Tropical Rainforest - Borneo

Question 1

Location

Answer 1

South East Asia, Island shared by Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. Located on equator

Question 2

CAU Logging

Answer 2

• Locals often illegally log rainforests to use for timber
• from 1989 - 2001 29,000 hectares of forest was logged (56% of lowland forest area) –> half of it gone today
• Lack of regulation and punishment for offenders

Question 3

CAU Land conversion

Answer 3

• Convert land to palm oil plantations
• Malaysia and Indonesia collectively export world’s largest amounts of palm oil –> 87%
• Indonesia planned to improve the economy by increasing production of 20 million tonnes in 2009 to 40 million tonnes in 2020

Question 4

CAU Mining

Answer 4

• In Kalimantan there are many reserves of metals like gold, copper, tin and silver as well as coal
• Tens of thousands of hectares cut down to mine coal
• Releases even more CO2

Question 5

IMP Social

Answer 5

DA

• People are often forced to give up land to mining companies
• They don’t get enough money for their land
• Destruction of some forest area leads to disruption of hunting in rural areas
• Flooding bc of less trees affects locals (Maruwai village experience regular flooding)
• Mining pollutes river resources which are used by locals for water
• Forest fires have significant health impacts as they lead to short and long term medical expenses for locals

A

• Job opportunities in mines/ palm oil plantations
• More opportunities for women in the workforce

Question 6

IMP economic

Answer 6

DA:
- Forest fires can disrupt the tourist industry on the island
- Soil erosion by defor causes sedimentation on dams and damages turbines
A:
- Malaysian palm oil revenue is SGD 22 million ++ / year
- Employs 0.8 and 1.7 million people in Malaysia and Indonesia resp.
- Indonesia’s exports in 2018 went up bc of timber, accounts for 2.2% of exports –> increase of RM 8.7 million on exports
- Mining boosts economy
- Palm oil plantations contribute to less rural poverty

Question 7

IMP env

Answer 7

• Fertiliser and pesticide runoff in waterways –> pollution
• Habitat range disruption bc roads
• Decrease and plant and animal species biodiversity (80% plant) (80-90% animal)
• Increased flooding
• Road construction through the forest allows for easy access to remote parts of forest and animals for poachers
• Land clearance through forest fires –> single leading cause for fires in 1997-98
• Exposed areas can easily catch fire–> difficult for vegetation to regenerate after a fire.
• Fires release CO2 –> in 2015 fires released 1.5 billion tons of CO2 by October

Question 8

IMP Political

Answer 8

• Frustration of locals that govt. isn’t doing enough to protect their land, livelihood, homes –> due to destruction of even protected areas
• Govt. assigned different departments for regulations –> clashes –> policies end up restricting each other
• Challenge for govt. to continue economic dev. w/o damaging env.
• Palm oil contributes to govt. revenue
• Increased rural income –> better infrastructure and dev.

Question 9

SOL Attempts at sustainable PO prod.

Answer 9

• Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, International Sustainability and Carbon Certification are required for people to export products to the biodiesel market under Europe’s Renewable Energy Directive.
• Those operating in Indonesia Indonesia they also need to achieve Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil certificate –> 3 certs for same amt. of oil
• Stores pulling unsustainable brands. In Dec 2015, 61 companies decided to commit to 0 defor.

Question 10

SOL Heart of borneo

Answer 10

• Transboundary initiative by the three countries
• Idea is that they will work together to tackle to issue instead of operating separately
• First meeting in 2006.

Question 11

Conservation districts

Answer 11

• Administrative units that are based on sustainable dev. principles

Question 12

Vocational training

Answer 12

Training loggers to do other professions by teaching them vocational skills

Question 13

Ecotourism

Answer 13

• Alternative way for local communities to generate income while preserving natural env.
• community based ecotourism - west kalimantan - Kapuas hulu –> WWF and KOMPAKH (comm. based tour org) conduct eco friendly tours.

Question 14

Sustainable forestry

Answer 14

Managing timber industry can be done by:

• investment in good forestry practice
• promote forest cert. eg:- FSC

Question 15

Protected areas

Answer 15

• Danum Valley conservation area

- Batang Ai national park

Question 16

Animal adaptation

Answer 16

Toucan: Large beak to reach high fruit
Spider monkey: Long limbs to swing from tree to tree
Sloth: Camouflage
Flying froge: Webbed hands and feet + flap of skin to let it glide

Question 17

Plants adaptation

Answer 17

Liana: Climb up trunk for sunlight
Tall thin trunks- sunlight
drip tips: water slides off
buttress roots- Large Sa for support
smooth trunks --> water slides to bottom