothballs to discourage cats from pooping in pot plants or corners); that cats are not “dirty”, that cats are not aggressive unless threatened; that civilised and gracious people do not kick, punch or torture other living beings, nor do they lobby for their destruction.

For more comments, go towww.todayonline.com/voices

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Multiple Uses Planned for New Indonesian Marine Reserve

Fidelis E. Satriastanti, Jakarta Globe 2 Feb 09;

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries on Sunday sought to allay fears that its proposed marine conservation area in the Savu Sea, to be the largest in the country, would lock the door on locals who depend on the rich waters for their livelihoods.

“We need to point out to local governments and fishermen that conservation does not necessarily mean it is totally off limits for them,” said Agus Dermawan, the director of conservation and national marine parks at the ministry.

He said a zoning system would classify some areas in the marine park to be set aside purely for conservation purposes and others for research, tourism and commercial fishing.

The proposed Savu Sea Marine Conservation Area, to cover a total of almost five million hectares, lies amid the Indonesian islands of Sumba, Savu, Rote, Timor, Alor, Pantar and Lembata. It is expected to gain status as a national marine conservation area during the World Ocean Conference in Manado, South Sulawesi Province, in May.

The area is the main migration corridor for 14 whales, including two endangered species, the blue whale and sperm whale.

Hirmen Sofyanto, The Nature Conservancy’s team leader for the project, said the reserve's establishment would also help maintain Indonesia’s political jurisdiction, as its waters lie between East Timor and Australia.

“There are an average of 59 international vessels traveling through the area almost every day, so it also faces possible contamination,” Hirmen said.

The country has a number of smaller marine conservation areas, many encompassing just one district, as in the cases of Nusa Penida in Bali Province, Raja Ampat in West Papua Province and Berau in East Kalimantan Province, Hirmen said.

In contrast, he said the Savu area “is going to be the country’s largest marine conservation area with around 14 districts involved.”

The Savu Sea is also a part of a commitment to set aside 10 million hectares for marine conservation by next year.

“In 2005, at the Convention on Biological Diversity in Brazil, SBY gave his commitment that Indonesia would reach 10 million hectares of marine areas in 2010,” Agus said.

The ministry currently manages 3.7 million hectares of marine conservation areas, while the Forestry Ministry still manages 5.5 million hectares of marine areas that fell under its jurisdiction before the Ministry or Maritime Affairs and Fisheries was formed in 1999.

“This will give us a total of more than 14 million hectares, well over the target,” Agus said.

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Indonesia Aims To Wrap Up Forest-Carbon Rules

Ed Davies, PlanetArk 2 Feb 09;

JAKARTA - Indonesia hopes to lay out a clear set of regulations before June on using carbon credits to protect rainforests so the rules can be discussed in upcoming international talks, a top climate official said.

The United Nations has backed a scheme called REDD, or reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation, in which developing nations could potentially earn billions of dollars from selling carbon credits in return for saving their forests.

Investors from banks to forestry firms and NGOs are lining up to set up REDD schemes in Indonesia and elsewhere in Asia, Africa and South America.

But the scheme is in its infancy and regulations are needed guide how REDD projects will work, will ensure the forests remain intact, how much carbon they will save and sequester and how money from selling the credits will flow to local communities.

Agus Purnomo, head of Indonesia's National Council on Climate Change, told Reuters on Thursday it was crucial to manage expectations over plans to save huge swathes of forest.

"Money is not going to fall from the sky just because we have forests," said Purnomo, who heads the council set up last July under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The council coordinates policy and developing priorities on climate change.

REDD won backing at U.N.-led climate talks in Bali in 2007 and trial schemes are now being developed. The World Bank in Jakarta says 20 trial schemes are at various stages of development in Indonesia. Banks, including Merrill Lynch and Macquarie Group of Australia, are among the investors.

Indonesia is also under pressure to curb deforestation, particularly illegal logging.

A report sponsored by the World Bank and Britain's Department for International Development says up to 84 percent of Indonesia's carbon emissions come from deforestation, forest fires and peatland degradation.

REDD REVENUE

"I am pushing to have REDD ongoing, (a) scheme (that) is clear before June, so that it will also contribute to the international negotiation process," he said, referring to a round of U.N.-led climate talks in Bonn, Germany.

The talks are part of a series in the run up to main talks in the Danish capital at the end of the year aimed at trying to agree on a broader replacement for the U.N. Kyoto Protocol climate pact.

Purnomo said one of the key unresolved issues over REDD was on taxation and the split in revenue for investors.

"The potential investors have been kicking and screaming with the proposal from the ministry of forestry but none of them are actually producing a good alternative arrangement," he said.

Some potential investors wanted to be taxed on their net profits, he said, adding this could be tricky since there would have to be an agreement on the level of costs.

He said that as well as dealing with some grumbles from potential investors the process also sometimes faced resistance from parts of Indonesia's unwieldy bureaucracy.

"That's why I need political blessing. I'm not supposed to say it that way but basically what I do is kick some butts," added Purnomo, 50, who previously headed non-governmental organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund in Indonesia.

He said a climate trust fund, aiming to pool donor commitments to direct the cash at priority areas and improve transparency, was also due to be launched before June.

He said the election of U.S. President Barack Obama had brought "fresh air" to global climate change negotiations, although it was unclear how much Washington would be able to commit itself to given the financial crisis.

"I think that they will have to resolve to a 'less now but more later' type of commitment," he said, adding that overall progress in December's U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen could hinge on the depth of the crisis.

Purnomo said he was concerned about pressure on developing countries to shoulder more of the cost of climate change.

"It's not a winning debate when you ask China, India or other countries...to make commitments to reductions when our emissions per-capita are very, very small."

(Editing by David Fogarty)

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