Alam Lestari Special Edition Vol. IX. October 2008 - April 2009 Indonesia Program Quarterly Newsletter Marthen Welly © TNC Indonesia Seaweed Farmers in Nusa Penida Also in this issue Island Nations Lead in Our View: Conservation Equals Marine Protection Sustainable Development p.3 A Sea Change Initiatives for Ocean Management p.5 Hawai’i, the Caribbean, remote livelihoods and to fend off the impacts paradises across the Pacific — when you of climate change. Marine Protected Area think of islands, does your mind conjure as a Tool for up images of international politics and The cultural and natural diversity found Resource Management p.6 global leadership? Probably not. More on islands is often found nowhere else likely, you imagine isolated, beautiful on Earth. But unfortunately, the very Savu Sea Conservation p.9 escapes from the rest of the world. qualities that make islands unique — Measuring the Success But island leaders are showing how a delicate balance between plants and of Conservation Strategies p.8 their governments, when joined animals worked out over long periods together in a common cause, can have of time and in isolation — also make Earth Day at the Conservancy p.10 global conservation impacts. them extremely susceptible to global challenges like climate change and New Animal Behavior In recent years, island leaders in invasive species. Discovered in Borneo p.11 Micronesia, the Caribbean and Meet the Board: Indonesia have committed to an Recognizing these threats — and the Agustina Supriyani Kardono p.13 unprecedented scale of marine vital role that nature plays in supporting conservation, motivated to preserve island people and economies — island the ecosystems that support their leaders in Micronesia, the Caribbean Protecting Nature Preserving Life Our View Conservation Equals Sustainable Development Around the globe, the intrinsic in five MPA sites. Results showed condition, which represent 27% of total importance of conservation is being that in general, a large percentage mangrove areas in Indonesia. recognized. Governments, faced with of coastal communities living inside growing global demand for energy, and nearby the survey areas were Second, there is urgent need to depleting energy supplies and resulting supportive of MPA establishment. transform the vision of this global high costs, and exacerbated with Those communities support the MPA concept into action. And for that, the climate change impacts, are now seeing because they can witness the benefit of Government of Indonesia has joined conservation as not just beneficial sustainable management of the marine with five neighboring governments but essential. And in the developing resources surrounding their areas. to ensure sustainable management of country like Indonesia, people start marine resources in a rapidly changing to realize that lifting people out of In a few weeks, ministers and high- environment. This new partnership is on every leaf, poverty is very much dependent on level officials from over 100 countries something too good to miss out. For along every tide... and securing sustainable development and will gather in Manado for the World that reason, TNC has been and will in every breath of everything that lives environment agenda. Oceans Conference (WOC). A always be of support for this initiative. centerpiece of WOC will be Coral there is us, Conventional wisdom suggests that in Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit, We’re at a point of no return. If we times of economic crisis, environmental when six heads of state will (i) adopt further neglect our seas as the very issues would take a back seat to more the visionary CTI Plan of Action; (ii) environment where life began, the together pressing matters. Protecting nature adopt a strong Leaders Declaration; environment that constitutes three- is seen as a luxury, best kept for more and (iii) announce ground-breaking quarters of our planet, the environment affluent times. However I reiterate new programs and initiatives in each where half of our population lives, I what our President & CEO has said, country. am afraid it will lead to irreversible this would be a mistake. catastrophe. Two following reasons on why the Safeguarding the environment needs Government of Indonesia is investing not be a drag on the economy. A recent significantly into WOC and CTI are analysis published by our Chief Scientist deeply understood and appreciated. is a case in point. The study shows First, more than 60 percent of that those efforts with environmental Indonesian population lives along Arwandrija Rukma components fare as well as — or better coast line, stretching over 95.181 km Country Representative than — those without green initiatives. long. Indonesia has over 17.480 islands This is in line with an earlier TNC- with fisheries production considered funded study that demonstrated how to be in the big ten producers in the That is why, forgetting our earth means forgetting ourselves. the establishment of Marine Protected world, approximately 4.6 million tons Areas (MPA) in the South Pacific per year. Around two-thirds of animal It is our mission to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life in Indonesia by improved communities’ quality of life protein consumption of Indonesian protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. while safeguarding natural resources. population comes from fish and fish In the Solomon Islands, for example, product. With the threats of climate Campaign for Our Nature, Our Future. Indonesia Tanah Airku our marine conservation project has change due to increased sea-level this shown not only marked increases in may lead to the loss of islands and How you can help? biodiversity but also in household coastal biodiversity, and also increased Learn how to save Indonesia’s waters and lands for future generations. Please visit: www.nature.org/indonesia or write to us: [email protected] incomes: the incomes of more than sea surface temperature resulting in 1,200 surveyed households doubled coral bleaching and ocean acidification. Since 1991, TNC has worked in partnership with the Indonesian government during the same period. In the last 5 years, only approximately through the Ministry of Forestry and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. TNC Indonesia 5% of coral reef coverage is healthy and © This public service ad is brought to you by Furthermore, as you flip through this number shows a declining trend. The Nature Conservancy and DesignLab this newsletter, we provide a report Furthermore, currently 2.54 million on stakeholder’s perception survey hectares of mangrove forest are in good Ahmad Fuadi Alam Lestari Special Edition Vol. IX October 2008 - April 2009 3 Protecting Nature Preserving Life Protecting Nature Preserving Life Nusa Penida Underwater Coral Reef ... Continuation from the front page marine habitat and resources in the support from organizations like The — and recognize the many stakeholders and Indonesia are taking action: region. Nature Conservancy, the Global who use it and allocate space and use In 2006, five Micronesian Led by Indonesia, the Coral Island Partnership, the Global among them to maximize benefits and •governments launched the •Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Environmental Facility (GEF) and minimize conflicts. Micronesia Challenge — a Fisheries and Food Security brings the U.S. government, attracting more commitment to effectively conserve together six governments in a new than $70 million for conservation. We have long managed the land in this at least 30 percent of their near-shore multilateral partnership to safeguard way through zoning — sitting down marine resources and 20 percent of the rich marine resources in the They have renewed efforts within and with a wide range of stakeholders to terrestrial resources by 2020. At 1.655 region, sometimes referred to as the across their countries to protect and figure out the optimal use of place that billion acres, the region encompassed “Amazon of the Seas.” In the next 10 manage their natural resources in a considers the long-term benefits for by the Micronesia Challenge is bigger years, the initiative will establish or sustainable, forward-thinking way. both people and nature. It is time to than the continental United States strengthen marine protected areas adopt and adapt that approach to the and represents more than 5 percent and implement an ecosystem-based And perhaps most importantly, at this seas and institute the idea of marine of the entire Pacific Ocean. approach to fisheries that together vital time in history when we have a zoning. Inspired by the Micronesia will extend protection over 15 deadline for finding global agreement •Challenge, the leaders of six percent of the Coral Triangle, some on how to manage climate change, Marthen Welly © TNC Indonesia If such zoning is done well, we can learn Caribbean nations have made 62.4 million acres. these island leaders are demonstrating A Sea Change from terrestrial experiences — reaping similar commitments to support and that governments can join together the benefits and avoiding some of the manage new and existing national While some may be skeptical of towards a common goal. (Pat Naehu) for Ocean Management mistakes. One of the many lessons from parks and protected areas with the ambitious, long-term goals set by the land is that we need transparency in overall goal of conserving at least 20 leaders in short-term offices, these “Though living near a river, how uses and areas are allocated.