Let's make use of natural heritage to cut down huge ecological footprint

In Review - Tech & Science
By Hugh Tan and L.M. Chou and Darren Yeo and Peter Ng
26 May 2007
Straits Times

No matter how small the habitats, protecting them is better then having them eliminated

WE HAVE become aware of how important the natural heritage is to the environment and to human society. People in this region rely heavily on natural resources - providing them with food and material.

But in urban Singapore, just how useful is our natural heritage? What can we expect from the isolated pockets of nature and how do we justify conservation when the demand for land is so acute?

We do not depend on the natural habitat for food, or material for construction or other purposes. Fishing is carried out but on a limited scale.

As a nation with limited land and sea, we depend very much on imported food and material. Singapore is environmentally unsustainable.

Our ecological footprint is large, estimated at 7.2ha per person. This is the area of land needed to generate the amount of food and material needed by each person here. Our demand is much higher than the global average, which is estimated at 1.7ha per person.

The demand for energy is high as we seek to keep cool indoors. What we have available is equivalent to only 0.1ha per person.

If environmental sustainability is a long way down the road for Singapore, does this mean that we should not worry about protecting the natural environment?

Perhaps we should consider how we can make the best use of our natural heritage to reduce our ecological footprint. Lowering our energy demand can help reduce our footprint.

Since we live in a built environment, strategies should also seek to improve the built environment to make it more environmentally friendly.

We need also to look at the natural environment, including modified habitats, to see what can be done to enhance the level of environmental goods and services.

Effective management

FOR the built environment, imagination and a willingness to try out ideas are important, provided that the innovations are based on scientific understanding. If rooftop gardens are developed over all commercial buildings and apartment blocks, this will significantly lower ambient temperature and reduce air-conditioning costs.

Changi Airport's Terminal 3 will have trees and waterfalls within the building to help cool the interior. The other two terminals have been upgraded to make more effective use of natural light. There are many architectural innovations that can be tested to make buildings more environmentally friendly and less demanding on the resources.

Nature has already shown that these innovations work. The large mounds built by termites are a marvel in animal architecture. They permit natural ventilation and the constant flow of air within keeps the internal temperature constant. At the same time, there is sufficient air exchange.

For the natural environment, effective management is needed to prevent loss of habitat quality and decline in habitat health. An understanding of how a habitat functions will help in the formulation of suitable management policies.

For example, it is now accepted that protection of a species will not work if its habitat is not protected as well. For degraded habitats, restoration activities can help to give them a lease of life, provided the techniques and approaches used are based on a good understanding of ecological principles.

For example, it is not wise to plant deep forest species in open land. A better approach is to first plant species adapted to open land and later introduce deep forest species as the restored habitat develops.

Protecting habitats and biodiversity is essential to the management of the whole environment. No matter how small or fragmented the habitats are, protecting them and reversing degradation is better then having them totally eliminated. The environment without the living component is not wholesome.

Development is necessary, but steps can be taken to minimise unnecessary habitat loss and to restore unused areas that had to be cleared for the development, but were not used after completion of a project. Natural habitats help to maintain environmental quality and can accommodate a variety of other activities, such as fish farming.

Protecting nature areas, reducing unnecessary habitat loss, restoration and the linking of habitats with nature corridors are all very important efforts at ensuring that it is possible for us in a city state to live close to nature.

Apart from maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, our natural heritage has educational, research and tourism value. The high biodiversity concentrated in the habitats here, most of which are confined to small areas, is an attraction in itself.

Visiting these places is always a delight for those who want to see as many species as possible in a short time. Most of our natural habitats do not disappoint: it is common to come across species not encountered in earlier visits.

Local and visiting scientists have described many new species from Singapore. And the potential of new species discovery remains high. Scientists have also turned their attention to screening natural compounds from plant and animal species in the hope of uncovering compounds that have pharmaceutical or agricultural applications.

Many bioactive compounds have been isolated from local species; this further emphasises the need to preserve biodiversity. Our natural heritage is a rich genetic bank from which promising bioactive compounds can be found.

Biodiversity crucial

STEPS have been taken to allow the public to enjoy the natural heritage. Museums and herbariums are a storehouse of preserved specimens, important for keeping a permanent record of the country's natural heritage.

But habitats maintain them alive!

And they offer an altogether different aspect for observation. Facilities and educational centres in some of the nature reserves and parks help visitors to learn more and to see more.

Boardwalks and pathways at places such as Sungei Buloh and Chek Jawa permit people to move comfortably through the habitat and to see more from a vantage position. The HSBC TreeTop Walk, opened in 2004, is a suspension bridge in MacRitchie that goes across different stages of a mature secondary forest. Visitors walk at eye level with the forest canopy and can view such life from a perspective often missed when walking over the forest floor.

There is the accompanying problem of too many visitors. As many of our habitats are limited, visitor numbers have to be regulated. When the public heard about the rich biodiversity at Chek Jawa coming under threat of impending reclamation, scores of visitors went across and almost trampled the place to death.

This needed a quick response and management plans were implemented to prevent excessive damage. This involved limiting the number of visitors and building a boardwalk that prevented trampling.

The case of the Semakau Landfill also shows positive commitment to balance conservation and development. It is an indication that conservation and development can co-exist.

The restored mangroves and the protected coral reefs were saved by design. If these were not planned for, there would be only the landfill today and nothing of environmental significance.

Biodiversity is all the more crucial in our urbanised city state.

We need to maintain what natural heritage we have left, and take full advantage of the benefits it readily provides for free.

This article was adapted from an excerpt in the recently published second edition of The Natural Heritage of Singapore, a book detailing Singapore's natural history. The writers are Singaporean academics at the National University of Singapore's Department of Biological Sciences. Between them, they have several decades of research experience in land and water ecology, botany, zoology and conservation in Singapore and South-east Asia.

REVERSING DEGRADATION

Development is necessary, but steps can be taken to minimise unnecessary habitat loss and to restore unused areas that had to be cleared for the development, but were not used after completion of a project. Natural habitats help to maintain environmental quality and can accommodate a variety of other activities, such as fish farming.

100 trees planted in Kent Ridge Park to tackle global warming

By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia
29 August 2007

SINGAPORE: A hundred trees were planted in Kent Ridge Park on Wednesday morning in a joint initiative by the South West Community Development Council, the National Parks Board (NParks), and corporate partner Bayer.

In a small but significant step to tackle the global warming problem, about 40 National University Singapore (NUS) students, Bayer employees and other volunteers planted 100 trees along a 50-metre cycling trail.

The day's activity was part of the 100,000 Native Plants @ South West Programme which the CDC and NParks initiated last year.

Some 40,000 plants and trees have since taken root.

Dr Amy Khor, Mayor of South West District, said: "This programme was actually (initiated) to bring back our green heritage by the planting of native plants, as well as to create a greener environment in the district in the next two years. If the programme continues to be very welcomed by the community, which I think it is, we will look to increasing the target."

"I think it's very special in the sense that it allows youths to actually have something hands-on to do, something tangible that they can do for the environment," said Teo Shu Li, a 17-year-old junior college student.

Pharmaceutical company Bayer also has good reasons for taking part.

Marcus Yim, Senior Bayer Representative, South ASEAN, said: "Environment protection is always a very big part of requirements for all the corporate organisations around the world. It's very important to protect our environment as the future generations will also benefit from it."

Its green cause was in support of the worldwide Billion Tree Campaign by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).


- CNA/so

World's largest moth makes early appearance in S'pore this year

By Ryan Huang, Channel NewsAsia
17 August 2007

SINGAPORE: Pupae of the world's largest moth, Atlas Moth, seem to be making an early appearance on the island this year.

A tree by Singapore's Sungai River has recently become home to Atlas Moth caterpillars, which is common in Southeast Asia, especially Singapore.

They are usually spotted between November and January, but they have appeared earlier than usual this year.

"I was brisk walking, and saw the leaves all eaten up and the tree was almost bare. I counted almost 80 caterpillars,” said Koh Keow Chan, a nature enthusiast.

He supposed the rain that suddenly came during the hot months of July and August might have led to the early appearance of the caterpillars.

The caterpillars may look cute, but it is best to leave them alone.

"If it's a small one, then you feel a lot of itch. If it's a big one, then u feel a lot of pain. It's really like a sting," said Stefanie Fam, who was once bitten by an Atlas Moth caterpillar.

Atlas Moth, so named because of the map-like patterns on its wings, is also known as the Snake Head Moth, referring to the its wing tips’ resemblance to a snake’s head.

When fully grown, it can have a wingspan of some 30 centimetres.

Atlas Moth is nocturnal, with a lifespan of around two weeks.

Yet, traces of their delicate beauty live on in a different form as broken cocoons of the moths are often used to make fagara silk, commonly used in Taiwan to make purses. - CNA/ac

New book on biodiversity in Singapore waters launched by NUS, ExxonMobil

By Teresa Tang, Channel NewsAsia
03 August 2007

SINGAPORE: A new book documenting creatures found in Singapore's waters was launched on Friday evening by Minister for the Environment and Water resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim.

Titled "Private Lives: An Expose of Singapore Shores", it explores almost 300 species of plants and animals.

The book was written by Professor Peter Ng from the National University of Singapore (NUS), which has collaborated with ExxonMobil on the project.

With S$600,000 set aside by the ExxonMobil Biodiversity Fund, NUS and ExxonMobil have also worked together on various projects to educate the public on Singapore's biodiversity. - CNA/ac

Vanishing Bees May Get By with a Little Help from the Army

By Matt Sullivan
Popular Mechanics
September 2007 issue

Since last fall, the strange phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has killed off a quarter of America's honeybee population, and threatened 25 percent of our food supply. (A wide variety of crops rely on pollination.) This past spring, a nationwide effort by top DNA scientists determined that CCD is probably caused by a number of factors, including multiple bee-killing viruses. But identifying specific viruses with DNA sequencing is a slow, painstaking process.

That's where Charles Wick (then the leader of the chemical and biological detection team at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland) came in, volunteering a microwave-size invention to help the cause. Originally used to screen drinking water for pathogens, Wick's 50-pound Integrated Virus Detection System (IVDS) hits a sample with an electric charge, then counts and sizes the particles making up the sample to identify viruses. By measuring to the nanometer, the IVDS can pin down a disease in 10 minutes.

As a trial run, CCD surveyors sent Wick samples from suffering beehives, which he liquefied in a blender, filtered using a cheesecloth, and ran through the IVDS. "They'd been working on this for six or seven months," Wick says, "so we brought in a new technology and immediately detected the pathogens they were looking for."

The surveyors were astonished: Within minutes, the IVDS had found multiple suspicious viruses, kick-starting the chase for the cause of the collapsed colonies. Wick's invention is now part of the ongoing CCD effort, and a commercial version of the device has just been released.

Singapore's biodiversity may provide potential cures for diseases

By Foo Siew Shyan, Channel NewsAsia
19 July 2007

SINGAPORE: You may think that Singapore lacks biodiversity, but the latest collaboration between National Parks Board and an international pharmaceutical company may just prove you wrong.

Drug discovery company MerLion Pharmaceuticals and National Parks Board have inked an agreement to tap into Singapore's diverse plants, animals and micro-organisms.

The company will collect samples from here to support drug discovery that's based on natural products.

Singapore is one of many stops the company collects samples from.

The move will boost MerLion's library, which now contains more than 100,000 micro-organisms.

Royalties from any successfully produced drug will also come back to Singapore. – CNA/ac

Toa Payoh Town Park revamped with greener feel

By Dustin Chin, Channel NewsAsia
09 July 2007

SINGAPORE: An old park amidst a cluster of highrise developments in central Singapore has taken on an even greener feel.

Toa Payoh Town Park has been revamped into the ultimate attraction for park lovers and green enthusiasts alike, with new environmentally friendly features.

Many visitors, such as retiree Eileen Martinus, describe the new space as almost magical.

"Now I feel that it is a very good place, a very good idea actually because Toa Payoh is very busy, with a lot of traffic and a lot of people, and this is... sort of a haven," said Martinus.

Improvement works started about a year ago.

Now in its second phase of redevelopment, the park boasts some new features which make it stand out.

"There is a new walkway, about 30 to 40 metres long, which is made of recycled jarrah timber, and also we have added a variety of water plants along the edge of the pond," said Ang Chiean Hong, Section Head (Parks), National Parks Board (NParks).

"Visitors can look out for new trellises and new rest areas at the edge of the pond."

The materials used for the redevlopment of the park have been selected for ecological reasons.

"By using recycled jarrah timber, it is in line with NParks' policy of environmental sustainability. Recycled jarrah timber is an eco-friendly alternative to new timber," said Ang.

It is hoped the improvements will help draw more visitors to the area and promote environmental awareness.

Since it is just a stone's throw from the estate's transport hub, park planners know it won't be too long before this happens.

Said nurse and park visitor Ohnmar Aung, "It has to be environmentally friendly because Singapore is known for it. If we cut all the wood down there, then we are cutting down our natural resources every day. We won't live properly and we are killing our own world.

"We'd better use the recycled trees for our own future... so yes I think it's a very good choice." - CNA/yy

New Atlantic Salmon Conservation Agreement

June 21, 2007 — By the Atlantic Salmon Federation

Safer Ocean Migration Ensured

ST. ANDREWS, NB — A new Greenland Conservation Agreement will suspend commercial salmon fisheries in Greenland's territorial waters for seven years, beginning with the 2007 season. The fishermen of Greenland have agreed to continue a moratorium which began in 2002 under an earlier agreement. The moratorium has already saved thousands of wild Atlantic salmon that originate in rivers of North America and Southern Europe, migrate to feeding grounds off West Greenland and then return to their home rivers to spawn.

The new agreement signed by the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) of North America, the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF) of Iceland, and the Organization of Fishermen and Hunters in Greenland (KNAPK), three non-governmental organizations, has been endorsed by the Greenland Home Rule Government which will help enforce it.

"This is an outstanding achievement that should ensure the return of many more wild salmon to spawn in the rivers of North America and Southern Europe," said Bill Taylor, President of the ASF, and "we are indebted to Orri Vigfusson of Reykjavik, Chairman of NASF, and Buff Bohlen of Washington DC for their leadership in negotiating this agreement." Both conservationists are members of ASF's Board of Directors.

The agreement allows the continuation of salmon fishing for recreation and local consumption, but calls for a sustained effort to reduce the number of salmon being killed thereby. "I am grateful to the leaders of KNAPK," said Mr. Bohlen, "for their commitment to keep this fishery at a minimal level and for their overall cooperation in helping us restore salmon populations in Maine and Eastern Canada."

Scientists of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) have recommended that there be no kill of wild salmon off West Greenland for at least the next four years. They estimate that the population there has declined 89 percent from 917,000 in 1975 to a predicted 113,000 in 2007. Salmon that make the long Greenland migration are particularly susceptible to mortality at sea. Fewer than 74,000 large salmon are believed to have made it back to North American rivers last year, while 152,548 salmon are needed to meet the overall basic conservation target. Unfortunately, ICES predicts no improvement in 2008 and 2009.

The new agreement is contingent upon the Greenland Government continuing to abide by the scientific recommendations of ICES and adhering to a zero commercial quota under the Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean, 1982.

ASF and NASF will provide annual contributions to a "Salmon Fund" in Greenland which will be used to finance projects that redirect salmon fishermen into alternative sustainable fisheries, reduce bycatch of salmon in those fisheries, purchase and destroy salmon nets, and provide employment in coastal communities.

Visuals, including a graph of salmon numbers (pre-fishery abundance) and an Atlantic salmon migration map can be found at atlanticsalmonfederation.org

The Atlantic Salmon Federation is an international, non-profit organization that promotes the conservation and wise management of wild Atlantic salmon and their environment. ASF has a network of seven regional councils (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Maine and Western New England. The regional councils cover the freshwater range of the Atlantic salmon in Canada and the United States.

Contact Info:

Muriel Ferguson
ASF Communications
Tel : 506-529-1033
Alt : 506-529-4581

Website : the Atlantic Salmon Federation

Drifting Icebergs Are Hotspots of Life

June 22, 2007 — By Randolph E. Schmid, Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Icebergs that break off Antarctica and drift away turn out to be hotspots of life in the cold southern ocean, researchers report. Climate warming has led to an increase in the number of icebergs breaking away from the Antarctic in recent years, and a team of researchers set out to study the impact the giant ice chunks were having on the environment.

Turns out, the melting ice also dumps particles scraped off Antarctica into the ocean, providing a pool of nutrients that feed plankton and tiny shrimplike creatures known as krill.

Indeed, the researchers led by Kenneth L. Smith Jr., of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing, Calif., found an increase in life forms surrounding a pair of icebergs they studied.

The abundance extended nearly 2 1/2 miles away from the drifting ice, they report in this week's online edition of the journal Science.

"Just as water-holes become "hotspots" in the desert, drifting icebergs are like oases in Antarctic's ocean," helping promote life, said Russell R. Hopcroft of the Institute of Marine Science at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

It has been known that biological productivity is increased near the edge of an ice pack, Hopcroft said, but it's an aspect of floating icebergs that has not been previously considered. Hopcroft was not part of the research team.

Smith said he was surprised at the amount of sealife surrounding the icebergs, though "there had been anecdotal observations in the past of increased seabird abundance around icebergs."

By promoting life surrounding them, the icebergs also may have an impact on reducing the excess carbon in the atmosphere -- at least somewhat countering the greenhouse warming that helped make them break free in the first place, Smith suggested.

"One important consequence of the increased biological productivity is that free-floating icebergs can serve as a route for carbon dioxide drawdown and sequestration of particulate carbon as it sinks into the deep sea," Smith said in a statement.

"While the melting of Antarctic ice shelves is contributing to rising sea levels and other climate change dynamics in complex ways, this additional role of removing carbon from the atmosphere may have implications for global climate models that need to be further studied," he added.

Kristen St. John, a professor or geology and environmental science at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., said the surprising aspect of the report is the scale at which it is happening.

It has been known that icebergs deposit material from land into the ocean as they melt, but the amount of the impact in this case was significant, she said.

Lack of iron is known to limit biological activity in the southern ocean, she said, and "if icebergs are transporting iron-rich minerals to offshore marine settings it is logical that the icebergs are ... helping the base of the food chain, which then can have positive effects all the way up the food chain," she said.

However, St. John cautioned that bedrock in different source areas has different rock and mineral types so every source will not be the same.

"This study is fascinating and should prompt others to pay greater attention to the organic content of the drifting ice," said St. John, who was not part of the research team.

Smith said he is organizing a new study to make more detailed measurements of the amount of iron and other nutrients released.

Walker Smith of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science of the College of William and Mary, said the study "confirms what has been known in a fragmentary sense."

"What is novel about the study is the use of radium isotopes to establish clearly the influence of" the material in the water and estimating the area it influenced, said Smith, who was also not part of the research team.

The researchers closely studied icebergs W-86 and A-52 in the Weddell Sea, adjacent to Antarctica and southeast of the southern tip of South America. They collected samples of the water around the ice and used a remotely operated submarine to study the undersides of the ice.

The work was supported by the National Science Foundation and the David and Lucille Packard Foundation.

------

On the Net:

Science: http://www.sciencemag.org

Source: Associated Press

Climate change brings early spring in the Arctic

By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Published: 19 June 2007
The Independent

The Arctic spring is coming two weeks ahead of time compared to a decade ago, with birds, butterflies, flowers and small animals all appearing earlier in the year as a result of climate change.

A study of a range of animals and plants living in the high Arctic has revealed that many of them are responding to the earlier spring by flowering or laying their eggs significantly ahead of their normal times of the year.

On average, the breeding and flowering seasons in the Arctic have shifted by 14.5 days but some species of mosquitoes have begun laying their eggs 30 days earlier than in the mid 1990s, Toke Hoye, of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, said.

"Our study confirms what many people already think, that the seasons are changing and it is not just one or two warm years but a trend seen over a decade," Dr Hoye said. "This is the most extensive study of its kind in the Arctic in terms of the number and variety of species and the replication of the observations."

The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, show the shift in the spring season has been greater in the Arctic than elsewhere in the world. Previous studies have shown that plants in Europe are flowering 2.5 days earlier than a decade ago, whereas globally animal and plants are appearing 5.1 days earlier each decade.

The study investigated the time of year when insects, butterflies, spiders and birds began laying eggs or emerging from their winter hibernation. They also looked at the time of first flowering of Arctic plants.

Dr Hoye said the movements in the season of six species of plants, 12 species of arthropods and three bird species must be tied to the earlier times of the year when the snow melts in the Zackenberg region of north-east Greenland, where the study was carried out.

"It's an indication that for the plants, arthropods and birds there's a change in their shared physical environment that results in a change in their behaviour," he said. "That must be when the snow melts.

"We know that the snow is melting about two weeks earlier than it did a decade ago in this part of the Arctic. Given the wide selection of species we studied in each group, we can see no other explanation for the shift in their behaviour," he said.

"We were particularly surprised to see that the trends were so strong considering that the entire summer is very short in the high Arctic - with just three to four months from snowmelt to freeze up at our study site."

Records of global temperatures show that the polar regions, and especially the Arctic, are experiencing some of the largest increase in average temperatures.

Dr Hoye warned that the change in timing of emergence, egg-laying and flowering could disturb local food webs with some animals appearing ahead or behind of others on which they rely for food.

More certified sustainable wood in Bolivia

The Rainforest Alliance Joins with ForestWorld to Maximize Availability of FSC-Certified Wood to Use in Production of Furniture, Flooring and Decking in Bolivia

June 08, 2007 — By the Rainforest Alliance

The Rainforest Alliance has signed a SmartSource agreement with SumaPacha Industrial S.A., a Bolivia-based wood product manufacturer, to help maximize the availability of wood that comes from responsibly managed forestlands certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for the company's use in the production of furniture, flooring and decking. SumaPacha is a subsidiary of ForestWorld LLC, a Greensboro, North Carolina-based manufacturer of FSC-certified wood products made from Latin American tropical hardwoods.

SumaPacha is the first company in South America to sign a SmartSource agreement, which is an initiative of the Rainforest Alliance's forestry program that aims to help businesses improve their forest product purchasing policies and practices and increase their access to FSC-certified wood by strengthening relationships throughout their supply chains. The agreement will help the company meet its growth targets and fulfill the increasing market demand for home products that come from responsibly managed forestlands.

"The Rainforest Alliance promotes collaboration among private industry, producers and consumers as a tool for truly integrating responsible practices throughout a supply chain," said Daphne Hewitt, senior project manager with the Rainforest Alliance. "ForestWorld and SumaPacha have demonstrated their commitment to responsible production by continually seeking to increase the volume of FSC-certified wood that is purchased for their manufacturing facility in Bolivia and have become leaders in their industry. The Rainforest Alliance is pleased to work with SumaPacha to ensure continued success with FSC certification."

Goals of this agreement include getting more than 400,000 new hectares (988,400 acres) of forestland in Bolivia and Peru to meet the FSC's environmental and social standards and providing market incentives for community and indigenous suppliers to participate in a sustainable forest product market chain with SumaPacha.

"ForestWorld is excited to work with the Rainforest Alliance on increasing the area of FSC-certified forestlands in Bolivia and Peru," said Chris Anderson, CEO of ForestWorld. "This joint effort will help in our mission of protecting tropical forest areas through responsible forest management. By including a goal to certify indigenous community areas, this endeavor will also help us ensure that local residents benefit from the natural resources from which our products are made."

SumaPacha manufactures high-end outdoor furniture, flooring and decking, using traditional and non-traditional tropical hardwood species from Bolivia and Peru and specializes in offering socially and environmentally responsible products. The company owns a 300,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in La Paz, Bolivia and supplies leading retailers in the United States and Europe.

With growing market demand for certified products, SumaPacha called on the Rainforest Alliance to help reach out to concession holders and indigenous communities to certify their areas and thus increase the volume of available FSC-certified wood that meets the company's specifications.

The Rainforest Alliance will design training for SumaPacha's priority suppliers to enable them to meet the company's specifications, including enhanced business and processing skills, and explore the potential for additional new suppliers to become FSC-certified in the near future.
This agreement builds on Bolivia's leadership role in FSC-certified tropical forestland. With nearly 2 million hectares (nearly 5 million acres) of tropical forest certified in Bolivia, the country is second only to Brazil with the largest area of FSC-certified tropical forest in the world.
The Rainforest Alliance's SmartSource initiative helps manufacturers, retailers and consumers develop responsible purchasing plans and supply chains for forest products such as lumber, paper and packaging. As part of SmartSource, Rainforest Alliance experts review and outline steps to improve supply chains, offer workshops and training related to forest product supply chains and responsible forest management, and provide guidance in developing a purchasing policy, among other things.

The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org

Seacology's Top 10 Tips to Save the World's Islands

June 08, 2007 — By Seacology

BERKELEY, Calif. — With vacation time rapidly approaching, many people's thoughts turn to islands. Seacology (www.seacology.org), the world's premier non-profit organization with the sole purpose of preserving island environments and cultures, is pleased to provide our top 10 tips to enable travelers to enjoy islands while helping to preserve them.

Although islands conjure up images of pristine tropical paradises, they are actually among the world's most threatened ecosystems. In the last 400 years, over 50 per cent of all plant and animal species extinctions including an astonishing 90 per cent of all bird species extinctions have occurred on islands. Seventy- two percent of all the plant and animal extinctions ever recorded in the U.S. have occurred in Hawaii, a state that makes up less than two-tenths of one per cent of the nation's land area. In the last 400 years Lord Howe Island, a small island located in the Coral Sea between Australia and New Zealand, has had more bird species and subspecies extinctions than Africa, Asia and Europe combined.

Much has been written about global warming and climate change. Nowhere in the world will its consequences be felt more strongly than on islands, some of which will cease to exist if the seas continue to rise due to melting polar ice caps. The very isolation that until relatively recently protected island environments from encroachment now makes their ecosystems extremely vulnerable to damage from such outside threats as introduced species. The coral reefs and mangrove forests that surround most tropical islands are rapidly disappearing due to human interventions such as cyanide and dynamite fishing, sewage discharge, pesticide runoff, and dumping of waste from ocean liners.

Since 1999, Seacology has launched over 130 island-based projects, saving 1,741,062 acres of marine ecosystems and 98,507 acres of precious terrestrial habitat. Seacology projects provide a tangible benefit, such as an elementary school or a fresh water delivery system for island villagers, in exchange for the establishment of a marine or forest reserve.

You too can help save the world's islands! Seacology has compiled a list of the top 10 things you can do to protect islands and enjoy your island experience.

Spend your vacation at a true eco-resort. Many establishments claim to be environmentally friendly, yet confine their efforts to encouraging you to re-use your towel. If a resort is calling itself eco-friendly, ask why before making a reservation. Resorts such as the Jean Michel Cousteau Fiji Island Resort (www.fijiresort.com) and the accommodations at the Chumbe Island Coral Park (www.chumbeisland.com) provide a true, one-of-a-kind ecologically responsible vacation experience.

Take nothing but pictures. Do not collect shells or other wildlife as souvenirs of your trip. That shell you want to take might be the future home of a hermit crab.

Offset your carbon. Flying to an island releases large amounts of CO2 into the air. Compensate for the negative environmental impacts of your travel by contributing to Seacology's Carbon Neutral Fund. Your dollars will assist Seacology's efforts to support tree planting and clean energy projects on islands throughout the world.

Cool off responsibly. Many tropical islands are cooled by trade winds. Shutting off the air conditioning will not only save energy, it will also allow you to hear the breeze passing through the palm trees and the chirping of the birds. If conditions are sweltering and you must use the air conditioning, turn it off when you leave your room!

Respect and appreciate the diversity of island cultures and languages. The devastation of island cultures is happening at an alarming rate. One island alone - Papua New Guinea - is home to over 800 languages, many of which are spoken by only a small number of tribal elders. Before you go, learn a little about the culture and language of the island you plan to visit. The smiles that greet you when you use the local language will be a nice added bonus.

Don't destroy underwater life. When scuba diving or snorkeling, do not touch anything. Coral reefs are very fragile and take a long time to grow. You will also save yourself from nasty stings and bites by adopting a no-touch policy.

Avoid disposable products. Waste disposal is a critical problem on many of the world's islands. Do not bring disposable products on your vacation.

See an island's hidden treasures and get closer to nature. Reduce your impact on an island's environment and atmosphere by engaging in eco-friendly activities instead of motorized ones such as jeep or helicopter tours. Kayaking, biking, hiking and sailing are great ways to see the beauty of island ecosystems. You will also meet a lot more people when you are out of your car.
Support local economies, save fossil fuel and discover new flavors by eating locally caught and produced foods. Not only that, but the local coconut dessert is a lot fresher than the packaged cupcake made months ago in a country thousands of miles away.

Help launch new projects to protect island environments and cultures by supporting Seacology. Seacology works directly with island villagers to create initiatives that both protect precious habitats, and improve quality of life. In the words of Dr. John McCosker of the California Academy of Sciences, "Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, Seacology gets more output than any conservation group that I've seen." Learn more about Seacology by visiting our website www.seacology.org.

Contact Info:
Duane Silverstein
Executive Director
Tel: 510-559-3505
E-mail: duane@seacology.org
Website : Seacology

Fallen raintree in Bukit Batok kills one and injures two

By Chua Su Sien / Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia
15 May 2007 2130 hrs

SINGAPORE: One woman was killed and two of her friends injured, when a raintree in the Bukit Batok Nature Reserve collapsed on them Tuesday morning.

17-year-old Polytechnic student Quek Choon Kiat knew this route well – it was one that his mother, 43-year-old Ho Siew Lan, used to take for her morning walk.

But Madam Ho's Tuesday jog turned out to be her last.

A tree fell on her, killing her on the spot.

Her family only found out something was amiss some three hours later, when they got a call from the dental clinic where Madam Ho worked as an assistant.

"The dentist called us at home to ask why she was so late and didn't turn up to open the clinic. So I quickly asked my son to come down and look for her," said Choon Kiat’s father.

Choon Kiat never imagined he would stumble onto the grim task of identifying his mother's body.

"I saw the police and reporters there. I went to approach the police and they showed me my mum. And I recognised my mum," said Choon Kiat.

The area's MP, Halimah Yacob, is out of the country but her fellow MP came to offer help to the family, who were still in shock.

"Now the most important thing is to help the deceased's family to overcome the crisis. My grassroots members have also donated $2,000 to help the family tide this difficult time," said Ang Mong Seng, MP, Hong Kah GRC.

"My mum put in a lot of time and love to care for the family and for us. She worked hard all her life for us. She didn't get to enjoy life at all and now she's gone," said Choon Kiat.

Choon Kiat has an elder brother who is in national service.

The family celebrated Mother's Day on Sunday with a simple meal and a stroll around their neighbourhood. - CNA/yy

Heavy rain, strong winds caused tree to fall in nature reserve

By Pearl Forss & Chua Su Sien, Channel NewsAsia
16 May 2007 2136 hrs

SINGAPORE: The tree, which fell on three women at the Bukit Batok Nature Reserve on Tuesday, was a healthy tree, said the National Parks Board (NParks).

But it was a combination of factors such as strong winds, continuous rain over several days and softened soil which caused the tree to be uprooted.

The 10-storey high tree collapsed on Tuesday morning, killing one and injuring two others.

When Channel NewsAsia visited the site on Wednesday, an even larger area was cordoned by the authorities to conduct checks on the trees.

NParks said Tuesday's heavy rain softened the soil, and with exceptionally strong winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour, the Albizia tree, which has weak roots, was uprooted.

The tree grows in the wild and is not usually found in parks.

Bukit Batok Nature Reserve, where the incident occurred, is a secondary forest.

Ben Lee, Head, Nature Trekker, said: "I would advise those who are going to nature reserves or parks to be careful and to look out for sounds and cracks within the vicinity of your walking space."

Other secondary forests in Singapore are mostly found in the central catchment area as well as on Pulau Ubin.

Dead fish found floating in Serangoon River and canal

By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia
16 May 2007 2231 hrs

SINGAPORE: Thousands of dead fish were found floating in the Serangoon River and Punggol Park Canal on Wednesday.

The National Environment Agency was contacted and it is now investigating the case.

It has also referred the matter to the Public Utilities Board.

To notify Channel NewsAsia on interesting occurrences, members of the public could call 68 2222 68 or send pictures and videos to yournews@channelnewsasia.com.

Gm Mosquitoes Could Beat Malaria

21 March 2007 (TODAY)

LONDON - Mosquitoes genetically engineered to resist a malaria-causing
parasite may offer a new weapon in the fight against one of the developing
world's biggest killers. Such mosquitoes, which have an impaired ability
to transmit the Plasmodium parasite, were hardier and capable of producing
more offspring than insects found in the wild, according to researchers at
Johns Hopkins University.

The findings, published yesterday in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, are important because they show that, when feeding on
blood infected with the malaria parasite, the genetically modified (GM)
mosquito has a survival advantage over its non-modified counterpart.

This is in contrast to previous studies suggesting that GM mosquitoes are
inherently weaker than non- modified ones.

The next challenge is to devise a means by which the parasite-resistant
genes can be introduced to mosquito populations in the field. - Bloomberg

Nature conservationists focus on seagrass to preserve eco-system

By Noor Mohd Aziz, Channel NewsAsia
24 March 2007

SINGAPORE: There is a new conservation buzz in town, and it is all about seagrass.

It is pure unbridled passion for nature conservation that has brought a group of nearly 30 volunteers together on a hot Saturday afternoon.

They are attending a workshop on documenting and collecting specimens of seagrass.

For the uninitiated - seagrass is a flowering marine plant.

Found mostly around Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin, it acts as a buffer between the coral grove and the mangrove swamp.

It is also found at the Pulau Semakau landfill - where they provide food for marine animals - and act as a nestling ground for small fish.

"Seagrass help support our biodiversity and they help support our fish and prawn and other animals," says Dr Len McKenzie, Principal Scientist and Seagrass-Watch Programme Leader.

"They are also supporting our endangered species like dugong and turtle which certainly pass through the waters of Singapore as they move between Malaysia and Indonesia. So it is very important that Singapore retain some of these green pockets of Seagrass, if you like, to ensure the sustainability of our ocean, sustainability of our fisheries and sustainability of our endangered species," Dr McKenzie continues.

This humble seagrass has also put Singapore on the world map.

Nearly one-sixth of all seagrass species is found in Singapore - including half of all species in the Indo-Pacific region.

"That's the area stretching all the way from India all the way to the North America, and South America. So it is an important component of global bio-diversity," says Dr Nigel Goh, Head (Marine), NParks.

The volunteers are up early the next morning to take a trip to Pulau Semakau to see firsthand, the seagrass habitat.

Says Siti Maryam Yaakub, Team Seagrass Coordinator, "Team Seagrass covers a new niche in the local conservation scene because the past 5-10 years or so since Chek Jawa had been put on deferment, you actually have a lot of awareness programmes and, I think that a step ahead of awareness is actually being proactive in monitoring the environment, in doing something tangible. So that's how Team Seagrass actually fills the niche and that's why we have so many volunteers as well."

Another volunteer has been publishing books on Singapore's eco-system and donating the proceeds, as much as $70,000, to nature and marine research.

Another $50,000 from his latest book, "Singapore's Splendour-Life on the Edge" has also been committed.

"After I joined the nature society, I was shown whole areas of Singapore that have so much diversity. Chek Jawa first came into the picture then and I was looking at Chek Jawa and that got me started working on the project and got me seeing many things in Chek Jawa which many people never saw because in Chek Jawa and in the inter-tidal areas, we went in very early in the morning - three, four o'clock - and a whole host of things running around, feeding, mating, avoiding us, running all over the place," says Dr Chua Ee Kiam, volunteer and author of "Singapore's Splendour".

"So there is so much, much to see unlike the public which goes in at three, four o'clock in the afternoon-so many things would have hidden.

"When I saw so many things, I decided to document this and this area, and these creatures and after that, decided to do a book on this so that Singaporeans can see for themselves."

And who knows, as Singaporeans become more aware of the rich marine environment around them, this live classroom sessions may well attract more volunteers. - CNA/yy

M'sia wants tongkat ali to be its GINSENG OF TOMORROW

Plans to use traditional 'Viagra' herb to spearhead push into biotechnology
March 21, 2007
The Electric New Paper

THE herb's name may mean 'walking-stick of Ali' in Malay.

But the traditional herb tongkat ali (above) is what Malaysia is going to run with in its push into biotechnology.

It now faces the challenge of convincing the world that its answer to Viagra is both potent and safe.

As Malaysia looks to biotechnology for economic growth, scientists are taking a harder look at the reputed aphrodisiac qualities of tongkat ali, and they say it could lead to drugs to treat cancer and malaria.

Surging interest in tongkat ali has spawned dozens of products - from pills to beverages - that play up its reputed aphrodisiac properties, and could even threaten the sway of ginseng, a more-widely established herbal product in Asia.

A Malaysian industry and government group says the rapidly-growing global market for aphrodisiacs is worth US$4billion ($6b) and could reach nearly US$7 billion by 2012.

But plans for tongkat ali to grab a share of this pie hinge on proving it is safe.

In Taiwan this year, Taipei city officials banned six brands of coffee from supermarkets because they contained tongkat ali, saying the herb had not been evaluated for safe use, although there were no confirmed reports of side-effects, newspapers said.

The episode in January stirred indignation in Malaysia, where some officials publicly defended the herb, saying its safety and efficacy had been demonstrated by hundreds of years of use.

Others said the incident showed how far Malaysia still has to go to prove its claims for the herb.

Makers of ginseng, which has a global market of US$2 billion a year, according to some industry estimates, would be ruthless in battling competition from tongkat ali, said Mr M Rajen, chief executive of Tropical Botanics.

'What we see in Taiwan and elsewhere is an example of this ruthlessness,' Mr Rajen added.

'Because we have not done our homework, we cannot fight it.'

But Malaysia is confident it will convince the world.

Officials of Power Root Malaysia, which exports drinks containing the herb to Japan and South Korea, have said they are looking to the US and the Middle East.

Tongkat ali, marketed in tablet form, has started to make inroads into Japan, Utusan Malysia reported.

Scientific studies show that concoctions of tongkat ali can help hormone production, making rats and mice more frisky. But researchers say they have yet to prove it can reliably produce the same effect in humans.

ENERGY

MrAbdul Razak, head of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, said: 'For me, (the herbs) gives me the energy to play a game of golf without getting tired, but has no other effects.'

Five years of research studies in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US helped to identify key compounds in the herb, MrRazak said.

'We are now in the process of carrying out clinical studies, and hopefully after some time we might even commercialise this,' he added.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said in January at the launch of a US$7 million biotech research centre that will study ways to clone the herb: 'One day, tongkat ali will be marketed internationally, even in Harrods of London.' -Reuters

Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei agree to save "Heart of Borneo"

Yahoo News 12 Feb 07

JAKARTA (AFP) - Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei have agreed to conserve a large swathe of mountainous rainforest covering a third of Borneo which is home to endangered orangutans, elephants and rhinos.

"This will put the 'Heart of Borneo' on the world stage as one of the last great blocks of forest in the world," Indonesian Forestry Minister Malem Sambet Kaban said after he and his counterparts from Malaysia and Brunei signed the "Rainforest Declaration" on the resort island of Bali.

Under the declaration, the three countries agreed to work together to conserve about 220,000 square kilometres (88,000 square miles) of equatorial rainforest covering about a third of the island, environmental group WWF said in a statement Monday.

"This event is more than symbolic, as it represents a commitment between our three countries to conserve and sustainably manage the 'Heart of Borneo'," said Malaysian Environment Minister Azmi bin Khalid.

WWF said the agreement also ended plans to create the world's largest palm oil plantation in Kalimantan, along Indonesia's border with Malaysia.

"The scheme -- supported by Chinese investments -- was expected to cover an area of 1.8 million hectares and would have had long-lasting, damaging consequences to the 'Heart of Borneo'," it said.

Borneo's rainforests have been under threat from unsustainable logging, forest fires and conversion to plantations. Since 1996, deforestation across Indonesia has increased to an average of two million hectares (five million acres) a year and now only half of Borneo's original forest cover remains.

Borneo's forests are home to 13 primate species -- including endangered orangutans -- more than 350 bird species, 150 reptiles and amphibians and about 15,000 species of plants.

Scientists continue to make many new discoveries in the forests -- more than 50 new species were discovered last year alone.

Brunei's Industry Minister Ahmad bin Haji Jumat said "the world outside our countries is excited by what we are doing and is prepared to lend us support."

The three governments first announced their joint intention to conserve the "Heart of Borneo" during the Convention on Biodiversity in Brazil in March 2006.

WWF 12 Feb 07
A third of Borneo to be conserved under new rainforest declaration

Bali, Indonesia: An historic declaration to conserve the "Heart of Borneo" was officially signed today between the three Bornean governments - Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The tri-country declaration will conserve and sustainably manage one of the most important centres of biological diversity in the world, covering approximately 220,000 square kilometres of equatorial rainforests--almost a third of the island.

"This is an historic occasion which marks new collaboration between our three countries," said MS Kaban, the Indonesian Minister of Forestry. "This will put the Heart of Borneo on the world stage as one of the last great blocks of forest in the world."

The Heart of Borneo Declaration, signed by ministers from the three South-east Asian countries at an official ceremony held in Bali, is a lifeline for Borneo's rainforests that are threatened by unsustainable logging, forest fires and forest conversion for plantations.

Since 1996, deforestation across Indonesia has increased to an average of 2 million hectares per year and, today, only half of Borneo's original forest cover remains.

The declaration also formally ends the plans to create the world's largest palm oil plantation in Kalimantan along Indonesia's mountainous border with Malaysia. The scheme--supported by Chinese investments--was expected to cover an area of 1.8 million hectares and would have had long-lasting, damaging consequences to the Heart of Borneo.

The island is home to 13 species of primates, 150 species of reptiles and amphibians, over 350 species of birds, and around 15,000 species of plants, and continues to be the source of many new discoveries--more than 50 new species were discovered last year alone.

"This event is more than symbolic as it represents a commitment between our three countries to conserve and sustainably manage the Heart of Borneo," said Dato Seri Azmi bin Khalid, Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

"It has become clear since we started to discuss cooperation on the vision for the Heart of Borneo that the world outside our countries is excited by what we are doing and is prepared to lend us support," said Pehin Dr Awang Haji Ahmad bin Haji Jumat, Minister of Brunei Darussalam's Industry and Primary Resources.

"Future generations will look back on this occasion and admire the leadership and courage shown by the three governments today to conserve the Heart of Borneo," said James Leape, WWF International's Director General. "That three countries have come together with a shared vision that will promote sustainable development, protect vital natural resources and reduce poverty, should be an inspiration to everyone."

WWF has supported the three governments in their desire to conserve the Heart of Borneo since the announcement of their joint intention at the Convention on Biodiversity in Brazil in March 2006.

"WWF stands ready to assist Borneo's three governments in realizing the groundbreaking commitment they have made today," added Leape.