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WWF delivers on 100 million hectares of wetlands pledge

2009-05-26

Catamarca, Argentina - Declaration of the high Andes - home to two of the three species of Andean flamingos - marks WWF’s delivery of a “crazy, unrealistic pledge” to deliver 100 million hectares of new protected wetlands in a decade.

Fittingly, the 3000 to nearly 7000 metre high Lagunas Altoandinas y Punenas de Catamarca in north west Argentina is the highest area to be declared a wetland of international importance under the International Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention).

With 1.2 million hectares of high altitude “puna” scattered with a variety of shallow, deep and brackish to hypersaline lakes, the Catamarca Lagunas complex is also the largest of the Andean wetlands of international importance, home to a variety of migratory birds, as well as a unique frog threatened Andean cats and chinchillas.

The Catamarca Lagunas complex is a highly vulnerable and fragile area, threatened by overgrazing, unregulated tourism, mining prospecting and flamingo egg collection.

For WWF International’s Wetlands Conservation Manager Denis Landenbergue, this latest Ramsar declaration is a fitting climax to a decade of seeking to preserve fragile areas crucial to functioning of landscapes and the animals and people of five continents.

The WWF and Ramsar Convention global vision – for 250 million hectares of new protected wetlands by 2010 – is still some way off, with parties to the convention deciding last year on 2015 as a target date for its achievement.

Ramsar Convention Secretary General Anada Tiega paid tribute to WWF’s achievement in playing a major role in securing an area equating to nearly three Germanys or about one and half times the size of Texas and its “instrumental support to the worldwide conservation of wetlands in general and the Ramsar objectives in particular”.

“I would also like to highlight the major leveraging effect these designations have generated for globally improving the management of wetlands,”said Tiega.

Around three quarters of the total area designated globally under the Ramsar Convention in the past decade has been directly supported by WWF’s International Fresh Water Programme.

(C) Omar Rocha
“Promoting the designation of wetlands is an efficient way of attracting the attention, and the crucially important resources of the international donors community to support their improved management,” said Landenbergue.

“In the past 10 years, every single dollar invested by WWF has generated, on average, matching external funding up to 25-30 times larger in wetlands management and restoration.”

For further information:
Denis Landenbergue, WWF International Wetlands Conservation Manager, dlandenbergue@wwfint.org, +41

Note; In 2008, Denis Landenbergue was awarded the Ramsar Award for Wetlands Conservation

Greece wins acclaim saying yes to clean energy, no to new coal and nuclear

2009-02-10

Athens, Greece - Greece yesterday outlined an energy future of strong support for renewable energy, with development minister Kostis Hatzidakis ruling out investment in new coal-fired or nuclear power plants.

The announcement was especially gratifying to WWF-Greece, founder with other partners of a “No-to-coal” coalition which has enlisted strong community support – particularly in areas proposed or suggested for new coal-fired plants.

“We congratulate Mr Hatzidakis for ending the coal drama and the rumors regarding the introduction of nuclear energy,” said WWF Greece CEO Demetres Karavellas.

“We feel that our efforts to prove that Greece does not need coal power plants and nuclear energy have been justified. Today, we can be more optimistic that Greece might make the necessary shift towards a more sustainable and competitive green economy.”

WWF Greece last November published a low carbon energy vision for the country which proposed CO2 emissions reductions of close to 70% by 2050, outlining specific ways to achieve the reductions.

“No-to-coal” involved WWF Greece working together with local authorities in seven different sites that would have been affected by new coal power plants as well as organizing mass rallies for outside the Greek Parliament.

The initiative also involved locally specific “yet-to-renewables” campaigns, offering alternative less polluting, destructive and disruptive power solutions.

The government change of stance on the issue was signalled by legislative changes to streamline and assist investment in renewable energy and by Mr Hatzidakis emerging from a cabinet meeting in late January to say "We want 2009 to be the year of renewable energy sources ."

WWF Greece plans to intensify its efforts over the next few months to ensure that Greece plays a positive role within the EU in the critical negotiations towards getting a new and adequate global climate deal at the UN climate change conference at Copenhagen in December.

Wetlands boost for green heart of Africa

2009-02-04

Gabon – A World Wetlands Day announcement that Gabon is to increase its protected Ramsar sites by more than a million hectares is a major boost to conservation in central Africa.

The addition of the three new areas totalling 1,054,700 hectares to the Ramsar register of wetlands of international significance will increase Gabon’s total area of Ramsar protected areas by more than a third and has been welcomed by conservationists world wide.

“The green heart of Africa is a global conservation priority, and the basis of the region and its biological wealth are its rivers and wetlands,” said Dr Lifeng Li, director of WWF International’s Global Freshwater Programme.

“These new areas cover diverse habitats from impressive river rapids to extensive marshes and are vitally important to the wildlife and people of the region - but they need more protection from a growing rush for resources and associated increases in pollution.”

The largest of the areas is the 862,700 ha Bas Ogooué, a luxuriantly vegetated area of alluvial plain, lakes, marsh and rivers in western Gabon which is home to gorillas, chimpanzee, elephant, buffalo, the African manatee and hippopotamus. WWF is supporting research and other activities in the area.

Chutes et Rapides sur Invindo is a 132,500 ha representative sample of the waterfalls and rapids of Gabon covering both permanent and intermittent rivers in the north east of the country. The area is rich in waterbirds, plants and fish that are adapted to heavy currents. Part of the site is within the Ivindo National Park where a management plan is currently being prepared but other areas are affected by over-fishing, over-exploitation of forests and from pollution from towns and iron mining.

Manganese and uranium mining are among threats to the third area Rapides de Mboungou Badouma et de Doumé where 140 km of rapids are part of a hydrographically important spillway area for several permanent and intermittent rivers. The rivers, rapids and permanent marshes of this system are a food source, habitat and refuge to extensive wildlife populations considered under threat from the mining activities, forest exploitation and pollution from towns.

World Wetlands Day is held each year on the anniversary of the 1971 signing of the International Convention on Wetlands in the Iranian city of Ramsar. The Ramsar Convention as it has become known was the first global environmental treaty and now has 158 Contracting Parties, with 1831 wetland sites, totaling 170 million hectares included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

World Wetlands Day this year had the theme of Upstream, downstream: Wetlands connect us all

WWF plans next phase for sustainable aquaculture standards

2009-01-27

Comprehensive certification for sustainable aquaculture came closer to fruition today with an announcement by WWF that it would co-found the Aquaculture Stewardship Council to take eventual possession of the global standards for responsible seafood farming currently being developed by the WWF-supported Aquaculture Dialogue roundtables.

The new body, modelled on the highly successful and world leading Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for wild-caught seafood, will be responsible for working with independent, third-party entities to certify farms that are in compliance with the standards.

WWF is funding the development of a business plan for this new venture, which is expected to be in operation within two years, and will contribute funding to implement the plan.

More than 2,000 farmers, conservationists, government officials and others participate in the open Aquaculture Dialogue meetings – making this the world’s most inclusive and transparent process for creating measurable, performance-based standards for aquaculture. WWF, which coordinates the Dialogues, is one of the stakeholder groups engaged in the process.

“This is an unprecedented effort to ensure that future aquaculture is environmentally sustainable, and also well positioned to meet the growing demand for seafood worldwide,” said WWF-International Director General James Leape.

“These new standards will raise the bar in the industry, giving consumers assurance that their food purchases are helping to protect the environment.”

Over the next year, draft standards for minimizing the key environmental and social impacts associated with aquaculture will be completed for nine aquaculture species that have the greatest impact on the environment, highest market value and/or the heaviest trading in the global market. They are salmon, shrimp, trout, pangasius, abalone, mussels, clams, oysters and scallops. Draft standards for tilapia were posted for public comment in September 2008 and are expected to be completed this spring.

“This investment aligns perfectly with WWF’s goal of protecting the world’s oceans and coastal habitats while providing innovative paths for feeding the world more efficiently and sustainably,” said WWF-US President Carter Roberts,

“With a credible entity in place for certifying farmed seafood, the seafood industry can continue to grow but in a way that is environmentally responsible.”

A key component of the business plan will be following the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling (ISEAL) Alliance’s guidelines for certification programs – the world’s most reputable guidelines for addressing social and environmental issues. None of the existing aquaculture certification schemes have governance structures that are in compliance with ISEAL. The MSC and Forestry Stewardship Council, also co-founded by WWF, are ISEAL compliant.

Mountain gorilla population increases despite war

2009-01-27

Eastern DRC – The number of mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park has increased despite the war being waged in and around the area, according to the first count in 16 months.

The count showed that the number of gorillas in groups habituated to humans – considered most at risk in the conflict – had increased to 81, compared to a count of 72 in 2007.

Park rangers were kicked out of the Mikeno sector of Virunga National Park, where six groups of habituated mountain gorillas live, in September 2007 by forces loyal to the ex-rebel leader Laurent Nkunda.

Fifteen months passed without any rangers being able to monitor the mountain gorillas but in December 2008 Virunga National Park director, Emmanuel de Merode successfully negotiated with the CNDP rebel group to allow park rangers access the Mikeno sector and resume monitoring of the area.

ICCN, the government institution in charge of protected areas management in Virunga National Park has since been fully operational and ICCN rangers have just completed a census of the habituated mountain gorillas. To their surprise, they discovered that the populations of all of the groups have increased.

“Habituated mountain gorillas aren’t afraid of humans, which makes them particularly vulnerable to danger,” said Marc Languy, of WWF’s Eastern Africa Regional Programme. “We are relieved to see that instead of fewer gorillas, which we had feared, there are actually several more animals.”

While on a five day patrol during which they were looking for and counting mountain gorillas, two ICCN patrols removed more than 400 snares placed by poachers targeting small forest antelopes that can harm and maim gorillas.

“This clearly indicates that conservation efforts must continue to save mountain gorillas which remain threatened, despite the good news brought by the latest count,” Languy said.

There is currently a cease fire between CNDP and the Congolese Army who have joined up with Rwandan forces to fight FDLR rebels; however, the rangers still have conflict and violence to contend with. On 8 January a ranger was killed during an attack by Maï Maï militia against an ICCN Patrol Post and another ranger was kidnapped.

“This astonishingly good news about the mountain gorillas is possible thanks to the courageous efforts of ICCN rangers who worked tirelessly to gain access to the gorillas despite on-going violence,” said Dr. Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF International’s Species Programme. “WWF will continue to provide ICCN with the support it needs to keep a vigilant eye on mountain gorillas as conflict and poaching are still imminent threats.”

ICCN has been able to keep its operations running during the conflict with financial and technical support from International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), a joint initiative of AWF (African Wildlife Foundation), FFI (Flora and Fauna International), and WWF and other conservation partners on the ground.

NOTES:

WWF, works in collaboration with the Institut Congolais de Conservation du Nature (ICCN) and during the recent conflict has been focusing its efforts in the area on the humanitarian crisis caused by the fighting by distributing fuelwood from sustainable tree plantations to people living in IDP sites and passing out improved cooking stoves, which use half the amount of wood as a normal stove.
Mountain gorillas are listed as critically endangered on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species, about 720 survive in the wild, with more than 100 of them living in the Virunga National Park. Mountain gorillas are the main tourist attraction in the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda and the money earned by the tourism benefits local communities.
Virunga National Park was created in 1925 as Africa's first protected area and is located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, bordering Rwanda and Uganda.

For further information:
Sarah Janicke, tel: +41 79 528 8641, email: sjanicke@wwfint.org

Norwegians join push to ban oil exploration from fragile arctic coasts

2009-01-26

Norwegian communities and conservationists have launched a campaign to ban oil exploration and development from parts of their Arctic coast, linking up with WWF-supported campaigns already under way in Alaska and Russia to protect vulnerable fisheries and communities.

The campaigns are supported by studies showing oil returns would be less than those provided in the long term through the protection and sustainable exploitation of resources.

“It is complete madness to trade in a sustainable fishery that could continue to accommodate the interests of both people and nature for generations, for a few years of quick and dirty profits from oil,” said Rasmus Hanssen, Secretary General of WWF Norway.

“In Norway, the Lofoten and Vesteralen areas have almost unparalleled natural values: unique cold water reefs; pods of sperm whales and killer whales; some of the largest seabird colonies in Europe, and the spawning grounds of the largest remaining cod stock in the world. We cannot and should not afford to risk these.The Norwegian government must declare these areas off limits to oil and gas.”

In Alaska, WWF is part of a coalition of local people and organisations opposing oil and gas exploration and development in Bristol Bay. Oil and gas drilling there would bring in an estimated $7.7 billion over the 25-40 years that it would take to suck dry the petroleum reserves. In contrast, the area’s fishing industry brings in $2.2 billion per year, a total of $50-80 billion over the same time period.

In Kamchatka, WWF is working with a similar coalition, where it is asking the Russian government to suspend oil exploration and development on the west Kamchatka shelf until Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNAs) have been designated for the most important areas. Almost a quarter of Russian fish and other marine resources come from west Kamchatka.

“It’s the same story across the Arctic,” says Neil Hamilton, Director of the WWF International Arctic Programme.

“Governments are being pushed to drill in places that have a far higher to local people and to the world if they are simply left alone. WWF has called for a moratorium on further offshore oil development across the Arctic, until oil and gas companies can demonstrate they have the ability to clean up major oil spills in ice covered waters. We would like to see that respected, however, there is a particularly urgency to protect some highly valued and productive places.”

For more information, contact:

Clive Tesar
Head of Communications, WWF International Arctic Programme
+47 92 62 30 30 (mobile)

Rasmus Hanssen
Secretary General WWF Norway
+47 90 68 63 13

Globally important site for endangered species discovered on the Mekong in Northern Cambodia

2009-01-15

Between Kratie and Stung Treng towns, in northeast Cambodia, a remote 55km section of the Mekong River, that scientists have termed the ‘Central Section’, has been discovered to be of high biodiversity value both nationally and globally. Discoveries included one new species to science, 24 new species records for Cambodia and 36 fauna species that are globally threatened and listed under the “IUCN Red List”, including breeding populations of birds, primates and turtles.

The findings are the result of a series of surveys jointly conducted by WWF, Fisheries Administration (FiA) and Forestry Administration (FA) of the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in 2006/7. Among many exciting discoveries, the survey team recorded a new plant species (Amorphophallus sp., known as ‘corpse plants’) for science, as well as new national records of rare plants, fish and one reptile. The largest global populations of two bird species, White-shoulder Ibis and Mekong Wagtail, were found, as well as some of the largest breeding colonies in Southeast Asia of Plain Martin and nests of an endangered giant turtle. Of equal significance was the discovery of a near pristine region of tall riverine forest, waterways and island archipelagos, and a remarkable uninhabited section of river 40-50 km long.

FiA, FA and WWF compiled this fascinating research information and produced in late 2008 their first detailed scientific report titled ‘Biological surveys of the Mekong River between Kratie and Steung Treng towns, northeast Cambodia’. This report makes a significant contribution to scientists’ knowledge and understanding of biodiversity of the Mekong River. The information collected during the surveys provides a scientific basis for management of this ‘Central Section’.

“The Royal Government of Cambodia recognises the importance of maintaining the Mekong’s resources for biodiversity, national food security and development, and reflect this need in the targets of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2002 and Cambodia’s Millennium Development Goals,” said Seng Teak, WWF Country Director. To achieve these goals, he continued, a critical first step is to document the Mekong’s biodiversity and natural resources.

The study area is described by scientists as including probably the last suitable freshwater habitat for the critically endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin; the Indochinese region’s last remaining Hog Deer population; and the rare Cantor’s Giant Softshell Turtle once thought to be extinct in the region.

“Unlike many other mainstream sections of the Mekong in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam, this particular part of the river remains relatively untouched by human activities,” said Richard Zanre, WWF Freshwater Program Manager. This region, he added, used to be one of the last strongholds of the Khmer Rouge and was off-limits to local and foreign agencies until as late as 1998.

This situation is changing rapidly: The survey team observed extensive human in-migration to the site, typically by poor and landless people. New settlements are being created, and established villages are expanding. Timber logging, clearance of riverbanks to create homes and rice fields, intensive fishing and wildlife trade are increasing daily. Also new economic development, especially water-based infrastructure, is placing new pressures on wetland resources. Extractive projects including gold mining, sand and gravel extraction, road building, and granting of concessions in seasonally inundated forest areas were also identified as major problems of local concern. Without proper control, these activities will soon degrade the local ecology, exhaust natural resources and result in severe long-term impacts for local livelihoods as well as biodiversity.

At a workshop in Kratie in 2008 to present the research findings to Government stakeholders, participants agreed that the “Central Section” should be proposed as a special management area. Phay Somany, WWF Senior Officer, said that such a designation for conservation and sustainable livelihood development would be an intelligent and timely responsive measure by MAFF and provincial authorities.

“Chances are good to safeguard these unique wetland values for the benefits of biodiversity as well as local people whose livelihoods depend mainly upon Mekong fisheries,” Somany said.

WWF and partners are now developing a programme to assist national and provincial agencies in effective management of the site, including capacity building, awareness raising among local communities adjacent to the site, a rapid socio-economic survey of target communities, and sustainable livelihoods development to ensure that critical resources, especially fish and timber, are secured for local communities.

For more information, please email to:
asnarith.tep@wwfgreatermekong.org

Europe’s safety net extended to Romania and Bulgaria

2009-01-14

Europe’s “safety net for nature” has grown further with a major extension of the EU’s Natura 2000 network of specially protected sites. Of the 769 sites covering an area of 95,522 km² -- an area larger than all of Austria -- officially added by the European Commission in December 2008, most are in Romania and Bulgaria. Romania has added 316 sites covering an area of 17.84% of the country’s landmass, while Bulgaria has added 252 sites, covering almost 30% of the country's total area.

“We are very pleased over the addition for the first time of sites in Romania and Bulgaria to the EU’s Natura 2000 network of specially protected sites, which now includes many of Europe’s greatest natural treasures,” said Michael Baltzer, Director of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme.

The new sites will help protect species of European importance, including brown bears and wolves, the bulk of whose European populations are found in the two countries. Among the habitats that will receive EU protection will be valuable wetland habitats, including those in the globally important Danube Delta in Romania and sites which include the exceptional Rila Mountain in Bulgaria; grassland areas; and sites which include Europe’s largest remaining stands of natural forest.

Including such areas into the EU’s Natura 2000 network will provide additional protection for many of Europe’s greatest natural treasures. Many of the areas have been under intense pressure from development, including illegal construction and logging.

"Natura 2000 will help efforts to protect these areas, but it does not provide a silver bullet - what counts is what happens on the ground, so we need to keep up the efforts to conserve these exceptional treasures. They could be key assets for job creation and future sustainable development of the region - if the opportunity is taken carefully and sound investments are made,” Michael Baltzer noted.

The Bulgarian Government adopted all of the 225 sites proposed by Bulgarian NGOs, including WWF, with the exception of one site: “Rila Buffer”, located at the edge of the Rila National Park and protecting highly important habitats of priority species including the European Brown bear and wolf and a large number of other Natura 2000 species. The site was apparently excluded in response to investor interests. The development of a number of ski areas in existing protected areas, including in Rila and Pirin national parks, has been the focus of intense controversy in Bulgaria.

Some hope remains for including the “Rila Buffer” site to the Natura 2000 network in Bulgaria. The European Commission has called on the Bulgarian Government to provide, by September 2009, further information regarding populations of brown bear, on the basis of which further areas of protection may be required.

The Bulgarian Government had already earlier bowed to pressure from the European Commission and NGOs to return a number of sites it excluded from its first proposed list of sites, including areas controlled by the State Forest Company as well as sites along the Black Sea Coast that are the focus of investors interests.

WWF and other environmental organizations have played an important role in identifying and designating the new Natura 2000 sites. In Bulgaria, NGOs led by Green Balkans and BirdLife Bulgaria and including WWF, undertook the scientific work on behalf of the Bulgarian Government to identify and propose the sites to be included in the network. In Romania, many of the sites identified by WWF and other members of the NGO Coalition on Natura 2000 have already been included in the network, and the European Commission has given the Romanian Government until 2009 to provide additional information and possibly add further sites.

With Natura 2000 designation now complete, the next challenge will be to ensure proper management for the sites. A step backward has been taken in Romania with the decision of the newly elected government to put on ice plans to finally establish a government agency to oversee management of the country’s protected areas. Romanian national legislation permits agencies, local governments and NGOs to apply to manage individual protected areas; in fact, most of the country’s national and nature parks are run by the State Forest Administration. While this arrangement has generally worked well, there have been a number of cases of poor management or even destruction. The Protected Area Agency would have ensured proper management of areas and minimized conflicts of interests.

Natura 2000 now includes approximately 25,000 sites, covering almost 20% of the EU’s landmass, making it the largest interconnected network of protected areas in the world. It is the EU’s key weapon in the fight against biodiversity loss.

Contact:
Andreas Beckmann, WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme

Certified Chinese forest reaches million hectares

2009-01-07

Beijing, China - Forests owned by members of the Chinese chapter of WWF's Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) went beyond 1,000,000 hectares for the very first time late last year.

Set up and managed by WWF, GFTN aims to eliminate illegal logging and improve the management of valuable and threatened forests. By facilitating trade links between companies committed to achieving and supporting responsible forestry, the GFTN creates market conditions that help conserve the world’s forests while providing economic and social benefits for the businesses and people that depend on them.

This latest news marks a significant step for GFTN-China in its widescale promotion of FSC certification. The FSC is an independent, not for profit, non-governmental organization that provides standard setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services for companies and organizations interested in responsible forestry. WWF is one of the main supporters of FSC globally and has been working on FSC certification for about eight years in China.

In July 2008, 116,217 ha of forest from the Fujian Yong’an Forestry Group and in October 230,405 ha of forest from the Heilongjiang Muling Forestry Bureau got FSC certification. Both are GFTN-China participants.

The Yong’an Forest Group became the first enterprise with over 100,000 ha of FSC-certified forest in southern China. Yong’an’s certification ensures the raw material supplies to those timber processing enterprises who demand FSC-certified material.

As a priority region for forestry development, the collective forest area in south China faces many challenges due to the abundant forest species, complex forest features and diversified land tenure. “The complex situation there makes it difficult to carry out large-scale FSC forest certification,” said Dermot O’Gorman, WWF-China Country Representative. “But Yong’an’s corporate operation has effectively integrated forest resources of different ownership, which sets a good example for forest certification and sustainable forest management in the south.”

The State Forestry Administration selected Yong’an as one of its pilot units to develop their sustainable forest management plan in 2006. At the same time, WWF China and Tetra Pak jointly supported the company to identify High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs) and provided technical training on forest certification. Yong’an later passed GFTN-China baseline appraisal and joined the network as the 20th member.

Muling Forest Bureau is in the south-east part of Heilongjiang Province. The total forest managed area is over 260,000 ha and the forest volume is 22 million cubic metres. Since it was founded Muling has produced 15.66 million cubic metres of commercial timber.

“Muling is not only located in a WWF priority area – the Amur/Heilong Eco-Region – but it is also in the major timber production and processing area of north-east China neighboring the Russian far-east,” said Mr. Jin Zhonghao, GFTN-China Manager.

“Therefore Muling’s getting FSC certification supports the global demand for FSC-certified oak and other raw materials produced in this area. Furthermore, Muling can promote its successful experience and certified raw material to the international market through the platform of GFTN.” With support from IKEA, WWF China provided technical training to Muling during its certification process.

Mr. Yuan Jilian, Director General of Muling, said: “FSC certification is the most acknowledged international forest certification scheme that promotes the well-managed forest practices with the impetus of market mechanism. It is also a platform to make the forestry enterprises more competitive in practising responsible forestry and attracting investment.”

Mr Su Ming, Deputy Director of International Cooperation, the State Forestry Administration of China, said: “Sustainable management is a long-term goal for China’s forestry development while forest certification is one of the most effective methods to ensure this goal.

“We’re delighted by the cooperation between domestic forestry companies and international conservation organizations to introduce such advance management concepts and approaches to China.”

Red-letter day for North Sea cod

2008-12-11

Brussels, Belgium – The European Union and Norway have taken the first step towards saving millions of tonnes of cod and other North Sea fish every year.

The EU-Norway fisheries agreement, reached after weeks of negotiation, sees the total allowable quota for cod in the North Sea increase by 30 per cent, on the condition that fishermen reduce the amount of “discard”, or unwanted fish thrown back in the sea either dead or dying.

Discard includes cod if the fisherman’s quota has been reached or if the fish is under-size, and other fish (bycatch) that may have been caught by accident.

Now though fishermen face mandatory use of eliminator trawls – a special type of net which allows cod to escape – and other selective gear when the quota is almost reached.

In addition, discard of fish above minimum landing size will be banned and closed areas during the spawning season introduced.

The European Union has finally committed to work on a complete ban on discard, already in force in the Norwegian Sea, within the upcoming reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in 2012.

“We welcome new rules to encourage more selective gear and closed areas during the spawning season,” said Aaron McLoughlin, Head of European Marine Programme at WWF. “The key point, though, is that these measures are enforced.

“A quota increase for cod based on less cod being removed from the sea and discarded needs fishermen and governments to work together to make sure rules are applied. Discard remains a problem and that needs to be a priority of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.”

WWF is urging the EU to make the use of selective gear like eliminator trawls mandatory all year round.

As far as other stocks in the agreement are concerned, WWF supports the reduction of quota by 13 per cent for plaice as it is in line with the scientific advice, but regrets that the advice to cut whiting quotas by 67 per cent was ignored in favour of a cut by only 15 per cent. According to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES – a scientific body advising the EU) such a limited reduction won’t be enough to restore a fishery which suffers from excessive fishing mortality.

The agreed quotas for North Sea cod and related measures to reduce discards will be ratified by the EU Fisheries Ministers at the Council meeting on 18-19 December in Brussels.

Battered sharks get critical listing

2008-12-05

Rome, Italy: Four commercially valuable shark species have just been recognized as being “of conservation concern” under the international Convention on Migratory Species.

The listing applies to northern hemisphere populations of spiny dogfish, a common ingredient of food staple fish and chips, and global populations of Porbeagle shark and both species of mako shark.

Intense debate saw southern hemisphere populations of spiny dogfish excluded from the listing on the agreement that a comprehensive population review will be conducted for the next meeting of the convention.

"WWF welcomes this listing by the CMS--the first listing by an international conservation convention of commercially utilized shark species,” said Dr Susan Lieberman, director of WWF International’s Species Programme.

“This shows that the world community now recognizes that sharks are over-fished, declining, and worthy of the kind of conservation concern afforded to other species."

The sharks have been listed under Appendix ll of the convention, which supports co-operation between range states on conservation plans for listed species. For migratory species it focuses attention on the status of the species and can help trigger other regional and international initiatives in fisheries management and trade.

The sharks, which are among the most valued of shark species for both meat and fins, suffer from excessive levels of targeted fishing as well as being bycatch casualties of other fisheries such as purse seining and long-lining for tuna.

The slow growth, late maturity, small litters and long lives of sharks make them vulnerable to over-exploitation. Porbeagle sharks gather together, making them especially easy targets for fishing – a critical factor in the collapse of their populations in the 1970s and continuing failure to demonstrate any lasting recovery.

Listing of all four species across their entire ranges was proposed but the porbeagle shark and the compromise on spiny dogfish were only agreed after intense negotiation.

WWF has also raised concerns over declining populations of Mediterranean bluefin tuna – subject of a recent International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) decision to continue fishing at well over scientifically recommended levels – as a species of concern before the migratory species convention.

African governments commit to protect gorillas

2008-11-28

Rome, Italy - The first meeting of the Parties of the Gorilla Agreement, to be held in Rome tomorrow, is expected to come up with practical proposals to further gorilla conservation work in Africa.

The meeting is being held against a backdrop of increasing humanitarian crisis from continuing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the Virunga National Park home to nearly a third of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.

The Gorilla Agreement came in to effect in June 2008 and is the first to legally oblige governments to work together to combat the threats faced by gorillas in the wild, and find coordinated solutions for gorilla conservation by requiring collaboration on issues such as anti-poaching and law enforcement.

“Ten countries will walk away from this meeting united under a single plan to save gorillas,” said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF International’s Species Programme. “In a time of global financial crisis, and terrible hardship for the people of Eastern Congo, we are heartened to see these governments coming together.”

Today’s meeting occurs on the eve of the United Nations announcement of 2009 as the ‘Year of the Gorilla’, part of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. “Getting the agreement signed was a great conservation achievement,” said David Greer, Coordinator of WWF’s African Great Apes Programme.

“It is now time for action, which is what today’s meeting is all about. Together, we will look specifically at what steps each government will take to ensure gorillas have a secure future in the wild—through direct conservation action in a way that also benefits local communities.”

All gorillas are listed as critically endangered on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species with the exception of the eastern lowland gorilla, which is still listed as endangered due to a lack of recent data to support the critically endangered listing - researchers were unable to access a major portion of their habitat. Poaching, habitat loss disease, and intensifying civil strife are the main threats to these animals.

Mountain gorillas are a prime example of why today’s Gorilla Agreement meeting is critical. The mountain gorilla population in the Virunga Volcanoes area, which straddles Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, continues to face habitat degradation as well as the civil war unrest. Despite these difficulties, surveys indicate that the population is gradually increasing due to extensive conservation efforts, and the continued support of local communities in spite of all odds.

“Despite the success of mountain gorilla conservation thanks to the empowerment and awareness created with local people by the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), we remain vigilant, as the recurrent conflicts in the region may still affect the survival of this species,” stated IGCP Director Eugene Rutagarama.

The IGCP is a joint partnership of WWF, African Wildlife Foundation, and Fauna and Flora International, and works specifically on mountain gorilla conservation. It has played an integral role in the recent increases in the mountain gorilla population in the Virunga Volcanoes area. The Gorilla Agreement meeting has the potential to help IGCP and the governments of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo work together to protect mountain gorillas.

“Plans are just plans – what is urgently needed is concrete follow up,” said Dr Lieberman. “ WWF will be calling for timelines for implementation of these actions, and for technical and financial support from the global community for this agreement.”

Signs of Amur tiger in China give hope for struggling species

2008-11-19

Changchun, China – The discovery of Amur tiger tracks in Changbaishan, north-eastern China, has given conservationists hope for a species that is rarely seen in that area.

A walker in the region spotted the tracks and recorded them on his mobile phone. A century ago such a sight would have been fairly common, with hundreds of Amur tigers on the prowl. It is thought that now only about 20 remain in the area.

“Tiger tracks found in this area show that the tigers are moving deeper into China from the Sino-Russian border,” said Fan Zhiyong, director of WWF-China’s Species Programme. “Therefore, it is of critical importance that tiger conservation occurs in the whole Changbaishan area.”

There are just over 500 Amur tigers in the wild and it is listed as critically endangered on IUCN’s red list of endangered species. The main threats to Amur tigers in north-eastern China are habitat degradation, poaching, fragmentation of tiger habitats and a small prey population to feed from.

WWF and its partners have been focusing their efforts to save the Amur tiger on a number of fronts: helping ungulate populations such as wild boar and roe deer – which are the tiger’s main prey – to recover by helping communities find alternative livelihood options; stopping poaching by helping local authorities carry out anti-poaching activities; and increasing and connecting protected tiger habitats so tigers can safely move from one area to another.

Thanks to vigorous anti-poaching and other conservation efforts on the Russian side, the tiger population there has become stable over the last decade and is beginning to increase. As such, should the feeding population in Changbaishan be restored and protected in an effectively managed tiger habitat, then those tigers across the border may come to occupy the area.

Conservationists in the Changbaishan area are very eager for this to occur, and the fact that tiger tracks have now been found in the Wangqing Forestry Bureau twice in the last two years is an encouraging sign.

“Although Wangqing Forestry Bureau is a timber management unit, it attaches great importance to wildlife conservation,” said Liang Jixiang, head of the Forest Management Department of Wangqing Forestry Bureau. “We are calling for support and help from interested parties and experts at home and abroad to help find ways to make Wangqing a home for tigers.”

WWF’s Changchun Programme Office has recently developed the Hungchun-Wangqing-Dongning Tiger Conservation Planning tool enable greater coordination of activities across the region and to help maintain these fragile populations of Amur tiger.

“WWF is working with the Chinese government and other partners to achieve the restoration and recovery of tigers to north-east China – the one remaining place in all of China where the recovery of this majestic species is a real possibility,” said Dr. Susan Lieberman, director of WWF-International’s Species Programme.

Sustainable shipment opens new palm oil options

2008-11-12

Rotterdam, NL: The arrival of the first certified sustainable palm oil shipment in Europe opens up possibilities for palm oil users to move away from subsidising forest destruction and social disruption from expanding palm oil plantations.

The shipment, from south-east Asia, is of palm oil certified as compliant with the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Principles and Criteria, a set of standards that ensure that palm oil is produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way.

As a founding member of the RSPO, WWF has worked since 2002 with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that the RSPO standards contain robust social and environmental criteria, including a prohibition on the conversion of valuable forests.

“The arrival of RSPO certified palm oil in Europe is an important milestone,” said Rodney Taylor, Director of WWF International’s Forest Programme. “With the RSPO’s certification system up and running, companies now have the means to buy responsibly.”

Over 28 million tonnes of palm oil are produced worldwide and it is used in a wide variety of foods including margarine, cooking oil, crisps, cakes, biscuits and pastry. It is also found in cosmetics, soaps, shampoos and detergents.

However oil palm plantations have often imposed environmental and social costs due to loss of habitat important to threatened and endangered species and indiscriminate forest clearing which contributes to climate change.

The RSPO brings together oil palm growers, oil processors, food companies, retailers, NGOs and investors to help ensure that no rainforest areas are sacrificed for new palm oil plantations, that all plantations minimize their environmental impacts and that basic rights of local peoples and plantation workers are fully respected.

Several European companies, including Unilever, Sainsbury’s and Albert Heijn, have already made strong public commitments to buy certified sustainable palm oil.
Many more companies need to do the same. WWF calls on retailers and manufacturers to get behind the RSPO by making concrete, timebound plans to shift their palm oil purchases to 100 per cent certified.

While welcoming the shipment, WWF also believes that the RSPO needs to tighten and strengthen its systems, and will be encouraging such action at the November annual meeting of the body.

RSPO membership is open to producers who are not certified. While its Code of Conduct encourages member producers to pursue certification, the RSPO lacks any real checks on the practices of these uncertified members.

Stakeholders do not always appreciate the distinction between a company’s membership of the RSPO and the certification of individual plantations.

This places the RSPO’s credibility at risk, especially given the recent Greenpeace reports alleging that several RSPO members are engaged in practices prohibited by the RSPO criteria for socially and environmentally responsible production of palm oil.

“The RSPO should fully investigate allegations of misconduct against its members,” said Taylor. “The RSPO can maintain its credibility by refusing to provide any form of cover for a company that violates the RSPO sustainability criteria.”

For more information:
Carrie Svingen
WWF Global Forests Programme
Tel: +62 361 730 185
email:csvingen@wallacea.wwf.or.id

Putin signs on dotted line for Far-Eastern leopards

2008-10-31

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed the decree which will put into effect a long-sought protected area that will house half of all remaining Far-Eastern leopards.

The leopards, the only species in the world able to survive long cold periods, are on the brink of extinction with only about thirty surviving members.

Continuing threats include habitat loss from logging, forest fires and unregulated tourism. Poaching remains a severe problem and the small population raises concerns of inbreeding as a further threat.
The new reserve will join two small protected areas into one, called Leopardovy Zakaznik (Leopard nature sanctuary), and will be managed by the Ministry of Nature Resources of Russia. According to the decree, the ministry will also manage neighbouring Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve.

Before the decree, all three protected areas had been managed by different state agencies whose differing mandates meant that a unified Leopard conservation strategy was not in place. The transfer of jurisdiction to a single authoritiy will allow for a single strategy that places the restoration of the leopard population at the heart of its operations in the area.

WWF proposed this change as early as 1999, in its Strategy for conservation of the Far Eastern leopard in Russia. “We are happy that finally, after all these years, the government has addressed this issue”, says WWF-Russia CEO Igor Chestin. “We hope that the Ministry will immediately start improving management of the protected area to ensure effective leopard conservation. WWF is ready to provide help and advice to the new sanctuary”.

To ensure Far-Eastern leopard protection, WWF created anti-poaching groups in the region. WWF also cooperates with Chinese conservation agencies to create a trans-border system of protected areas that sought to save the leopards habitat from industrial pollution. Education programs to inform locals of the threats facing this extremely rare cat species were set up, while customs agents were trained to track poachers who illegally sell leopard parts to China.

In 2007, WWF built a visit centre for the future protected area, which now will finally be given to the Leopardovy zakaznik, and will hope to create revenue that can go towards making the sanctuary commercially viable.

Top award for WWF-SA fisheries boss

2008-10-29

Cape Town, South Africa: Dr Samantha Petersen, a biologist with WWF-South Africa, has won a prestigious international award for her research into the impact of commercial fishing on migratory seabirds, sea turtles and sharks.

Dr Petersen is the WWF-SA Responsible Fisheries Programme Manager. Her entry to the 2008 UNEP/CMS Thesis Award on Migratory Species Conservation was judged the winner among those submitted by 32 candidates from 18 countries.

Another South African, Dr Ross Wanless, won third place with his research on "Impacts of the introduced house mouse on the seabirds of Gough Island." Dr Lin Xia's thesis on "Traffic Disturbance to the Migration of Tibetan Antelopes (Pantholops hodgsoni) in Hoh-xil National Nature Reserve" took second place.

The award is sponsored annually by National Geographic Deutschland, Deutsche Lufthansa, Zoological Research Museum Koenig and CMS.

The judges noted that Dr Petersen's thesis on "Understanding and Mitigating Vulnerable Bycatch in southern African Trawl and Longline Fisheries" has made a significant contribution to improving the affected species' conservation status. The document urges a holistic approach toward sustainable use of marine resources.

Dr Petersen says: "This award is very gratifying as the exposure will help drive further research and action to help save these vulnerable species from extinction.

"Our work in this sphere is absolutely crucial now. In the last decade concern globally has grown over the impact of bycatch on these species, especially in longline and trawl fishing, which decimated their populations. It's estimated that 75% of global fish stocks are either exploited to their maximum or over-exploited and that around 25% of marine resources landed are dumped.

"This has led to a catastrophic decline in vulnerable marine life, including the loss of up to 90% of the large predatory fish."

Dr Morne du Plessis, CEO of WWF in SA, says: "This is an important award as it demonstrates not only the scientific expertise in WWF and in SA's scientific community, but also highlights the growing concern over the impact of human activity on marine resources."

The awards will be presented in Rome in December.

Saving Sumatra: Indonesia reaches historic agreement to protect world’s most endangered tropical forests

2008-10-09

Barcelona, Spain – The Indonesian government and WWF today announced a bold commitment to protect the remaining forests and critical ecosystems of Sumatra, an Indonesian island that holds some of the world’s most diverse – and endangered – forests. The historic agreement represents the first-ever island-wide commitment to protect Sumatra’s stunning biodiversity.

The commitment announced today at at the IUCN World Conservation Congress has been endorsed by governors of all provinces across Sumatra, the world’s sixth-largest island, and was also endorsed by four Ministers. Sumatrais the only place on Earth where tigers, elephants, orangutans and rhinos co-exist.
“This agreement commits all the Governors of Sumatra’s ten provinces, along with the Indonesian Ministries of Forestry, Environment, Interior and Public Works, to restore critical ecosystems in Sumatraand protect areas with high conservation values,” said Hermien Roosita, Deputy Minister of Environment. “The Governors will now work together to develop ecosystem-based spatial plans that will serve as the basis for future development on the island.”

WWF, CI, FFI, WCS, and other conservation groups working in Sumatrahave agreed to help implement the political commitment to protect what remains of the island’s species-rich forests and critical areas. The island has lost 48 percent of its natural forest cover since 1985. “WWF is eager to help make this commitment a reality to protect the magnificent tropical forests across Sumatra. These forests shelter some of the world’s rarest species and provide livelihoods for millions of people," said Mubariq Ahmad, CEO of WWF-Indonesia.

More than 13 percent of Sumatra’s remaining forests are peat forests, which sit atop the deepest peat soil in the world; clearing these forests is a major source of carbon emissions that cause climate change. “By protecting these forests from deforestation, Sumatra will provide a significant contribution to mitigate global climate change,” said Marlis Rahman, Vice Governor of West Sumatra Province.

“There are a lot of challenges in the future to ensure the successful implementation of the commitment,” said Noor Hidayat, Director of Conservation Areas at the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry. “A broad-based effort involving local and national government officials, financial institutions, NGOs, and communities needs to work together to make this commitment a reality.

“We are calling international communities to support us in implementing the commitment on the ground,” Rahman said.

###

For further information:
In Barcelona:
Marlis Rahman, Vice Governor of West Sumatra, + 62 811661841, marlisrahman@unand.ac.id
Ian Kosasih, Forest and Terestrial Program Director, WWF-Indonesia, +62 811110697, ikosasih@wwf.or.id
Jan Vertefeuille, WWF-US, +1 202 492 0597 or janv@wwfus.org
In Indonesia: Israr Ardiansyah, Media Relations, WWF-Indonesia : +628888742445, iardiansyah@wwf.or.id

Notes for Editors:

· B roll to accompany this story is available at www.panda.org/broadcast.
· Please contact WWF media relations, +41 79 7031952 or pdickie@wwfint.orgfor photos
· One forest on the island, Tesso Nilo, has the greatest vascular plant diversity of any lowlandforest ever studied – with more than twice the plant species in the Amazon.

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

Thai tiger heroes recognized

2008-10-06

Bangkok, Thailand: A naval officer who uncovered six tiger carcasses being illegally exported was among 10 Thai nationals honoured recently by the international environmental conservation community.

WWF-Thailand joined fellow environmental organization PeunPa, the International Tiger Coalition and the Save the Tiger Fund to mark International Tiger Day, celebrated around the world to raise awareness of the plight of wild tigers.

Thailand is one of the last places in the world with substantial numbers of tigers left in the wild. It is also a transit country used by wildlife criminals smuggling tigers from other countries on to international black markets.

The 10 “tiger heroes” are all government officers who made a significant contribution to conserving the wild tigers of Thailand and neighbouring countries by learning more about their ecology, patrolling against tiger poachers or stopping traffickers.

In January Lieutenant Commander Teeranan Dangpun, head of the Thatphanom Patrol Station on the Mekong River, stopped and seized two trucks filled with dead carcasses including six tigers, three leopards and two clouded leopards as well as 275 pangolins.

All of these species are protected under Thai law and it is illegal to trade in them. The carcasses were about to be loaded into boats headed for Laos for delivery to customers from Vietnam and China.

Among the other nine to be honoured were three members of Thailand’s Khao Nangrum Wildlife Research Station, three Thai customs officials and a representative of the Thai police force.

“Thanks to Royal Thai officers from the Department of National Parks, Plant and Wildlife Conservation, Customs, Police and Navy, the wild tigers of Thailand and Asia stand a better chance of surviving,” said Mook Wongchyakul of PeunPa.

In the last century, global wild tiger populations plummeted from about 100,000 to around 4,000 today. With only 7 per cent of its original habitat left, the world’s remaining tigers face an uphill battle. Therefore it is extremely important to protect the remaining tiger habitat.

“Tiger range countries like Thailand often get a lot of criticism for not protecting tigers and tiger habitat effectively,” said WWF Thailand Country Director Dr Willam Schaedla.

“But many people here are working very hard to save them. In this regard, Thailand’s tiger heroes deserve a lot of credit for all the ways they have cooperated across agency and organizational lines. They are doing the right thing under tough circumstances.”

Tributyltin canned

2008-09-17

A milestone in the protection of the oceans was reached today as a global ban on tributyltin (TBT) - one of the most toxic chemicals deliberately released into the sea - entered into force.

The International Convention on the Control of Harmful Antifouling Systems for Ships obliges its signatories to ensure that no vessels using hull paint containing TBT and other so-called organotin chemicals go under their flag or call at their ports.

"This is a tremendous victory for the marine environment, but one that is long overdue. It has been over forty years since TBT's negative effects were first identified and seven years since the legislation to ban organotins was agreed, yet we have only now achieved a global ban," says Dr. Simon Walmsley, Director of WWF-UK's Marine Programme.

Take-up of the agreement has been slow, with many of the large shipping states having yet to sign and implement the agreement into their national legislation. Whereas WWF is applauding the commitment of the 34 states that have ratified the agreement so far, the conservation organization urges all 168 member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to ratify as soon as possible.

TBT is often used in marine antifouling paint, as it swiftly kills organisms such as barnacles, algae and mussels which naturally attach themselves to hard surfaces, including ship hulls, thus reducing the drag effect and lowering fuel consumption.

The problem is that TBT leaks out from the paint and into the surrounding water, affecting marine life and seeping into the food chain where it accumulates and eventually reaches humans through fish consumption.

Heard of sea snails changing sex, or oysters seeing their shell being deformed? These are but two known adverse TBT effects on marine species. The decline of commercially harvested oysters along the Atlantic coast of France and the UK has been attributed to TBT contamination. TBT has also been found far from shipping lanes in albatrosses, whales and fish.

But we have probably only begun to see the long term effects of TBT and other organotins on marine ecosystems, as the poison is stored in sediments for many years and can re-enter the food chain when the sea bottom is stirred up by passing vessels in ports and shallow areas, or even by storms and dredging activities.

“TBT belongs not in the sea but in the poison cupboard, and this agreement will help put it firmly back there,” says Stephan Lutter, International Policy Officer with WWF Germany.

WWF has been lobbying for the ban of TBT for more than a decade. At the end of the 1990’s, WWF, together with some leading shipping companies and paint manufacturers, initiated the 2003 Group, whose members voluntarily banned the use of TBT on their vessels and developed toxics-free alternatives.

Scandinavian Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) banned the use of TBT in hull paint on all vessels in 2000.

“There are better alternatives which balance the need for antifouling with environmental stewardship. It is our responsibility to use them,” says Melanie Moore, WWL’s Global Head of Environment.

WWF continues to advocate for all vessels to apply biocide-free non-toxic alternatives.

Fore more information: Stephan Lutter, stephan.lutter@wwf.de and Jessica Battle jbattle@wwfint.org

New hope for Sumatra’s elephants and tigers as Indonesia doubles size of key national park

2008-08-28

Jakarta, Indonesia: The government of Indonesia today declared its commitment to enlarging the most suitable block of forest for Sumatran elephants, expanding the vital Tesso Nilo National Park on Sumatra island to 86,000 hectares.

"This is an important milestone toward securing a future for the Sumatran elephant and tiger," said Dr. Mubariq Ahmad, WWF-Indonesia's Chief Executive. “To ensure that the commitment is effectively implemented, we must redouble our efforts on the ground to eliminate poaching and illegal settlements within this special forest.”

Tesso Nilo is one of the last havens of endangered Sumatran elephants and critically endangered Sumatran tigers. With more than 4,000 plant species recorded so far, the forest of Tesso Nilo has the highest lowland forest plant biodiversity known to science, with many species yet to be discovered.

Tesso Nilo National Park was created in 2004 in Riau Province, but only 38,000 hectares of forest were included. With today’s declaration, the government of Indonesia is to extend the national park into 86,000 ha by December 2008 and integrate an additional 18,812 ha into the national park management area of 100,000 ha.

WWF has been supporting the government effort to extend and protect the park as the last block of lowland forest in central Sumatra large enough to support a viable elephant population. About 60 to 80 elephants are estimated to live there, along with 50 tigers.

Tesso Nilo forest is also an important watershed for more than 40,000 people living in the surrounding 22 villages.

“Tesso Nilo is still under serious threat from illegal activities, but if we can protect the forests there, it will give some of Sumatra’s most endangered wildlife the breathing room they need to survive,” Dr Ahmad said.

“And while we greatly appreciate this precedent for more protection from the Indonesian government, there are other areas on Sumatra that need safeguarding for the sake of its wildlife, its threatened indigenous peoples and to reduce the climate impacts of clearing.”

WWF helped establish and supports the Tesso Nilo Community Forum, run by all 22 local communities living in the buffer zone of the national park. The forum supports joint actions to protect the Tesso Nilo forest and gives the communities a unified and more influential voice in park management.

WWF is working with local communities that suffer from human-wildlife conflict as a result of disappearing forests in the province. Hundreds of elephants have died in the last few years.

A successful Elephant Flying Squad uses domesticated elephants and mahouts to keep wild elephants inside the park from raiding village crops outside the park. WWF also promotes the planting of buffer crops that are not attractive to elephants.

“WWF is committed for finding solutions for Sumatra’s people and wildlife and the global environment,” Dr

Ahmad said. “This is where the focus should be, rather than on the narrower interests of global pulp and palm oil conglomerates.”

For further information, please contact:
Desmarita Murni, WWF-Indonesia: +62 811793458) dmurni@wwf.or.id
Phil Dickie, WWF-International press office: +41 79 701952 or PDickie@wwfint.org

Notes for Editors:

• Riau Province has the highest deforestation rate of any province in Indonesia, with an astounding 11 percent forest loss between 2005 to 2006. It has lost more than 4 million hectares of forest in the past 25 years (65% of the province’s original forest).

• Riau is home to an estimated 210 Sumatran elephants (the remainder of a 84 percent population decline in the past 25 years) and 192 Sumatran tigers (after a 70 percent decline in the past quarter century). The new boundaries of Tesso Nilo National Park are estimated to be home to 60-80 elephants and 50 tigers.

• Riau is home to two of the world’s largest pulp mills, owned by Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and Asia Pacific Resources International Holding Ltd (APRIL). The province has lost more natural forest to pulpwood concessions than any other Indonesian province.

• The clearing of carbon-rich peatlands and peat forests in Riau has contributed to Indonesia having the third-highest rate of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, behind only the United States and China.

About WWF
WWF, the global conservation organization, is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF has a global network active in over 100 countries with almost 5 million supporters.
WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.