28/03/2006
- Curitiba, Brazil – The “Heart of Borneo” conservation
initiative was officially launched today with the
three Bornean governments – Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia
and Malaysia – declaring their commitment to support
it. The tri-country initiative aims to preserve
one of the most important centres of biological
diversity in the world, including approximately
220,000km2 of equatorial forests and numerous wildlife
species.
“Today’s announcement by the three
governments shows vision and leadership,” said James
Leape, WWF International’s Director General. “Three
countries sharing one conservation vision gives
hope to one of the most important areas for biodiversity
in the world.”
A recent WWF report highlighted
that 361 new species have been discovered in the
last ten years.
“The Heart of Borneo harbours
up to six per cent of the world’s total biodiversity
and is the source of 14 of the island’s 20 major
rivers,” added Arman Mallolongan, Director General,
Forest Protection and Nature Conservation, Indonesian
Ministry of Forestry.
“Conserving the Heart of Borneo
will not only save hundreds or even thousands of
species, but also provide water security, food security
and cultural survival for the people of Borneo.”
“This is an historic event, as
the Heart of Borneo initiative will pave the way
towards expanding conservation of biodiversity,
which fully supports the goal of the UN Convention
on Biological Diversity,” said Dato Suboh, Secretary
General of the Malaysian Ministry of Natural Resources
and the Environment. “This initiative also represents
a very significant milestone for transboundary cooperation
and will enhance existing collaboration between
our respective countries to protect vital natural
resources and reduce poverty.”
Today, only half of Borneo's forest
cover remains, down from 75 per cent in the mid
1980s. According to WWF, all lowland rainforests
in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo, would
disappear by 2010, if the current deforestation
rate of 1.3 million hectares per year continues.
That’s an area equivalent to about one-third the
size of Switzerland. Forest fires, the conversion
of forests to plantations, and logging are also
driving the destruction of Borneo's forests.
Nevertheless, there is reason
for optimism, WWF says. Healthy forests cover much
of highlands and adjacent foothills along the borders
of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, connecting in
places with rich, lowland forests to form a corridor
of life – the Heart of Borneo.
In addition, the three Bornean
governments recently announced new conservation
measures within the Heart of Borneo. Malaysia declared
it will protect more than 200,000ha of key forest
habitat in Sabah for the protection of orang-utans,
elephants and rhinos. Brunei has established two
conservation areas. And Indonesia has proposed a
new national park of 800,000ha.
According to WWF, today’s announcement
also spells the end of plans to create the world’s
largest palm oil plantation in Kalimantan along
Indonesia’s mountainous border with Malaysia. The
scheme – supported with Chinese investments – was
expected to cover an area of 1.8 million hectares
and would have had long-lasting, damaging consequences
on the Heart of Borneo. WWF repeatedly said new
oil palm plantations should be established on degraded,
non-forested land.
“WWF considers the Heart of Borneo
to be one of its top global priorities,” added Leape.
“It is hugely important to maintain a large enough
area of Borneo’s forests for the survival of the
natural ecosystems. This is critical for sustainable
development, and WWF stands ready to assist Borneo’s
three governments with technical and financial support,
so that we can make the conservation vision a reality.”
Brunei’s government representative,
Mahmud Yussof, said he hoped a tri-country declaration
for the Heart of Borneo could be signed at the 14th
session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development,
next May in New York.
