Month: November 2018

Relying On The Environment: Ecosystem Services

Posted on by karenthecrazytree

It’s easy to forget and take for granted how much we rely on the natural environment. In fact, we are one with the environment, part of a bigger ecosystem. Here we explore the concept of ecosystem services and delve into the infinite ways humans rely on the natural environment for survival and a life of quality.

What Are Ecosystem Services?

Let’s start by defining an ecosystem:

An ecosystem is complex system that is connected by the interactions between living organisms and their physical environment. Ecosystem come in various forms and sizes. A pond with insects, fish and aquatic plants can be referred to as an ecosystem. Planet Earth itself can be referred to as an ecosystem too.

Ecosystem services are the benefits humans derive from the environment. These services are categorised into four domains: provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural. The diagram below illustrates examples for each ecosystem service domain.

ES

Image from WWF Living Planet Report (2016).

Do We Really Need Ecosystem Services?

Without these services, this Earth would not be very habitable for humans. Imagine living on a planet, where the soil is unable to grow crops or climate so extreme (unbearable, scorching heat or endless waves of tornadoes) that humans could not survive. Ecosystem services don’t just provide us with the basic necessities for life on Earth but allow us to enjoy this amazing quality of life through pleasing cultural, intrinsic and aesthetic values.

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Rivers and forests provide key ecosystems services such as oxygen for breathing, fuel from wood, timber, drinking water, fish for consumption, hydropower, ecotourism as well as beautiful sites for camping, trekking and river rafting. Image from Pixabay (2018).

 

Specific ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs protect coastlines from being eroded by strong waves and storms. Coastal ecosystems are even able to minimize damages inflicted by tsunamis! These are valuable services provided by the environment at absolutely no cost at all. If such services were not provided by the ecosystem, imagine the cost and trouble it would incur humans to build walls or coastal protection strong enough to withstand such natural forces.

Losing Ecosystem Services

Ecosystem services are often taken for granted and are often lost through development and urbanisation. Many coastal cities around the world (China, Sri Lanka and the United States to name some) are facing such problems having lost their natural coastal protection to development. It is also costing them a fortune to replace these ecosystem services by building wave breakers and walls for storm protection.

It is important to protect and managed these ecosystem services or we would continue to lose these benefits that we rely so heavily on. In order to translate their value to stakeholders, ecosystem services are often referred to as ‘natural capital’, natural assets that provide quantifiable, monetary benefits to humans. This perspective although not ideal, allows ecosystem services to be seen as a valuable assets that need to be managed responsibly and conserved.

For more on the perspectives of ecosystem services versus natural capital and putting a price on nature, read: Natural Capital Coalition (2018).

Protecting Ecosystem Services

The key in my opinion, is striking a balance between development and conservation. This is can be achieved by incorporating natural spaces (green spaces – e.g. trees, urban forests, parks; and blue spaces – e.g. lakes, ponds, rivers) into development and planning.

One does not have to be an influential stakeholder to protect our natural environment. Voice out concerns or suggestions for the management local parks or forests. Alternatively, maintain some greenery in your garden or make some effort to keep your local river clean. This planet and the environment around us is a shared commodity. We all have a responsibility towards safe-guarding it and preserving its natural state.

 

Cover image from Pixabay (2018).

References:
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). Ecosystems and Human-Wellbeing. https://www.millenniumassessment.org/documents/document.356.aspx.pdf
Natural Capital Coalition (2018). No One Wants To Put A Price On Nature, But We Do Need A Better Understanding Of Its Value. https://naturalcapitalcoalition.org/no-one-wants-to-put-a-price-on-nature-but-we-do-need-a-better-understanding-of-its-value/
WWF Living Planet Report (2016). https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?282370/Living-Planet-Report-2016

Connecting With Conservation: Central Forest Spine

Posted on by karenthecrazytree

A major conservation effort taking place in Malaysia that is hidden in the shadows. The Central Forest Spine Master Plan (CFSMP) birthed in the early 2000s, aims to protect and connect patches of key forest habitats in Peninsular Malaysia through corridors. CFSMP has been in the works since 2014 with a total budget of USD 47 million (RM200 mil). This article covers the basic overview of this project and some of the challenges it’s currently facing.

What is the Central Forest Spine (CFS)?

The Central Forest Spine (CFS) is composed of four major natural forest complexes, that sit in the center of Peninsular Malaysia. The complex covers a whopping 5.5 million square hectares spanning over the states of Kedah, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor.

  1. Banjaran Titiwangsa (Titiwangsa Range) – Banjaran Bintang (Bintang Range) – Banjaran Nakawan (Nakawan Range)
  2. Taman Negara (National Park) – Banjaran Timur (Timur Range)
  3. Tanah Lembap Tenggara Pahang (Southeastern Pahang Wetlands), Tasik Chini (Lake Chini) and Tasik Bera (Lake Bera)
  4. Taman Negara Endau Rompin (Endau Rompin National Park) – Rizab Hidupan Liar Kluang (Kluang Wildlife Reserve)

 

CFS Map.jpg

The four deep forest complexes that make up the Central Forest Spine. Image from the Federal Department of Town and Country Planning (2018)

Why Is This Plan Important?

The National Physical Plan (NPP) – a national policy for physical land development plans – has identified forest fragmentation as a ‘threat to forest conservation and biodiversity protection’. As opposed to having 4 small, fragmented patches of forest, one large connected forest patch promotes better dispersal of seeds and movement for wildlife, providing better ecological connectivity and improving gene flow.

In other words, one big forest is better than 4 little forests from an ecological perspective. Without movement and connection between patches, species would be limited in their ability to survive and reproduce (e.g. difficulty in finding food, suitable habitats, mates).

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The decrease in forest cover in Peninsular Malaysia from the 1950s to late 1990s in millions of hectares. Image from Greenwood International’s Blog (2013).

Also, as part of efforts to conserve the national emblem of Malaysia, the Malayan tiger – which is found only in Peninsular Malaysia and the southern tip of Thailand (it is no longer found in any other part of Southeast Asia). The Malayan tiger is currently listed as Critically Endangered with only 80 to 120 surviving mature individuals (IUCN, 2018). The CFS provides key habitat area for the Malayan tiger and thus, is critical for tiger conservation.

The CFSMP is one of the two plans the Federal Government of Malaysia has in place for protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services (the long list of benefits humans derive from the environment). The National Tiger Conservation Action Plan (NTCAP) is the other plan in place, aimed at conserving the Malayan tiger.

 

Malayan Tiger

An image of a Malayan tiger captured via camera trap. Image from The Star (2015).

How Will The Forests Be Connected?

The forest complexes are to be connected by maintaining and expanding forest reserve areas, rehabilitating barren or lost wildlife corridors (pathways that allow plants and wildlife to move between forest patches) and building viaducts for wildlife crossings to link disconnected forest patches.

The movement of wildlife between these corridors would allow for pollination and seed dispersal. The CFS Master Plan report lists some animal groups that would play key roles in these processes:

  • Insects – including bees, butterflies, moths, beetles
  • Birds – including hornbills, sunbirds, flowerpeckers, and spiderhunters
  • Bats – particularly fruit bats
  • Primates – including leaf monkeys, macaques, and gibbons
  • Rodents – including rats, squirrels and flying squirrels, porcupines
  • Sun bears
  • Civets
  • Ungulates – Including most deer species and wild boar

This also means that the protection and conservation of these forests patches provide habitat and conserve the above wildlife as well as countless other species. By protecting our land, we would also stand to benefit more in terms of ecosystem services, tourism, cultural benefits and by means of land management.

“Human activity, particularly the clearing of native vegetation for other non-forest land uses such as agriculture, settlement and infrastructure development, is breaking-up the natural habitat into unconnected parts. Forest fragmentation and edge effects from deforestation have pervasive and deleterious impact on  biodiversity and ecosystem. In particular, habitat fragmentation usually leads to habitat destruction, thus reducing the amount and diversity of plants and animals.” – CFS1 Master Plan for Ecological Linkages (2009)

Who Is Funding This?

The project is being funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), an organisation established in the 1992 Rio Earth Summit (a.k.a the game-changing environmental summit). GEF is comprised of 183 countries, international institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector that addresses global environmental issues.

In the last 26 years, GEF has funded over 4500 projects in 170 countries, providing over $17.9 billion in grants and co-financing an additional $93.2 billion for these projects.

What Are The Concerns?

The project is a much needed, and applauded effort in preserving key ecosystems in Peninsular Malaysia. However, this project is one of the first of its kind. A large, landscape-scale conservation effort that is multi-faceted. There is no template or reference point for this project and so it’s a learn-as-you-go type effort as well. Hence, there is a limit on the expertise and skill required to execute such an ambitious task.

Many experts in the field acknowledge that the project cannot achieve its objectives without first resolving certain issues. Due to the project involving a wide range of stakeholders, and discourse in power between state and federal governments, progress has been slower than expected. Other issues such as continued deforestation and illegal wildlife trade that is occurring within these protected areas resonated to the lack of enforcement and corruption that is still haunting the nation, despite the recent shift in ruling government.

Some reckon that a new perspective in viewing the project is needed, possibly a shift in approach and course of action. Strong leadership and better publicity in promoting the project are also some common points that often come up. Ultimately, the project will hugely benefit all of us (directly and indirectly) in the long-run, but while efforts to ensure this project is a success continue, concomittant action to prevent the loss of biodiversity due to the external concerns discussed above are imperative. It’s almost pointless having put together a large, beautiful forest only to have it empty and void of wildlife.

If you’re keen on keeping up with the Central Forest Spine: CFS Watch

Links for further reading are available below. 

Cover image from Pixabay (2018).

References:
Federal Department of Town and Country Planning (2018). CFS 1 Master Plan for Ecological Linkages. (2009). Final Report. https://www.townplan.gov.my/download/CFS%20I_1.pdf
Federal Department of Town and Country Planning (2018). Central Forest Spine. https://www.townplan.gov.my/content.php?ID=118
Global Environment Facility (2018). Improving Connectivity in the Central Forest Spine (CFS) Landscape. https://www.thegef.org/project/improving-connectivity-central-forest-spine-cfs-landscape-ic-cfs
Greenwood International (2013). Blog. The Malaysian Central Forest Spine Master Plan. http://greenwoodinternational.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-malaysian-central-forest-spine.html
IUCN Red List (2018). Kawanishi, K (2015). Malayan Tiger. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/136893/50665029
The Star (2015). Malayan Tiger Nearing Extinction. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/07/29/malayan-tiger-now-near-extinct/
UNDP (2018). Improving Connectivity in the Central Forest Spine (CFS) Landscape. http://www.my.undp.org/content/malaysia/en/home/operations/projects/environment_and_energy/improving-connectivity-in-the-central-forest-spine–cfs–landsca.html

Wildlife in Captivity: Part 2 – Conservation

Posted on by karenthecrazytree

How does keeping wildlife in captivity help protect and conserve them? Why is this controversial even among conservationists? This is Part 2 of a two part article. Click here for Part 1 of this article.

ZOOS FOR CONSERVATION

When a species is so low in its numbers that leaving its population out in the wild, without any form of human intervention or assistance, increases the chance of that species going extinct, captivity for conservation becomes necessary.

Of course, not all members of a species or population¹ are taken into captivity. Usually several members of different populations are taken into captivity to increase genetic diversity in order to increase the species’ population size. In other words, individuals from different populations are kept in captivity and are mated with unrelated members (usually from other populations), in an organised fashion, to give them the best chance of producing healthy babies that will grow the population.

Imagine if we had to put people on Mars to grow a new human population there. We would obviously send a diverse group of people, putting our best genes forward to birth a strong, healthy population of humans. It’s the same concept. There is strength in diversity.

This process of organised mating to increase the gene pool of the species, is known as captive breeding, with the purpose of maintaining this species in a controlled/captive environment. Once the population is big enough, individuals are reintroduced back into the wild, with the hope that the species can survive on its own without human assistance.

Such responsible and well-managed reintroduction programs have resulted in many species being brought back from the brink of extinction — like the California Condor, Golden Lion Tamarin and Amur Leopard. Read more on Joan Embery and her take on captivity for conservation: Why Zoos Are Good For Conservation.

Where captivity really does aid conservation, it makes for good conservation education and ecotourism. Although in reality, well-managed efforts that serve solely the purpose of conservation as opposed to commercial greed, unfortunately, are rare.

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The once critically endangered Golden Lion Tamarin has improved since captive breeding and reintroduction efforts. One third of the current wild population comprise of descendents of captive-bred Golden Lion Tamarins (IUCN Red List, 2018). 

 

THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING CAPTIVITY FOR CONSERVATION

Theorectically, captive breeding and reintroductions seem like a good idea. The reality, however, is far from perfect. The main issue with reintroductions is that it is not at all as easy as it sounds. A lot of skill, training and preparation is required to perform a reintroduction as a once wild animal, is now acclimatised to the comforts of a captive environment. Basic instincts like hunting or even interacting with other members of the group can often be forgotten or lost if the individual/species has been kept in captivity for several years or sometimes generations.

This obviously can be detrimental to individuals if released without proper preparation as survival rates in the wild would be poor. Failed reintroductions would defeat the whole purpose of captive breeding to increase population sizes if individuals do not survive to reproduce in the wild. Most often, zoos and captive breeding programs lack the resources or skilled staff to execute such a task successfully. More on the advantages and disadvantages of captive breeding is summarised here: Captive Breeding Programs

As with most conservation dilemmas, there are no perfect solutions or sometimes no solutions at all! Each situation is unique and only what appears to be the most sensible and feasible effort at that point in time can be executed. It is often a less-than-ideal trial and error situation, but personally, I think it’s better to try than to do nothing at all.

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Images from Pixabay (2018).

¹ The difference between species and population is that ‘species’ refers to all members of the same type of organism — 7.3 billion humans on this planet are of the same species. A population of a particular species is a subset of this species that are confined to a geographical area — the population of humans in Australia is 24.6 million. 

References:
Green Global Travel (2018). Joan Embery On Why Zoos Are Good For Conservation. https://greenglobaltravel.com/joan-embery-why-zoos-are-good-for-conservation/
IUCN Red List (2018). Kierulff, M.C.M., Rylands, A.B. & de Oliveira, M.M. 2008. Leontopithecus rosalia. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T11506A3287321. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T11506A3287321.en.
Temple, E. (2015). Captive Breeding Programs: The Pros and Cons of Building An “Arc”. https://wp.natsci.colostate.edu/findingporpoise/captive-breeding-programs-the-pros-and-cons-to-building-an-arc/