Elephants in Malaysia

Three rogue elephants captured
New Straits Times 25 Sep 10;

HULU TERENGGANU: State Wild Life and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) officers captured three wild elephants believed to have been on a rampage in several villages here since the past one month.

In a three-day operation that began on Monday and carried out in the jungles of Kampung Durian Badol here, the elephants, aged between 10 and 12 years, had been subdued with tranquilliser darts.

They were then chained and are expected to be transferred to the elephant sanctuary in Sungai Ketiar, near Kenyir Lake, today.

State Perhilitan director Jamalun Nasir said his officers tranquillised the first elephant on Tuesday, and the other two in the following two days.

The wildlife team were sent to the village following complaints by the villagers that a herd of elephants had been encroaching their area and damaging their crops.

"This is our biggest (wild elephant) capture of the year," he added.

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Elephants in Indonesia

Forest-damaging activity reducing elephants` habitat in West Lampung
Antara 21 Sep 10;

Liwa, Lampung (ANTARA News) - Forest-damaging activity in West Lampung District is causing the shrinking of the natural habitat of the Sumatran Elephant (Elephant maximus sumatranus) and as a consequence the animals often stray into human settlements.

"The elephants often become a threat to people living near forests when they roam near or around villages," a resident of Bandar Dalam Village, Ismanto, said.

The threat had become so serious that residents of Bandar Dalam Village, Bengkunat Belimbing Sub-district, were now conducting patrols around their village every night, he said.

The increasing number of elephants that often came near the village was troubling its residents because the animals always damaged crops and, when agitated, could even destroy houses and attack people.

"This is happening because the animals natural habitat is shrinking as a result of human activity that damage forests," he said.

Several days ago, a number of elephants invaded the village but the locals, equipped only with simple tools, were able drive away them away.

Meanwhile, West Lampung District Chief Mukhlis Basri said the conflict between humans and elephants was caused by forest damage.

"We can say with certainty that the major cause of the conflict between humans and elephants is forest damage by various sorts of human activity," he said.

The local administration was quite aware of the problem but was not able to do much to solve it, Mukhlis said.

"We don`t have enough personnel and funds to solve the problem. However, we frequently tell the local people to protect and preserve the forests," he said.

He hoped the central government would help the Lampung administration to solve the problem of damaged forests and prevent more conflicts between humans and elephants.

Rohul authorities considering wild elephants relocation
Antara 23 Sep 10;

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - The local government of Rokan Hulu (Rohul) district in Riau province is considering the possibility of relocating four wild elephants to solve the problem of conflicts between residents and the animals.

"The relocation of the elephants should be carried out very carefully and the cause of the conflict in the area should be studied," Director for Forest and Nature Conservation of the Forestry Ministry, Daruri said.

He made the statement when he opened a workshop on the conservation of Sumatran elephants here on Wednesday.

Daruri said the plan to relocate the elephants needed to be studied comprehensively. His side would not relocate the elephants from the conservation area.

He said that if the conflict between residents and elephants was caused by human behaviors his office would rehabilitate the conservation area and maintain the elephants there.

The regional government of Rohul through the plantation and forestry services has sent in 2009 a letter of request to Riau Natural Resources Conservation Office (BBKSDA) for the relocation of wild elephants from the Pemenuhan elephant enclave.

The same letter has also be sent to the forestry Minister last July.

Daruri said that if the elephant enclave was located in the conservation area, then there would be no relocation for the elephants.

He said that relocation of elephants could be done only if it was through a save procedure and the new location for wield elephants had been prepared well.

"This is not to repeat the mistake made in 2007 when the BBKSD Riau relocated 10 elephants from the Balai Raja Preserve Animal Area.

He said that the relocation was a mistake where the new habitat even served as if it was a "torture" place for the elephants.

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Jakarta coastal areas may disappear in coming decades

The Jakarta Post 25 Sep 10;

Four districts on the north coast of Jakarta could be submerged within a century if the city administration does not address environmental issues in its spatial planning policies, an expert said.

“Research shows that the sea level on Jakarta’s coast has increased at a rate of 57 millimeters per year because of the effects of global warming on the polar ice caps,” Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) oceanology department chief Safwan Hadi said Friday.

The districts of Pademangan, Penjaringan, Tanjung Priok and Cilincing in North Jakarta would be flooded by a half-meter of sea water by 2100, Safwan said.

“However, the city will probably lose those areas sooner as we also find that soil in the area is subsiding by between 5 and 12 centimeters each year,” he added.

The Indonesian Water Society previously stated that Jakarta was slowly sinking, warning that North Jakarta will be completely submerged within 50 years when the sea would reach Jl. Hayam Wuruk in Central Jakarta, around 5 kilometers inland.

Safwan criticized the Jakarta administration’s decision to continue development plans in North Jakarta despite expert suggestions to put the plans on hold pending a reassessment to better cope with deteriorating environmental conditions.

If the administration wanted to continue its development plans in North Jakarta, he urged officials to start making plans to prevent the city from sinking, Safwan said.

“The administration can build strong dikes following the Dutch example, where their country’s landscape and features are similar to Jakarta,” he said, adding that about 40 percent of the area in Jakarta was below sea level. (rch)

Many government policies not environmentally friendly : expert
Antara 22 Sep 10;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Many policies pursued by the government have not been environmentally friendly and thus caused environmental damage, an urban and environmental development expert of Tarumanegara University, Dr. Darrundono. said.

He made the statement in a discussion on the threat of collapse Indonesia`s coastal cities are facing, organized by Institut Hijau (Green Institute) here Wednesday.

The environmental damage was worsened by climate change, he said.

The construction of flats or apartments and shopping centers in Jakarta had drastically reduced areas which were supposed to absorb water and serve environmental buffers, he said.

Villas built in the Puncak region had taken 30 percent of farming land, he said adding that of the 226 lakes existing in the Jabodetabek (Jakarta-Bogor-Depok-Tangerang-Bekasi) region, only 33 were still functioning maximally economically and ecologically.

As a result, Jakarta was often hit by floods and sea water intrusions.
It was now also hard to find ground water in the capital and some part of Jakarta were now actually sinking, Dr. Darundono said.

Citing an example, he mentioned the recent collapse of Jalan Martadinata due to the intrusion of sea water into soil on which the street leading to Tanjung Priok port was built.

He predicted that similar incidents would happen in other coastal cities in Indonesia in time to come.

Due to climate change, the sea level in Jakarta Bay would rise and push the coastline 15 meters inland, he said.

Meanwhile, Green Institute chairman Chalid Muhammad said other cities in Indonesia might collapse ecologically and also economically due to the massive exploitation of natural resources and unorganized urban development.

Climate change could also cause a sinking of the ground surface and a sea level rise at the same time, he said.

"The sea level in the Jakarta Bay has already undergone a significant rise and sea water is already permeating the sub-soil in certain parts of the capital. Semarang, capital of Central Java, is already seeing high tides on its coasts almost every day," he said.

Land reclamation would not be a solution and cause other problems, he said, adding that a fundamental change needed to be made in the current environment management paradigm to save the environment.(*)

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Laos sees big fish as small price to pay for hydropower

Plans for hydropower plant on the Mekong River threaten habitat of four of the world's largest freshwater fish, says WWF
Jonathan Watts, Asia guardian.co.uk 24 Sep 10;

Despite the risks to the world's biggest freshwater fish, Laos has rejected calls for a dam moratorium on the lower reaches of the Mekong because it wants cheap power to develop its economy.

The south-east Asian nation moved this week to secure regional approval for the first major hydropower plant on its stretch of the river in the face of protests from international conservation groups.

Catfish the length of cars and stingrays that weigh more than tigers are threatened by the proposed 800m barrier, but the government said the economic benefits outweigh the environmental risks.

"We don't want to be poor any more," said Viraphone Viravong, director general of the country's energy and mines department. "If we want to grow, we need this dam."

In a submission to the Mekong river commission (MRC) on Wednesday, Laos said it wants to build a 1.26GW-hydropower plant at Sayabouly in northern Laos to generate foreign exchange income.

If approved, about 90% of the electricity would be sold to neighbours Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

It is part of a major plan to expand the economy through the utilisation of natural resources. According to Viravong, 20% of Laos' GDP will come from hydropower and mining by 2020, up from about 4% today.

Sayabouly is the first of 11 proposed dams on the lower reaches of the Mekong, a river that is already heavily dammed upstream in China.

The MMRC – made up of representatives from Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand – will now assess the environmental impact of the project, but conservation groups fear the procedure is flawed and have called for a 10-year moratorium on hydropower on the river.

"This dam is the greatest challenge the MRC has faced since it was formed. It is the most serious test of its usefulness and relevance," said Marc Goichot, of the WWF. "It is already very clear this dam would amplify and accelerate the negative impacts of Chinese dams to the Mekong delta. What are the other impacts?"

Concerns have been raised about sedimentation, fisheries and the migration patterns of endangered freshwater species.

Four of the world's 10 biggest freshwater fish migrate up the Mekong to spawn. Among them is the Mekong giant catfish, which is the size of a bull shark, and the Mekong stingray, which can weigh up to 600kg.

The dam – which is being designed by Swiss company Colencois and the Thai contractors Karnchang – is also likely to affect the flow of nutrients along a delta that sustains tens of millions of people.

The Laos authorities insist the dam will be designed to mitigate the impact on food security, ecosystems and wildlife, but officials acknowledge that no solution is ideal for the environment.

"It won't be 100% perfect, but we believe mitigation measures will be effective. We must balance out the costs and benefits," said Viravong.

He felt there was no alternative. "We have done studies on micro-energy and renewables, but they are expensive. I don't think the world can subsidise that. If we do it ourselves, only cheap energy from hydropower will do."

Mekong dam proposal goes under the microscope
WWF 23 Sep 10;

WWF is seriously concerned about the negative impacts posed by the Sayabouly hydropower dam proposed for the Mekong river in northern Laos, following the Lao Government’s notification of the dam to the Mekong River Commission (MRC) on September 22.

The Lao Government’s engagement with the MRC on the Sayabouly dam is a positive first step in the three-stage assessment process. The Sayabouly dam is the first of the 11 proposed lower Mekong river mainstream dams to be critically assessed by member countries of the MRC.

“There must be a rigorous and transparent assessment of the impacts of this dam,” said Marc Goichot, Sustainable Infrastructure Senior Advisor for WWF Greater Mekong. “It is already very clear this dam would amplify and accelerate the negative impacts of Chinese dams to the Mekong delta, what are the other impacts?” he said.

If built, the Sayabouly dam will block the sediment and nutrients that build the delta and feed its immense productivity, which provides more than 50 percent of Vietnam’s staple food crops. Moreover, the dam would alter habitats downstream in Laos and Cambodia potentially having devastating impacts on wild fisheries and causing the likely extinction of critically endangered Mekong giant catfish.

A workshop organized by the MRC Secretariat concluded that with current technologies it would be impossible to build a dam that would allow for such a large and diverse fish migration as takes place in the Mekong river.

The third MRC Basin Development plan grossly underestimated the negative impacts on biodiversity and sediment flows of lower Mekong river mainstream dams proposed north of Vientiane, including Sayabouly. The Basin Development plan will guide the MRC assessment of all lower Mekong river mainstream dams.

WWF supports a ten-year delay in the approval of lower Mekong river mainstream dams to ensure a comprehensive understanding of all the impacts of their construction and operation. Immediate electricity demands can be met by fast tracking the most sustainable hydropower sites on the lower Mekong’s tributaries.

“This dam is the greatest challenge the MRC has faced since it was formed. It is the most serious test of its usefulness and relevance,” said Mr Goichot.

The CH. Karnchang Public Company Ltd. of Thailand has been contracted by the Lao Government to construct the Sayabouly dam if it is approved. Karnchang has hired Swiss company Colenco to produce the design of the Sayabouly dam. WWF has tried to engage with both parties to highlight the risk and promote sustainable alternatives. Neither party has elected to engage with WWF on the matter.

To promote sustainable hydropower development, on September 24 in Bangkok, WWF and other development partners convened a conference of leading Asian, US and European financial institutions to highlight the financial, social and environmental risks and responsibilities of hydropower development on the lower Mekong river.

The meeting also explored ways to avoid, manage and mitigate these risks supporting the conclusions of the MRC Summit held in Hua Hin on April 5 that was attended by all governments of the Mekong and endorsed sustainable development of the Mekong river basin.

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Europe agrees to create marine protected areas

Yahoo News 24 Sep 10;

OSLO (AFP) – European countries agreed Friday to create six protected marine areas in the northeast Atlantic in a bid to step up the protection of the region's environment.

The decision was taken at a meeting in the southwestern Norwegian city of Bergen of the OSPAR Commission, a body through which 15 regional countries, along with the European Union, work to protect the environment of the northeast Atlantic.

They defined six zones or marine protected areas (MPAs) over a total area of 185,000 square kilometres (71,400 square miles) where human activity should be limited.

These zones comprise "a range of vulnerable deep-sea habitats and species", the OSPAR Commission said in a statement, adding that it wanted to create "a precedent" worldwide.

"This moment is historic, it is a world first," French Ecology and Marine Affairs Minister Jean-Louis Borloo said in a statement.

"We are going to show that we are finally capable of protecting oceans in their entirety and not be closed in by our legal limits," he said in a statement.

However the environmental group Oceana criticised European governments for pushing back the creation of the MPAs to 2012, when they were obligated to do so this year under international law, and for still only having a third of the protected areas needed.

Oceana said the six new areas will take the total MPAs to 165, but that will make up "less than three percent of the marine surface area of the northeast Atlantic OSPAR region, and significantly less than the 10 percent minimum required by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity".

European countries' failure to meet their obligations "endangers the health and future of an ecosystem on which millions of Europeans depend", explained Ricardo Aguilar, Director of Research at Oceana Europe.

At the same meeting, European countries rejected a German proposal to ban deep-sea offshore drilling in order to avoid an environmental disaster comparable to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The proposal was quickly withdrawn following pressure from the region's oil-producing countries -- Britain, Denmark and Norway, Greenpeace said.

"Deeply concerned by the accident on the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year, we reaffirm our commitment to take all possible steps to prevent and eliminate pollution from offshore oil and gas activities," participants said in a ministerial statement.

The countries said they would review the existing frameworks as a precautionary measure, "including the permitting of drilling activities in extreme conditions".

Environmental organisation Greenpeace, which is also pushing for a ban of deep-sea offshore oil drilling, said the failed proposal was a "total victory for the oil industry".

Officials meeting in Bergen "did not have the political courage to protect us against another accident like Deepwater Horizon, while it was in their reach to do so", said Truls Gulowsen of Greenpeace Norway.

Shortly after the BP-leased Deepwater Horzion oil rig exploded in April, killing 11 and causing a catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, US President Barack Obama ordered a six-month freeze on deepwater offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

Activists from Greenpeace have since Tuesday occupied a Chevron-operated oil drilling ship anchored off the Shetland Isles to push for a ban on deepwater drilling in the North Sea.

At the end of August, Greenpeace activists climbed on to an oil rig operated by Scottish oil exploration group Cairn Energy off the coast of Greenland and halted drilling for more than a day.

World's 10 largest marine protected areas
Reuters AlertNet 24 Sep 10;

Sept 24 (Reuters) - European nations agreed on Friday to safeguard marine life in the Atlantic Ocean by setting up the world's first network of protected areas in the high seas. [ID:nLDE68N0KE]

Six protected zones in the Atlantic would cover 285,000 sq kms (110,000 sq mile), roughly the size of Italy or the U.S. state of Arizona.

The network is novel because all areas are more than 200 nautical miles (370.4 kilometres) from land, the limit of each country's exclusive economic zone.

About 1.2 percent of the surface area of the Earth's oceans is already in protected areas, far less than 12 percent of the planet's land area set aside, according to Caitlyn Toropova, an expert on marine protected areas at international conservation group IUCN.

Following is a ranking of the world's largest marine protected areas, previously passed into law (areas in square kms): 1) Phoenix Islands Protected Area in Kiribati in the central Pacific 408,342 2) Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park 343,480 3) U.S. Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument off Hawaii in the Pacific 334,154 4) U.S. Mariana Trench Marine National Monument in the Pacific

247,179 5) U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument

212,788 6) South Africa's Prince Edward Islands Marine Protected Area

180,633 7) New Zealand's Kermadec Benthic Protection Area

164,840 8) Australia's Macquarie Island Commonwealth Marine Reserve

161,895 9) Ecuador's Galapagos Marine Reserve in the Pacific

137,975 10) Franz Josef Land Zakaznik off northern Russia

123,877

(Source: Toropova, C., Meliane, I. Laffoley, D. Matthews, E. & Spalding, M. (Eds) "Global Ocean Protection: Present Status and Future Possibilities", 2010. The project is a joint publication between IUCN, WCPA, TNC, UNEP-WCMC, UNEP, UNU, WCS and the French MPA Agency)

(Compiled by Alister Doyle in Bergen, Norway, editing by)

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China seeks binding climate treaty late 2011: report

Reuters AlertNet 24 Sep 10;

* China unyielding on issues of "principle" - negotiator
* United States is biggest obstacle to treaty - negotiator

BEIJING, Sept 24 (Reuters) - China wants the world to seal a binding climate change treaty by late 2011, a Chinese negotiator said in a newspaper on Friday, blaming U.S. politics for impeding talks and making a deal on global warming impossible this year.

Li Gao, a senior Chinese negotiator on climate change, said his government would remain unyielding on issues of "principle" in the talks aimed at forging a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. The first period of that key treaty on fighting global warming expires at the end of 2012.

Li also vowed to keep pressing rich countries to promise deeper cuts to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from human activity that are stoking global warming, said the China Economic Times, which reported his comments.

Many governments and experts have already dismissed hopes for a full climate change treaty at the next major negotiation meeting, to be held in Cancun, Mexico at the end of this year.

Li underscored that gloom, but also said his government hoped Cancun could be a stepping stone to negotiations next year that will culminate in a meeting in South Africa in November.

"China hopes that based on the outcomes from Cancun, we'll be able to settle on a legally binding document at the meeting in South Africa," Li said, according to the Chinese-language newspaper.

"After the South Africa meeting, we'll move to concrete implementation."

Li oversees the international climate change negotiations office at China's National Development and Reform Commission, a sprawling agency that steers economy policy.

The deadline for a new binding global pact was originally set for late 2009, but a final round of negotiations in Copenhagen ended in acrimonious failure, with some Western politicians saying China was not willing to compromise.

China will be a crucial player in the follow-up talks.

With its 1.3 billion people, it is the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases from human activity, but is also a developing country with average emissions per capita well below those of wealthy economies.

The United States, European Union and other governments want China to take on stronger commitments to control and eventually cut its emissions.

But Li said it was U.S. political uncertainty that had stymied any hope of the Cancun meeting agreeing on a treaty to succeed Kyoto.

"The biggest obstacle comes from the United States," he said. "Without any (climate change) legislation, it can't possibly join in a legally binding international document."

The U.S. Senate has dropped efforts to put emissions curbs in an energy bill now focused on reforming offshore drilling.

Negotiators from nearly 200 nations are haggling over a complex draft accord on climate change, and a further round of talks at the northern Chinese port of Tianjin opens on Oct. 4.

Li said Beijing would keep pressing for certain principles, including that developing countries like China should not shoulder the same absolute caps on emissions that rich countries must take on. (Reporting by Chris Buckley; Editing by Jonathon Burch)

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Best of our wild blogs: 24 Sep 10

House Crows fishing
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Birdtanical gardens
from The annotated budak

Damselfly (30) - Libellago Lineata
from Nature Photography - Singapore Odonata

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Learning Forest of tropical trees at the Singapore Botanic Gardens

Hannah Koh Straits Times 24 Sep 10;

GOOD news for nature and tree lovers.

NParks will be expanding the 6 hectare site of primary rain forest in the Singapore Botanic Gardens to include a 9.8 hectare Learning Forest to showcase the best of tropical trees.

Through thematic walks, visitors will be able to see giant trees, trees with interesting forms and barks of various textures, a conservation collection of rare fruit and nut species, and a bamboo garden.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan announced this at the opening of the 'Wealth of the Rain Forest' exhibition at the Singapore Botanic Gardens on Friday morning.

The Learning Forest will also include a new marshland showcasing tropical wetland plant species and aquatic wildlife. When completed, visitors can look forward to an exceptional forest and marshland experience within the city for nature education and nature watching, said Mr Mah.

Mr Mah stressed the importance of rain forests as a ' key defence against global warming' for their natural capacity to store large amounts of carbon, saying that the amount of carbon stored in forests is estimated to be more than the total amount of carbon found in the atmosphere .

NParks also reforests secondary rain forests on top of maintaining existing primary rain forests. Last year, NParks launched the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which is a framework setting out the key strategies to guide efforts in conserving Singapore's biodiversity.

An exhibition on 'Wealth of the Rain Forest' is now on at the Singapore Botanic Gardens till Oct 6 to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity.

Some interesting nuggets about the rain forest:

* Outside of the coral reefs, tropical rain forests hold the planet's largest treasure of biodiversity.

* Forests in Southeast Asia house more than three times the number of flowering plants than those in North America, which has a land area almost seven times larger.

* Quinine, the anti-malaria medication, was extracted from the bark of the Cinchona tree found in the rain forests on the Andes mountains of South America.

*The Gutta-Percha, a relative of the Chiku fruit tree, was discovered by the colonial British in Singapore during the mid-19th century for use to insulate the new invention of submarine telegraphic communications cable from 1866. It is still the preferred non-toxic material for dentists performing root-canal fillings.

The exhibition will also feature with its exquisite images of biodiversity in the rain forest - from rain forest giants like the dipterocarps to healing rain forest plants that have been used in traditional and Western medicine.

Interactive exhibits that will also enhance visitors' experience and appreciation of the forest world.

Catch these at the 'Wealth of the Rain Forest' exhibition. Admission is free for the public and it will be held at the Botany Centre at the Singapore Botanic Gardens from Sept 24 to Oct 6.

NParks to expand primary rainforest area
Saiful Bahri Ismail Channel NewsAsia 24 Sep 10;

SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks) will be expanding the Singapore Botanic Gardens with a new 9.8 hectares parkland.

Speaking at the launch of the "Wealth of the Rain Forest" exhibition on Friday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said the learning forest area will showcase the best of tropical trees.

There will also be a new marshland showcasing tropical wetland plant species and aquatic wildlife.

Mr Mah added when completed, the learning forest will give visitors an exceptional forest and marshland experience within the city for nature education and nature watching.

Through thematic walks, visitors will get to see giant trees, trees with interesting forms and barks of various textures, a conservation collection of rare fruit and nut species, and a bamboo garden.

The "Wealth of the Rain Forest" exhibition is an indoor display that features the richness of plant life in the rain forest, and will be held until October 6.

-CNA/wk

Exploring the rainforest
Straits Times 25 Sep 10;

Check out a native bamboo house used by semi-nomadic and subsistence farmers in the Tropics, stroll beneath a rainforest canopy, see forest orchids and smell the jungle's fruits and spices - at the Botanic Gardens.

Orchidologist Saw Lwin, 51, was among those who got to do these at the Wealth Of The Rain Forest exhibition, which was opened by Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan yesterday and is on till Oct 6.

In celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity, the exhibition highlights ecosystems and uses of the rainforest, such as for fuel, food and building materials.

Speech by Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development at the launch of the Wealth of the Rainforest exhibition
NParks media release 24 Sep 10;

Mrs Christina Ong

Chairperson, National Parks Board

Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. As we stand amidst the lush greenery of our Singapore Botanic Gardens, it is hard to imagine that what we enjoy here is being deliberately destroyed at an astonishing rate in many countries.

Celebrating Biodiversity

2. As countries along the tropical belt embark on development and urbanisation, one of the casualties is their rainforests, which are being lost at a rate of at least 7 million hectares a year. This is equivalent to about 100 Singapores in one single year! Forests are being converted for agricultural use and urban development. Naturally occurring forest fires, pests and diseases also contribute to the loss.

3. Today, only 36% of all forests in the world are primary forests. This "Wealth of the Rain Forest" exhibition is indeed timely and useful as it helps to create better awareness and appreciation of the incredible richness of life in the rainforest and its value to mankind. The exhibition is also a good preamble to next year's United Nations International Year of Forests.

4. The tropical rainforest is probably Planet Earth's best showcase of biodiversity. Rainforests contain more than half the world's biodiversity species, even though they occupy only 6% of the Earth's land surface. It is quite amazing that Southeast Asia, with about 3 million square kilometres of land area, actually houses more than three times the number of flowering plants than North America, which has a land area almost seven times larger.

5. The "wealth" that tropical rainforests confer is multi-fold. They provide us with sustenance and valuable materials for fabrics, building, fuel, pharmaceutical and medicinal applications. Rainforests also present eco-tourism and recreational opportunities. But more importantly, rainforests are our key defence against global warming as a mega carbon sink, given their natural capacity to store large amounts of carbon.

In fact, the amount of carbon stored in forests is estimated to be more than all the carbon found in the atmosphere[1].

Singapore's Role in Rainforest and Biodiversity Conservation

6. Like many other countries, we are also grappling with the dilemma of development and conservation. We have been able to manage this policy dilemma through judicious land use planning and development over the years. Our nature reserves still contain primary forests. The 280 hectares of primary forests in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve are living laboratories for important ecological and taxonomic research. Even outside of our nature reserves, we have 6 hectares of primary rainforest right in the heart of our city - in fact, right here at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

7. We are among a handful of cities in the world today which still have a primary rainforest in the city. NParks will be expanding this 6 hectare site to include a 9.8 hectare Learning Forest that will showcase the best of tropical trees. Through thematic walks, visitors will get to see giant trees, trees with interesting forms and barks of various textures, a conservation collection of rare fruit and nut species, and a bamboo garden. There will also be a new marshland showcasing tropical wetland plant species and aquatic wildlife. When completed, this extension of the Singapore Botanic Gardens will give visitors an exceptional forest and marshland experience within the city for nature education and nature watching.

8. Besides conserving our remaining primary rainforests, NParks also carries out reforestation activities in our secondary forests to help sustain viable biodiversity populations. A recent example would be the Forest of Giants[2] initiative at Telok Blangah Hill Park.

9. The Singapore Botanic Gardens plays an important role in plant conservation efforts in Singapore and the region. Since its establishment in 1859, the Gardens has worked with scientists worldwide to develop and pool new knowledge of rare and endangered species, both in the wild and in cultivation. Our botanists are exploring the forests in the region to document, research and name plants. Our researchers have pioneered horticultural trials for plant groups and are studying how to grow endangered species.

10. At the national level, NParks has also formulated a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which was launched last year. It is a framework that sets out the key strategies to guide our efforts in conserving Singapore's biodiversity.

11. At the international level, we are working with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity or CBD, to develop a City Biodiversity Index to be endorsed at next month's United Nations CBD Conference of Parties meeting in Nagoya. The Index is a self-assessment tool for cities around the world to evaluate their own biodiversity conservation efforts, which is an important step towards preserving global biodiversity.

Conclusion

12. In conclusion, let us marvel at the diversity and beauty of the rainforest as we walk through the "Wealth of the Rain Forest" exhibition. I hope that you will be motivated to return, together with your families and friends, to explore the rainforest right here at the Gardens.

13. On this note, it gives me great pleasure to open the "Wealth of the Rain Forest" exhibition. Thank you.

[1] Forests store 290 Gigatonnes of carbon (289 tonnes x 109). Source: FAO, 2010

[2] The Forest of Giants initiative was launched by Minister in Apr 2010. With $1mil sponsorship (over 5 years) from Sembawang Corporation, the forest comprises over 600 trees that NParks will plant across 76ha of land area at the Southern Ridges.

Singapore Botanic Gardens celebrates International Year of Biodiversity with launch of "Wealth of the Rainforest" exhibition
NParks media release 24 Sep 10;

24 September 2010 - In celebration of International Year of Biodiversity, the Singapore Botanic Gardens is holding a public exhibition that features the richness of plant life in the rain forest. Held for the first time in the gardens, "Wealth of the Rain Forest" is an indoor display of the many treasures that the forest holds and little known facts, which aim to create awareness and enhance visitors' appreciation towards biodiversity.

Few may realise that outside of the coral reefs, tropical rain forests hold the planet's largest treasure of biodiversity. In addition, forests in Southeast Asia house more than three times the number of flowering plants than those in North America, which has a land area almost seven times larger. These amazing facts and many more will be unveiled in the exhibition, which was declared open by Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan, this morning.

Not only does the forest provide pleasure for mankind to enjoy nature for leisure, it also offers many economic opportunities for centuries through the fruit and other foods, fibre used to make fabrics and materials for building, fuel, pharmaceutical and medicinal applications.

"Wealth of the Rain Forest" also reveals interesting facts on how certain rain forest plants have healing properties and how the forests present opportunities for eco-tourism and other forms of recreation. For example, quinine, the anti-malaria medication, was extracted from the bark of the Cinchona tree (Cinchona spp.) found in the forests on the Andes mountains of South America. The Gutta-Percha (Palaquium gutta), a relative of the Chiku fruit tree, was discovered by the colonial British in Singapore during the mid-19th century for use to insulate the new invention of submarine telegraphic communications cable (from 1866) and is still the preferred non-toxic material for dentists performing root-canal fillings.

This educational display will also entertain with its exquisite images of biodiversity in the rain forest - from rain forest giants like the dipterocarps to healing rain forest plants that have been used in traditional and Western medicine. Interactive exhibits will also enhance visitors' experience and appreciation of the forest world.

Dr Wong Wei Har, Director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, said, "We are very excited to have been able to put together this exhibition that allows people in Singapore to have a better understanding of the rain forests and their biodiversity. Through this educational and entertaining exhibition, we hope visitors to the Singapore Botanic Gardens will be able to discover and appreciate the richness of these forests. More importantly, we hope they will be reminded that Singapore is not only rich in biodiversity, but that they can see a primary rainforest right here in the Gardens, just 5 minutes away from busy Orchard Road. "

The exhibition is free for the public and will be held at the Botany Centre at the Singapore Botanic Gardens from 24 September to 6 October 2010.

The event also saw the launch of the Singapore Botanic Gardens 2011 Calendar at the exhibition. The Singapore Botanic Gardens Calendar is a community project by ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, a staunch supporter of this project since 2002. Featuring some of the beautiful wild orchid species native to Singapore, the 2011 calendar is available for sale at Singapore Botanic Gardens from 24 September, and is priced at $12 for a desk calendar and $20 for a wall calendar. All proceeds from the sale of the calendar will go towards the Singapore Botanic Gardens Exhibition Fund, in support of the Garden's public exhibition programme. This programme is used to educate visitors about the appreciation of flora and fauna.

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PUB wins two international water awards

Straits Times 24 Sep 10;

THE national water agency PUB scored another feather in its cap yesterday.

It scooped up two international awards - one in recognition of the Marina Barrage and the second for developing a pioneering water treatment plant that is able to collect and treat water flowing in small estuaries such as canals and streams near the sea.

The biennial Project Innovation Awards, conferred by the International Water Association, recognise innovative excellence in water engineering projects around the world.

Despite the limited availability of land here, more than two thirds of Singapore's land area has been set aside for water catchment space. Most major rivers that flow through the island have been dammed to create 15 reservoirs that provide most of the water supply generated locally.

But till recently, it was not possible to create catchments from the streams and rivulets that flow near the shoreline, due to their relatively small size.

It is to tap this water resource that the Variable Salinity Plant was designed, said the PUB.

The plant can generate a higher yield of treated water by being able to treat surface runoff stored in a canal behind an inflatable rubber weir when rain water is present.

If the canal is dry, it is able to switch to treating sea water.

'By tapping the small rivers and streams near the shoreline as sources of water, the Variable Salinity Plant has the potential to increase the water catchment from 67 per cent to 90 per cent,' said MrChua Soon Guan, PUB's Assistant Chief Executive of Policy.

This is the third international award won by the Marina Barrage, widely considered an engineering feat for its ability to both serve as a water catchment and alleviate flooding, as well as be a focal point for recreational activities.

Together with the Punggol and Serangoon Reservoirs, which will be opened over the next few years, the Marina Reservoir will increase Singapore's water catchment space from half to two-thirds of the country's land area.

It will also boost Singapore's water supply by 10 per cent.

AMRESH GUNASINGHAM

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Two metre sea levels predicted by U.S. coastal geologist

ABC 24 Sep 10;

An American coastal geologist describes rising sea levels is going to be the first major negative impact of global warming.

Described as America's most outspoken coastal geologist Professor Orrin Pilkey assumes sea levels will rise by 2 metres by 2100.

This is far beyond the predictions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change who claim levels will rise to half a metre.

He says more needs to be done to prepare coastal communities from climate change threats.

"If you're going to have development and its close to the beach, make sure the buildings movable."

He also recommends a planned retreat.

"It means you recognise there's rising sea levels and you move things back as required, or you demolish the buildings."

With threats of rising sea levels and more extreme weather events to thrash our coastline, there is a high probability of litigation and claims of compensation, brought on by property owners for damage to their properties.

Professor Jan McDonald, director of the Griffith University Climate Change Response Program says currently there's no policy position in respect of liability for past decisions, and this needs to change.

It's going to cost a lot of the next 50 to 100 years to either fortify and protect existing properties, repair properties that have been damaged or in some case retreat and relocate whole communities.

Rather than focusing on litigation and individual property owners that may want to sue, I would like to see a national conversation on a proper funding mechanism for dealing with these coastal impacts."

She says currently COAG is putting together national planning principles for sea level rise and other coastal impacts, but liability funding mechanisms aren't being discussed."

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Best of our wild blogs: 23 Sep 10

Interesting green ideas
from The Straits Times Blogs by Jessica Cheam

Kusu pilgrimage season: 8 Oct - 5 Nov 2010
from wild shores of singapore

Been to Cyrene: "Unlike any other reef I've seen in Singapore"
from Cyrene Reef Exposed!

There's always a catch...
from The annotated budak

Dragonfly (42) - Orchithemis Pruinans
from Nature Photography - Singapore Odonata

Common Myna altercation over nest ownership
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Dredging and massive reclamation next to Labrador until Apr 2011 from wild shores of singapore and Dredging off Kusu Island continues until Mar 2011.

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Keeping reservoirs litter-free and dealing wtih illegal fishing

Straits Times Forum 23 Sep 10;

PUB, the national water agency, thanks Mr Tan Poh Soon for his letter ('Pandan Reservoir under threat from dorm workers'; Sept 17).

Since 2006, PUB has been opening up reservoirs for more recreational activities such as boating and fishing. This is in line with our efforts to bring people closer to water as part of the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) programme. By encouraging people to enjoy water, it is hoped that they will value water and play a part in protecting this precious resource and keeping it clean.

With the opening of the two new fishing jetties at Pandan Reservoir, it has attracted more people including foreign workers to fish at the reservoir. PUB is aware that there were instances when foreign workers fished outside the designated fishing zones using live baits which is prohibited. As such, PUB has stepped up its regular checks at Pandan Reservoir.

We have also liaised with the nearby foreign workers' dormitory operators to conduct regular talks to help educate the workers not to litter and to fish using only artificial baits at the two designated fishing jetties at Pandan Reservoir.

To further create public awareness and educate the public on keeping the waterways clean, PUB is engaging Sports Fishing Association (Singapore) and Gamefish & Aquatic Rehabilitation Society to hold workshops to share good fishing etiquette such as sports fishing with artificial baits, practising 'clean-up after fishing' and 'catch and release' habits.

PUB encourages members of the public who share the same vision of promoting recreational fishing to volunteer their services with the two organisations.

Tan Nguan Sen
Director, Catchment & Waterways
PUB, the national water agency

Pandan reservoir under threat from dorm workers
Straits Times Forum 23 Sep 10;

TWO fishing jetties have opened at the Pandan Reservoir, yet I have witnessed increased illegal fishing taking place outside the designated spots.

It disturbs me greatly that such activities are carried out by workers from the Penjuru dormitory.

PUB seems to be enforcing the 'No live bait' rule at the designated jetties while fishing continues to take place without restriction and out of control throughout the rest of the reservoir.

The use of live and organic bait by anglers can be seen along the stretch near Penjuru Road. I have seen fishing traps beneath floating platforms outside the Yacht Club.

The Malayan water monitor lizards are also under considerable threat as some anglers deliberately throw fishing lures targeting them. I have seen lizards with artificial lures hooked to their bodies.

Pandan Reservoir is essentially a small artificial water catchment area. Pollution and the ecological threat that results from undesirable activities is cumulative and not reversible. Hence, fishing activities and littering by workers from the nearby dormitory should not be taken lightly.

Despite PUB's repeated assurance of its commitment to tackle the problem of illegal fishing and littering at Pandan Reservoir, it seems that its efforts are neither persistent nor effective enough to bring about any improvement.

Tan Poh Soon

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