New research funding has been secured to support the second phase of special ecological research in Borneo and the preparation of a report on monitoring the status of natural change in the Heart of Borneo (HoB) region over time.

The Environmental Status of the Heart of Borneo report, launched in 2011, is the only report in the world to analyze the overall natural health of the HoB through 13 key targets and more than 50 indicators.

The key targets include endangered animals such as pygmy elephants, orangutans and Rhinos, and several ecosystem types such as lowland, montane forest stress systems and rivers. Each key target has shown an assessment of excellent, good, fair or poor - depending on the quality of current conditions within the HoB.

WWF HoB Global Initiative team leader, Adam Tomasek, highlighted the importance of this report in saving HoB areas from deforestation and degradation.

"This research is essential. The three HoB governments (Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia) and stakeholders have an easy and reliable tool to monitor progress for progress or degradation in key HoB natural health measures. This report can be used as a management tool to update decision-making for land use plans, policies and business development in the HoB," he said.

The research funding, provided by WWF-Germany, will underwrite the next phase of research to compare and analyze environmental impacts in the HoB from 2008 to 2012.

According to the project manager of the study and WWF-Indonesia field biologist, Stephan Wulffraat, "The continued funding of this HoB nature status study means that WWF will have greater insight into how we can achieve our goal of conserving the HoB by 2020."

WWF continues to support the three governments in Borneo to utilize this report to raise awareness of the importance of conserving the high-value HoB and its threats to the sustainability of the region as a global area of significant biodiversity.

The Environmental Status Report, published in 2011, revealed that the HoB is facing major challenges but there is still hope to save it. This is particularly important for the lowland forests along Borneo Island that are under threat. In fact, given the fact that lowland forests are the primary habitat for pygmy elephants, orangutans and rhinos, the HoB may be the last defense for the preservation of these forest types in Borneo.

The bad news is that the HoB is still under serious threats from the conversion of natural forests for oil palm and other agricultural activities, as well as illegal logging and unsustainable rates of legal logging. Forest fires, mining and over-hunting of wildlife are also major threats, which will be monitored in the next version.

Related links:>
Press Release of The Environmental Status of Heart of Borneo report
http://www.wwf.or.id/index.cfm?uNewsID=24222&uLangID=1