Indonesia: Land fires in Riau arose far from settlement - BRG

Antara 23 Feb 19;

Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG) Chief Nazir Foead. (ANTARA News/Virna P Setyorini)

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - The land and forest fire in Riau Province occurred in areas far from the settlement and farmers` plantation, according to the Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG).

"Peatland areas engulfed by the fire are those on which rewetting was yet to be carried out," BRG Chief Nazir Foead told Antara here on Saturday.

The agency`s peatland restoration program, conducted since 2016 in the province, has involved the local government and public.

Foead affirmed that rewetting of peat soil was prioritized in locations close to settlements and plantations, as they have limited sources to cover all peatland regions.

"Usually, people choose peatland areas that are close to settlement and plantation areas. Hence, their houses, schools, and plantations would remain safe in case fire engulfed the peatland area," he explained.

According to data of Riau University, the province has 4.8 million hectares of peatland area, or some 51.06 percent of Riau`s total area.

"We know that more than half of Riau Province is peatland area. Peatland clearing has occurred for years, and the damage was quite extensive. A long time would be needed to restore the land," he remarked.

In 2019, fire engulfed more than 850 hectares of land in Riau. The largest fire was detected in Rupat Island of Bengkalis District, and efforts to extinguish the fire are still ongoing.

Related News: Fires burn 124.5 hectares of land in Riau since early January

Related News: Forest, land fires spread to 633 hectares in Riau

Reporting by Anggi Romadhoni

Editing by Sri Haryati
Editor: Gusti Nur Cahya Aryani

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Malaysia: Tougher laws fail to deter pangolin poachers

Olivia Miwil New Straits Times 23 Feb 19;

SABAH has prosecuted 23 cases related to pangolins since 2002, said state Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga.

Five cases were from Keningau, four in Lahad Datu, Tawau and Sandakan (three in each district), Papar and Kinabatangan (two in each district), and one each in Sipitang, Telupid, Beaufort and Luyang.

In recent years, an amendment was made to the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, in which the world’s most trafficked animal had been upgraded as a “totally protected species”.

Those found hunting, consuming, possessing or selling pangolins or their parts could face a minimum fine of RM50,000 and a maximum fine of RM250,000 or a minimum prison term of one year and up to a maximum term of five years or both.

“Some of the cases were prosecuted under the new amendment, where heavier penalties were handed down to offenders and some are still serving their sentence.

“However, crimes against pangolins continue despite the state Wildlife Department trying its best to combat illegal poaching,” he said, adding there was a need for public cooperation in preventing pangolins from being poached and becoming extinct.

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Malaysia: Hobbyists should not dump alien fish in rivers

ROSLI ZAKARIA New Straits Times 22 Feb 19;

KUALA TERENGGANU: The damage is done. The invasion of the Mekong red tail catfish in Malaysian rivers is irreversible. Only time will tell the fate of the indigenous fish species.

Researchers are worried that the repeated mass spawning of the red tail catfish, also known as the Asian red tail catfish, means a nearly 100 per cent fry survival rate. And in a few years, this species could occupy every available space in the rivers.

“Rivers in Malaysia are not long or wide like the Chao Phraya River or Mekong River, where the red tail catfish originates.

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Malaysia: Unabated land clearing, mining mar Tasik Chini environment

AMIN RIDZUAN ISHAK New Straits Times 23 Feb 19;

PEKAN: At least two illegal mines operating without adhering to specifications and affecting the environment have been found near Tasik Chini near here.

The mines are located on a construction site and by the lakeside facing the Tasik Chini Research Centre.

A source said checks revealed that the sites did not have mining permits, but the miners were merely taking advantage of mining activities on licensed sites.

“However, they have not been operating over the past few days when the authorities were doing inspections,” he said yesterday.

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Indonesia: Smoke forces suspension of school activities in Riau

Rizal Harahap The Jakarta Post 22 Feb 19;

Smoke believed to be coming from wildfire forced six elementary schools in Dumai in the province of Riau to close early on Thursday.

Dumai Health Agency head Faisal said health concerns had pushed his team to stop school activities earlier than usual after thousands of residents in Dumai had become sick from the polluted air.

The affected schools include state elementary schools SDN 13, SDN 14, SDN 17 Buluh Kasap and SDN 5 Karang Anyer.

“This morning, [the smoke] was indeed thick, which is why many students were sent home,” Faisal said on Thursday.

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Indonesia: Fifty tons of marine debris picked up from Wakatobi

Antara 22 Feb 19;

Marine police personnel collected marine waste in the commemoration of the National Waste Care Day. (Doc.ANTARA PHOTO/AHMAD_SUBAIDI)

Kendari, SE Sulawesi, (ANTARA News) - The local government and community members in Wakatobi District, Southeast Sulawesi Province, commemorated National Waste Care Day by picking up some 50 tons of marine debris, a local government official stated.

The marine debris was collected from various coastal areas in the marine national park of Wakatobi, including the sub-districts of Kaledupa, Tomia, and Binongko, Head of Wakatobi District's Environment Office Jemuna stated here on Friday.

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Wolbachia mosquitoes released in expanded Nee Soon, Tampines sites in next phase of study

Vanessa Lim Channel NewsAsia 22 Feb 19;

SINGAPORE: Male Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes have been released in expanded sites in Nee Soon and Tampines, under the next phase of a study to reduce the Aedes mosquito population and fight dengue.

The third phase of the National Environment Agency's (NEA) Project Wolbachia kicked off on Friday (Feb 22), with the mosquitoes released at Nee Soon East and Tampines West sites that are 1.6 to 2.2 times larger compared to the trial area in phase two.

These male mosquitoes infected with the Wolbachia bacterium do not bite or transmit diseases. If they mate with an uninfected female mosquito, the resulting eggs will not hatch.

The purpose of expanding the sites is to determine if suppression of the urban Aedes aegypti mosquito population can be sustained in larger areas, said NEA.

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Malaysia: Johor govt to ensure enough water supply despite falling dam levels

remar nordin The Star 21 Feb 19;

JOHOR BARU: The state government is working closely with water operator Ranhill SAJ Sdn Bhd and the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) to monitor the water supply situation here.

State International Trade, Investment and Utilities Committee chairman Jimmy Puah Wee Tse (pic) said despite the long dry spell and falling levels at four dams, the government will ensure there is enough water supply in the state.

The four dams affected by the hot weather are Sungai Lebam, Upper Layang, Sembrong Barat and Lok Heng.

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UN: Growing threat to food from decline in biodiversity

Matt McGrath BBC 22 Feb 19;

The plants, animals, crops and micro-organisms that are the bedrock of food production are in decline, according to a UN study.

If these critical species are lost, the report says, it "places the future of our food system under severe threat".

The study says that land use changes, pollution, and climate change are all causing biodiversity loss.

While species friendly policies are increasing, they are not growing quickly enough, the scientists say.

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