Aceh Green

Aceh’s Governor Irwandi enjoys political credibility with his electorate (38% of the post-conflict vote) and environmental credibility as a “Green Governor”, championing a healthy environment as a basis for long-term economic development. So far, so good. What’s the problem?

Sadly, the problem lies within the peace process. Prolonged conflict constrained destruction of natural resources; peace unleashed the demon of uncontrolled exploitation. The Governor instituted a logging moratorium along with a comprehensive review of the forest sector. The stakes are high, and not only for a healthy environment. The carbon wrapped up within Aceh’s forests “ups the ante” and could provide an economic incentive for their protection. Aceh’s Ulu Masen forest complex has just received the first certification as a site where the world could invest in avoiding destruction through carbon credits:

http://ecosystemmarketplace.com/index.php

Roll up, roll up – place your bets on the future of the planet.

Hard choices at the cutting edge

I am sitting cross-legged on the floor of a small wooden hut on the edge of the central forests of Aceh. The wife of “Pak Mukim”, traditional leader for the locality, has graciously served us tea, and we are discussing the difficulties of forest conservation with our host. A sudden downpour thundering onto the tin roof temporarily drowns out conversation, and the Mukim’s wife mops his brow. This is indeed humid forest.

Pak Mukim is pleased with the work on fruit tree nurseries and on improving the economy of this area, but concerned that the young men returning now the conflict is over are cutting forest in the zone set aside for protection, having obtained permission from the village administration for this illegal action. What to do? The authority floats between civic and traditional leaders and meanwhile more forest is chopped and burned. A slow drag on his clove cigarette and the fragrant smoke curls out into the downpour outside that washes more of Aceh’s soil into the river on route to the unforgiving sea.

Arjay is in Aceh

Back soon !

Biodiversity loss a minority concern?

Well, perhaps the reality of a changing climate is starting to hit home - even in the U.S a recent survey showed that over two thirds of the American public voted it as the major threat to the planet (listening George?). But where does biological diversity come in the priorities of the voting public? (Answer... "Bio-what?) Two singing canaries to consider:

First a smidgeon of good news. A BMRB report on green values found that two thirds of the UK public agree that we cannot afford to lose any more biodiversity around the world (thank you, Sir David).

Then there's the Chairman's report just released from the 2007 Trondheim biodiversity conference that supports the Convention on Biological Diversity. This argues that unless we do a vigorous outreach campaign reaching into boardrooms and coffeeshops, "biodiversity will continue to be a minority concern" around the world - http://www.trondheimconference.org/trondheimskonferansen/

It took more than 5 years of detailed, documented scientific research for the climate change evidence to overwhelm (most) sceptics. Biodiversity? Well fortunately we already have the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment pointing the way for the world's ecosystems and the services they provide - see http://www.millenniumassessment.org/. Up to us now to get the stories out there.... how loss of pollinators will lead to the loss of the pollinated, how medicine will suffer from degradation of the natural gene pool, how impoverished we will be by empty forests and drained swamps... even if we manage to avoid meltdown.

Delightful - Dinner with Darwin

What fun, and thank you New Humanist for allowing me a fun-filled fantasy. Charles Darwin is 199 and coming to my house for dinner. You have asked:

What would you tell him? About the Darwin Initiative http://www.darwin.gov.uk/ and about the Beagle Project http://www.thebeagleproject.com/

What would you ask him? For some advice on how to convince a doubting global public about an astonishing idea (to whit, that we might have to use our brains and consider altruism if the future earth is to support human life).

What would you bring him? Some fetching, intelligent, witty and gentle female biologists as company. There’s a surprise.

How would you describe the evening? Immediately, in purple prose, on this blog.

What book would you bring him? “Darwin made easy” by Edward B. Aveling, D.Sc 2^nd edition published in London by the Progressive Publishing Company in 1889.

What film? C’m on – it would have to be “The Life of Brian”, no? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079470/

What would he think of the fact that his ideas and personality are under attack from Intelligent Design and creationism? He might express some surprise that debate remained – but then we’d show him the Tom Cruise “vox pop” on Scientology and he’d realize how effectively 21^st Century mankind had disconnected itself from evolutionary fitness.

Red rag to a bull (elephant)

Buried within "The Revengeful Elephant" on UKTV's Channel 5 this week (part of the "Nature Shock" series that tends to focus on shock rather than nature) was a fascinating insight. Young, traumatised male elephants that had been translocated into a small South African park had grown up without the benefit of a normal social structure, rules and role models. Firstly, in the absence of older bull elephants, they came into musth years earlier than normal. Secondly, full of testosterone but lacking in experience, they rushed around molesting anything that moved (in this case rhinos) and killing them as an outlet for frustration. This was well documented by the resident scientists, as was the solution - adding some mature bulls to the mix.

As we are forced globally into increasingly active management of wildlife within decreasing habitats, this is just one of the cautionary tales we can grasp from southern Africa. But this is also an alarm for our own species on the consequences of social disintegration, to add to those already beeping in megacities around the world.

Ravishing Recycling

Out of Africa, even out of a troubled Kenya, here's something to relish:

http://www.nicklinartworks.com

A small business that is good for the local economy and the global environment at the same time. Beautiful woods, seasoned over decades of service along the trade routes of the Swahili coast and rescued from wrecks to be transformed into tactile, expressive objets d'art. Frame your family in environmental friendliness, rather than picturing them in polluting plastic. Feel good, fabulous wood - you really should.