Why Clifford Pier had to be adapted

Straits Times 30 Mar 10;

I THANK Mr Thomas Toh for his letter last Tuesday, 'Restore Clifford Pier to new glory', in which he reminisced about the bumboats that used to ply Clifford Pier.

Following the construction of the Marina Barrage, bumboats and other commercial vessels now operate from Marina South Pier. There are still small boats, water taxis and cruise boats that will ply Marina Bay to ferry visitors to and from the developments, including The Fullerton Heritage.

We agree with Mr Toh that Clifford Pier has played a significant role in Singapore's maritime history. Given its historical and architectural value, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) conserved the building in 2007.

As Clifford Pier no longer serves its original function as a pier for commercial vessels, the building had to be adapted for reuse to remain relevant and useful.

In addition to its heritage value, Clifford Pier is strategically located along the Marina Bay waterfront, and forms part of Singapore's postcard signature skyline. URA's vision was to transform this stretch of the waterfront at Collyer Quay, comprising Clifford Pier and the former Customs Harbour Branch Building, into a distinctive waterfront development.

To achieve this, in 2006, the Collyer Quay site was sold for a commercial and hotel development. The successful tenderer decided to give Clifford Pier a new lease of life by adapting it as a restaurant.

URA worked closely with the successful tenderer and his architect to retain the intrinsic and beautiful character of Clifford Pier. They were guided to keep part of the site open as a public plaza, allow public access along the decks around the edge of the development, and provide a passageway within the development for the public to directly access the waterfront and enjoy views across the bay.

These developments at Collyer Quay form part of the necklace of attractions along the 3.5km waterfront promenade at Marina Bay. When fully completed later this year, visitors will be able to enjoy a continuous scenic walk along the waterfront from Clifford Pier to the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort, the new bridge and art park, the floating platform and the Esplanade.

Fun Siew Leng (Madam)
Group Director (Urban Planning & Design)
Urban Redevelopment Authority

Restore Clifford Pier to new glory
Straits Times 30 Mar 10;

I RECALL with great fondness the heyday of Clifford Pier. My mind harks back to the sound of chugging bumboats and the hordes of people in transit along its breezy passageway.

But what, in the name of preservation, are planners up to? With its present usage, the lone structure stands disconnected from its surroundings. As if to match the new developments around it, it has a modern decor.

I know preservation of an ancient monument does not mean blind adherence to its original function. That said, I am amazed at the missed opportunity to bring life back to this beloved focal point.

So to the planners, on behalf of those who are gravely concerned, please do the right thing. Take the lavish fine dining that caters to just a few elsewhere. Take down the ostentatious chandeliers. Dismantle the enveloping glass panels and doors, and remove the air-conditioning.

Let the pier be what it should be - an airy landing stage for new activities to be conceptualised. Let in the breeze from Marina Bay, for I can hardly breathe.

Thomas Toh

Read more!

James Lovelock: Humans are too stupid to prevent climate change

In his first in-depth interview since the theft of UEA emails, the scientist blames inertia and democracy for lack of action

Leo Hickman, guardian.co.uk 29 Mar 10;

Humans are too stupid to prevent climate change from radically impacting on our lives over the coming decades. This is the stark conclusion of James Lovelock, the globally respected environmental thinker and independent scientist who developed the Gaia theory.

It follows a tumultuous few months in which public opinion on efforts to tackle climate change has been undermined by events such as the climate scientists' emails leaked from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the failure of the Copenhagen climate summit.

"I don't think we're yet evolved to the point where we're clever enough to handle a complex a situation as climate change," said Lovelock in his first in-depth interview since the theft of the UEA emails last November. "The inertia of humans is so huge that you can't really do anything meaningful."

One of the main obstructions to meaningful action is "modern democracy", he added. "Even the best democracies agree that when a major war approaches, democracy must be put on hold for the time being. I have a feeling that climate change may be an issue as severe as a war. It may be necessary to put democracy on hold for a while."

Lovelock, 90, believes the world's best hope is to invest in adaptation measures, such as building sea defences around the cities that are most vulnerable to sea-level rises. He thinks only a catastrophic event would now persuade humanity to take the threat of climate change seriously enough, such as the collapse of a giant glacier in Antarctica, such as the Pine Island glacier, which would immediately push up sea level.

"That would be the sort of event that would change public opinion," he said. "Or a return of the dust bowl in the mid-west. Another Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report won't be enough. We'll just argue over it like now." The IPCC's 2007 report concluded that there was a 90% chance that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are causing global warming, but the panel has been criticised over a mistaken claim that all Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2030.

Lovelock says the events of the recent months have seen him warming to the efforts of the "good" climate sceptics: "What I like about sceptics is that in good science you need critics that make you think: 'Crumbs, have I made a mistake here?' If you don't have that continuously, you really are up the creek. The good sceptics have done a good service, but some of the mad ones I think have not done anyone any favours. You need sceptics, especially when the science gets very big and monolithic."

Lovelock, who 40 years ago originated the idea that the planet is a giant, self-regulating organism – the so-called Gaia theory – added that he has little sympathy for the climate scientists caught up in the UEA email scandal. He said he had not read the original emails – "I felt reluctant to pry" – but that their reported content had left him feeling "utterly disgusted".

"Fudging the data in any way whatsoever is quite literally a sin against the holy ghost of science," he said. "I'm not religious, but I put it that way because I feel so strongly. It's the one thing you do not ever do. You've got to have standards."

Read the full transcript of James Lovelock's G2 interview with Leo Hickman

Lovelock: 'We can't save the planet'
BBC News 30 Mar 10;

Professor James Lovelock, the scientist who developed Gaia theory, has said it is too late to try and save the planet.

The man who achieved global fame for his theory that the whole earth is a single organism now believes that we can only hope that the earth will take care of itself in the face of completely unpredictable climate change.

Interviewed by Today presenter John Humphrys, videos of which you can see below, he said that while the earth's future was utterly uncertain, mankind was not aware it had "pulled the trigger" on global warming as it built its civilizations.

What is more, he predicts, the earth's climate will not conveniently comply with the models of modern climate scientists.

As the record winter cold testifies, he says, global temperatures move in "jerks and jumps", and we cannot confidently predict what the future holds.

Prof Lovelock does not pull his punches on the politicians and scientists who are set to gain from the idea that we can predict climate change and save the planet ourselves.

Scientists, he says, have moved from investigating nature as a vocation, to being caught in a career path where it makes sense to "fudge the data".

And while renewable energy technology may make good business sense, he says, it is not based on "good practical engineering".

At the age of 90, Prof Lovelock is resigned to his own fate and the fate of the planet. Whether the planet saves itself or not, he argues, all we can do is to "enjoy life while you can".

Listen to the full broadcast interview

Read more!

Let children collect flowers and fossils says Sir David Attenborough

Children are being denied the chance to learn one of the key "foundation stones" of science because of laws that prevent them from collecting wild flowers, insects and fossils, according to Sir David Attenborough.
Richard Gray, The Telegraph 28 Mar 10;

The veteran natural history broadcaster and naturalist fears that children are no longer learning about how to identify and classify species because of restrictions on collecting items from the countryside.

He believes that laws brought in to protect endangered species from being targeted by collectors have also led to a decline in children being able to collect other non-protected species.

Fossil hunting is now restricted in many parts of the country because special permission is needed from landowners to remove the fossils from their property. This was stifling the inquiring minds of children, said Sir David.

His comments come after the National Trust obtained an injunction against fossil hunters to prevent them from digging into rock faces along the Jurassic Coast in Dorset.

Sir David was speaking at the launch of the Society of Biology – a new organisation set up to promote the biological sciences.

He said: "Children become interested in natural history because they are natural collectors.

"It is a pity that it is not possible to allow them to go out and collect any more. Not to be able to collect a wild flower or fossils is sad.

"It is a great loss to our children that they are prevented legally from collecting animals."

He said that allowing children to collect and classify insects, animals and other objects they found around them helped them to learn the skills needed for taxonomy, the science of classifying species.

Asked about the decline in the public's ability to identify species of animals in the world around them, he said: "Taxonomy is the foundation stone of the biological sciences.

"I learned about taxonomy because, like my fellow colleagues, I was allowed to collect.

"I collected fossils as a child. I was able to compare ammonites to see what was different and I learned to identify their characteristics.

"Collecting and identifying is a basic instinct in children. The desire to collect and classify is deep inside all of us.

"It is very sad but, unfortunately necessary, that legislation should have been passed so it is now illegal to collect birds eggs. It is illegal to collect butterflies. There are restrictions on collecting fossils.

"I hope we might be able to shift legislation in a more intelligent and generalised way that will not be so specific."

Collecting was once a hugely popular activity in Britain, reaching its peak during the Victorian era when it was considered to be a hobby for intellectuals.

It continued to be a favourite pastime until midway through the twentieth century.

It also became a profitable business as collectors paid large sums to have rare specimens sent to them from far flung regions of the world.

Concerns about the pressure being put on species due to the collecting craze, however, led to laws being passed to restrict the trade of rare species.

Other legislation prevents rare wild flowers from being picked if they are listed on protected lists while picking non-protected wild flowers is also restricted as it requires the permission of the land owner.

Similar laws govern the collection of fossils, insects and other animals.

Codes of conduct drawn up by entomologists also say that insects should not be killed unless they are being collected as scientific specimens. Instead they should be examined and released alive.

Amateur entomologists added to Sir David's concern over the decline in collecting, stating that cars claimed the lives of far more insects than children did by collecting.

Dafydd Lewis, honorary secretary of the Amateur Entomologists' Society, said: "Sadly, in many countries collecting even for scientific purposes is outlawed.

"While legal restrictions are needed for the protection of habitats and threatened species, it should be possible to differentiate between the taking of individual specimens for private study and unnecessary killing.

"It is true that whilst the availability of digital cameras means that collecting in general need not be as prevalent as in the past, a reference collection is often a springboard to further study and understanding, especially among children.

"The pendulum has swung too far against collecting. It is a very effective means of engaging with the natural world – and that engagement is needed now more than ever."

Dr David Lonsdale, conservation director of the Amateur Entomologists' Society, added: "I think that the legislation is having an indirect negative effect, which goes far beyond its direct effect.

"This is because the idea of collecting being illegal, even in limited circumstances, creates a situation in which many adults feel, incorrectly, that they must tell children that it's wrong to collect anything from the wild."

A spokesman for Defra said the legislation was not intended to stop children from exploring or learning about the natural world.

She said: “It is important to protect plants, birds and animals from damage and disruption and to help preserve an important part of our heritage so that we can enjoy the benefits for years to come.

“The legislation does not prevent children and adults from exploring and learning about the natural world and we encourage them to enjoy the beauty of the countryside.”

Read more!

WWF Malaysia comments on "Eco-friendly Shrimp Farming"

Letter to The Editor: "Eco-friendly Shrimp Farming" (Star on 29 March 2010)
WWF 30 Mar 10;

WWF-Malaysia would like to respond to the article “Eco-friendly Shrimp Farming” which appeared in the Star on 29 March 2010.

WWF-Malaysia finds it perplexing that Blue Archipelago Bhd (BAB) considers their project as eco-friendly and sustainable. In our view, a project that is sited in an Environmentally Sensitive Area cannot be considered sustainable nor eco-friendly and we further very much doubt that any credible international certification body would view it as such either.

WWF-Malaysia elaborates on the elements that make this project unsustainable.

1) The Setiu Local Plan has identified this area as being environmentally sensitive due to the presence of Gelam forests, one of the most severely threatened freshwater ecosystems in Malaysia. 700 ha of the 1,000 ha project will be located on Gelam forest, meaning to say that a substantial part of this Gelam forest will be cleared to accommodate this project. BAB appears to justify the siting of the project on the basis that the area in question is no longer pristine forest land. BAB has clearly failed to consider or appreciate the other vital ecological functions of Gelam forests for example, flood mitigation. More importantly, the National Physical Plan identifies all wetland areas which include Gelam forests, as Environmentally Sensitive Area Rank 1, meaning development or agricultural activities are not allowed.

2) Due to water for the shrimp ponds being sourced directly from the sea, the effluent from the shrimp ponds will be high in salt content. This effluent, to be discharged into Sungai Chaluk will threaten the crucial habitat for the critically endangered river and painted terrapins and the entire river ecosystem. The proposed mitigation measure to have a sedimentation pond to treat the effluent will not lower the salt content. Additionally, another threat looms. In the event of a virus outbreak in the shrimp ponds, the effluent containing the virus too will be channeled into Sungai Chaluk, resulting in a devastating impact to the smaller aquaculture operators downstream of the Sungai Chaluk.

WWF-Malaysia supports sustainable aquaculture projects and also shares the vision that Malaysia positions herself as a pioneer in the sustainable seafood industry. However, the destruction of valuable ecosystems and actions impacting already critically endangered species is hardly a step in the right direction towards sustainability.

Read more!

Bird's nest: Finding the swift way to earn megabucks

New Straits Times 29 Mar 10;

Swiftlet breeding is a thriving business worth RM1.5 billion annually. The speed at which the industry has grown in the last few years poses a major dilemma for operators and the public due to the health risks, smell and noise. The government is now looking at giving the industry a much-needed framework to operate in a sustainable manner. CHUAH BEE KIM, ZAINUDDIN MUHAMMAD, M. HAMZAH JAMALUDIN, PATRICK SENNYAH and ROY GOH report.

FROM caves at the Niah National Park and Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, swiftlet breeders have now taken their business into cities and towns nationwide.

Malaysia now has about 50,000 swiftlet premises producing more than 12 tonnes of bird's nest monthly. The current price of bird's nest is between RM3,000 and RM4,000 per kg, depending on the grade.

Operators are keeping their fingers crossed for government assistance to take the business to a higher level.

Those in Johor, for example, want the government's nod for export licences.

If this happens, they are geared up to put the country on the world map as the biggest exporter of bird's nest.

Those in Negri Sembilan want help in getting halal and Sirim certification as well as the internationally-recognised Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point certification for their products.

They are also hoping to get the government's assistance to set up a research and development facility to enhance the quality and variety of the products.

Datuk Saipolbahari Suib, adviser to Persatuan Pengusaha Industri Sarang Burung Kulai, is confident the industry can achieve the dream if they are given the opportunity to export their harvest.

"Currently, we are sending the bird's nests to Indonesia for processing as we do not have the plants here. If the government can set up processing plants in every district, we will be able to do everything locally and export the products."

Saipolbahari, who is also chairman of JB Bird Nest Resources Sdn Bhd, hopes the government will give a grant of RM400,000 for the setting up of processing centres in every district.

"I am optimistic that we can make it big in the global market as the quality of our nests is one of the best in the market."

In Johor alone, there are about 5,000 bird's nest traders.

Negri Sembilan Association of Bird's Nest Traders president Datuk Lee Yuen Fong says there are about 40,000 breeders nationwide, of which 95 per cent are operating without licences.

"The reason for this is that there is still plenty of red tape and we hope this problem will be ironed out soon."


He says because it is a multimillion-ringgit industry, there are many unscrupulous parties trying to cash in on it.

"Another issue plaguing the industry is smuggling."

Complaints against the swiftlet industry are numerous -- noise pollution is a common gripe of anyone living next to a "swiftlet hotel".

To lure the birds, which breed in colonies, recorded sounds of chirping females are played constantly on speakers.

Saipolbahari says responsible breeders follow the guidelines set by the
Veterinary Services Department, where only a sound level of 40 decibels is permitted.

"Errant traders who do not follow this guideline should have their licences revoked."

Another concern is bird flu. However, Saipolbahari says swiftlets are the cleanest birds around.

"Moreover, the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species had carried out research on swiftlets in 2005 and the birds are not the species that cause bird flu."

Saipolbahari says swiftlet breeding is a godsend to many, especially during the economic downturn, as buildings which have been abandoned or cannot be rented out are revived when swiftlet breeders come in.

Bird's nest: Sabah needs guidelines
New Straits Times 29 Mar 10;

SABAH may be one of the biggest natural producers of edible bird's nest but when it comes to farming the delicacy, it is in its infancy.

Fewer than 100 people are licensed to trade in the nests throughout the state.

State Wildlife Department director Laurentius Ambu believes the industry will grow as more research is carried out and expertise comes in.

"There are signs of swiftlet hotel operators improving their earnings and having better farming techniques to spur the industry to greater heights.

"(In Sabah), there are issues that need to be addressed," says Ambu, who has conducted research in bird's nest farming for nearly a decade.

At present, there are no regulations to guide and monitor bird's nest farming. On top of that, there are negative perceptions about the birds and the business, he adds.

In the state, there are three key natural cave systems where swiftlets thrive. They are the Gomantong, Baturong and Madai caves.

"Gomantong is a government-owned cave while Baturong and Madai are considered heritage caves where the bird's nest trade is operated by the community.

"The three caves produce up to 20 tonnes of bird's nests, about a third of which are the white nests while the rest are black nests," says Ambu.

There are no statistics on how much money it brings to the state but as far as Gomantong is concerned, the contract for harvesting bird's nest comes with a reserve price of about RM20 million.

Ambu explains that the contract is tendered out to licensed contractors twice a year and the highest bidder gets the harvesting rights.

"For Baturong and Madai caves, it is governed by native laws."

The only law that covers bird's nest in Sabah is the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, which provides that anyone in possession of bird's nest or selling it without a permit from the Wildlife Department can be fined. Also, in major towns here, bird's nest farming is not allowed because it is illegal to "run a farm in an urban area".

"The solution is for the government, the local authorities in particular, to determine certain zones where it can or cannot be done. With this and better technology, I am sure the industry can grow," Ambu adds.

Sabah Swiftlet House and Bird's Nest Industry Association president George Ng Aun Heng agrees.

"Certain areas, like housing estates, may not be suitable for swiftlet farming but what about abandoned buildings? It can also be done at oil palm plantations or other big areas.

"If the government can come up with guidelines, I am sure farmers are willing to comply because this is a lucrative trade which requires a substantial amount of capital.

"There are negative perceptions, probably spread by people who are envious of the success of others, and most of them are untrue."

Ng says there are ways to minimise the noise and the smell at farms.

"It's a matter of educating the public and those who want to venture into the trade but, at the same time, we need commitment from the government because at the end of the day, it's the state that will benefit."

For that, the association, formed six months ago and which now has about 40 members, is on a drive to teach people about proper bird's nest farming techniques, apart from lobbying the government to introduce proper guidelines.


Bird's nest: He's reaping the rewards after trial and error
New Straits Times 29 Mar 10;

FOR swiftlet farmer Abdul Rahman Yaacob, success did not come overnight.

It took him more than three years of extensive research and countless visits to swiftlet farms in and out of the country before he had enough courage to start his own farm in the Tepoh countryside in Terengganu almost two years ago.

The 50-year-old building contractor knew the capital outlay for the project would be sizeable and he also knew he could not expect swift returns from his investment.

The father of three says he has learnt that for every successful swiftlet farmer in the country, at least five have failed to cash in on the lucrative bird's nest industry.

"That is only a 20 per cent chance of success but I had a feeling that many had started the bird hotel business with little knowledge.

"I did not want to be like them," he says, before admitting that he also did not learn enough.

The first year was of constant trial and error as he often had to tinker with the design of his building to meet the needs of the birds.

"I now understand why most people call swiftlet farms bird hotels as just like in the hospitality business, the comfort of the guests is the most important thing.

"The birds prefer the temperature to be between 26oC and 28oC, regardless of day or night, rain or shine. Air-conditioning will not do as the air will not retain the right moisture level," he says.

In the beginning, he used to hide for hours to observe the birds' flying pattern when they entered the building, the length of their stay and the trouble they went through before deciding on a nesting spot.

He says finding the right bird calls was a lengthy process as different sounds would make the birds do different things.

"Once, I was delighted to stumble upon a bird sound on tape which brought about a lot of birds to my place but, for some reason, they just did not want to enter the building.

"After conducting research, I now know what sound to play when I want them to come or when I want them to stay and build their nests," says Rahman, adding that the sound of birds on loudspeakers should not be allowed in residential areas.

His farm is located on an isolated hill.

"Kuala Terengganu has turned into a swiftlet city as hundreds, if not thousands, of bird hotels can be found along Jalan Bandar, Jalan Tok Lam, Jalan Kampung Tiong, Jalan Pejabat and other main streets. Shophouses along those streets have been and are being converted into bird farms and that is not right as the noise alone can drive people crazy. And I am not talking about the bird droppings yet."

So far, he has invested more than RM300,000 in the business.

Bird's nest: Telling the real from the fake
New Straits Times 29 Mar 10;

NEGRI Sembilan Association of Bird's Nest Traders president Datuk Lee Yuen Fong says edible bird's nest is among the most expensive animal products in the world and has been used in traditional Chinese cooking for almost half a decade.

"The nests are composed of interwoven strands of salivary laminae cement and have high levels of calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. The male swiftlet builds the nest, which is shaped like a shallow cup and is stuck to the walls of buildings and caves."

Lee says the nests are harvested thrice a year, with each harvest lasting up to three months.

He says swiftlets are monogamous birds and both partners take part in caring for the nestlings. The average lifespan of a swiftlet is between 15 and 18 years.

He says there is an increasing number of fake bird's nests making their way into the market. But anyone who is familiar with the product will be able to tell the difference.

"For one, swiftlets build their nests from their saliva, which is formed into strands. These strands can be detached into layers when soaked in plain water and, as a result, will be of different lengths and sizes. Fake ones will be perfect in size."

He also says the genuine bird's nest should be able to expand to double its size after being soaked and cooked.

Read more!

Two elephants found dead in Riau

Antara 28 Mar 10;

Pekanbaru (ANTARA News) - Two Sumatran elephants (Elephas Maximus Sumatranus) were found dead in the Tesso Nilo National Park, Riau province.

"The two elephants are predicted to have died about a week ago and found in the national park," head of the Tesso Nilo national park Suprahman said here, Sunday.
He said that the wild elephants were found dead in Air Hitam village, Pelalawan regency, Riau.

The national park`s staff initially found the estimated six to seven years old dead male elephant with a missing right tusk on Saturday (27/3) at 9.00 pm local time.
After conducting patrol, another dead elephant was also found about 100 meters away from the first one will its tasks still intact.

Suprahman said that the Tesso Nilo National Park with the Central Natural Resources Conservation (BBKSDA) Riau, WWF (world Wildlife Fund) and the Ukui Police is now doing further investigations on the elephant`s cause of death.

Suprahman said that the team is still unable to identify the perpetrators and the elephant`s cause of death.

The WWF Riau Public relation officer, Syamsidar, said that the dead elephans were found in cleared forest area which had being converted into a palm estate.

Within the last month three Sumatran elephants were found dead after being killed in Riau. Last week, an elephant was also found dead with missing tusks in Petani village, Mandau sub-district, Bengkalis District.

"From the tusk cut, most likely the perpetrator was not a hunter," he said.
The law enforcement agencies however are still unable to arrest any of the perpetrators. (T.A050/H-NG/B003/P003)

Elephants Found Dead in Sumatra
Jakarta Globe 29 Mar 10;

Pekanbaru, Riau. The carcasses of two Sumatran elephants were discovered at the Tesso Nilo National Park in Pelalawan, Riau, an official said on Monday.

The discovery comes not long after the carcass of a young male elephant was found without its tusks at Petani village in Bengkalis district.

Hayani Suprachman, head of the national park, said the two elephant carcasses were found at different timed and locations. The first one was found around 9 pm on Saturday night and the second a few hours later.

“The second carcass was found about 100 meters from the first,” Hayani said.

“We have strong assumptions that those two were [deliberately] killed,” he said.

The first carcass, around 5 to 6 years old, was found with its right tusk missing and half of its left tusk had been chopped off. The second elephant, believed to be around 6 to 7 years old, still had its tusks.

Hayani said the case was being investigated by the Ukui sub-district police and the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency with help from the Riau chapter of the World Wildlife Fund, an NGO.

Trisnu Danisworo, head of the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency, said a team had been dispatched to investigate the killings, although any legal enforcement would be left in the hands of the National Park officials.

Despite suspicions the elephants were killed for their tusks, Hayani believed the elephants were killed by people who were illegally setting up plantations in protected areas.

“At the moment, we suspect that the killings were not intended to get the tusks because these were the work of amateur hunters. If they were professionals, they would not have left the tusks behind,” he said.

“It’s most likely the work of illegal planters because these animals were killed in areas that have been illegally opened for plantations.”

He said the recent killings undermined the government’s effort to conserve the elephants, especially considering that there are only around 100 left at the national park.

Originally, Tesso Nilo National Park only covered around 38,000 hectares but was expanded to 86,000 hectares last year.

Read more!

Bangladesh patrols to protect Bengal tiger

Yahoo News 29 Mar 10;

DHAKA (AFP) – Bangladesh will form patrols in the world's largest mangrove forest in a bid to stop locals beating the critically-endangered Bengal tiger to death, an official said on Monday.

The move follows an increase in tiger deaths in the 10,000-square-kilometre (3,860 square miles) Sunderbans forest, with dozens beaten to death over the last decade after wandering into local villages.

"It's impossible to conserve these rare tigers unless we involve villagers to help protect the animal," said Abdul Motaleb, the government's forest conservation chief.

There are around 450 Bengal tigers in the Bangladeshi section of the Sunderbans, the world's largest remaining population in the wild, according to a 2004 government census.

The new government-approved plan, the first of its kind in the area, will lead to the formation of a 10-person patrol team in each of the hundreds of villages on the edge of the forest, which straddles the Bangladesh-India border.

"The patrol teams will inform forest officials as soon as a tiger enters their village. They'll also persuade the villagers not to harm the animals," the official said.

Last year, nearly 30 people were killed after they were attacked by tigers while fishing or collecting honey inside the forest, according to media reports, and villagers are traditionally hostile to the tigers.

Expert Monirul Khan said tiger numbers were likely only half the government's estimate, with fatal beatings being a key factor in the slow demise of the animal.

Read more!

Mysterious whale die-off is largest on record

Jeremy Hsu, livescience.com Yahoo News 29 Mar 10;

Mass death among baby right whales has experts scrambling to figure out the puzzle behind the largest great whale die-off on record.

Observers have found 308 dead whales in the waters around Peninsula Valdes along Argentina's Patagonian Coast since 2005. Almost 90 percent of those deaths represent whale calves less than 3 months old, and the calf deaths make up almost a third of all right whale calf sightings in the last five years.

"This is the single largest die-off event in terms of numbers and in relation to population size and geographic range," said Marcela Uhart, a medical veterinarian with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). She represents an associate director in Latin America for the WCS Global Health Program.

Meeting on the mystery

To get to the bottom of the baby-whale mystery, the scientific committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) convened an urgent meeting at a workshop in Puerto Madryn, Argentina, this month.

Only a few clues have emerged so far regarding the cause of death, such as unusually thin layers of blubber on some dead calves. Whale calves typically have lower chances of survival during their first year of life, but the high rate of death at Peninsula Valdes is unique.

Southern right whales are baleen whales that filter their tiny prey from the water with their comb-like mouths. They once represented an ideal target for whalers and nearly went extinct, but began to rebound after a whaling ban started during the1930s. Still, the whales remain listed as endangered and have yet to recover anywhere close to their historic population levels of 60,000 or more.

Health experts and biologists have yet to reveal exactly what type of death has recently stalked the young right whales. But experts at the IWC meeting agreed that it's unlikely the main cause of death came from killer whale attacks, disturbances from whale-watching boats, vessel strikes or fishing gear entanglement, Uhart told LiveScience.

"These last two mortality factors are the main causes contributing to the near extinction of northern right whales [near the] Eastern U.S.," Uhart explained. North Atlantic right whales represent a separate species from southern right whales, and remain even more endangered with just around 350 surviving individuals.

Possible causes

Ruling out some factors for the southern right whale deaths leaves possible causes, such as harmful biotoxins created by algae or other organisms, disease, environmental factors at the nursing grounds or lack of prey at the whales' feeding grounds.

Official results from the workshop about the cause of death will be released after review and approval at the IWC's annual meeting scheduled to take place in Morocco in June.

The last huge die-off for great whales - including all baleen whales and sometimes the sperm whale - took place in the Eastern Pacific from 1999-2000. More than 250 gray whales showed up dead between Alaska and Mexico during that incident.

That gray whale population is much larger than the southern right whale population around Peninsula Valdes, and so the most recent die-off of southern right whales represents a bigger toll in both a numerical and proportional sense.

Still, there's some reason for hope amidst the uncertainty. Southern right whale populations near Australia and South Africa have escaped the mass death that has stricken the right whales around Argentina.

"Even though the population at Valdes seems to be suffering unusually high calf mortalities, all other southern right whales seem to be doing well," Uhart said.

Something's Wrong With Right Whales
ScienceDaily 9 Apr 10;

A few years ago, right whales began washing up on the shores of Argentina's Patagonian coast. So far, researchers have counted a total of 308 dead whales since 2005.

These right whales in the waters around Peninsula Valdés are amidst the largest die-off of great whales ever recorded. Whatever is killing them remains unknown.

About 88 percent of the whale deaths were calves that were less than three months old. Curiously, many of the corpses had unusually thin layers of blubber. The deceased calves found comprise almost a third of all right whale calve sightings in the last 5 years. In 2009, the Scientific Committee of the IWC identified the die-off as a management priority.

"Península Valdés is one of the most important calving and nursing grounds for the species found throughout the Southern Hemisphere," said Dr. Howard Rosenbaum, director of the WCS's Ocean Giants Program and a member of the IWC's Scientific Committee. "By working with the government of Argentina, the Province of Chubut, the IWC, and our diverse team of experts and specialists, we can increase our chances of solving this mystery, the critical next step to ensuring a future for this population of southern right whales."

This week a team of whale and health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society joined experts from other organizations at a workshop to try to solve this perplexing problem. The International Whaling Commission sponsored the workshop, which convened in Puerto Madryn.

"We need to critically examine possible causes for this increase in calf mortality so we can begin to explore possible solutions," said Dr. Marcela Uhart, associate director of WCS's Global Health Program and one of the early founders of the program that discovered the whale deaths. "Finding the cause may require an expansion of monitoring activities to include the vast feeding grounds for the species."

Around one-third of the estimated population of right whales in the Southern Hemisphere use the protected bays of Península Valdés (a World Heritage Site) as a calving and nursing habitat between the months of June and December.

The southern right whale is one of the world's great conservation success stories. Unlike the North Atlantic and North Pacific right whales (both of which number in the low hundreds), southern rights have managed to rebound from centuries of commercial whaling, with populations growing at approximately 7 percent annually since 1970. Growing up to 55 feet in length and weighing up to 60 tons, the southern right whale is now the most abundant species of right whale in the world.

But ensuring their long-term survival may require solving this issue quickly. These charismatic animals are also the focus of a thriving eco-tourism industry along Argentina's Patagonian coast.

The workshop participants will consider many hypotheses on the cause or causes of the calf deaths. Possible explanations might include biotoxins, disease, environmental factors at their nursing grounds, and potential variations in prey availability at the whales' distant feeding grounds.

Read more!

Rare Parasite Plant Named After A UKM Professor

Bernama 29 Mar 10;

KUCHING, March 29 (Bernama) -- A rare parasite plant related to the giant Rafflesia flower has been named after a Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia don, Prof Dr Kamarudin Mat Salleh, who discovered it in June 2008.

Prof Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid from the University of Brunei said the new species of Rafflesia was named Rhizanthes Kamarudini.

"The plant, known locally as jambulipa, was discovered during a scientific expedition to the Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary (LEWS) in June 2008. Prof Dr Kamarudin was conducting a detailed study to publish his research finding but he died last year from cancer.

"We named the plant after him to honour him," he told reporters after the opening of "Sarawak Biological Resources Forum 2010" by Public Utilities Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan here Monday.

Dr Mohamed, who was the leader of the expedition, said Rhizanthes were among the significant findings during the 10-day expedition.

"We discovered five new species of ginger, two of Begonia, two of Bulbophyllum (orchid), one of Thismia and Mapania. A new species of the fern Tectaria has also been discovered.

"Many of these plants may prove to be potential sources of ornamentals, medicinal oils and medicinal herbs with various therapeutic properties," he said.

For the faunal component, at least 10 species of fish were believed to be new to science and needed further elucidation, he added.

Detailed studies on the collections were still on-going and were likely to confirm the existence of many new species to science, he said.

-- BERNAMA

More new species may be discovered in Sarawak
Zora Chan, The Star 30 Mar 10;

KUCHING: More new flora and fauna species are expected to be discovered in totally protected areas in Sarawak.

Areas like Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, Batang Ai National Park, Pulong Tau National Park and Mulu National Park have not been fully explored by researchers, said State Forest director Datuk Len Talif Salleh.

Citing an example, he said researchers had so far covered only about 40% of the total area of Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary in southern Sarawak.

“There is still a potential for new species to be discovered in these areas,” Len told a press conference here yesterday after the Sarawak Biological Resources Forum 2010.

One of the researchers, Professor Datuk Mohamed Abdul Majid from Universiti Brunei Darussalam, said a new plant similar to the Rafflesia normally found in Sumatra was discovered in Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary in 2008.

He added that they hoped to name it Rhizanthes Kamaruddini after one of the researchers, the late Professor Kamaruddin Mat Salleh from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia who discovered the flower.

Read more!

Science Alone Not Enough To Boost World Farm Output

Laurie Goering, PlanetArk 30 Mar 10;

Feeding a fast-growing global population in the face of climate change and stagnant funding for food aid and farm research will require a fundamental revamp of agriculture, agricultural experts said.

But unlike the "Green Revolution" that dramatically hiked agricultural output in Latin America and Asia from the 1950s, a new agricultural restructuring will need to focus as much on new seed varieties as on good governance, women's empowerment and things like curbing commodities speculation, they added.

"We cannot address world food security risks effectively only through a science and technology agenda," Joachim von Braun, former director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), told a conference Sunday.

"We need to get appropriate market regulations to prevent excessive speculation," he added on the opening day of the conference held in southern France to discuss a roadmap to reform agricultural research to meet development goals.

Speculation in food markets contributes to fuelling price swings that can undercut the ability of farmers to plan, often leading them to over or under-produce.

The lack of political support and financial resources for agricultural research are also among the biggest problems holding back efforts to boost farm output and feed more than a billion hungry people in the world, said Jacques Diouf, director general of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

"We have the programs, we have the projects, we have the knowledge... We have everything we need but political will," he said, adding there were signs things were changing.

"We have realized the problem of food security is not only a technical, economic, ethical problem. It's a problem of peace and security in the world."

HUNGER RISK

By 2050, the world's population is expected to surge to more than 9 million from of 6.3 billion now, so agricultural output will need to grow by 70 percent to feed those people, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

But the world will face dramatic challenges in achieving this target, warned experts at the conference.

Investment in agricultural research has stagnated or fallen around most of the globe for decades, and growth in crucial crops like rice has leveled off, experts said, adding high national debt, in part as a result of the global financial crisis, made boosts in donor aid for research unlikely.

Climate change also is bringing more unpredictable weather, including worsening droughts, floods and storms. Those stresses could slash agricultural production in the world's hungriest regions in Africa and South Asia, and exacerbate existing problems like overuse of aquifers, desertification and erosion.

"Climate change will make an already deteriorating situation worse," said IFAD spokesman Kevin Cleaver.

Reversing the problems, he and others said, will require a diverse host of changes, such as curbing rich-world agricultural subsidies, ensuring small farmers have rights to their land, building databases to help coordinate research efforts, and finding new sources of funding for agricultural research.

(Laurie Goering is an editor at AlertNet, a service of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, which aims at alerting humanitarians to emergencies)

(Editing by James Jukwey)

Read more!

Indonesia wants ASEAN to adopt Copenhagen Accord

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post 29 Mar 10;

Indonesia will lobby other Southeast Asian countries to adopt the Copenhagen Accord at the upcoming ASEAN meeting in Vietnam, as only Jakarta and Singapore have done so, a source said.

The 10 members of ASEAN will convene from April 8 to April 9 in Hanoi, during which officials said the group would issue a joint statement to respond to the Copenhagen Accord initiative.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah told The Jakarta Post that senior officials would run a series of meetings ahead of the summit to prepare a text of joint statements, among others on climate change.

A source said Indonesia wanted all countries in ASEAN to adopt the Copenhagen Accord as 111 countries of the 190 parties to the UN climate talks had already submitted emission cut targets.

“We hope all ASEAN countries follow measures by Indonesia and Singapore to associate with the Copenhagen Accord,” the source told the Post.

Indonesia, the first developing country to voluntarily commit to emission reductions, pledged to slash emissions by 26 percent by 2020 funded only by a state budget of Rp 83 trillion.

Indonesia says if developed nations provided a further Rp 168 trillion, the country would increase cuts to 41 percent, the highest in the region.

Neighboring Singapore pledged to cut emissions by 16 percent by 2020. Both Indonesia and Singapore have adopted the Copenhagen Accord, making the promised emission cut targets binding for the two countries.

Experts say that ASEAN countries, with a combined area of 4.5 million square kilometers and an average per capita income of US$496, were vulnerable to the impact of climate change.

ASEAN established a climate change working group that is tasked with drafting a joint statement.

The Copenhagen Accord was issued last year after participants at the UN climate conference failed to reach a consensus on a much-expected legally binding treaty.

The accord, which was only a note for the conference, requested parties submit emission cut targets and associate it with the accord.

Forty Annex I (developed nations) and 33 non-annex (developing nations) have submitted reduction targets to the UN, with 64 of these countries have associated themselves with the accord.

Another 35 countries have associated with the accord but have not submitted emission cut targets.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s climate change adviser Agus Purnomo said that legal status of the Copenhagen Accord would not be changed although most of the countries supported the accord.

“There should not be new negotiations on the Copenhagen Accord as some countries fear,” he said.

“Indonesia will only agree if climate talks, including in Mexico, return to two tracks of negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol and the Long-Term Cooperative Action [LCA],” he said.

The Kyoto Protocol working group would discuss emission cut targets for developed nations from 2013 as the first commitment to a 5 percent emission when the protocol expires in 2012.

The LCA negotiation will focus on global emission cuts by both developed and developing nations to maintain temperature rise not exceeding 2 degrees Celsius.

Indonesia pushes for Asean to adopt Copenhagen Accord
Business Times 30 Mar 10;

(JAKARTA) Indonesia will lobby other South-east Asian countries to adopt the Copenhagen Accord at the Asean summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, next month, as only Jakarta and Singapore have done so, a local media reported yesterday.

Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah told the Jakarta Post that senior Asean officials would hold a series of meetings ahead of the summit to prepare text of joint statements including that on climate change.

An Indonesian source said that Indonesia wanted all Asean member states to adopt the Copenhagen Accord as 111 countries of the 190 parties to the UN climate talks had already submitted emission cut targets.

'We hope other Asean countries follow Indonesia and Singapore to adopt the Copenhagen Accord,' the source said. Indonesia, the first developing country to voluntarily commit to emission reductions, pledged to slash emission by 26 per cent by 2020 funded only by a state budget of 83 trillion rupiah (S$12.8 billion).

'Indonesia says if developed countries provided a further 168 trillion rupiah, the country would increase emission cuts up to 41 per cent, the highest in the region.

Singapore has pledged to cut emission by 16 per cent by 2020. Both Indonesia and Singapore have adopted the Copenhagen Accord, making the promised emission cut targets binding for the two countries. Analysts said that Asean countries, with a combined area of 4.4 million square kilometres and an average per capita income of US$496, were vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. -- Xinhua

Read more!

Indonesia to attend BASIC meeting, but has no plans to join group

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post 29 Mar 10;

Indonesia, which has ambition to mediate in climate talks, will attend the meeting of BASIC-block countries (Brazil, India, South Africa and China) next month, but there is no official word on whether it will join the group.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s climate change adviser Agus Purnomo asserted that Indonesia would not be in hurry to decide on whether to join the group as no clear agenda was being promoted by the group to ensure climate talks success.

“We will conduct in-depth analysis based on our current position as a mediator in global climate talks,” he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

BASIC ministers meet every three months, and are scheduled to meet in Cape Town, South Africa,
next month.

A source told the Post that a number of developed nations had warned Indonesia to not join the
BASIC group.

They also expressed concern over Indonesia’s interest in the group, fearing it would make already difficult climate talk negotiations even more protracted.

Agus insisted Indonesia would stick to its aim of bridging parties with different positions in climate talks to reach a consensus.

“Our strategy is to take the middle path to ensure all parties reach a consensus on a climate deal,” he said.

“If this is not the prevailing view of the BASIC group, then we will not join it.”

BASIC was formed before last year’s Copenhagen climate talks in Denmark.

It was reported that BASIC countries played important roles in the drafting of the non-binding Copenhagen Accord.

All BASIC countries are members of the G77 bloc of developing nations.

The G77, which was established in 1964 by 136 developing nations, has become a powerful lobby group in international forums, including climate talks.

But in recent years, differences among G77 members continue to widen on issues of emission reductions, mitigation and adaptation.

In its first breakthrough, the group rejected the draft on global emission cuts proposed by host country Denmark. At the time, Denmark did not invite G77 members to the closed-door meeting.
University of Indonesia international environmental law expert Andri Wibisana said the BASIC coalition was not a permanent bloc since each member had a different agenda and greenhouse gas emission record.

“There is no need for Indonesia to join the group as it is only a temporary coalition,” he said, adding that Indonesia should seek to form a coalition with countries that had a similar take on the climate talks.

The BASIC countries last met in January, shortly after the Copenhagen talks.

The group expressed support for the Copenhagen Accord by submitting emission cut targets, but without associating them with the accord.

Indonesia has pledged to cut emissions by 26 percent by 2020, financed only by its local budget, and by 41 percent by 2020 if developed nations provide financial assistance. Indonesia also ratified the Copenhagen Accord.

G77 countries took different stances on the Copenhagen Accord.

Like the BASIC countries, nine members of the G77, including Croatia, Namibia and Palau, supported the accord but rejected “associating” with it.

The Cook Islands, Kuwait, Nauru and Ecuador submitted letters to the UNFCCC not associating with or supporting the Accord.

Five other island states and oil-exporting countries notified the UN that they would not associate with the Accord.

BASIC countries asked the UNFCCC Secretariat to hold six rounds of negotiations this year beginning in March, so that the process could culminate in time for the next climate summit in Mexico City in December.

Negotiators from 192 countries will meet in Mexico City this year to discuss legally binding emission cut targets, which have been rejected by developed nations.

Read more!