Guest blogger: Dr. Dieter Hoffmann, RSPB Head of International Country Programmes
I have been involved in Harapan Rainforest since the beginning in 2001 and know the site well. Unfortunately, my most recent visit to Harapan Rainforest was not quite so enjoyable. It all started with some satellite images we’ve been receiving over the last few months.
We’ve been working on the ground in Harapan Rainforest with our partners, BirdLife International and Burung Indonesia, since 2007 protecting and restoring almost 100,000 hectares of logged forest – an area almost two-thirds the size of Greater London. Unfortunately it now appears that the forest is once again at risk. The satellite images I mentioned before showed encroachment into forest on a scale we haven’t seen before.
Together with our patrol team, I went to investigate the locations where the satellite images identified the biggest problems. The area is remote, and access is extremely difficult, which is why we didn’t spot the problem earlier. Unfortunately, the images were accurate and areas of forest have been cleared. The damage has been caused by illegal logging and planting of oil palm by recent immigrants from far afield, claiming to be indigenous to the area and spurred on by some speculators and anti-conservation activists.
Encroachment is a common problem in Indonesia. It’s not only destroying invaluable habitats for wildlife, but also takes away the basis of the livelihoods for forest dependent people such as the Batin Sembilan in Harapan Rainforest. Whilst the encroachment isn’t large enough to jeopardise the integrity of the forest, it is significant and we need to take urgent action now. We’ve spoken to the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry and they’re as keen as we are to ensure that Harapan Rainforest continues to be a success and acts as a catalyst for more projects looking to achieve similar ends.
We have plans for how we’re going to deal with the issue and we’re confident that these will work. We’ll be patrolling more and working closely with the Indonesian authorities and the Bathin Sembilan who live in the forest. We’ll be sure to keep you posted on what happens, so keep checking back here.
On a more positive note, the team has made some great progress. Over the wet season we’ve been able to plant tens of thousands of native seedlings grown by local people in community tree nurseries. We’ve been working with the Bathin Sembilan to develop bee keeping and are now producing our very own Harapan Rainforest honey. A clinic has been installed to provide health care for our staff and the Bathin Sembilan. We’re restoring some old logging roads to allow easy access to remote areas, and we even bought a micro-light to monitor the site for illegal activities and for wildlife such as elephants. All this with generous support from the German Government.
With cutting edge conservation projects like Harapan, set backs are to be expected. We have to find the solutions to problems, with the help of others including the Indonesian Government – not only for the sake of Harapan, but for tropical rainforest conservation world wide. I remain optimistic that Harapan Rainforest will continue to be a success and that the gibbons high up in the magnificent trees will continue to sing their howling morning songs now, and in the future.