They play key role in keeping Singapore clean

How reliant are Singapore’s essential services on foreign labour? The Straits Times talks to people in three sectors to find out
Feng Zengkun Straits Times 20 Dec 12;

TAKE away Singapore's army of foreign cleaners and parts of the country could be filled with rubbish within days.

Foreigners are likely to make up at least 30 per cent of the cleaners who maintain Singapore's public spaces, The Straits Times has found.

This is partly because many local cleaners shun tough assignments such as sweeping public roads under the hot sun, cleaning companies said.

If there are Singaporeans who are up for the job, they tend to be elderly.

Currently, a handful of different government agencies handle the cleaning of common areas such as drains, roads and community parks.

In April, the Government formed the new Department of Public Cleanliness to streamline the management of public cleanliness, but the centralisation will only be completed by 2016.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said that its public cleaning is mostly outsourced, with only a small percentage being handled by its own cleaners. For example, it outsources the cleaning of the country's public streets to three companies.

These companies employ more than 700 workers for the work. Of these, about half are foreigners, said the NEA.

Mr Milton Ng, 49, director of one of the companies, Ramky Cleantech Services, said 70 to 80 per cent of its Singaporean employees are aged 50 and above. These prefer cleaning jobs which are indoors in commercial buildings.

"Street cleaning is out in the open, in rain and shine, and there are no proper facilities such as washrooms out there," he said.

Other cleaning companies said foreigners are better suited for the laborious public cleaning jobs because they are usually younger and able to take more hardship.

Public waste disposal in the country is also likely to be heavily reliant on foreign labour. Four companies here handle the duties nationwide.

Veolia ES Singapore declined to comment on its workforce and two others - Colex Holdings and SembWaste - did not respond to repeated queries.

Only 800 Super Waste Management responded to the queries. It would only say that about 30 to 40 per cent of its employees are foreigners. "We have a lot of trouble hiring Singaporeans for the waste collection job," said an employee who declined to be named.

He added: "When we advertise, we say we want to hire drivers. But when they call and we say it's for waste collection, they just hang up."

Town councils which manage the cleaning of Singapore's public housing estates are likely to have the highest proportion of local cleaners.

The 14 PAP town councils have always had a quota where 70 per cent of the cleaners are Singaporeans, said Dr Teo Ho Pin last month. He is the coordinating chairman for the town councils.

The Government has introduced several measures to reduce the cleaning sector's reliance on foreign workers. Since July, foreigners can make up only 45 per cent of a cleaning company's staff, down from half previously. Levies for unskilled foreign cleaners on work permits have also risen.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has set a target to raise 10,000 cleaners' monthly salaries to at least $1,000 by 2015. There are about 69,000 cleaners in total here.

The median gross wage for cleaners and labourers had fallen from $1,277 in 2000 to $1,020 last year. This means half of the workers earned less than $1,020 a month last year.

The new Department of Public Cleanliness employs 285 citizens and permanent residents for public cleaning. There are no foreigners in its cleaning workforce.

But some cleaning companies said erasing the job's stigma among Singaporeans will be difficult. Said Mr Vincent Foo, 38, director of AO ServicePro: "This is the thinking among most Singaporeans: 'I'd rather be a cashier, office clerk or even pump attendant. I die, die don't want to be a cleaner'."

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Best of our wild blogs: 19 Dec 12

Wild abalones at Big Sisters Island!
from wonderful creation

Bidadari (17 December)
from Rojak Librarian

Piriqueta racemosa - a new weed in Ubin
from Flying Fish Friends

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Dolphins benefit from life parks: RWS

From Krist Boo Senior Vice-President, Communications, Resorts World Sentosa
Today Online 19 Dec 12;

We refer to the letter, "Endangered or not, RWS dolphins' welfare a concern" (Dec 12).

Mr Louis Ng, from the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), again presents a blinkered view of dolphins in human care, while presenting himself as an expert surpassing the scientific authorities of international bodies and countries.

Let us restate that the acquisition and care of our dolphins have met, will continue to meet and, wherever possible, surpass international guidelines, a commitment not generated from legal obligations but because we want to do right by our animals.

Our Marine Life Park team comprises animal lovers whose career paths have been influenced by an innate or cultivated love for animals. The latter often comes from visits to zoos and marine parks.

Recently, ACRES alleged inaccurately that Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) is facing indirect contempt of court charges in the Philippines.

Particular activist groups have filed an application to initiate such charges against RWS, but the Philippine courts have only set a date to hear the application and have not decided whether to issue the charges.

While not all animal lovers share the same views about the benefits of zoological parks, our view is that marine life parks are needed more than ever before, given escalating threats to the oceans.

Having animals in zoological environments promotes the sustainability of their species by influencing people's knowledge and capacity to care for them and by contributing to research and science, in which Marine Life Park is already an active participant.

Current research shows that bottlenose dolphins thrive in zoological parks and live longer than their counterparts in the wild. Our dolphins are benefitting from 60 years of worldwide marine mammal zoological learning.

Our team of caretakers collectively represent over 700 years of hands-on experience, including rescuing and rehabilitating animals, assessing the health of wild animals, pioneering behavioural programmes and contributing to marine mammal medicine and care.

We will not compromise our animals' well-being. Now in their required quarantine period, our dolphins are acclimatising well to their new home.

Marine Life Park has welcomed over 125,000 visitors since its Nov 22 opening. Guest feedback has been very positive. Our priorities are to our animals and putting Singapore on the world map as a heavyweight in marine conservation and research.

Ultimately, Singaporeans and our visitors will make their own decisions as to the benefits of marine parks and the care provided to our dolphins.

Marine Life Park has worked on numerous collaborations with universities, schools and global partners over the last two years. Now that we have opened, we are expanding our conservation and research initiatives and embarking on new, exciting programmes.

ACRES should contribute constructively to marine conservation while appreciating that it requires many strategies, experts and resources to turn the tide for the future of marine life.

Interested readers can visit http://mlp.rwsentosablog.com for updates on Marine Life Park.

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126 new species discovered in Greater Mekong: WWF

(AFP) Google News 18 Dec 12;

HANOI — From a devilish-looking bat to a frog that sings like a bird, scientists have identified 126 new species in the Greater Mekong area, the WWF said in a new report detailing discoveries in 2011.

But from forest loss to the construction of major hydropower projects on the Mekong River, existing threats to the region's biodiversity mean many of the new species are already struggling to survive, the conservation group warned.

"The good news is new discoveries. The bad news is that it is getting harder and harder in the world of conservation and environmental sustainability," Nick Cox, manager of WWF-Greater Mekong's Species Programme, told AFP.

Some 126 species were newly recorded last year in the Greater Mekong region, which consists of Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan.

Some, such as the Beelzebub tube-nosed bat discovered in Vietnam, depend on tropical forests for survival and so are especially vulnerable to deforestation.

In just four decades, 30 percent of the Greater Mekong's forests have disappeared, the report says.

Others, such as a short-tailed python species found in Myanmar are more at risk from illegal hunting for meat, skins, and the exotic pet trade, the report said.

"Poaching for the illegal wildlife trade poses one of the greatest threats to the existence of many species across Southeast Asia," Cox said in a statement accompanying the report.

The list, dominated by plants, included 21 reptiles and five amphibians, such as a frog that sings and another that has black and white eye patterns that look like yin and yang symbols.

The WWF said that while the number of new species discovered was testament to the region's astounding biodiversity, there had been some "worrying developments" that posed a threat to their future.

WWF singled out Laos' determination to construct the Xayaburi dam on the main stream of the Mekong River as a significant threat to the river's "extraordinary biodiversity" and the livelihoods of more than 60 million people.

"The Mekong River supports levels of aquatic biodiversity second only to the Amazon River," according to Cox.

"The Xayaburi dam would prove an impassable barrier for many fish species, signalling the demise for wildlife already known and as yet undiscovered," he added.

The Mekong River supports around 850 fish species and the world's most intensive inland fishery, the report said.

Last month, Laos said it had begun work on the controversial multi-billion dollar Xayaburi dam, defying objections from environmentalists in its bid to become a regional energy hub.

Extraordinary new species discoveries in the Greater Mekong
WWF 18 Dec 12;

A new bat named after its devilish appearance, a subterranean blind fish, a ruby-eyed pit viper, and a frog that sings like a bird are among the 126 species newly identified by scientists in the Greater Mekong region in 2011, and described in a new WWF report, Extra Terrestrial.

Among the ten species highlighted in the report is the aptly named Beelzebub’s tube-nosed bat, a diminutive but demonic-looking creature known only from Vietnam. Beelzebub’s bat, like two other tube-nosed bats discovered in 2011, depends on tropical forest for its survival and is especially vulnerable to deforestation. In just four decades, 30 per cent of the Greater Mekong’s forests have disappeared.

“While the 2011 discoveries affirms the Mekong as a region of astonishing biodiversity, many new species are already struggling to survive in shrinking habitats,” said Nick Cox, Manager of WWF-Greater Mekong’s Species Programme. “Only by investing in nature conservation, especially protected areas, and developing greener economies, will we see these new species protected and keep alive the hope of finding other intriguing species in years to come.”

A new ‘walking’ catfish species (Clarias gracilentus), discovered in freshwater streams on the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, can move across land using its pectoral fins to stay upright while it wiggles forward with snake-like movements. And a dazzling miniature fish (Boraras naevus), just 2cm in length, was found in southern Thailand and named after the large dark blotch on its golden body (naevus is Latin for blemish).

A pearly, rose-tinted fish from the carp family was found in the Xe Bangfai catchment, a Mekong River tributary in Central Laos that runs 7km underground through limestone karst. The cave-dwelling Bangana musaei is totally blind and was immediately assessed as vulnerable due to its restricted range.
Mekong River supports around 850 fish species
The Mekong River supports around 850 fish species and the world’s most intensive inland fishery. Laos’ determination to construct the Xayaburi dam on the mainstream of the Mekong River is a significant threat to the Mekong’s extraordinary biodiversity and the productivity of this lifeline through Southeast Asia that supports the livelihoods of over 60 million people.

“The Mekong River supports levels of aquatic biodiversity second only to the Amazon River,” added Cox. “The Xayaburi dam would prove an impassable barrier for many fish species, signalling the demise for wildlife already known and as yet undiscovered.”

A new species of tree frog discovered in the high-altitude forests of northern Vietnam has a complex call that makes it sound more like a bird than a typical frog. While most male frogs attract females with repetitive croaks, Quang’s tree frog spins a new tune each time. No two calls are the same, and each individual mixes clicks, whistles and chirps in a unique order.

When it comes to frogs in the genus Leptobrachium, the eyes have it. Among its more than 20 species, there is a remarkable variety of eye colouration. Leptobrachium leucops, discovered in 2011 in the wet evergreen and cloud forest in Southern Vietnam, is distinguished by its striking black and white eyes.
Staggering array of 21 reptiles
A staggering array of 21 reptiles was also newly discovered in 2011, including the ruby-eyed green pit viper (Trimeresurus rubeus) in forests near Ho Chi Minh City. This new jewel of the jungle also winds its way along the low hills of southern Vietnam and through eastern Cambodia’s Langbian Plateau.

A short-tailed python species was found in a streambed in the Kyaiktiyo Wildlife Sanctuary in Myanmar. The elusive pygmy python (Python kyaiktiyo) has not been found again despite repeated surveys, so little is known of its ecology, distribution or threats. However, the 1.5 metre-long python is likely at risk from threats faced by other pythons, including habitat loss, and illegal hunting for meat, skins, and the exotic pet trade.

“Poaching for the illegal wildlife trade poses one of the greatest threats to the existence of many species across Southeast Asia,” added Cox. “To tackle this threat, WWF and TRAFFIC launched a global campaign this year to increase law enforcement, impose strict deterrents and reduce demand for endangered species products.”

Extra Terrestrial spotlights 10 species newly identified by science, among the 82 plants, 13 fish, 21 reptiles, 5 amphibians and 5 mammals all discovered in 2011 within the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia that spans Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the south-western Chinese province of Yunnan. Since 1997, an incredible 1,710 new species were newly described by science in the Greater Mekong.

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Malaysia: Hard for all states to ban shark hunting

The Star 19 Dec 12;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s ban against shark hunting is laudable but may not be feasible for the rest of the country for now, said Deputy Agri-culture and Agro-based Ind­ustry Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong.

He said this was because such a ban would involve various authorities, unlike that in Sabah, where the State Tourism, Culture and Envi­ron­ment Ministry had announced the move.

“We cannot make such a decision on our own. We need to discuss with the other agencies, including the Natu­ral Resources and Envi­ronment Ministry,” he said after opening an international symposium on the development of integrated pest management for sustainable agriculture in Asia and Africa yesterday.

“It will also involve presenting papers in the Cabinet before any decision is taken,” added Chua.

Sabah’s ban against the hunting of sharks for their fins showed the state’s commitment in environmental protection and conservation efforts, he said.

However, Chua said it was still a personal choice of consumers in the peninsula when it came to eating shark’s fin.

Earlier, Chua said sustainable pest management and control systems were necessary for the longevity of the agricultural industry.

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Best of our wild blogs: 18 Dec 12

Breathtaking trip to the Lost Coast
from wonderful creation

Random Gallery - King Crow
from Butterflies of Singapore

Oriental Pied Hornbill calls
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Buy SG Fish Next Time
from mndsingapore by Minister Khaw Boon Wan

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Buy locally farmed fish to reduce fish imports: Khaw Boon Wan

Channel NewsAsia 17 Dec 12;

SINGAPORE: National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan has made a call for Singaporeans to support local fish farms by buying locally farmed fish.

In a Facebook posting, Mr Khaw said the target is to raise the market share of locally farmed fish, or SG Fish, to 15 per cent from the current 8 per cent.

Local fish farms have come together to brand their locally farmed fish as "SG Fish", which are labelled as such in supermarkets.

Mr Khaw said Singapore imported 150,000 tonnes of fish last year.

To reduce the country's dependence on fish imports, Mr Khaw said the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) actively helps local fish farms raise their productivity through Research and Development (R&D).

Much of this scientific test-bedding work is done at AVA's Marine Aquaculture Centre (MAC) on St John's Island.

Mr Khaw, who visited the facility recently, wrote about the R&D efforts made by MAC.

He said one objective of MAC is to help fish reproduce and grow faster.

He said MAC scientists have identified fast growing, good quality fish of several local popular species, such as the Asian Seabass, Pompano and Tilapia.

Secondly, MAC has to get the right environmental conditions for the fishes to spawn.

Third, when the fish larvae are born, they are given an additional boost of a special diet to ensure their healthy growth.

The frys are finally transferred to commercial fish farms for scaling up as adult fish.

Mr Khaw said these R&D efforts have been valuable and have helped to boost Singapore's local fish production, from 4 per cent of total consumption in 2009 to the current 8 per cent.

- CNA/jc

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Economic growth via population increase is unsustainable

Straits Times Forum 18 Dec 12;

WHETHER it is no growth, slow growth, high growth or "growth at all costs", the essential question remains: Can we afford to rely on population growth as a survival strategy ("Why S'pore has to keep up its growth"; last Tuesday)?

We must, as a nation, find an alternative economic model that does not rely on population growth, simply because our land mass is tiny and limited.

Whether it is easier said than done is irrelevant because it is existentially crucial that we find the solution. Yet, neither the growth debate nor the Singapore Conversation has gone in that direction.

This is probably because we, as a population, are simply comfortable with the Government's time-tested economic model, which has brought us riches.

We would rather think about how to cross the river once we reach its bank, which conveniently will happen only after our lifetimes.

I hope that when the Government presents its White Paper on population policy next month, it demonstrates its well-known proactive leadership by acknowledging and addressing the need to eventually arrest this trajectory of perpetual population growth, before our society starts bursting at the seams.

Osman Sidek

Why Singapore has to keep up its growth
Straits Times 11 Dec 12;

THE argument that Singapore is in a position to ease off on its growth path has become fashionable in some circles. So, it called for no less than Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to disabuse advocates of the notion that having arrived at developed-nation status, Singapore might assume a permanent state of affluence, much like Nordic and Central European countries of comparable population size.

Singapore is increasingly affluent, but the moorings are not firm. At an Economic Society function in June, Mr Lee averred that Singapore had not gone for "growth at all costs" but only as a means of improving lives and achieving certain goals. Looking at it another way, Singaporeans cannot expect to live off the fat of the land if a prolonged recession occurred. They have to build up the ballast.

Last week, the People's Action Party's biennial conference was told why it would be folly to abandon established national strategies, among them sustainable economic growth that will allow the state to spread its largesse fairly. With its dependence on trade and labour mobility, Singapore's economic foundations are by no means impervious to forces of change. So, it is disconcerting there is a body of opinion which believes sub-optimal growth will not fracture society, as the nation has "arrived". The belief that a slower growth would ease social pressures and raise general contentment is not supported by the facts. Look no further than an old-money society like Japan.

But with every spike in inflation and asset rates and each new labour incident which accentuates uneasy feelings about foreigners, dissatisfaction grows. Such disquiet has to be managed sensibly. While acknowledging the root causes of unhappiness, it would be a leap of logic for dissenters to say high growth rates alone are responsible. Consider a scenario of zero growth, high unemployment and declining earning and purchasing power. Then, an outflow of dispirited young people would turn Singapore into an "old-folks' home", as PM Lee put starkly. This is happening in stagnating Ireland and New Zealand, where the exodus has alarmed their governments.

A maturing economy settles down to a sedate expansion once growth-busting fixed investments have run their course. Japan, Europe and the United States will be happy to have growth at all. Singapore's growth for this year will be around 2 per cent, or lower, against what the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Trade Ministry set as a trend rate of 3 to 5 per cent. Singapore is looking at a sustainable rate of 2 to 3 per cent. Anything lower could leave many workers vulnerable if a downturn happened. Calls to curb the rate of growth should be seen in this light.

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Malaysia: Oil and gas hub in Pengerang will not affect Iskandar Malaysia

Yee Xiang Yun and Edmund Khoo The Star 17 Dec 12;

JOHOR BARU: The oil and gas hub being developed in Pengerang, at the south-eastern tip of Johor, will not affect the environmentally-friendly development being carried out in Iskandar Malaysia.

Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) state commissioner Dr Badrul Hisham said specific zones had been marked within the state for development.

“We are careful about managing man-made developments and eco-tourism development in the region.

“The oil and gas refinery project is located in east Johor while the western part of the state is dedicated to eco-tourism developments,” he said Monday.

The heart of Pengerang's development is Petronas' RM60bil Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development, due to begin by the middle of 2013 and operational in 2016.

The other project is Pengerang's RM5bil deep-water oil terminal, a joint venture between Dialog Group Bhd, Rotterdam-based Royal Vopak N.V. and the Johor government.

Dr Badrul said eco-tourism was a community-based industry and the authority had adopted Kampung Sungai Melayu, popular for birdwatching activities, as IRDA's pilot project to develop the sector.

“On top of hospitality skills, the locals would be educated on how to differentiate between local and migratory birds and ensure correct information to bird lovers as the village is one of the annual stops for thousands of migratory birds from Russia.

“Locals need to realise the potential that their village has to offer and use it as an asset to help boost the economy,” he said.

Dr Badrul said IRDA was committed towards striking a balanced development between Johor's eco-tourism sector and the state's man-made attractions.

He added that while Iskandar Malaysia was currently experiencing vast economic development, it was important to create a sustainable metropolis.

“This is why we are placing emphasis on developing eco-tourism in Iskandar Malaysia as an alternative attraction to the theme parks, such as Legoland Malaysia and the Puteri Harbour family theme park,” he said.

About 150 local and international delegates, including those from Indonesia and New Zealand are attending the three-day eco-tourism summit to discuss ways to develop the industry in Johor.

Eco-tourism projects will go on in Iskandar, says IRDA
The Star 19 Dec 12;

JOHOR BARU: The oil and gas hub being developed in Pengerang, at the south-eastern tip of Johor, will not affect the environmentally-friendly development being carried out in Iskandar Malaysia.

Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) state commissioner Dr Badrul Hisham said this after opening the inaugural Iskan-dar Malaysia National Eco-tourism Summit at Persada Johor here yesterday.

He said specific zones had been earmarked within the state for development.

“We are careful about managing man-made development and eco-tourism development.

“The oil and gas refinery project is located in east Johor while the western part of the state is dedicated to eco-tourism,” he added.

The heart of Pengerang's development is Petronas' RM60bil Refi-nery and Petrochemical Integrated Development, due to begin by the middle of next year and operational in 2016.

The other project is Pengerang's RM5bil deep-water oil terminal, a joint venture between Dialog Group Bhd, Rotterdam-based Royal Vopak N.V. and the Johor Government.

Dr Badrul said eco-tourism was a community-based industry and the authority had adopted Kam-pung Sungai Melayu, popular for birdwatching, as IRDA's pilot pro-ject to develop the sector.

“On top of hospitality skills, the locals will be taught how to differentiate between local and migratory birds and ensure they give the correct information to bird lovers as the village is a stop for thousands of annual migratory birds from Russia,” he said.

Dr Badrul said IRDA was committed towards striking a balanced development between Johor's eco-tourism sector and the state's man-made attractions.

About 150 local and international delegates are attending the three-day summit to discuss ways to develop eco-tourism in Johor.


Iskandar to promote birding activities
New Straits Times 18 Dec 12;

JOHOR BARU: The Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) wants to tap into avitourism, which is based on attractions involving birding activities, in line with its plan for sustainable development in the growth corridor.

Irda state commissioner Dr Badrul Hisham Kassim said more than 100 fishermen in Kampung Sungai Melayu, near Sungai Danga, were being roped in to participate in a pilot project to develop this niche area of ecotourism.

He said the fishermen and other villagers would double up as tour guides, especially for bird lovers who are known to watch the trail of migratory birds.

"Several species of migratory birds make Johor a stopover during their journey from Siberia to Australia between September and March. And there are diehard birdwatchers who will follow the flight of the birds. We had in April launched a training programme for villagers of Kampung Sungai Melayu."

Badrul Hisham was speaking after opening the three-day National Eco-Tourism Summit 2012, which is jointly organised by IRDA, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and the Malaysian Ecotourism Association.

He said the villagers were trained to identify different species of migratory birds and to communicate in English.

"We are creating a wider awareness of how to conserve the natural habitats of the birds."

About 200 participants, comprising representatives from environmental agencies and the ecotourism sector, are attending the summit. It aims to share ideas on how to transform the economy through innovations in ecotourism and developing birding tourism as an ecotourism product, among others.

Present were IRDA head of planning and compliance Maimunah Jaffar and UTM vice-president and deputy vice-chancellor (research and innovation) Prof Dr Mohd Azraai Kassim.

Badrul Hisham said Irda was focusing on four areas to promote sustainable development in Iskandar Malaysia: food and beverage trades; theme parks; heritage and culture; and, eco-tourism.

Badrul Hisham also said the oil and gas boom in Johor would not clash with IRDA's sustainable development concept.

He said IRDA would ensure that there were buffer zones in all projects, adding that care would be given to the Ramsar-gazetted conservation sites of Pulau Kukup, Sungai Pulai and Tanjung Piai.

On the June 27 oil spill at the Tanjung Piai National Park, Badrul Hisham said preventive measures were being carried out.

RM100,000 pledge from Malakoff
By Mahani Ishak New Straits Times 18 Dec 12;

PONTIAN: Malakoff Corporation Bhd (Malakoff) will contribute RM100,000 to plant 7,000 mangrove trees at the Tanjung Piai National Park and Kukup Island in Pontian.

The contribution marked the latest phase of the company's "Save our Mangrove" initiative, a joint corporate social responsibility programme with the Johor National Park Corporation.

Malakoff had launched a mangrove conservation programme in 2009 with an initial contribution of RM200,000.

Malakoff chief executive officer Zainal Abidin Jalil said the replanting is necessary as far as the eco-system is concerned.

"We took the effort to launch the initiative in a move to help conserve the eco-system. I am happy that the state government and the locals have been supportive of this programme since it was launched in 2009," he said.

To date, Malakoff has planted 37,000 mangrove seedlings in Johor.

Of the total, 20,000 were planted in Serkat, Pontian, while the rest in the Tanjung Piai and Kukup Island National Parks.

The replanting programme involved undergraduates in Johor.

Malakoff also distributed pamphlets on mangrove conservation to school representatives and residents

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Malaysia: Caring for Perhentian

Volunteers devote their time for Pulau Perhentian.
The Star 18 Dec 12;

OVER the past 12 months, tourists from all over the world have been doing their bit to make a difference at Pulau Perhentian, Terengganu. Instead of just lying on the beach or snorkelling, they have spent time painting homes, picking up trash, protecting turtles and teaching village kids English and about the marine environment.

The effort was led by Ecoteer, which relies on volunteers to carry out various community work. This year, Ecoteer’s project in Perhentian was financially supported by The Star Foundation, the charity arm of The Star Media Group.

Also lending a hand were 35 employees from Star Publications and nine readers of The Star, who gamely joined the endeavour to promote responsible tourism and preserve the island environment. Here is a round-up of the year’s activities at Perhentian.

Green thumbs: A patch of land, donated by a villager, was cultivated with sweet potatoes, turmeric, ginger and pumpkin to create a community garden.

Island spruce-up: Regular beach clean-ups by volunteers and schoolchildren kept the island clean. The kids were taught recycling practices and a competition at the school saw 325kg of recyclables collected in two weeks. Volunteers collected 800kg of kitchen waste from the village and that was converted into 205kg of fertiliser in a composting machine.

Home improvement: Volunteers painted five village homes and built walls to prevent flood water from entering two homes during the monsoon.

Turtle watch: Talks were held to impart knowledge on marine life to volunteers and hotel guests. Volunteers patrolled the beach at night to protect nesting turtles from poachers, and collected eggs for the hatchery. This year, 95 turtle nests were protected, 1,285 eggs were incubated and 998 hatchlings, released.

Empowering women: The Ladies Community Tourism Group’s kuihmaking sessions and Malay dinners for tourists and volunteers proved to be extremely popular, and gave the visitors an insight into the local culture.

Seeing a difference in Ecoteer project
The Star 18 Dec 12;

The people of Pulau Perhentian see benefits from the Ecoteer project.

Norishani Mohamed Nor, housewife, 39

SHE supported the project by serving Malay dinners, conducting kuih-making sessions, separating food waste for composting, and preparing refreshments during beach clean-ups. Aside from earning income from these activities, she got to know the volunteers from different countries.

“All the activities gave me good memories. I was able to mingle with people from abroad and to know about other countries. I also shared our culture with the volunteers, such as by teaching them how to make local delicacies.”

Che Ayub Che Deraman, school teacher, 55

His involvement in the school recycling competition, English Club, Eco-Snorkel Club, Ecoteer Club and beach clean-ups was a beneficial experience, and allowed him to interact with foreigners. He suggests that budget be allocated for refreshments, prizes and awards for the schoolchildren to encourage them to get involved. He says more incentives from relevant governmental agencies will also encourage the villagers’ participation.

Nik Syazwani Zulkifli, 11

Participating in all the activities, including collecting food waste for composting, beach and village clean-ups, the various clubs, recycling competition and the kuih-making session, has taught her a lot. She says these activities have instilled a spirit of teamwork among villagers. She enjoyed the English Club sessions the most because of the fun and interactive games and is thankful for the opportunity to learn English. For the future, she would like to continue having lessons about environmental issues.

Siti Nur Hidayah Binti Mat Adam, 10

Apart from improving her English, she now knows more about environmental issues and also sees a cleaner village and beaches at Perhentian. She is happy with the presents she got from her participation and would like to see more snorkelling sessions. She likes the English Club as the games were a fun way to learn the language.

Muhammad Afiq Syazwan Mohd Ghazali, 10

His English has improved due to frequent interaction with foreign volunteers, and he is happy with the gifts from the school clubs, recycling competition, and village clean-ups. Like many of his schoolmates, he enjoys the games and activities held by the clubs as they were fun and educational at the same time.

Zainudin Mohd, village head, 43

He sees a cleaner village and a slight improvement in waste management. He is now working with the Marine Parks Department and Ecoteer to set up a women community group. He hopes this association will help get more locals involved in community activities.

Mohamad Jidin Harif, retiree, 63

Ever-supportive of Ecoteer’s work, he had offered a piece of land for the community garden and explained to the locals about the purpose of the compost machine.

“Most of the locals recognise the individuals from Ecoteer but they don’t really understand why Ecoteer is doing all this work in the village. Besides, they have to work, that’s why not many were involved in the activities.” He has fond memories of the volunteers spending Hari Raya at his house and working together on the garden.

“The garden is a trial and we have already harvested some vegetables and fruits. Next year, we will be more experienced at maintaining the garden.”

Hasmah Omar, housekeeper at Abdul Chalet, 54

She says the project offers many benefits, such as providing extra income for the villagers, encouraging knowledge-sharing and cultural exchange, and giving villagers the opportunity to get together. “Although there were conflicts and small misunderstandings while organising the activities, overall, there were no big setbacks or problems. The most memorable experiences are hosting the dinner for the volunteers, meeting and interacting with people from different countries, and showing them traditional games such as congkak.”

Zaharah Deraman,retiree, 56

She is grateful for the extra income she got from preparing Malay dinners for the volunteers and giving kuih-making demonstrations. She appreciates that Ecoteer sought her opinion for its activities, and participation in the activities was flexible; the villagers need not join in if they were busy.

“All this while, Perhentian has been a tourist attraction but the tourists hardly mingle with the locals. With Ecoteer acting as the liaison between the villagers and volunteers, we now have the chance to interact with the volunteers and tourists.”

She says the project has fostered better relationships among the locals and in the future, there should be more discussions on the activities as some villagers are unaware of how they can get involved.

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Vietnamese guards brave attack to reverse destruction of the forest

Vietnam's remote forests have finally come to the attention of ecologists, but efforts to protect wildlife and people risk being stymied by the habits – and hardship – of poachers and loggers
Simon Speakman Cordall guardian.co.uk 17 Dec 12;

Le Quoc Thien is a slightly-built 25-year-old not long out of state university. He graduated two years ago in forestry, directly before joining the Saola nature reserve as a forest guard. He's on leave now, but in a few days he's heading back into the dense mountainous forests of central Vietnam for a week, living rough and protecting the forest against the near ceaseless assault of illegal logging and poaching.

That Thien is able to do this at all is thanks to the alliance of the Vietnamese government, WWF and the German development bank. Together, they have embarked on one of the most ambitious ecological projects in Vietnam's history, the Carbi (carbon and biodiversity) project. The aim is simple: to reverse as much as possible of the destruction to the natural heritage of central Vietnam and bordering Laos.

Focusing on the Annamite mountain range whose forest-rich slopes bridge the two countries, the project is ambitious. Taking in 200,000 hectares (494,211 acres) of dense Vietnamese and Laotian forest, Carbi hopes to deliver a sustainable future for the people and the wildlife of the area.

Ultimately, the preserved forestland will serve as a sink for up to 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, (around the amount generated annually by all cars in use in the UK), as well as ensuring the preservation of one of the most biodiverse habitats in the world.

The Annamite mountain range is thought to contain the highest concentration of endemic species in a continental setting anywhere on Earth, with five new species discovered here in the past decade alone. Besides the endangered Asian elephant and Indochinese tiger that occupy the range, there are the reclusive Douc Langur monkey, the giant Muntjac and the near legendary Saola, one of the rarest mammals in existence.

Much of Carbi's success will depend on what happens on the ground. Many of those who live in the area encompassed by the project have a long tradition of using the forest as an adjunct to their livelihoods. For the ethnic minorities of the region, such as the Katu, with an identity distinct from the Vietnamese and Laotians nationals they share borders with, the problem can be particularly acute.

Unemployment and, increasingly, alcoholism make for an unwelcome mix in the deprived areas of the Annamite region, where forest guards such as Thien are at daily risk of being attacked by poachers and loggers. Much of this comes from the isolated and impoverished communities whose traditional lands have now become the centre of worldwide ecological attention. Compared with the illegal industrial operations elsewhere in south-east Asia, logging in the region remains very much a cottage industry, albeit a pervasive and environmentally crippling one.

Le Ngoc Tuan, director of the Saola nature reserve, which falls under the auspices of the project, regards logging as little more than a subsistence activity for those involved. "In the open market, timber from a legally harvested tree would fetch around 26m Dong [about £770]; for illegally harvested timber, that drops to about half." Logging teams working, often by hand, can take up to 20 days from cutting down a tree to selling its timber, with the profits divided between teams of up to four. To Le Ngoc Tuan at least, it is clear that no one is getting rich from this.

Poaching too remains tied to the culture and traditions of those living under the bushels of the project, as well as to the often brutal realities of everyday economic life. Le Quoc Thien describes looking for the snares and stone traps left throughout the prized forest region. "Mostly, villagers are looking to catch the wild boar and goats that live in the forest. Others are foraging for leaves for their roofs, or honey for eating. For the ethnic minorities, particularly at a wedding, fish are very important." In May, two guards were hospitalised after confronting poachers illegally fishing.

Since February 2011, Thien and his colleagues have removed more than 12,500 snares and closed more than 200 logging camps, more than enough, with time, to devastate the area the Carbi project seeks to preserve. The conflict between the interests of conservation and the economic survival of those in the area isn't lost on anyone within the project.

With this in mind, the WWF plan to allocate stretches of forest to individual villages and to train villagers and pay them for the maintenance of that allocation. By giving those who have preyed upon the future of the forest a direct stake in its preservation, it is hoped that the survival of these natural treasures may yet be better guaranteed.

What is clear to all involved is, that without improving the welfare of those living, the project has little chance of enduring success. In this regard, conservation in the Central Highlands has become as much about social, as it has environmental, change.

• This article was amended on 17 December 2012 to correct a reference to the Javan rhinoceros, which is now extinct in Vietnam, and the number of snares, which we incorrectly stated as 2,500

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Best of our wild blogs: 17 Dec 12

Latest Green Jobs in Singapore [10 - 16 Dec 2012]
from Green Business Times

Nudilicious at Ubin
from wild shores of singapore

Asiatic Lesser Yellow Bat
from Monday Morgue

Bidadari Trees
from Urban Forest

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