FOREST CONSERVATION HIGHLIGHTS IN 2007

WWF's summary of forest conservation highlights in 2007

25 Jan 2008 - The year 2007 was marked with several significant milestones in forest conservation around the world. From forests receiving more and better protection to political commitment to addressing tropical deforestation under the topic of REDD (reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation) at the year-end UN Climate Change Conference in Bali. We highlight here some of these milestones.
More and better protection for forests
In the Amazon rainforests, protection widens with the creation of new national parks in Colombia and French Guiana.

French Guiana created a new national park in February. Bordering other protected areas in neighbouring Brazil, the more than 12-million hectare park is the world’s largest expanse of tropical forest under conservation. The park hosts endangered species, such as the jaguar and the harpy eagle, which require large territories to survive.

Colombia created two new national parks. The first, Complejo Volcanico Doña Juana–Casacabel National Natural Park covers 65,858 hectares of diverse forests, and is home to such threatened species as the Andean bear and mountain tapir. Four new plants were recently recorded here, while 471 bird species representing 27 per cent of Colombia’s birdlife, had been found. Water sources originating in the Doña Juana–Cascabel feed several major tributaries of the Amazon River, providing drinking water for 11 municipalities in the region.

The second, Serranía de los Churumbelos Auka Wasi National Park, is located in southeastern Colombia. This unique 97,180-ha region — marked by extensive forests, swamps, lakes, and wide, barren plains known as páramos — is part of a corridor stretching from the lowlands of the Amazon Basin to the slopes of the Andean Mountains. Territories and sacred areas of several indigenous communities living in the new protected area will also be protected.

In the Congo River Basin forests, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Republic of Congo established an environmental trust fund to strengthen the long-term financing of conservation activities in the Sangha tri-national forest. The foundation already mobilised more than €11 million to manage the three parks and fund transboundary conservation activities.

A third of Borneo is to be conserved under historic new rainforest declaration signed by the governments of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia. The declaration seeks to conserve approximately 220,000 km2 of equatorial rainforests in the Heart of Borneo — one of the most important centres of biological diversity in the world. It is a lifeline for Borneo’s rainforests that are threatened by unsustainable logging, forest fires and forest conversion for plantations. The declaration also formally ended plans to create the world’s largest palm oil plantation in Indonesia's Kalimantan.

Local communities celebrated new protected areas in Papua New Guinea. The three new wildlife management areas together protect some of Asia-Pacific’s most threatened and unique wildlife habitats. Located in Papua New Guinea’s Western Province, the three areas covering about 710,000 hectares, join up with the existing Tonda wildlife management area of 610,000 hectares. These areas, together with the adjoining Wasur National Park in Indonesia's Papua, mean that almost 2 million hectares of the TransFly Ecoregion will be protected.

Europe sees its conservation network expands with the European Commission's approval to extend protected sites, a move that will improve conservation efforts to protect the continent's most seriously threatened habitats and species. The 4,225 newly designated Natura 2000 sites of specially protected areas cover about 90,000km2 — an area roughly the size of Portugal — within four bio-geographical regions. National efforts also helped to enhance forest protection in Europe.

Bulgaria's parks were saved when Parliament approved an amendment bill saving the Strandzha Nature Park, the country’s largest protected area, and other sites. The protected area status of Strandzha had been removed by a decision of the Supreme Administrative Court because of loopholes in a ministerial order dating from 1995. That decision paved the way for legalizing a holiday resort that has been built in the nature reserve and provoked a public outcry and daily demonstrations. WWF and its partners had been pushing the Bulgarian parliament for over a year to address this problem, and had organised the daily protests. WWF also led a successful online campaign which saw over 16,000 WWF panda passport activists emailing petitions to Bulgaria's Prime Minister and Prosecutor.

The Carpathians's ancient beech forests were declared a World Heritage site, underlining their global importance. These fine undisturbed temperate forests and pure stands of European beech, provide an outstanding example of the re-colonization and development of terrestrial ecosystems after the last ice age, a process that is still ongoing. WWF has been working for over a decade here, promoting responsible forestry practices, and sustainable business and development activities.

Russia Far East established two national parks within the same week. The two parks the Zov Tigra (Call of the Tiger) National Park and the Udege National Park will protect wildlife species including the endangered Siberian tiger, brown and black bears, 30 species of endangered plants and extensive Korean pine forests. Both are in one of the Russian Far East's most biologically diverse areas

Georgian national park joined Europe's protected areas network - the WWF-supported PAN Parks initiative. By joining the network, the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, one of Europe’s largest parks, increased its protection status. Covering more than 85,000 hectares of native forest and alpine meadows, the park is home to a wide range of wildlife, including brown bear, wolf and lynx.

More responsible forestry and agriculture practice

According to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the total area of FSC-certified forests soared to nearly 93 million hectares as at end 2007. Of this, 14.2 million hectares are managed by WWF's Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) participants, who have a further 17.5 million hectares on the way to being FSC-certified.

FSC also received a boost with Netherlands' housing associations making a commitment to build 100,000 houses using FSC timber from Indonesia. These houses comprise 25 per cent of the total number of houses to be built in the Netherlands over the next five years. So far, 38 corporations in the housing associations have signed on to the commitment, indicating that a market for FSC-certified timber is present and increasing significantly.

Responsible forestry in Panama took a historic step forward with the launching of the first sustainable harvesting plan for the eastern Darien region. Under the plan, forest areas are cut in 25-year cycles to ensure that logging does not exceed what the forest can regenerate.

After several years of working together, WWF and palm oil producer groups in Honduras signed a memorandum of understanding. The agreement will see better agricultural management practices to protect the Mesoamerican Reef, the Americas' biggest coral reef system and the world's second largest, as well as practices benefiting the people dependent on the reef's resources.

Recognition for conservation

WWF Ukraine project leader wins Whitley Award
Ukrainian conservationist and WWF project leader Dr. Bohdan Prots won the UK’s Whitley Award for his work on identifying hidden forest species in Eastern Europe’s little-known “jungles” the flooded forests of Transcarpathia, in western Ukraine. Flooded forests are now extremely rare in Europe and among the world's most endangered habitats. They are part of a larger landscape in the upper Tisza River Basin, a WWF conservation priority.

Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest a “gift” to the Earth
WWF recognized Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest as a Gift to the Earth, its highest accolade for globally significant conservation achievements. Spanning 74,000km2 of British Columbia’s Pacific coast, the Great Bear Rainforest contains the largest tracts of primary temperate rainforest on Earth. It is home to a rich wildlife, including wolves, black-tailed deer, moose, grizzlies and rare white-coated Kermode bears.

Additionally...

Brazil wood was finally listed on Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). The listing was decided at the 14th Conference of the Parties to CITES, which also agreed on an amendment to exclude certain items made from Brazil wood, such as musical bows. Also at the conference, Peru committed to undertake CITES implementation for big leaf mahogany, by reducing its export quota and taking action against illegal logging. This followed strong lobbying from a coalition of NGOs, including WWF which also had an online petition involving WWF passport activists.

WWF and Congolese authorities celebrated the ten millionth tree planted around Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a crucial habitat for the endangered mountain gorilla. This was no mean feat considering the very difficult environment under which WWF conducts its tree-planting project. Launched in 1987, the project has continued despite recurrent armed conflicts in the region. In the most recent armed conflict, the project was able to provide emergency fuelwood for people who had fled to set up camp near the park.

last but not least...Political leaders who met in Bali at the UN climate change conference in December hammered a deal launching formal negotiations for a future climate change regime. Although the deal fall short on ambitions and substance, there was commitment to address tropical deforestation under the topic of REDD (reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation). This commitment indicates government recognition that 20 per cent of carbon emissions are from forest loss.

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Nokia joins WWF Climate Savers with key energy initiatives

28 Jan 2008 - Espoo, Finland - Nokia has joined the WWF Climate Savers program with a pledge to build on its strong environmental record by improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon dioxide emissions across its business.

The company is targeting a series of energy savings including halving the stand by energy used by its mobile phone chargers, using green electricity to power 50 per cent of its facilities by 2010 and reducing the overall energy needs of its sites by 6 per cent by 2012.

The targets are part of Nokia’s existing Climate Change Strategy. Its commitment to these has been reinforced by joining the WWF Climate Savers program, a collaboration between one of the world’s largest global conservation organizations and business to show leadership in addressing climate change.

“WWF is delighted with Nokia’s Climate Savers commitments to make significant energy savings both in its own operations and from the use of its products,” said WWF International Director-General, James P. Leape. “When a global brand with a high consumer profile gets on board with enthusiastic climate action it reinforces the messages that we need to act globally and quickly on climate change and we can act globally and quickly.”

Kirsi Sormunen, Vice-President of Environmental Affairs at Nokia, said: “As the world’s largest mobile company we have a responsibility to look at how we can play our part in tackling climate change. This is not about grand gestures but everyday things that when multiplied by the scale of our operations, or the 900 million people using Nokia devices globally, can have a major impact. It also makes good business sense, helping us find new ways to be more efficient and innovative.”

Nokia’s WWF Climate Savers commitments build on the company’s existing achievements in increasing energy efficiency. The targets include:

Product energy efficiency

Around two thirds of the energy consumed by a mobile phone during its use is lost when it is fully charged and unplugged but the charger is left connected to the mains, so called “no-load” mode. Over the last nine years Nokia has reduced the average no-load energy used by its chargers by over 50 per cent and its best-in-class charger needs just one tenth of the power used by the most common chargers.

Nokia aims to reduce the average no-load power consumption by another 50 per cent by the end of 2010. It will also roll out reminders for consumers to unplug the charger from the electricity outlet once the phone has been fully charged across its product range by the end of 2008.

Offices and sites

From 2003 to 2006 energy saving projects in Nokia facilities in Europe, the Americas, and China reduced the company’s overall global energy consumption by 3.5 per cent. Nokia is now targeting further savings between 2007 and 2012 of 6 per cent compared to 2006 levels.

Green energy

Nokia currently uses green electricity for 25 per cent of the energy needed to run its facilities worldwide. The company plans to increase this to 50 per cent in 2010.

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About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility through these devices. Nokia also provides equipment, solutions and services for communications networks.

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About WWF
WWF, the global conservation organization, is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF has a global network active in over 100 countries with almost 5 million supporters.

WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF Climate Savers
WWF’s Climate Savers was founded in 1999 and comprises currently 14 major international companies, reducing their total emissions by over ten million tons of CO2 per year compared to reference scenarios. For more information go to http://www.panda.org/climatebusiness

Nokia has been a WWF partner since 2003.
Phil Dickie
WWF International Press Office,

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Join retailers’ Mediterranean bluefin tuna boycott, urges WWF

28 Jan 2008 - As more and more major European retailers boycott Mediterranean Bluefin Tuna, WWF used the occasion of the Barcelona Seafood Summit to call on more to join the ban until the imperilled species is out of the danger zone.

France's Auchan group, with a nearly 14 per cent share of the retail fish trade, declared its boycott on 28 December, noting that scientists had advised a 15,000 tonne ceiling on annual catches, while the international tuna management body was allowing a 2008 quota of 29,500 tonnes.

"Moreover, each year, captures greatly exceed the fixed quotas," Auchan said in a statement outlining how the ban had been taken in line with its policy of pursuing a sustainable trade in fish.

“WWF applauds Auchan in France, Carrefour in Italy, Coop in both Italy and Switzerland, and ICA in Norway for their courageous decisions to stop selling Mediterranean bluefin tuna – and we urge other retailers to follow suit,” says Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean.

“The seafood industry is waking up to its responsibilities, recognising that there is not an endless supply of fish like bluefin tuna. By taking action now, retailers can help give this amazing species a fighting chance of survival, for the benefit of both business and the marine ecosystem.”

Scientists have declared it “probable” that populations of the magnificent bluefin tuna, much prized especially for sushi in Japan, will soon collapse in the Mediterranean – unless action is taken now.

Before retailers started taking matters into their own hands, WWF had suggested to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) meeting in November that contracting countries agree on a 3-year ban on bluefin tuna fishing, but this move was rejected.

Following massive demand in recent years – especially from Japan where Atlantic bluefin is prized for Sushi – high-tech fishing fleets have hunted down, often illegally, ever-declining numbers of these migratory ocean giants.

WWF exposed the drastically out-of-control nature of the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery in the 2007 season when illegal fishing was again rife – including the use of banned spotter planes, as well as widespread unreporting. According to WWF sources, the Spanish authorities, for example, officially declared only two thirds of the nation’s catch last year.

“Fisheries management has gone completely off the rails – the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery is now a dangerous game in which clearly all sides will lose,” Dr Tudela said. “That’s why WWF is urging retailers to stand up for sustainable fish.”
Gemma Parkes
Communications Officer
WWF Mediterranean Programme Office