The Story of Saving Macritchie So Far
BES Drongos
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Singapore to sign Paris Agreement on Climate Change on Apr 22
938LIVE reports: As part of the agreement, Singapore has pledged to reduce its emissions intensity by 36 per cent by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. It also aims to stabilise its emissions, with the aim of peaking around 2030.
Monica Kotwani, 938LIVE Channel NewsAsia 17 Feb 16;
SINGAPORE: The Republic will sign the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in New York on April 22.
This was confirmed by the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) in a statement to 938LIVE on Wednesday (Feb 17).
The first day of the high-level signature ceremony coincides with Earth Day, celebrated by many countries around the world.
Countries have until April 2017 to sign the agreement. The climate change pact was an historic agreement adopted by 196 countries in December, where they pledged to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
The agreement will come into force after 55 countries accounting for at least 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions deposit their instruments of ratification with the United Nations.
As part of the agreement, Singapore has pledged to reduce its emissions intensity by 36 per cent by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. It also aims to stabilise its emissions, with the aim of peaking around 2030.
In its statement, NCCS said energy efficiency will be a key, and that Singapore would continue to invest in research and technology to meet its targets. Specific details of the nation’s plans are still being worked on.
NCCS said that Singapore will make a public announcement when it ratifies the agreement, and that Singapore is finalising its representation at the signing ceremony.
- 938LIVE/dl
‘Our task is not over,’ says Ban, urging action on Paris climate pledges ahead of signing ceremony
UN 17 Feb 16;
17 February 2016 – While the international community has provided a solid foundation for the world’s response to climate change by adopting the Paris Agreement this past December, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that it is now necessary to build on that momentum in order to secure a safer and healthier future for all.
At a briefing at UN Headquarters in New York on the high-level signature ceremony for the Paris Agreement, which he will host on 22 April, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the ceremony will provide the first opportunity for Governments to advance the process that will lead to the Agreement’s implementation and ratification.
“Now we must move from aspirations to action,” Mr. Ban said. “By implementing the Paris Agreement, we will be building the future we want – a future of shared opportunity that leaves no-one behind on a planet that is protected and nurtured for the benefit of all,” he added.
Urging the participation of all Governments at the signing ceremony, the UN chief emphasized the importance of the Agreement entering into force as soon as possible.
“The world now has a universal, fair, flexible and durable climate agreement,” Mr. Ban said.
“For the first time, every country in the world pledged to curb their emissions, strengthen resilience and join in common cause for the common good,” he added.
In particular, the Agreement will enable the international community to “increase ambition on a regular basis,” the Secretary-General said, which is essential in order to keep global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius, and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees.
“Our task is not over. In fact, it has just begun,” Mr. Ban said. “In 2016, we must go from words to deeds. The 22 April signature ceremony is an essential step,” he noted.
Emphasizing that “the cost of inaction becomes clearer every day,” Mr. Ban stressed that more extreme weather events, torrential rains and flooding, severe droughts and rising sea levels were leading to lost lives, homes, productivity and hope.
“We have no time to delay,” the Secretary-General underscored. “I urge you to ensure that the legal requirements for your leaders to have full powers to sign are in place by that date,” he said.
Mr. Ban noted that leaders from Peru, France and Morocco – the Presidents of recent UN climate change meetings, known as COP20, COP21 and the upcoming COP22 – have agreed to attend the signature ceremony, and that many other world leaders have promised their attendance as well.
“The participation of Heads of State and Government will show the world they are determined to move forward as quickly as possible,” Mr. Ban said. “It will keep the global spotlight firmly focused on climate change and build on the strong political momentum created in Paris.”
Mr. Ban added that all leaders will have the opportunity to make a national statement on the day of the ceremony. As such, he asked that leaders come ready to provide an update on how their Government will implement national climate plans and integrate them into their overall sustainable development plans, as well as provide a roadmap for increasing ambition over time to achieve the overall aim of limiting global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius.
He also asked leaders to be ready to indicate their Government’s timetable for ratifying the Paris Agreement, and to share how they are accelerating climate action before 2020 by drawing on the ingenuity, resources and efforts of all sectors of society.
“We need all hands on deck to meet the climate challenge,” Mr. Ban stressed. “Cities, schools, the business and investment communities, faith groups – all have a role to play.”
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Why our forests are worth safeguarding
Audrey Tan Straits Times 18 Feb 16;
How much do we value our forests, and are they worth protecting?
"Not really, there is nothing to see in our forests... so I would say, build away," a banker friend told me. Another added that to get his nature fix, there are far better alternatives overseas.
These are typical answers I get when I ask laymen about the possibility of the Cross Island Line tunnelling under Singapore's largest nature reserve.
Yes, there has been strong debate over the issue. But it seems that the loudest voices belong to those involved in the green movement.
Chatting with friends and family, I found that many are indifferent to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve - home to at least 413 species of plants, 218 species of birds, 30 mammals and 24 freshwater fish species.
NATURE DEFICIT
Perhaps it all boils down to a nature deficit in Singapore.
The term is used by experts to describe how people are increasingly alienated from their natural world, and lack the chance to experience nature.
National Institute of Education's Associate Professor Vilma Ann D'Rozario, who is studying the well-being benefits that children obtain from learning outside the classroom, especially in wild habitats, said that while she has seen a growing number of people enjoying Singapore's nature areas over the last decade or so, "most Singaporeans are little aware that we have nature and wild habitats at our doorstep".
Going by my news feed on social media sites, it seems that for many Singaporeans, the nature experience is limited to lounging by the sea in a deck chair, or having a picnic or barbecue at a local park.
For the more adventurous, they turn to Mount Rinjani in Lombok, Indonesia, or the Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia.
But many are unaware of the wilderness that can be found in urban Singapore, whether in our nature reserves or our marine park.
Said Prof D'Rozario, who volunteers extensively in environmental and wildlife conservation projects in Singapore: "Singapore has lovely green spaces, such as neighbourhood parks and gardens, which are enjoyed and used. But not as many Singaporeans visit our forest reserves.
"If more people visit our local forests, they would learn to understand forest systems better, appreciate our dependence on and interconnectedness with wildlife and wild habitats, and better develop a passion to protect and conserve our wild places, such as the Central Catchment Nature Reserve - our natural treasure."
Mr Eugene Tay, founder and director of environmental consultancy Green Future Solutions, also pointed out that this nature deficit could be shaped by Singapore's national narrative, which usually revolves around the Republic being a small country with no natural resources, a garden city with trees and parks that are manicured and recreational, and a pragmatic society driven by constant urban change.
He said: "This has shaped our mindsets such that some Singaporeans think that we do not have much biodiversity in our small country, and that our small hills and forests are less worthy compared to the majestic mountains and vast forests in other countries."
But, does size really matter?
OWNERSHIP
Our nature reserves may be far removed from the likes of Yosemite or Yellowstone national parks in the United States. There are no waterfalls, meadows and vast wilderness teeming with large animals.
But our forests are teeming with life, even if it is not immediately obvious.
As Professor Peter Ng, head of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, puts it, "not seeing is not the same as not there".
"The area is rich… not world-beating rich, but Singapore rich. It is not about how much, but what is ours 100 per cent," added Prof Ng, who in 1986 discovered the Johnson's freshwater crab, a species that can be found only in Singapore's Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves and nowhere else in the world.
Mr Sankar Ananthanarayanan co-founded nature group Herpetological Society of Singapore to raise awareness about reptiles and amphibians.
Not only are they often perceived of as being dangerous, herps (reptiles and amphibians) are also smaller, harder to spot, and less "cute" than charismatic tigers and elephants.
"People may not see them, even though they're right in front of them," said Mr Sankar.
In the MacRitchie area of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve alone, some 56 reptiles and 17 species of amphibians have been recorded.
National University of Singapore biologist David Tan, who volunteers with the Love Our MacRitchie Forest group, said it may be more difficult to spot organisms in a tropical rainforest than in a temperate forest, as the former has a greater variety of plant and animal species.
This makes wildlife much more difficult to find because there are more places for it to hide and more predators driving it to stay out of sight.
But out of sight should not be out of mind. The biodiversity is there, it is just that spotting them requires some scientific knowledge - or lots of patience and luck.
When I visited the reserve last Friday, for instance, I saw a chestnut-bellied malkoha in flight, its iridescent feathers spread out as it swooped from tree to tree.
It is a rare sighting - the last remaining malkoha species out of three that can still be found in Singapore - and one that happened entirely by chance.
Even then, there is so much else to see.
Advised Mr Tan: "Go on a hike and climb to the top of the Jelutong Tower for a bird's eye view of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve... you cannot seriously say that it can't compare to any other national monument - the tropical forest is a spectacle to behold.
"And a tropical forest within an urban metropolis? Even more so."
NATURAL HERITAGE
Our nature areas may not be large, but as Prof Ng pointed out, they are ours, they are uniquely Singapore, and they should be protected and restored for our future generations.
The Central Catchment Nature Reserve is the Republic's largest nature reserve at 2,000ha - the size of almost 2,500 football fields.
It is also where Singapore's largest primary lowland rainforest patch can be found. Once abundant in Singapore, the trees were felled to make way for human settlements and less than 0.5 per cent of our original primary forest cover now remains.
Within the reserve is an even rarer forest type - the 750ha Nee Soon Swamp Forest, Singapore's last remaining primary freshwater swamp forest.
Before the early 1930s, such habitats could also be found in Upper and Lower Seletar and Jurong. These areas have been converted for other land uses.
Said Prof Ng: "At the end of the day - what is nostalgia and heritage worth? Nothing really. In dollars and cents at least. But that same sense and feel of nostalgia, memories and remembering makes us human - makes us sentient. It connects us to the land and the community. Shared memories - good and bad.
"Can it be measured in dollars and cents? No. Is it therefore a waste of effort and time? No."
Nature groups are uniting under one banner, the March for MacRitchie movement, to call for an alternative route to save the forests.
Volunteers are giving their time to conduct free walks through the reserve, to help people realise the nature in our own backyard and share its beauty.
Mr Tan said: "Just take two hours of your time, visit the forest, and come see what lives in there.
"You'll see that there's plenty worth protecting, and best of all, it's free."
Related links
Love our MacRitchie Forest: walks, talks and petition. Also on facebook.
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Singapore concerned that reclamation work in Johor Strait has begun without needed studies
Malaysia's Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said that land reclamation projects had not affected Singapore so far.
Chong Zi Liang Straits Times 17 Feb 16;
SINGAPORE - Singapore is concerned that reclamation work for some Malaysian projects in the Johor Strait have begun without the needed studies on the potential environmental impact, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) said on Wednesday.
In cases where Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) have been done, not all the reports have been shared with Singapore, the ministry added in reply to media queries.
Malaysian Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had said on Feb 4 that Johor development projects involving land reclamation had so far not affected Singapore, and would not bring negative impact to Singapore.
MEWR said Singapore has in fact raised its concerns on many occasions.
"Singapore has highlighted to Malaysia that an EIA needs to be conducted before any reclamation is carried out to confirm that the works will not have any adverse transboundary impact," it added.
For projects where EIA reports have been shared, Singapore analyses the findings and seeks clarification from Malaysia where necessary, the ministry said.
Singapore is presently in the midst of such analysis for Johor's Forest City project, it added. Work at the development near Tuas as well as for Princess Cove near the Causeway was suspended in June 2014. But Malaysia gave the green light last January for work on Forest City to restart.
MEWR said Singapore continues to monitor these projects for potential environmental impact.
Singapore has also been in close contact with Malaysia to anticipate, discuss and mitigate any negative transboundary environmental impact. Such exchanges are facilitated under the ambit of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment network, it added.
"Singapore remains committed to working together with Malaysia to address our concerns over the potential transboundary environmental impact of Malaysia's reclamation projects," the ministry said.
Singapore concerned over land reclamation in Johor Strait projects
Chong Zi Liang AsiaOne 18 Feb 16;
Singapore is concerned that reclamation work for some Malaysian projects in the Johor Strait have begun without the needed studies on the potential environmental impact, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) said yesterday.
In cases where environmental impact assessments (EIAs) have been done, not all the reports have been shared with Singapore, the ministry added, in reply to media queries.
Malaysian Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had said on Feb 4 that Johor development projects involving land reclamation had so far not affected Singapore, and would not have a negative impact on Singapore.
MEWR said Singapore has in fact raised its concerns on many occasions. "Singapore has highlighted to Malaysia that an EIA needs to be conducted before any reclamation is carried out to confirm that the works will not have any adverse transboundary impact."
For projects where EIA reports have been shared, Singapore analyses the findings and seeks clarification from Malaysia where necessary, the ministry said.
Singapore is presently in the midst of such analysis for Johor's Forest City project, it added.
Work at the development near Tuas, as well as for Princess Cove near the Causeway, was suspended in June 2014. But Malaysia gave the green light last January for work on Forest City to restart.
MEWR said Singapore continues to monitor these projects for potential environmental impact.
Singapore has also been in close contact with Malaysia to anticipate, discuss and mitigate any negative transboundary environmental impact. Such exchanges are facilitated under the ambit of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment network, it added.
"Singapore remains committed to working together with Malaysia to address our concerns over the potential transboundary environmental impact of Malaysia's reclamation projects," the ministry said.
Singapore-Malaysia In Close Contact On Impact From Reclamation Projects
Massita Ahmad Bernama 17 Feb 16;
SINGAPORE, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- Singapore has been in close contact with Malaysia to anticipate, discuss and mitigate any negative transboundary environmental impact arising from reclamation projects in the Straits of Johor, according to the Environment and Water Resources Ministry.
"Such exchanges of information and solutions are facilitated under the ambit of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment network," it said in a statement Wednesday.
The statement was issued in reply to media queries on Singapore's approach towards potential environmental impact of projects involving land reclamation in the Straits of Johor.
"Singapore remains committed to working together with Malaysia to address our concerns over the potential transboundary environmental impact of Malaysia's reclamation projects," it said.
-- BERNAMA
REPLY BY MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES TO MEDIA QUERIES ON SINGAPORE’S APPROACH TOWARDS POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF PROJECTS INVOLVING LAND RECLAMATION IN THE STRAITS OF JOHOR
MEWR 17 Feb 16;
Responding to media queries, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources said that Singapore has been in close contact with Malaysia to anticipate, discuss and mitigate any negative transboundary environmental impact arising from reclamation projects in the Straits of Johor. Such exchanges of information and solutions are facilitated under the ambit of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment network.
Regarding the reported comments by Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar on 4 February 2016 that the Johor development project involving sea reclamation had so far not affected Singapore, and would not bring negative impact to Singapore, Singapore has in fact raised our concerns on many occasions. Singapore is concerned that reclamation work on some of the Malaysian projects in the Straits of Johor may have commenced without the requisite Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and that, in cases where Malaysia informed Singapore that EIAs have been conducted, not all the EIA reports have been shared with Singapore. In this regard, Singapore has highlighted to Malaysia that an EIA needs to be conducted before any reclamation is carried out to confirm that the works will not have any adverse transboundary impact. For projects where the EIA reports have been shared with Singapore, Singapore analyses the EIA report’s findings and seeks clarification from Malaysia where necessary. For Johor’s Forest City project, Singapore is presently in the midst of such analysis. In addition, Singapore also continues to monitor the progress of these projects for potential environmental impact.
Singapore remains committed to working together with Malaysia to address our concerns over the potential transboundary environmental impact of Malaysia’s reclamation projects.
MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES
17 February 2016
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Singapore accredited to UN Environment Programme
Priscilla Goy Straits Times 15 Feb 16;
SINGAPORE - Singapore was accredited to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Monday (Feb 15). The Government appointed Mr Hazri Hassan as Singapore's first non-resident permanent representative to the UNEP. He will live in Singapore.
The UNEP is the leading body which coordinates environmental matters within the United Nations system and sets the global environment agenda.
The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) said in a statement on Monday: "Accreditation to the UNEP further strengthens Singapore's collaboration with the UNEP and its accredited members, and signals Singapore's commitment to address global environmental challenges through international cooperation."
Mr Hazri, 50, is the director of the International Policy Division at MEWR. He will join representatives from 113 accredited countries on the UNEP's Committee of Permanent Representatives.
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Malaysia: Military and Fire Dept to deploy tankers to drought areas in Sabah
The Star 18 Feb 16;
KOTA KINABALU: The military and Fire and Rescue Services Department will be roped in to help distribute water to drought-stricken areas in Sabah if necessary.
Sabah Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid said both sides were represented at the disaster management committee.
“We can seek their help to deploy their tankers to the affected areas,” she said.
Jainab said the state had sought such assistance in the past.
She said the military and Fire Department tankers were deployed to send water to Ranau, Kundasang and Kota Belud in the aftermath of the earthquake which occurred on June 5 last year.
“The committee is keeping a close watch on the drought situation in Sabah.
“We need the public to help inform us of the situation in their areas,” she added.
UKM climatologist Dr Fredolin Tangang said an El Nino-induced drought as severe as the one in 1997-1998 will hit Sabah and northern Sarawak over the next three months.
He said the forecast of the APEC Climate Centre in Busan indicated a more than 80% likelihood of below normal rainfall over the region between now and April.
He said reports of rivers running dry in northern Sarawak was also an indication that the drought had set in.
PWD to loggers: Send us your trucks to help
STEPHEN THEN The Star 18 Feb 16;
MIRI: Timber companies are being sought by the Public Works Department (PWD) to help transport fresh water to remote regions facing a water shortage due to the El Nino hot spell.
These companies have big logging trucks that can deliver large amounts of fresh water from treatment plants, said state PWD director Zuraimi Sabki.
“We need to transport a lot of water from the plants in the urban centres to send to settlements scattered in different isolated regions, including the highlands in Bakelalan.
“We need huge trucks to transport the water containers through rugged terrain.
“My district engineers are coordinating with these timber companies on the ground now,” he said when asked on the latest developments.
Two weeks ago, rural folks in Bakelalan in the northern-most Lawas district sent an SOS as the rivers had dried up, it has not rained there for more than two months.
The rivers are their only source of water for cooking, drinking and washing.
A week ago, the state welfare department and PWD rushed mechanical water pumps to the rural outposts of Bakelalan to try to collect whatever water that was left from the rivers and streams that had not dried up totally.
State Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said her ministry was working with the PWD to assist those affected.
In Bakelalan, over 2,000 villagers were now without clean water, said Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) deputy president Datuk Nelson Balang Rining.
Balang, who is SPDP chairman for the Bakelalan division, said yesterday that among those affected were children from three schools – SK Long Sukang, SK Long Semadoh and SK Bakelalan. The Bakelalan highlands are in the northern-most mountains of Sarawak near the Kalimantan border.
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Malaysia: Programmes to teach public ways to save whales and marine life
The Star 18 Feb 16;
BATU PAHAT: Johor Fisheries Department will conduct programmes soon to educate the public, especially the fishermen, on ways to save marine life.
Citing the case in which a whale was found beached at Pantai Rambah in Pontian, state director Munir Mohd Nawi said:
“The brave effort of those men, especially the fishermen, was quite commendable but their actions might have added more stress to the whale.”
“Various studies and research conducted on whale behaviour have found that these gentle mammals would beach itself when it is sick or dying despite attempts to push it back into the open sea,” he said.
The Sei Whale, the third largest after Blue Whale and Fin Whale, was spotted at Pantai Rambah on Monday.
It was pulled back to the sea by a group of fishermen and it swam 90 nautical miles before it was found dead at Sungai Sarang Buaya.
Munir, who was overseeing the post-mortem of the carcass at the department’s jetty here, also pointed out that there are 15 whale subspecies that use Malaysian waters, including in Sabah and Sarawak, as part of its migratory route.
Besides whales, he said other marine life forms that could be found in local waters here also included dolphins as well as dugongs that are on the endangered list.
“The department plans to educate the public and special attention will be given to the fishermen as we have about 300 of them throughout Johor as part of our volunteers.”
“We will give them information on how to act when they spot a beached whale or other marine life forms,” he said.
On the autopsy on the whale, he said that the bones would remain in Johor after investigations were completed.
“We want to know the cause of its death, whether it was having illnesses or had accidentally eaten garbage floating in the ocean.”
“Once completed, the bones together with other marine life that the department has collected over the last few years will be placed at our temporary gallery in the Fisheries Department Complex at Tampoi in Johor Baru.”
“The government has agreed to construct a marine gallery building to provide information to the public and we are in the midst of identifying the land for its location,” he said.
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Malaysia: We are identifying site in Johor to prevent extinction of elephants
The Star 18 Feb 16;
HULU TERENGGANU: An elephant sanctuary would be set up in Johor in an effort to conserve wild elephants which were facing extinction, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar here on Sunday.
He said at present, there were two such centres in Peninsular Malaysia – the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary in Pahang and Kenyir Elephant Conservation Village (KECV) in Terengganu.
“We plan to build one more in Johor and we are still identifying a suitable place,” he told reporters after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the federal government and Terengganu government for the elephant conservation programme here.
Wan Junaidi said currently the estimated elephant population in Peninsular Malaysia was between 1,220 and 1,680, out of which 120 to 140 were in Terengganu.
He said if no efforts were made to conserve the elephants, it was not impossible that in Peninsular Malaysia, the animal could become extinct.
The minister said that land development activities for agricultural and development purposes were affecting the permanent habitats of wild elephants.
He said according to the Wildlife Department, between 2011 and 2015, there were 2,620 complaints on elephant intrusions and out of these, 13.32 per cent were reported to have occurred in Terengganu.
Earlier, in his speech, Junaidi said he was thankful to the Terengganu government for its efforts in conserving elephants by gazetting a 15,000ha area as the Wildlife Conservation Park and gazetting 100ha for the Sungai Deka Elephant Conservation Centre, managed by the Terengganu Wildlife Department.
He said under the MoU signed, the Wildlife Department and the Terengganu government would cooperate to resolve the problem of conflicts between humans and elephants, as well as to work on the conservation programme for 10 years.
“We also agreed to add 18 more elephants at the KECV which now has 12 elephants,” he said. – Bernama
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Malaysia: Size of forest reserves in several states now under 20 per cent
NORASHIKIN LEMAN New Straits Times 17 Feb 16;
SHAH ALAM: The Federal and state governments have been urged to raise efforts to conserve and preserve forests in the country to ensure its sustainability and that it is free from encroachment.
Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president Puan Seri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said so far there are no existing laws to prevent the carrying out of unmonitored logging activities that could possibly cause destruction to nature and other problems.
"Based on Peka's observation, the size of forest reserves in several states are under 20 per cent such as Malacca (30 per cent), Perlis (11 per cent) and Negeri Sembilan (16 per cent) when it supposed to be at 30 per cent.
"Policy makers should act fast to make serious amendments to the existing Acts in an effort to ensure that more forests are protected and eradicate uncontrolled logging activities.
"If not, Malaysia could lose its forest reserves and faced with problems involving habitat, ecosystem and biodiversity," she said.
Shariffa was speaking at a press conference to announce the Save Our Rainforest Race 2016 (SORR 2016) at Tanah Aina Cafe in Batu Tiga yesterday.
SORR 2016 themed Trees Are Our Future would be held on March 26 at the Sungai Menyala Eco-Edutourism Tourist Educational Centre in Port Dickson.
The annual event held since 2013 serves as a symbol to save forests in the country that are depleting and to raise awareness on the importance of tropical rain forests in Malaysia as well as urge the public to take care of the environment.
It kickstarts from 7.30am and ends at 2.30pm where participants would go on a 15km nature walk, take challenges at each checkpoints and plant trees at designated areas.
"This year, Peka is aiming to plant 1,000 trees of all sorts," said Shariffa, adding that a participation of 2,000 people aged 15 and above was expected.
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Malaysia: Dept seeks duo who took dead tiger’s fangs
The Star 18 Feb 16;
KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu Wildlife Department is on the lookout for two people who removed the fangs of a tigress killed in an accident on the East Coast Expressway 2 on Feb 6.
Its director Mohd Hasdi Husin appealed to the public to provide any information on the duo, believed to be aged between 20 and 30, and one of whom is a foreigner.
“We view this matter seriously as it is a crime under the Wildlife Conservation Act,” he said.
He said the department had obtained statements from seven people, including the driver of the vehicle that knocked down the tigress and highway personnel on duty that day.
Mohd Hasdi said the department did not discount the possibility that the two suspects were linked to the theft after a picture of them with the tigress went viral a few days ago.
“We have a sketch of their faces and are now trying to track them down. The image is being analysed for identification,” he said.
It is understood that two left fangs of the tigress were stolen on the day of the accident.
Mohd Hasdi urged people with information, photographs or video recordings of the incident to approach the department or call 09-622 1460. — Bernama
Reward offered for information on duo who removed tiger's canine teeth
New Straits Times 17 Feb 16;
KUALA TERENGGANU: A reward is being offered for the arrest of two men who extracted the canine teeth of the tiger killed on the East Coast Expressway on Feb 6. Those with information that can lead to the arrest of the duo will be rewarded, said the State National Parks and Wildlife Department director Mohd Hasdi Hussin.
Mohd Hasdi said pictures of the duo had been circulated in social media over the past two days. "No parts of an animal listed as an endangered and protected species should be kept by any individuals.
It is an offence under Section 68(1)(C) of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010," he said when contacted.
The department has so far questioned seven individuals, including two officers from the department to assist investigations.
On Feb 6, a tiger which was pregnant with two cubs, was hit by an MPV at KM321.2 of the East Coast highway.
Four family members in a Hyundai Starex heading towards Kuala Terengganu from Kuala Lumpur escaped unhurt.
The tiger was killed on the spot while crossing the road in the early morning incident.
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Indonesia orchid species threatened by deforestation
Hans Nicholas Jong, The Jakarta Post 17 Feb 16;
Indonesian orchids are increasingly coming under threat as rapid deforestation puts pressure on their natural habitats.
There are 5,000 species of orchids in the country, while some scientists have predicted that there are at least 6,000.
Bogor Botanical Garden orchid curator Sofi Mursidawati said that researchers had found increasingly fewer new species in recent years.
“Our forests create a specific ecosystem for orchids to live. If our forests are left intact, then the orchids will continue to evolve. We used to have pristine forests, but in the past 20 years, during exploration, we rarely found new species,” Sofi said on Tuesday.
Sofi suspected that many species of orchids had gone extinct on account of deforestation before they were discovered.
The current amount of species could decline further if the government failed to stop the rate of deforestation, Sofi said, as orchids, unlike other species of flowers, were extremely dependent on their habitats.
“Sixty to 70 percent of orchid species in Indonesia really depend on big trees. So when the trees are cut or burned, the orchids will die as well,” she said.
Some orchid species in the country belong to Appendix I of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and the Red List of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
One of the most sought-after species is the shiny green leaf paphiopedilum or tropical lady’s slipper, an endemic orchid species that grows at the foot of Mount Semeru in East Java.
The mountain is also home to a rare orchid species called adenalia variensis, which came under threat from last year’s forest fires.
Another rare and endangered orchid species threatened by last year’s forest fires was grammatophylum specosum, locally known as anggrek macan or tiger orchid. Seventy five percent of its habitat in the Pematang Damar Forest in Jambi was burned, encompassing 200 out of 240 hectares in four villages.
Even when orchids are not being threatened by forest fires, they lead a fragile existence.
“Other orchid species in Indonesia belong to Appendix II because orchids are very difficult to grow. While their seeds are plenty, reaching thousands, only one or two seeds survive until adulthood,” she said.
Besides depending on big trees, orchids are also very dependent on insects and fungus and growing up they depend on insects to carry over their pollens given their weight.
“So if the fungus and insects disappear, then the orchids will also disappear,” she said.
Indonesian Biodiversity Foundation (Kehati) executive director MS Sembiring said that the government should start a program to involve locals in protecting orchids.
“The public should be at the forefront. Once we can build their capacity, nature will flourish,” he said.
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Indonesia: Snail fever warning in flooded C. Sulawesi
Newcomers warned to avoid water in Poso amid snail fever
Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post 17 Feb 16;
The government called on newcomers to Poso and Sigi regencies, Central Sulawesi, on Tuesday to avoid contact with water to reduce the risk of contracting an endemic disease called schistosomiasis.
Poso Health Agency head Djani Moula said that as a preventative measure, every newcomer arriving in the regency would be warned not to use the water in the area to avoid being infected with worms known to cause schistosomiasis or “snail fever”.
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by worms belonging to the schistosoma genus. There are three types found in humans: Schistosoma japonicum, Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni.
In Indonesia, Schistosoma japonicum is endemic in Central Sulawesi, namely in the Lindu and Napu plateaus in Sigi and Poso. The number of people at risk of contracting schistosomiasis is 15,000.
Djani said the disease could be fatal in a worst-case scenario. Sufferers can recover if properly treated, but the required medication is relatively expensive and is not available in pharmacies in Palu, the provincial capital.
“The medicine has to be specially ordered from the WHO,” he said.
Separately, Central Sulawesi Health Agency head Anshayari Arsyad confirmed that cases of schistosomiasis had been found in Poso and Sigi.
In Poso, schistosomiasis has been found in five districts — East Timur, Lore Peore, Central Lore, South Lore, North Lore and West Lore. In Sigi the disease was found in five subdistricts on the Lindu plain.
“We aim to eradicate the disease until the incidence rate reaches 0 percent,” Anshayari said.
He said the schistosomiasis incidence rate in Poso was 1.39 percent while in Sigi it was only 0.7 percent, following an eradication program conducted by his office last year.
So far, no fatalities have been reported as a result of the disease.
In a bid to accurately target affected areas in the fight against the spread of snail fever, a survey is to be conducted this year in 26 subdistricts across the regencies.
Schistosomiasis starts with the hatching of Schistosoma japonicum eggs in water, called mirasidium, which penetrate the bodies of snails and develop into sporokista I and II, before becoming serkaria.
“It’s this serkaria that swims in the water in search of a new host,” Anshayari said, adding that serkaria could survive in stagnant water for 48 hours before finding a new place to grow.
Anshayari said serkaria could infect 13 mammals including humans, deer, cats, hog deer, cows, horses and buffalos.
Serkaria infects humans through the pores and enters the blood stream before laying eggs in the intestine.
Symptoms of snail fever include coughing and swelling of the stomach. The disease needs an incubation period of 20 years before killing a human sufferer.
The most dangerous scenario, according to Anshayari, was when serkaria reached the liver, where it could grow into adult worms. When the worms lay eggs, they make holes in the walls of the intestine and cause sufferers to defecate blood.
When numerous eggs become trapped in the liver, the body produces connective tissue around the eggs, causing the liver and spleen to swell. This causes victims to suffer from jaundice, weight loss and distended bellies.
Research on schistosomiasis in Indonesia began in 1940, after the disease was found in Tomado subdistrict on the Lindu plateau in 1935.
Kereta Api Indonesia Loses Rp 200m Per Day Due to Porong Flood
Aries Sudiono Jakarta Globe 17 Feb 16;
Sidoarjo, East Java. State-owned rail operator Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) estimated that it is losing at least Rp 200 million ($14,800) per day due to flooding that occurred at Porong in Sidoarjo district, East Java, last week.
Heavy rains that have been falling in the area from Wednesday last week resulted in the main road, Jalan Raya Porong, being covered by as much as 39 centimeters of mud, which worsened to as much as 60 centimeters within days. This has also submerged the railway lines over a distance of more than 700 meters, preventing as many as 30 trains per day from passing through the area.
"The trains in Porong have not been able to operate since 7:03 p.m on Feb. 11 until today," KAI public relations manager Suprapto said on Wednesday (17/02).
The flooding has caused KAI to suspend trains between Surabaya and Sidoarjo and to transport passengers by bus to train stations beyond Porong. The company has also diverted trains traveling on the Jember-Purwokerto and Banyuwangi-Lempuyangan routes.
Fatality
The flood further claimed the life of 12-year-old M. Rizki, who was a grade six student at the Gedangan Porong Public School. The boy had been missing since Monday after playing with his friends near the flooded railway line. His body, which was found the following day, has been taken to the National Police Hospital in Porong for an autopsy.
According to Sidoarjoterkini.com, the Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency (BPLS) has been using 17 pumps to try and drain the floodwater.
"We have installed five [pump] units at the toll road, two at the Porong toll road exit; three in Ketapang village; one in Mindi urban ward; two in Kedungbendo village; three in Glagaharun village; and KAI has installed one unit at the observation post in Penjarakan village," BPLS spokesman Hengky Listria Adi said on Saturday, as quoted by the local news portal.
A similar situation occurred last year when the railway line was covered with mud, forcing the cancelation of dozens of trains. Ever since the Lapindo mudflow in May 2006, the Porong railway line and highway have been buried under mud regularly, especially after heavy rain, resulting in the transportation system in the area being paralyzed.
Southeast Sulawesi villages inundated as dam overflows
Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post 17 Feb 16;
Flash floods hit three villages in East Kabaena district, Bombana regency, Southeast Sulawesi, on Tuesday as a dam belonging to a nickel mining company in the region overflowed.
The flood inundated hundreds of houses and a number of public facilities in Tapuhaka, Dongkala and Lambale.
“Almost all the houses and schools in Tapuhaka, Dongkala and Lambale are inundated by floodwaters 50 centimeters to a meter deep,” East Kabaena SMA I senior high school teacher Aryanti Musnah said over the phone on Tuesday.
Aryanti said heavy rain had poured throughout the region the whole night until Tuesday morning. “But teaching and learning has continued as usual because we are having mid-semester examinations,” Aryanti said as quoted by Antara.
East Kabaena district head Ahnan said the flash floods were also caused by drainage facilities and culverts in residential areas that did not work effectively.
“The culverts are clogged. The pipeline is very small and does not work. As a result there is flooding,” Ahnan said, adding that no fatalities were reported from the incident but financial losses were estimated to reach hundreds of millions of rupiah.
Representatives from the district administration, he said, would soon visit the affected regions to assess the condition of the residents and make an inventory of material losses.
Meanwhile in West Sumatra, after struggling for over a week to scrape together enough food on their own, some 4,000 residents of five villages in Nagari Muaro Sungai Lolo, South Mapat Tunggul district, Pasaman regency, finally received relief as aid from the government reached them.
South Mapat Tunggul district administration secretary Juliater Ginting said that over 20 landslides had occurred along the road to the five affected villages and an 18-meter-long concrete bridge was also damaged. To clear the debris, heavy equipment has been deployed.
“Since yesterday afternoon motorcycles can already pass through two villages and another village can be reached by motorboats. So far, the remaining two villages can only be reached up to the last landslide,” Juliater told The Jakarta Post via phone on Tuesday.
The floods that hit West Sumatra on Sunday and Monday last week covered almost 1,000 houses in the five villages with water over 1.5 meters deep and people sought refuge in taller buildings such as schools and community health centers.
The flood also severely damaged two houses and moderately damaged four others. Almost all affected people lost some of their possessions, and remained homeless for several days.
He also expressed worries about the fate of people in the area over the next three months as 42 hectares of rice fields had just been planted.
“We really hope there will be more aid for them,” Juliater said.
The West Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has said it can not yet release information about the floods and landslides or the financial losses caused by the extreme weather as the BPBD in the affected regencies and cities had not yet filed reports on the matter to the provincial BPBD office.
The floods and landslides affected ten regencies and cities in West Sumatra, with Pasaman, Lima Puluh Kota and South Solok the worst-hit regencies.
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