Indonesia: Greenpeace to cut ties with APP after allegations of deforestation

AUDREY TAN The New Paper 17 May 18;

International environmental group Greenpeace is cutting ties with Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) over allegations that it is still linked to the destruction of forests for pulpwood.

The announcement puts an end to about five years of collaboration between them. Greenpeace had advised APP on the implementation of the latter's forest conservation policies.

"Greenpeace International has put these allegations to APP/Sinar Mas. The group failed to provide a credible response or take meaningful action.

"As a result, Greenpeace has ended all further engagement with APP/Sinar Mas," Greenpeace said yesterday.

Sinar Mas Group is the parent company of APP, Indonesia's largest pulp and paper company, which was linked to the severe haze in South-east Asia in 2015.

Following the crisis, APP beefed up its fire-suppression strategies and reaffirmed its commitment to the zero-deforestation pledge it made in 2013.

But an analysis of satellite imagery and company deeds showed that almost 8,000ha of forest and peatland had been cleared in two concessions owned by pulpwood company Muara Sungai Landak and a Sinar Mas mining company, Golden Energy and Resources, said Greenpeace.

Both concessions were linked to APP and the Sinar Mas Group, a claim which APP has disputed.

The latest allegations follow an Associated Press report last December that implied APP had covered up links to suppliers that practise deforestation or illegal slash-and-burn methods. APP rubbished the report when it was published.

Yesterday, an APP spokesman said an unnamed independent auditor had in 2014 concluded that Muara Sungai Landak had no relationship with APP.

"However, as a result of the allegation made in the Associated Press report, we conducted an investigation and found that three of (the company's) shareholders, and not two as stated in... Greenpeace's statement, had relationships with APP."

Two were former employees, and one was an employee who had not declared his shareholdings and position within Muara Sungai Landak.

"The employee was terminated with immediate effect," said the APP spokesman.

He said he was unable to speak on behalf of Golden Energy and Resources, as it "operates independently from us and does not supply wood to APP".

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PUB investigating report of dead fishes spotted in Sungei Tampines, says no impact on drinking water quality

Ng Huiwen 15 May 18;

SINGAPORE - National water agency PUB is investigating a report of dead fishes spotted in Sungei Tampines on Monday afternoon (May 14).

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, PUB said that the dead fishes have been removed after they were seen in the river between Pasir Ris Drive 1 and Pasir Ris Drive 3 at 2.20pm.

Sungei Tampines flows through parts of Tampines and Pasir Ris before draining into the sea.

"Online water quality sensors and in-situ water quality readings show water quality is within the normal range," PUB said in the post.

There is no impact on the quality of drinking water, it added.

"PUB has not observed any visible signs of pollution on the site that may be the cause of fish kill," it said, adding that it will investigate further.

In 2015, a 1.1km stretch along Sungei Tampines was outfitted with new decks and a community plaza to bring people closer to the river.

The project was part of a move by PUB to rejuvenate Singapore's drains, canals and reservoirs.

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Living City: A sight to behold at low tide

Straits Times 15 May 18;

Cyrene Reef reveals its rich marine life only during low tide, each time for about one to 1½ hours.

It is made up of three submerged reef flats and measures about 1km long and 300m wide in total.

The natural wonder is found in the sea near Jurong Island, Bukom Island and Pasir Panjang Terminal.

“The amazing thing about Cyrene Reef is that it exists in the middle of an industrial triangle, yet it is full of life,” said marine enthusiast Ria Tan.

The 62-year-old, who has been exploring the shores of Singapore for more than 10 years, said the reef has one of the best seagrass meadows in Singapore and you can see sea stars bigger than your face.

The Straits Times followed Ms Tan and a group of International Year of The Reef 2018 interns on a recent outing to the reef.

See them explore the marine life in the first episode of Living City season two. The video series focuses on Singapore’s little-known spaces and communities.

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Indonesia: Wildfires may cause long-term health problems for endangered orangutans

Rutgers University Phys.org 15 May 18;

Orangutans, already critically endangered due to habitat loss from logging and large-scale farming, may face another threat in the form of smoke from natural and human-caused fires, a Rutgers University-New Brunswick study finds. The study appears in the journal Scientific Reports.

In 2015, Wendy Erb, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Anthropology at Rutgers, was studying male orangutans in the forests of Indonesian Borneo when fires started. She and her colleagues at the Tuanan Orangutan Research Station continued working until they had to stop and help fight the blazes, which occur annually, often due to smallholder farmers and plantations clearing forests to plant crops.

A few weeks into the fire season, Erb noticed a difference in the sound of the males' "long call," which scientists believe is used to attract females and warn other males. "I thought they sounded raggedy, a little like humans who smoke a lot," she said.

Erb decided to find out if the smoke the orangutans inhaled during the fires had affected their health. Humans who inhale smoke suffer ill effects, but she knew of no studies on the possible effects on orangutans.

Erb studied four "flanged" males, who weigh about 200 pounds and have large cheek pads. She awoke each day before dawn to collect their urine in a bag at the end of a stick she held below them. Analyzing their behavior and urine, the scientists discovered the big males traveled less, rested more and consumed more calories. They also produced more ketone bodies, molecules made by the liver from fatty acids during periods of low food intake, which was unexpected because the apes were eating more, not less. Why were they burning fat?

The only new element in the orangutans' lives was the three months of fire and smoke. The forests' natural surface consists of peat, which is flammable, allowing the fires to burn underground for weeks. The fires were worse in 2015 because of a strong El Niño effect, which brought with it a severe drought.

Soil analyses suggest that wildfires have occurred in Borneo for millennia, but have become increasingly frequent and intense in recent decades due to deforestation and draining of peatlands. In 2015, Indonesia experienced the most severe fire activity and smoke pollution on record since the disastrous wildfires during the 1997 El Niño droughts burned some 24,000 square kilometers of peatlands (12 percent of the total peat area). Peatland fires destroy forest habitats, release greenhouse gases and produce hazardous particulate matter, the leading cause of worldwide pollution-related mortality. Two independent studies estimated that the 2015 haze caused somewhere between 12,000 and 100,000 premature human deaths, but there has been very little research into the effects on wildlife populations inhabiting these burning habitats.

The unexpected loss of nearly 100,000 Bornean orangutans from intact forests in Kalimantan between 1999 and 2015 indicates that habitat loss alone is not driving this critically endangered species' declines. Increasingly frequent exposure to toxic smoke could have severe consequences for orangutans, other animals and people, and this research highlights the urgent need to understand the long-term and indirect impacts of Indonesia's peatland fires, beyond the immediate loss of forests and their inhabitants.

Anthropology professor Erin Vogel, co-author of the study and the Tuanan Research Station's co-director, said the next step is to analyze data from female and juvenile orangutans to see how the fires affected their health.

"We'll look at different indicators of inflammation in the urine," she said. "We'll look for cytokines, proteins that are part of the immune response, and cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. It's possible these males are burning fat because their energy is going to repairing tissue."

More information: W. M. Erb et al, Wildfire smoke impacts activity and energetics of wild Bornean orangutans, Scientific Reports (2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25847-1

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Indonesia: Riau Ecosystem Restoration Program Sees Return of Rare Fauna on Riau's Kampar Peninsula

Suksmajati Kumara Jakarta Globe 14 May 18;

Jakarta. It has been five years since pulp and paper giant APRIL Group started its ecosystem restoration program in Indonesia’s Riau province and, according to the program’s 2017 annual report, it has resulted in the return of wildlife, an improvement in community welfare and reduced forest fires.

APRIL Group has invested significant resources in its ecosystem restoration program that is aimed at protecting, restoring, as well as conserving, ecologically important peatland forest within Indonesia’s Riau Province.

Located on Sumatra’s eastern coastline, the RER program has a license to restore an ecosystem across 150,000 hectares of peatland forest, with 130,000 hectares located on the Kampar Peninsula and an additional 20,000 ha located on nearby Padang Island. The total peatland restoration area is about twice the size of Singapore.

The restoration program was started in 2013 and involves five concessions operated by a number of companies, Gemilang Cipta Nusantara, Sinar Mutiara Nusantara, The Best One Unitimber and Global Alam Nusantara, all operating under 60-year ecosystem restoration licenses granted by the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

The program is part of APRIL Group’s pledge to conserve one hectare of natural forest for every hectare of fibre plantation. To date, APRIL has met 83 percent of its goal with more than 400,000 hectares of natural forest protected and conserved. In 2015, APRIL dedicated $100 million to support and secure the long-term conservation and restoration program.

"These achievements illustrate our model where RER is complemented by production forestry, which provides the financial resources to fund restoration, as well as the protection provided by an actively managed ring of fiber plantations” said Bey Soo Khiang, chairman of the RER advisory board.

A map showing the Riau Ecosystem Restoration Program areas on the east coast of Sumatra Island. (Photo courtesy of the APRIL Group) A map showing the Riau Ecosystem Restoration Program areas on the east coast of Sumatra Island. (Photo courtesy of the APRIL Group)
Another highlight of the report is the first identification of the Blue-winged Pitta (Pitta moluccensis) in the restoration area, becoming the 300th species of bird known to be present in the area.

Camera traps were essential tools in discovering species in the Kampar Peninsula and Padang Island concessions. In a period between March and October of last year, the restoration effort installed 84 cameras, capturing 6,310 snapshots that identified 52 species of animals in the region.

The wildlife monitoring team from RER also identified the Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor). Surveys completed by FFI previously have only managed one sighting of the elusive animal.

The restoration effort placed personnel at each of the main access rivers into the restoration area, and continually encouraged the local community to use alternatives to slash-and-burn land clearing methods. Results indicated that no hotspots were detected inside the RER area in 2017 and, for the third consecutive year, no fires were recorded.

Hydrological and forest restoration demonstrated steady progress in 2017. RER produced over 39,000 seedlings in its nurseries which contain over 70 different tree species, utilising over 1,900 seedlings on 12.5 ha of degraded land for planting and assisted natural regeneration.

“We have made good progress in 2017, while at the same time understanding that we need to maintain momentum into 2018 and beyond,” said Bey Soo Khiang.

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Thailand: No access to Maya Bay from front of Phi Phi after rehab, protection work kicks off in earnest in June

The Nation 15 May 18;

Access to Maya Bay from the front of Phi Phi island will become permanently unattainable following the upcoming four-month closure of the area to make way for a long-term rehabilitation of the environmentally degraded bay, which has suffered due to the overcrowding of tourists.

The bay, located in Had Nopparat Tara- Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, was made famous following the 2000 Hollywood film “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, but it has been degraded by the excessive number of tourists – at around 4,000 each day.

Following a recommendation by marine experts, the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department decided in late March to make the bay off limits from June 1 to September 30.

The closure is seen as an entry point for new tourism management that would also set a new standard for another 26 Thai marine parks that also bear a similar burden.

“Like I said, we focus more on the health of our ecosystem, not income. If we manage to do this, we can do it elsewhere – the more environmental friendly management,” said Thanya Netithammakul, director-general of the department.

According to the department’s National Parks Office director, Songtham Suksawang, the rehabilitation process as well as the new management approach will be based on academic knowledge.

The department has begun exploring the present extent of the damage to coral reefs in front of the bay. Various techniques to replant the reefs will be introduced once the bay is closed, including coral-reef propagation, he said.

Access to the bay, Songtham added, would shift to the back of the island, where a new aluminium and quality plastic-based pier and bridge would be introduced as a new access to the bay to reduce ecological impacts from tourists.

Their number and transport boats will also be limited to half of the present figures, while an e-ticketing system will be introduced to help handle tourist demand.

“It’s also sort of distributing tourists to other less-crowded spots to help handle pressure from them,” said Songtham, echoing the government’s toursim policy.

Thailand still relies heavily on tourism, and according to Thon Thamrongnawasawat – a member of the national strategy committee on sustainable growth – it is one of the prime sectors highlighted in the 20-year national strategy to help drive the country’s gross domestic product.

Tourism currently comprises about 20 per cent of GDP, with annual revenue estimated at around Bt3.3 trillion.

This year’s foreign tourists are expected to reach 40 million, with more than 70 per cent tending to visit the country’s popular marine locations, Thon pointed out.

This has caused several popular marine spots to become crowded with foreign tourists, and their carrying capacity having become extensively compromised, he added.

Thon said he was glad to see the initiative at Maya and it would be a turning point for reform on marine resources management.

“It’s sort of you are telling the world that you are going to do this, and it is loud and clear this time. It’s also a critical point for the reform of our marine resources management,” said Thon, a marine ecologist who is also a member on the National Natural Resources and Environment Reform Committee.

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Almost half of Australian big business moving to renewables

Climate Council says capacity of firms to generate solar power has doubled in less than two years
Ben Smee The Guardian 13 May 18;

Almost half of Australia’s large businesses are actively transitioning to cheaper renewable energy, including many going off the grid by building their own generators and battery storage, as power bills threaten their bottom line.

A new report by the Climate Council details the increased speed of a business-led transition to renewables as power bills have increased.

The average household and small-business energy bill is more than 80% higher than a decade ago. Gas prices have increased threefold in five years.

Many businesses – including 46% of large operations – have responded by seeking green alternatives. The Climate Council report, released on Tuesday, said the capacity of Australian businesses to generate their own solar power had doubled in less than two years.

Business owners report making their investment back through cost savings in less than five years.

The general manager of AustChilli at Bundaberg, Ian Gaffel, said the decision to invest in solar panels was a “no-brainer”.

AustChilli employs more than 100 people in the agriculture and food manufacturing process. The business initially built a 100kW solar system and about 18 months ago added an additional 200kW.

Solar now accounts for about a quarter of the business’s power usage.

“We looked for many years at the idea before jumping in a few years ago,” Gaffel said. “We’re a growing business so as we’ve grown the energy we’re using goes up.”

“My role is on the financial side and from the numbers it was a very easy decision.

“It takes away that unknown of ‘what’s the power bill going to do next’. For us to be able to get some stability … and generate energy that won’t be subject to those fluctuations. Anybody who has the ability to spend on capital investment, it’s a no-brainer.”

Gaffel said the cost savings gave the business more confidence and certainty when deciding to expand and hire more employees. The next step for the business will likely be battery storage, which will further decrease its reliance on the energy grid.

The story is being repeated across the country, particularly in the manufacturing industry, where increased power bills have squeezed profits.

The Melbourne-based Carlton & United Breweries is moving towards 100% renewable energy. The company is adding a rooftop solar installation and has signed an agreement with a solar farm near Mildura to provide most of the brewery’s power needs for the next 12 years.

Sun Metals, which runs an power-intensive zinc refinery near Townsville, is one of Queensland’s biggest energy consumers. To help justify a planned $300m expansion, the business is building a massive solar farm that will produce one third of its energy needs. The refinery will be the largest single-site consumer of renewables in the country.

Greg Bourne, who is a member of the Climate Council and an energy expert, said businesses who transitioned to renewable energy to cut costs and take control of their power bills were also “playing a crucial role in transitioning the nation away from ageing, polluting and unreliable fossil fuels”.

“This report shows that the rising cost of energy is the number one concern for Australian businesses over the next decade, so it’s no surprise that a variety of businesses … are all turning to affordable renewable energy and storage solutions,” he said.

“This is a worldwide transition, with businesses around the globe taking advantage of the investment opportunities associated with renewable energy, with 131 of the world’s largest companies on their way to being powered by 100% renewables.”

The Clean Energy Regulator said last week the government’s 2020 renewable energy target had effectively been met by projects that have been built, commissioned, or are under construction.

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'Forest Town' Tengah's first batch of HDB flats to be launched in November

Channel NewsAsia 13 May 18;

SINGAPORE: Around 1,500 HDB flats will be the first to be launched in November this year at Tengah, the first new town in more than 20 years.

Announcing this in a blog on Sunday (May 13), National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said this will be a "substantial offering" with a "good mix across different flat-types".

"Over the new few years, we will continue to have a steady stream of Tengah flats. When completed, Tengah Town will grow to about 700 hectares, roughly equivalent to Bishan in size," Mr Wong said.

He added that Tengah was conceptualised as a unique town in Singapore and as the country's first "Forest Town" with a green theme spread across the district.

"Tengah will be integrated with the surrounding greenery and rich biodiversity, and feature a car-free town centre. It will be a green, car-lite, and pedestrian-friendly town.

"With the recent announcement of the 24km Jurong Region Line (JRL), residents in Tengah can also look forward to excellent connectivity, with four JRL stations connecting the town to Jurong Innovation District, Jurong Lake District and beyond. Within Tengah, we are also looking to enhance last-mile connectivity through autonomous vehicles," the Minister added.

Source: CNA/mn

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Malaysia: Ordeal over for chained elephant

Muhammad Apendy Issahak New Straits Times 13 May 18;

GERIK: A wild elephant that was caught near the Titiwangsa Rest and Relax (R&R) area and chained by the side of the Timur Barat Highway has been relocated by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) today.

After having been chained for seven days much to the dismay of social media users, Perhilitan's operation to relocate the elephant was aided by the National Elephant Conservation Centre, the police as well as the People's Volunteer Corps (Rela).

It is understood that the elephant had been spotted roaming near the R&R before it was captured and chained.

Perak Perhilitan deputy director Wan Shaharuddin Wan Nordin said the operation began at 9am with the help of two other elephants, Rambai and Abot, which were brought in by the conservation centre.

Police helped to cordon off the area and close the roads in order to ensure public safety, Wan Shaharuddin said.

The elephant, estimated to be about 20 years old, was moved by a lorry to its natural habitat.

Meanwhile, Gerik district police chied Supt Ismail Che Isa when contacted said his men from Bersia police station were sent to help with the relocation process.

"I understand the elephant was moved to the Sungai Deka forest in Terengganu," he said, informing that the operation was a success and the elephant was not harmed in the process.

Pictures and video of the elephant chained by the highway has since gone viral with many expressing their anger over the animal's limited movement due to the chains.


Elephant that wandered to highway rest area successfully relocated
victoria brown The Star 13 May 18;

PETALING JAYA: The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has successfully relocated a wild elephant that had wandered to a Titiwangsa highway rest stop.

Videos of the elephant, which was named Yeop Viral, went viral on social media after it was caught on camera destroying fences near the rest stop.

Perhilitan said that the operation to relocate the 3.5-tonne elephant to the Sungai Deka Elephant Sanctuary Hulu Terengganu a success.

"Hopefully Yeop Viral is safe and comfortable in its new location! Bon Voyage Yeop," said Perhilitan in a Facebook posting.

However, the slope where the elephant was captured forced the team to temporarily hold it in the area so that the team can sort out the logistics in moving the elephant.

Perhilitan said that a veterinary officer was stationed with the elephant to monitor its health and diet, in accordance to its standard operating procedure.

The elephant was also regularly checked to ensure that it was not injured by its chains.

Perhilitan utilised elephants named Abot and Rambai to help lead Yeop out of the area and onto the transport vehicle, where he was restrained.

In general, the rise of human conflicts with wild elephants is large due to humans encroaching into elephant's traditional habitats.

Experts say that elephants would follow their instincts and go through their usual routes, even if they have been developed by humans.

Studies have found human-elephant conflicts arising from animals raiding crops, injuries/deaths to humans caused by elephants, and humans killing elephants as they are seen as a nuisance.

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