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Indonesia

A maximum of biodiversity

The Harapan Rainforest is one of the last areas where the Sumatra Tiger has survived.

Indonesia has more than 10% of the world’s rainforests. This is one reason why Indonesia is one of the most biologically rich countries on Earth. The country leads the world in number of mammal species (530), and has more than 37,000 plant species, 1622 (17%) of the world’s bird species, 520 species of reptiles, 270 species of amphibians, 1900 species of butterfly, and 1400 freshwater fish species.

If marine and terrestrial species are combined, then Indonesia ranks as the world’s most important mega-diverse country. One out of three species in Indonesia is endemic i.e. this species can be found nowhere else in the world. Thus Indonesia is one of the richest countries in the world in endemic species.

Biofuels for Europe at the expense of forests

It is perverse that many biofuels, such as those derived from palm oil, are hailed by many as the solution to climate change. Consumers would be horrified if they knew that priceless rainforests habitat is often been destroyed in the process and that this destruction can lead to the release of more damaging carbon into the atmosphere than is saved from the replacement of fossil fuel. That's why consumer awareness and pressure on suppliers is a critical leverage point in saving tropical forests. NABU and its partners therefore campaign for rigorous sustainability standards for biofuels to be imported into Europe and elsewhere. European transport policies must not drive rainforest destruction and loss of biodiversity.

There is little knowledge about many species that are already threatened.

Harapan Rainforest

Harapan Rainforest is located in the provinces of Jambi and South Sumatra at the heart of Sumatra in Indonesia. It consists of parts of two former logging concessions with a total area of 1,000 square kilometres.

Although farmed to a high degree, many species seem to find shelter in those forests.

Harapan Rainforest is a so-called Sundaic dry lowland rainforest. This type of forest in ranks amongst the most biologically diverse on earth, but is also one of the most threatened. Sumatran dry lowland rainforests occupied around 16 million ha in 1900. Today a mere 400,000 – 600,000 ha remain.

Logged over areas such as Harapan Rainforest are not primary forests any more. However, it is amazing, how much wildlife can still hang on in the smaller trees and undergrowth, and in the rivers that criss-cross the rainforest. As a habitat it still has enormous value, and with tender care can be restored and become brilliant for wildlife once again.

Harapan Rainforest is a joint initiative of a consortium of the Indonesian conservation organization Burung Indonesia, the British Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and BirdLife International, the world’s largest network of conservation organisations. NABU is the German Partner of BirdLife International and has decided to support Harapan Rainforest through fundraising, technical advice and promoting the lessons learned to policy makers.