Find a New Species, LIPI Search at Kaltim Forest

Previously, the team discovered a new species of Conservation International, Pinocchio-nosed frog

VIVAnews - Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and will continue to conduct scientific expeditions to discover new species in Indonesia.

"There are still many new species in Indonesia, which has not been found. The expedition will be made to Papua New Guinea," said Head of LIPI, Anggara Umar Jenie, after giving a speech on global warning Biodiversity Day which falls on May 22, 2010 at LIPI Biology, District Cibinong, Bogor regency, West Java.

LIPI, he added, will be working with researchers from Japan.
Meanwhile, Head of Research Center for Biology LIPI, Bogor, Siti Nuramaliati Prijono, say, at this year's scientific expedition will comb the area of East Kalimantan.

The expedition will be conducted in July and August. "The region of East Kalimantan is one of Asia's largest tropical forest and its location was on the border between Malaysia and Indonesia."

"Hopefully, the expedition found a number of new species," he said.

Previously, scientists who are members of Conservation International and LIPI survey, found several new species in remote forests in the Foja Mountains, Papua.

There is a long-nosed frog-like cartoon character, Pinocchio. Uniquely it can be elongated nose frog and deflate. There are also several new mammal species, such as the world's smallest wallaby, bats that feed on plant juices of tropical rain forests, giant furry rodents, insects, and some other animals, including yellow-eyed gargoyle geckos similar.

Frogs 'Pinocchio' by chance sitting on bags of rice in the camp of the scientists. Fortunately, Paul Oliver, scientists from the University of Adelaide to see its emergence.

During the survey, the team also found a wallaby, the smallest species in the kangaroo family. Also black and white butterfly that is found along the tree rats and pigeons emperor with a unique color, the color of rust, white, and gray.

The expedition was conducted in November 2008. The story of this discovery appeared in the June edition of National Geographic magazine, complete with photographs of the captured Tim Page, wildlife photographer.

The discovery of this new species was published a week after the United Nations (UN) said that world governments have failed to meet targets to stop the rate of species loss. (Mt)

Report: Ayatollah Humaeni | Bogor

Clouded Tiger: New Species in Borneo

GENEVA, THURSDAY - Although already identified more than 100 years ago, the clouded leopard found on Borneo and Sumatra island only recently recognized as a new species since late last year. DNA test results showed, clouded leopard from Indonesia that has many different genetic properties similar to clouded leopards spread across the continent of Asia.

From now on, Neofelis diardi a new species name. Previously called the Borneo clouded leopard species name Neofelis nebulosa diardi. Clouded leopard was first identified in 1821 by British naturalist Edward Griffith and given the scientific name Neofelis nebulosa. Until now, all clouded leopards which are found in Asia are classified into one species with several subspecies variants.

However, DNA tests conducted at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the U.S. showed that the clouded leopard in Borneo and Sumatra has 36 different genetic makeup than the clouded leopard general. In comparison, the lion and tiger are both big cats have different genetic properties of 56. Results of research conducted Valerie A. Buckley-Beason from the Laboratory of Genome Diversity at NCI and a number of his colleagues carried out on 109 clouded leopards living in different regions. These findings have been published the results in the journal Current Biology on December 6, 2006.

"For more than 100 years we see these animals and do not realize that he was unique," said Stuart Chapman, coordinator of the Heart of Borneo, programs, World Wide Fund (WWF), which aims to preserve forests on Borneo island. The new clouded leopard is classified as a new species is expected to remain between 5,000 to 11,000 thousand in Borneo and between 3,000 to 7,000 in Sumatra.

He has a style like a cloud of small, double-striped pattern on the back, and hair color gray, darker than similar species. Meanwhile, spread a kind of clouded leopard in Nepal, southern China, and Southeast Asia has a large cloud patterns, striped patterns only near the tail, and bright hair colors.

Neofelis diardi is a major predator on Borneo that are in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam. Diet monkeys, deer, birds and lizards. The size of canines belonging to his longest among other cats. Life expectancy is now only remaining in the area of Heart of Borneo, a tropical forest in the central part of Borneo area of 220 thousand square kilometers which last month set by the government of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam as a conservation area.

These findings prove the importance of conservation efforts on the island of Borneo. Late last year, WWF announced the discovery of 52 new species, including 30 species of fish and plants on the island. (Source: AP)

166 Mining Company Threatens Forests of Borneo

Samarinda (ANTARA News) - WALHI East Kalimantan data reveals that increasingly severe deforestation problem actually is not from the forestry sector, but there are 166 coal-mining company that is now doing lend use forest areas so that threaten its sustainability.

"Unfortunately, most of the land that became the region lend use by coal-mining company that is included in the category of protected forest," said Director of WALHI East Kalimantan, Samarinda Isal Ward on Monday.

morally and for the sake of saving kaltim remaining natural forests, he added there is no argument that justified when the new Minister of Forestry forest lending agrees to activities outside of forestry proposed by the Government of district / city and more than 60 mining companies in Kalimantan.

Based on data that showed the largest Walhi who filed a license lend use of forest is in South of 72 coal companies, and then reached 65 companies in East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and West Kalimantan 20 companies, eight companies.

Since 2001, deforestation rates in East Kalimantan (the reduction of forest area) reached 350 thousand hectares every year, causing losses for communities in East Kalimantan are still dependent of forest products.

He explained that in the process, the central government through the ministry should not give permission lend use of forest areas for activities outside kehutatan although the rules / regulations are justified when existing SK Menhut lend use of forest areas.

"This request should be reviewed in depth given the increasing levels of deforestation in East Kalimantan and even penetrated the Protection Forest in East Kalimantan," he said.

Exploitation of forest area in East Kalimantan will have a very significant impact on sustainability and preservation of forests in East Kalimantan and directly affected the ecological disaster that occurred in East Kalimantan.

He added that for the case in the District Nunukan monitoring results show that the District Government kaltim WALHI (Pemkab) Nunukan had engaged in road clearing projects in protected forest areas.

"Regency until now have not indicated to be shown to the public regarding SK Menhut lend use Protected Forest areas in Nunukan district," he said.

Nunukan Pemkab action was a violation of the function areas and legislation applicable to the forestry sector.

"Seyogyakanya security forces should stop the project within the protected forest area," he asserted.

Isal added that the new Minister of Forestry also should not give SK lend use to Nunukan regency until there is an in-depth review of the project indicated the project has been carried out considering the absence of SK lend use issued by the Ministry of Forestry.

"Regarding the coal mining, it is obvious that these activities will indirectly reduce the forest area in East Kalimantan and to this reclamation carried out by some big companies in East Kalimantan coal has not run optimally," he said.

Lack of realization of the reclamation program is evident with the discovery of some reclaimed land that has not been maximally by a team of provincial Parliament some time that has passed. (Ant/K004)
Source: http://www.antaranews.com

Wain River Protected Forest

Exactly, Wain-river protected forest is one of nature vacation destination place from East Kalimantan Province. Wain-river protected forest is combination between forest and river vacation. Wain-river protected forest has 10,025 hectares wide area. At 1932, Wain-river protected forest was under Kutai Sultanate protected. Afterward this exotic vacation destination place has becomes the clean water source for two big cities in East Kalimantan province (Samarinda and Balikpapan). Today this tropical rainforest has become one of the best Indonesia vacation packages from east Kalimantan province.

This forest enriches by many rare animals such as honey bear, black monkey, orang utan, etc. Since 1992, Wain-river protected forest has been used as rehabilitation place for orang utan. This forest has received 80 orang utan species which caught by Borneo Orang Utan Survival Foundations (BOSF). Besides as vacation destination place, this forest is used for flora and fauna laboratory in Balikpapan city. At this forest, the visitors can enjoy the beautiful of wain river panoramas. Wain-river protected forest condition which some of its place is swamp makes the visitors who want to come to this place must have good preparation. The visitors can try tracking experience to explore this forest. While exploring this forest, we can see various rare animals such as honey bear and orang utan.

Wain-river protected forest is located at Balikpapan city, East Kalimantan province. Situated 15KM at the north of Balikpapan city, we can come to this place from Balikpapan by using local public transportation. This forest location is near of Balikpapan – Samarinda route. So, if we want to find great vacation experience, just come to this place and feel great Indonesia vacation Packages from East Kalimantan province.

Grab One Billion Dollars of Oslo Moratorium

Government of Indonesia on May 26, 2010 has signed agreement (Letter of Intent / LoI) in Oslo, Norway on a two-year moratorium on natural forest areas and peatlands in Indonesia.Ini means all permits relating to activities in natural forests will be stopped during two years. As for the affected in this regard include the forest industry, oil palm plantation industry, various mines in the woods and so forth.

Letter of Intent between the Government of Indonesia and Norway is a cooperative agreement between the two sides to decrease its greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation and forest degradation. In return, the Norwegian Government pledged one billion U.S. dollars, or about Rp 1 trillion dollars per year from this deal. It's a very tempting offer.

Campaign Director of Indonesian Forum for Environment (WALHI) Muhammad Teguh Surya in Jakarta, said Walhi moratorium on further deforestation rate is in good faith that need to be appreciated and supported by all parties, because all this deforestation continues to occur and only a few certain people who enjoy it.

According to him, better known moratorium Moratorium Oslo it will not disturb the people's economy but it is very annoying black conglomerate (black corporation), because millions of hectares of forest land has been dominated by only a few people for a period of decades.

In West Kalimantan, for example, data from West Kalimantan Plantation Office until December 2009 said that the total area of oil palm plantation under a permit issued has reached 3,592,633.66 ha and only owned by 15 groups.

Meanwhile, in East Kalimantan (Kaltim), East Kalimantan provincial government has issued a location permit as many as 311 pieces with an area of 3,345,565.69 hectares. Until early November 2010, claiming the Plantation Office Program One Million Hectare Oil Palm has been planted as much as 573,196.41 hectares.

On the other hand, the Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan said the moratorium is the wish of Indonesia to give time for forest governance better. Thus, the signing of the LoI is a realization SBY's government for forest conservation in Indonesia.

"Indonesia is not under pressure or dictation Norway. Moratorium our desires, to forest governance. Indonesia was a big country, it is impossible supervised Norway, "said Zulkifli.

SBY's even set the program One Billion forests in Indonesia to reduce exhaust emissions by 26 percent to launch a man to plant a tree trunk (One Man One Tree).

This commitment is at the Kaltim by Governor dreamily Faroek add the program into one person plant the Five Trees (One Man, Five Trees). Awang well aware that forests need green Kaltim back.

The question is, if Indonesia can win the "reward" of Rp 1 trillion rupiah, whether the money for it certainly will come to the community around the forest has always been poor and disadvantaged?

That kind of money ought to give welfare to the community around the forest during their daily life is dependent on the surrounding forest.

The government should focus on the dignity and welfare peningatan forest communities by providing capital, management advisory business, providing health education and a more easy and affordable and others.

This is our duty to oversee where the money is flowing to a billion dollars. Should the benefits are truly able to provide welfare to the community around the forest in a fair and equitable. Hopefully. (Vb / yul)(Source: Vivaborneo.com)

East Kalimantan’s Unexplored Forest Reveals Mystery

On December 6th, 2005, a team of ecoresearchers on Earth — in East Kalimantan — found evidence of a possible new carnivore, sparking excitement among researchers around the world.
It may not have been earth-shattering news, but it was interesting to many, because it made us realize that even on Earth, Mother Nature never ceases to surprise its inhabitants.
The red carnivore, which looks a little like a civet, was spotted in the 1.3-million-hectare Kayan Mentarang protected rain forest, near the Lalut Birai research station, where a nine-strong team from non-governmental organization World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Ministry of Forestry was compiling a biodiversity inventory.
A camera trap installed by local WWF staffers Andris Salo and Amat Uti in April 2003 captured two pictures of a creature with small ears, brownish, dark red fur throughout, large hind legs and a long thick, bushy tail.
“First, I was confused. I have never seen such a creature before,” said research team coordinator Stephan Wulffraat, who, at that time, had lived in the jungle for five years. “Later, I grew increasingly excited,” the Dutch ecologist said, sharing his feelings upon the discovery of a possible new species.
He showed the pictures to local staff and to several mammal experts from institutions like the Chicago Field Museum, U.S., where Dr. Harry Leaney, who has researched Southeast Asian mammals for 30 years, worked. He also contacted the Smithsonian, where Dr. Louise Emmons, who claims to have seen specimens of all mammals in Sabah, worked, and the Sabah Museum.
Nobody knew what kind of animal it was, Wulffraat wrote in his new book, Lalut Birai. It was definitely not a cat species, he continued. The book will be the most comprehensive flora and fauna inventory report released by the Lalut Birai research team. It contains information on thousands of flora and fauna species in the mysterious jungle.
Wulffraat said that the last carnivore found in Southeast Asia was the Borneo ferret-badger in 1895. The possible new carnivore would not be the first new species found in the Kayan Mentarang rain forest.
“Some 361 new species have been found in Kayan Mentarang over the last 10 years,” coordinator of WWF’s Heart of Borneo Program Bambang Supriyanto said on Monday in Jakarta during the press conference on the possible new species.
Of the 361 confirmed and published new species, 260 were insects, 50 plants, 30 freshwater fish, seven frogs, six lizards, five crabs and a toad.
According to a WWF report titled Borneo’s Lost World: Newly Discovered Species on Borneo, the discoveries are an underestimate as the discovery of many species has not yet been published in scientific literature or the press.
“In addition, whole groups of animals remain under-studied, including bats, which make up 40 percent to 50 percent of tropical mammal fauna and other small mammal groups, which are particularly difficult to survey due to their nocturnal habits, avoidance of possible predators or difficult-to-understand behavior,” the report said.
Such a situation made Wulffraat’s excitement at the red carnivore understandable.
Wulffraat was eager to return to Lalut Birai after spending a tough week answering a continuous stream of calls from reporters in Jakarta.
It will take two flights to East Kalimantan and an hour-long motorized canoe ride on the Bahau River for him to merge into the Kayan Mentarang rain forest once again.(Source: The Jakarta Post)

A portrait of deforestation in East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Author: Maria Monica Wihardja, CSIS

Indonesia has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. Illegal deforestation is currently rife, and the loss of government revenue associated with this illegality has been estimated at $US 100 million in East Kalimantan alone.

Deforestation is caused, in part, by land use changes resulting from cash-crop plantations and mining, particularly for coal in East Kalimantan. Recent increases in the rates of deforestation have occurred in three stages, and have been exacerbated by a number of policy developments and reforms.

The first stage of deforestation occurred when small-scale forest concessions were granted for collecting forest products—these grants were issued by a Forest Product Harvesting Permit (Hak Pemungutan Hasil Hutan or HPHH). Under Indonesia’s centralised government system, HPHH were issued by the Provincial Governor, whilst after decentralisation, the HPHH were issued by the head of a regency (the Regent), or the head of a city (the Mayor). The issuing of HPHH were a key driver of deforestation until 2002, when the authority of the Regent and Mayor to issue HPHH was withdrawn by the government through the Forest Ministerial Decree No. 541, 2002.

The second stage occurred from 2002 until 2005, when deforestation occurred mostly due to the expanding plantation sector, especially oil palm plantations. Recently, the multinational food corporations, Nestlé and Unilever, made an agreement with Greenpeace not to buy palm oil products, from the Indonesian palm oil producer PT Smart, a subsidiary of Sinar Mas—an Indonesian agribusiness conglomerate. This agreement was forged because of consumer and civil society pressure over environmental issues, such as the habitat loss of Orangutan — one of Indonesia’s most endangered and charismatic species. Greenpeace has also put pressure on Walmart to cease buying products from PT Smart, and has successfully lobbied HSBC to sell its shares in the subsidiary.

There are short-term socio-economic impacts resulting from the cancellation of palm oil contracts, such as the loss of employment in affected industries and the reduction of wealth flowing into rural communities — but these are insignificant when compared with the long-term benefits from reducing deforestation.

The third stage occurred from 2005 until present, this period has seen an increase in deforestation due to the expansion of small-scale coal mining.

This expansion has been driven by three factors.

First, changes to the land use legislation (Article 38 of National Law No. 41, 1999) allowed for mining on forested areas, including protected forests, through the issuance of a special permit (Borrowing and Using Permit) that is approved by the Minister of Forestry.

The Borrowing and Using Permit was granted to mining companies under the proviso that before the issuance of the National Law No. 41 they already held permits to mine in forest areas. Initially, there were only 13 companies eligible under this proviso, however, by May 2010, there were 54 permits issued in East Kalimantan alone. Out of the 54 permits, 53 permits were issued after the issuance of Government Regulation No.2, 2008, which set the tariff rate for exploiting non-forest products, including minerals and coal. This regulation was often perceived as an effort to ‘sell’ forest areas.

Second, the dramatic increase in the price of commodities prior to the global financial crisis increased mining in forested areas. The GFC depressed coal prices, but as of 2010, the coal price has rebounded, and this has seen an increase in investment in the mining sector. This investment has been supported by the central government, and local communities and indigenous communities have been willing to open up their land for mining.

Third, decentralising the issuance of mining concessions, combined with local direct elections gave rise to local capture and rent seeking. Mining permits became a political commodity to garner votes, and political campaigners and those who had access to the regent or mayor became brokers to interested mining investors.

Unless broad ranging policy reforms occur, and corruption is reduced, Indonesia will struggle to reduce levels of deforestation to locally and internationally acceptable levels — but these reforms will not occur overnight. For now, continued international pressure by civil society will be the most successful path of action.

Maria Monica Wihardja is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta.

Source: http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2010/09/25/a-portrait-of-deforestation-in-east-kalimantan-indonesia/

Policy Spatial Plan Province (RTRWP) East Kalimantan

East Kalimantan Province Government should not have to "conversion" (averting enable) 1.3 million ha of forest areas for other purposes set out in the Spatial Plan Province (RTRWP) which is still be negotiated to the central government. In argument, Regional and Central Government have no reason to convert the millions of forest area. Conversion policy is contrary to the principles of environmental and peyelamatan amid increasing forest ecological disasters such as floods 3 times a year, landslides and increased district disaster-prone city in East Kalimantan.
Cultural Area Non-Forestry (KBNK) in East Kalimantan has reached 5.1 million ha (26.33%) of forest area in East Kalimantan (RTRWP, 1999) and if there is the addition of 1.3 million ha, the increase is for 7.03 % for KBNK. While the amount of protected forest area increased only about 1.2% from 4.6 million ha and Cultural Area Forestry (KBK) decreased approximately 10.32% of the 9.7 jt ha. East Kutai regency, West Kutai and Kutai Kartanegara are two districts that have the highest area proposed for conversion of forest areas with a total percentage ranging from 5% - 6%. Meanwhile, West Kutai district included in the category of landslide disaster-prone districts dilima; Peace, Long APARI, PAHANGAI Long, Long Bagun and Long Iram. Only Tarakan City are experiencing a reduction of 0.10% KBNK.
Spatial plan which was built by the government district / city and province were still relativized interests and rescue Environment and forests do not have the spirit of conservation and welfare of the people of East Kalimantan. The process of consultation and socialization to the community as stipulated in the Act No.26 Year 2007 About Spatial also has not performed maximally, so that not all the people of East Kalimantan to know and schools of the spatial changes that will potentially vulnerable in conflicts create horizontal and vertical community level.
Spatial Planning Province (RTRWP) is the product of policy concerning the public livelihood Kaltim, if the policy has the potential to cause high levels of escalation of conflict management of people's livelihood (SDA) and even to cause casualties, the government should thwart 'conversion' 1, 3 million ha of forest area. Enough already faced problems Kaltim community management of conflict of livelihood for decades occurred in East Kalimantan and no longer added to the formulation of spatial planning that does not side with the interests of the people of East Kalimantan.