February 2010 February 2010 February 2010 February 2010 Issue # 8 Issue # 8 Issue # 8 Issue # 8 Spectacled Flowerpecker discovery 1 Heart of Borneo Initiative—the story so far 2 HoB Chairman’s address 3 New National Coordinator for WWF Malaysia’s Heart of Borneo Programme 3 Selling local products to support livelihoods and the environment 4 Filmed for the first time 4 Who pays for conservation of the Heart of Borneo? 5 Support from the highest levels of Indonesian government 6 Conserving Orangutans in a Bornean forest concession 6 Planting a conservation message in Singapore 7 Notes from the field 8 A volunteer in the Heart of Borneo 9 Heart of Borneo in the News! 10 Inside this issue: Inside this issue: Inside this issue: Inside this issue: A new bird species, given the common name of ‘Spectacled Flowerpecker’, has been discovered in the Heart of Borneo, in the Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia. Details of the discovery, made by David Edwards of the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the University of Leeds, UK, were in the latest issue of the Oriental Bird Club’s magazine, BirdingASIA. It is hoped that it will lead to further sightings and its formal scientific description as a new species. Dr Edwards and his accompanying guide, Richard Webster, observed the bird while walking along a 250m canopy-walkway and very quickly realized they were on the verge of discovering something very significant. “The realization that in all probability we had been watching a species unknown to science was an incredible feeling,” Dr Edwards said. “We were elated because we were on the verge of an amazing discovery, but it was mixed with trepidation in case it was never seen again.” Dr Edwards revisited the area several times, but there was no further sign of the bird. Photos of the bird show an attractive grey bird with bright white arcs above and below the eye, a white throat extending as a broad white stripe down the centre of the belly, and white tufts at the breast sides. “We hope the announcement of our discovery will lead to our ultimate goal: conservation of the new species and large tracts of its habitat, which is under threat from clearance for oil palm agriculture,” explained Dr Edwards. The finding is all the more surprising given its location in Danum Valley, where a scientific research station has been in operation since 1986. “The discovery of a new bird species in the Heart of Borneo underlines the incredible diversity of this remarkable area,” said Adam Tomasek, leader of WWF’s Heart of Borneo Initiative. “It further emphasizes the importance of the commitment already made by Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia to protect the Heart of Boneo, but also highlights the need to fast-track implementation of these commitments to ensure the many new species discovered in the area survive.” Deputy Director of International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Species Program, Jean-Christophe Vié, said the discovery shows once more how little is known about the diversity of life on our planet. “With 2010 being the International Year of Biodiversity, it is an opportunity to increase our knowledge of nature and its functioning, explain its importance to the wider public, and most of all, undertake action to reduce the current threats in order to allow thousands of more discoveries like this one in the future.” ‘Spectacular’ new bird species discovered in the Heart of Borneo Photo courtesy of Richard Webster
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February 2010February 2010February 2010February 2010
Issue # 8 Issue # 8 Issue # 8 Issue # 8
Spectacled Flowerpecker
discovery
1
Heart of Borneo Initiative—the
story so far
2
HoB Chairman’s address 3
New National Coordinator for
WWF Malaysia’s Heart of Borneo
Programme
3
Selling local products to support
livelihoods and the environment
4
Filmed for the first time 4
Who pays for conservation of the
Heart of Borneo?
5
Support from the highest levels
of Indonesian government
6
Conserving Orangutans in a
Bornean forest concession
6
Planting a conservation message
in Singapore
7
Notes from the field 8
A volunteer in the Heart of
Borneo
9
Heart of Borneo in the News! 10
Inside this issue:Inside this issue:Inside this issue:Inside this issue:
A new bird species, given the common name of
‘Spectacled Flowerpecker’, has been
discovered in the Heart of Borneo, in the
Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah,
Malaysia.
Details of the discovery, made by David Edwards
of the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the
University of Leeds, UK, were in the latest issue
of the Oriental Bird Club’s magazine,
BirdingASIA. It is hoped that it will lead to
further sightings and its formal scientific
description as a new species.
Dr Edwards and his accompanying guide,
Richard Webster, observed the bird while
walking along a 250m canopy-walkway and very
quickly realized they were on the verge of
discovering something very significant.
“The realization that in all probability we had
been watching a species unknown to science was
an incredible feeling,” Dr Edwards said.
“We were elated because we were on the verge
of an amazing discovery, but it was mixed with
trepidation in case it was never seen again.”
Dr Edwards revisited the area several times, but
there was no further sign of the bird.
Photos of the bird show an attractive grey bird
with bright white arcs above and below the
eye, a white throat extending as a broad white
stripe down the centre of the belly, and white
tufts at the breast sides.
“We hope the announcement of our discovery
will lead to our ultimate goal: conservation of
the new species and large tracts of its habitat,
which is under threat from clearance for oil
palm agriculture,” explained Dr Edwards.
The finding is all the more surprising given its
location in Danum Valley, where a scientific
research station has been in operation since
1986.
“The discovery of a new bird species in the
Heart of Borneo underlines the incredible
diversity of this remarkable area,” said Adam
Tomasek, leader of WWF’s Heart of Borneo
Initiative.
“It further emphasizes the importance of the
commitment already made by Brunei
Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia to
protect the Heart of Boneo, but also highlights
the need to fast-track implementation of these
commitments to ensure the many new species
discovered in the area survive.”
Deputy Director of International Union for
Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Species
Program, Jean-Christophe Vié, said the
discovery shows once more how little is
known about the diversity of life on our
planet.
“With 2010 being the International Year of
Biodiversity, it is an opportunity to increase
our knowledge of nature and its functioning,
explain its importance to the wider public, and
most of all, undertake action to reduce the
current threats in order to allow thousands of
more discoveries like this one in the future.”
‘Spectacular’ new bird species discovered in
the Heart of Borneo
Photo courtesy of Richard Webster
Heart of Borneo Initiative—the story so far
It is eight months since the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Network
Initiative’s core management team was consolidated and
began implementing strategies to secure the conservation and
sustainable development vision envisaged by the
tri-government HoB Declaration. As these strategies take
shape we profile the progress so far.
Whilst the Declaration, secured in February 2007, was a
stunning achievement, in the face of significant challenges - as
time has passed - converting those political words into on-ground
action has proven to be even more challenging.
WWF Indonesia and WWF Malaysia have been diligently
working with their respective governments to develop national
and sub-national HoB action plans, implement on-the-ground
projects in Protected Areas and important flagship species
landscapes, and raiseing awareness of the importance of HoB to
national and global conservation and sustainable development
priorities.
In its turn, the HoB Network Initiative has been working with
these national offices as well as others in the Network,
expanding the base of international partners and decision-makers
to catalyze action to help move the HoB Declaration from ‘paper
concept’ to ‘on-ground reality’. Efforts have been focused
around three strategies:
Strategy 1 – Aligning policy and management across the
three countries.
The tri-national structure of the HoB Declaration is both a
strength and challenge to its effective implementation. Strategy 1
seeks to enhance cooperation among the three HoB
governments to allow good governance and effective decision
making in all aspects of management. The immediate focus of
Strategy 1 is the forthcoming 4th HoB Trilateral meeting to be
held in Brunei in April. 2010. WWF is working with
government partners to prepare new decisions on key areas of
trilateral cooperation such as governance, climate change and
carbon, sustainable financing and ecotourism. In the future,
WWF will leverage support from key regional forums such as
ASEAN and APEC for HoB decisions and actions.
Strategy 2 – Catalyzing private sector transformation via
Green Business Network.
The private sector must play a key role in delivering the HoB
vision - conservation and sustainable use - as we estimate that it
actively manages more than 50% of land within current HoB
boundaries. Working primarily through the establishment of a
'Green Business Network', this strategy will raise awareness in
the private sector of the vital role it can play in delivering the
HoB vision. A series of sector based reports will kick this work
off, demonstrating the impact of each sector and options for
improvement. The Network ultimately aims to become a driving
force for reducing the footprint of companies that operate,
source and finance business in the HoB.
Strategy 3 – Innovative and long-term finance
In order to achieve the far-reaching commitments envisaged in
the HoB Declaration, long-term financing schemes, equitably
shared amongst stakeholders, need to be developed. The HoB
provides ecological connectivity between ecosystems, important
ecosystem service functions for society and an irreplacable
cultural heritage. Our focus is to develop income generating
schemes based on the natural and social capital values of the
HoB which outcompete the financially lucrative, but short-term,
exploitation models. Several financing schemes are being
explored, including Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES),
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation
(REDD) financing schemes and providing incentives to local
government and the private sector to practice sustainable
forestry and encourage the implementation of conservation
measures.
These strategies are being taken forward with the support of
WWF and external partners. For more detailed information on
any of these strategies please contact the relevant strategy