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A forest under threat |
A forest under threat
The wildlife-rich forests in Sumatra's lowlands are among the most threatened on Earth. In the past few decades, Sumatra's lowland forests have shrunk dramatically, from 16 million hectares in 1900 to just 500,000-600,000 hectares today. The removal, or destruction, of significant areas of forest cover is not only a disaster for wildlife, but also for the world's climate, which relies on these 'green lungs' to keep climate change under control. The causes of forest loss are complex, but a typical story unfolds as follows. The government assigns a forest area to a commercial logging company that takes the most valuable trees for timber and plywood. Once the forest is severely degraded, the government reclassifies the forest as being suitable for conversion to other uses. A company (sometimes the same one that did the original logging) receives the concession and clears the remaining trees from the site. Illegal loggers could move in at any point, especially if there are no other activities taking place. Logged forest areas have a much drier microclimate and are very susceptible to burning. Deliberate burning to clear land is illegal in Indonesia, but forest fires are still widespread. If the forest is on peat soils fire may take hold in the soils and smoulder for months, covering whole countries with a polluting haze. Fires burned out of control across Indonesia in 1997, covering southeast Asia in a deadly haze. With trees gone, water run-off increases, leading to more flash floods. Once forests are cleared, companies establish oil palm, pulp or timber plantations. A versatile and edible oil, palm oil is used widely around the world in such common household products as cooking oil, margarines and spreads, soap, crisps and ice cream. It is also being increasingly used as biodiesel. Unfortunately, industrial palm and tree plantations are unsuitable for most birds, attracting only the most common and robust species. Sumatra's remaining lowland forests face all these pressures. |
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Misty forest canopy in Sumatra - (BirdLife International)
Rhinoceros hornbill, face on - Terry Whittaker/FLPA (FLPA)
Sumatran tiger - Dave Watts
Bird illustrations by Mike Langman (RSPB)