WWF - Conservation and environmental news: Eastern African Marine Ecoregion

New Fisheries Act Lays Basis For Sustainable Fisheries In Mozambique

2013-04-23

The Mozambican Parliament has by consensus approved a new Fisheries Act which will address rights-based management of fisheries, mainly for the direct benefit of local fishermen and pro-poor conservation. The approval of this Fisheries Act makes Mozambique the first country in the Western Indian Ocean region to officially adopt legislation that embraces rights-based management of fisheries.

Rights-based management (RBM) is a fisheries management tool that creates rules which define both the right to use allocation of fisheries resources and the responsibility to manage them. Thus, fishermen, fishing vessels, fishing communities and so forth can be awarded a license, quota or fishing right to stocks.

According to Mozambique's Minister of Fisheries Mr. Victor Borges, the new fisheries act approved last week by parliament replaces the former one dated 1990.

"The previous act was out-dated and, therefore, not able to combat various infractions committed in this sector. In this new act, rights will be given to nationals for a certain period, depending on the fishery resource in relation to which the rights are given," said the Minister.

More than 100,000 Mozambicans depend directly on fishing and more than 530,000 depend on it indirectly according to Mozambique's Ministry of Fisheries. The new Fisheries Act is expected to give more rights to these fishermen along with addressing infractions in the fisheries sector that skew the playing field against local communities in Mozambique.

Mozambique lost revenues of US$67 million in 2012 due to illegal fishing, basically of tuna and shrimp, by foreign and national fishing vessels within its jurisdictional waters, particularly the bays of Maputo and Sofala Bank, Mozambican newspaper Correio da Manhã reported.

WWF Coastal East Africa Initiative Leader Peter Scheren congratulated the government of Mozambique for passing the act but noted that it is expected by many players in the sector that this new act will address loss of revenue with the aim of ensuring more socio-economic benefits to local communities whilst conserving precious and sometimes inadequate fisheries resources.

"This is a huge step taken by Mozambique to promote sustainable fisheries management, not only in Mozambique but also in the Western Indian Ocean region. We believe that this new approach will effectively empower local communities to actively manage their artisanal fisheries, bringing more socio-economic benefits to them while conserving fisheries resources," noted Mr. Scheren.

Fisheries experts have warned that mismanagement of fisheries is costing African countries between 2 and 5 billion dollars every year. Illegal fishing alone accounts for the loss of fish valued at 1 billion dollars every year from the waters of Sub-Saharan Africa. The new Fisheries Act will aim at addressing such losses related to Mozambique.

By John Kabubu

Its Full speed ahead for Fisheries policy and institutional reforms in the South West Indian Ocean

2013-03-12

The Western Indian Ocean State's efforts to help bring about improved marine fisheries reforms and governance in the South West Indian Ocean range states are beginning to bear fruit following a recent decision to reform the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission from an advisory body to a full management body.

Through its Coastal East Africa Initiative, WWF has consistently lobbied the South West Indian Ocean range states of Comoros, France, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania and Yemen to strengthen their policy, legal and institutional framework in order to help bring about fisheries stock sustainability and increase socio-economic benefits to the over 65 million people that inhabit the coastal zone of the Western Indian Ocean.

During a special adhoc session of the South West Indian Ocean Commission (SWIOFC) held in Dar es Salaam Tanzania on the 27th – 28th of February 2013, members unanimously agreed and endorsed the decision to reform the SWIOFC from an advisory body to a full management body. This important transition will enable the Commission to facilitate binding and non-binding decisions that ensure adequate and professional management of fisheries in the region.

The member states furthermore decided to host the secretariat of the Commission in Mozambique, in an effort to bring the centre of coordination closer to the region.

Speaking during the meeting, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Tanzania Ministry of Livestock Development and Fisheries Dr. Johana Budeba welcomed the decision, noting, "The SWIOFC is an important Regional Fisheries Management Body and it is prudent that we put in place mechanisms and interventions to have it strengthened for improved fisheries governance".

WWF Coastal East Africa Initiative Fisheries Programme Officer Edward Kimakwa, speaking during the same meeting urged South West India Ocean member states to continue with their efforts to collectively promote sustainable development and management of the marine fisheries in the region.

"We need to see in the near future a situation where SWIO states are effectively controlling and equitably benefiting from sustainable marine fisheries stocks. Strengthening the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission as a fisheries management body will certainly go a long way in bringing about stock sustainability and increased socio-economic benefits to the SWIO coastal states," noted Mr. Kimakwa.

Fisheries experts have warned that mismanagement of fisheries is costing African countries between 2 and 5 billion dollars every year. Illegal fishing alone accounts for the loss of fish valued at 1 billion dollars every year from the waters of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The decision to establish a regional fisheries management commission comes at an opportune time considering that the South Western Indian Ocean Fisheries Project (SWIOFP) is coming to a close. The SWIOFP project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the World Bank, has been an important factor not only in establishing a much improved knowledge base on the fisheries of the region, but also in building up a strong coherence between the countries of the region.

The transformation of SWIOFC into a Fisheries Management Organisation is the icing on the cake for this project and provides an important basis for future interventions in the sector. WWF, in this regard, is engaged in discussions with the World Bank and other partners on a follow-up project that will build upon the success of SWIOFP and other initiatives.

By Edward Kimakwa, Peter Scheren & John Kabubu

Tana River Delta Ramsar Site Status a Plus for Coastal East Africa

2012-11-23

Conservation efforts by WWF and other environmental organizations have continued to forge ahead following Kenya designating the Tana River Delta as a Wetland of International Importance. With the Ramsar Secretariat's announcing that the Tana River Delta is now a Ramsar Site, the 163,600-hectare delta (02°27'S 040°17'E) becomes East Africa's second most important river mouth wetland after the Rufiji Delta in neighbouring Tanzania.

Kenya already has 5 designated Ramsar sites in the Great African Rift Valley, namely lakes Naivasha, Elementaita, Nakuru, Bogoria, and Baringo; providing enhanced tourism, employment for Kenya's tourism sector, vibrant horticultural industry around Lake Naivasha, steam geysers in Lake Bogoria, and Kenya's first sanctuary for the critically endangered black rhino in Lake Nakuru National Park. In total, Kenya's 6 Ramsar Sites cover 265,449 hectares.

The Tana Delta forms an area of rich biodiversity for sea species including fish and prawns, five species of marine turtles. There are a host of terrestrial animals such as the African Elephant, Tana Mangabey, Tana River Red Colobus, and White Collared monkey. In addition to more than 600 plant species, the Tana Delta is a home for many bird species and is a critical transit point for migratory water birds such as waders, gulls and terns.

According to Coastal East Africa Initiative leader Peter Scheren, the importance of the Tana Delta to Coastal East Africa cannot be underscored enough considering the numerous challenges facing the region.

"The Tana Delta is an important ecosystem for Coastal East Africa which continues to face several challenges. Statistics indicate that a mere 10% of the original coastal forests of Eastern Africa remain, fragmented into 400 patches that cover 6,250km² in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. The fact that the Tana Delta is now the latest Ramsar Site in Africa is a boost in efforts to conserve the remaining forest cover and help secure the livelihoods of communities' dependent upon this important ecosystem," noted Mr. Scheren

Currently, over 20 million people live in and along coastal forests and landscapes in eastern Africa. The survival of these people is highly dependent on the availability of basic natural resources such as timber, wood-fuel and charcoal, which are extracted from forests, causing a serious dilemma; their dependency and consequent exploitation of these resources destroying the very basis of their existence. The pressures are rapidly rising as the population is expected to double by 2030 putting a serious and already present strain on the meager natural resources present in Coastal East Africa.

WWF implements several conservation projects at the Kenyan coast including the rehabilitation and protection of the Kaya and Boni Dodori forests, the conservation of sea turtles and livelihood enhancing activities.

By John Kabubu
Communications Officer
WWF Coastal East Africa Initiative

Mozambique creates Africa's largest coastal marine reserve

2012-11-06

The Primeiras and Segundas have been approved as a marine protected area in Mozambique making this diverse ten-island archipelago Africa's largest coastal marine reserve.

Comprising ten islands off the coast of northern Mozambique, and featuring abundant coral and marine turtle species, the protected area will cover more than 1,040,926 hectares. WWF has worked for eight years to secure this important marine reserve, which has been threatened by overfishing and unauthorised tourism.

"This is a great response to the appeal by local communities to help them protect their resources," said Florêncio Marerua, WWF Mozambique´s Country Director.

"This is a very important step in our effort to achieve the conservation and sustainable management of Mozambique's marine and coastal resources, as this adds a globally significant area to the network of marine protected areas along the country's coast. It is particularly exciting that both the government authorities and local communities recognize the benefits of conserving these resources."

Located in the northern region of the country, between Nampula and Zambezia Provinces, the declaration of the Primeiras and Segundas environment protection area represents the second major conservation area to be declared within the last two years.

The archipelago includes the most robust and diverse coral community in Mozambique. It is rich in mangroves, marine life, deep underwater canyons and large seagrass beds. Due to cold nutrient-rich upwellings, the archipelago is spared coral bleaching, a common problem in other coral-rich areas, making these some of the most globally productive and important reefs on the planet.

"This declaration by the Government shows they understand and care about the need for conservation of marine resources to support sustainable use by their communities, "said John Tanzer, Director of WWF's Global Marine Programme.

"Protecting the rich natural resources of this magnificent area will make a major contribution to the long-term food security and livelihoods of the people of the region. It is also a significant contribution by Mozambique to safeguarding the future of the world's marine environment more generally, and deserves recognition and congratulations to all concerned who worked together to make it possible."

The area is also of great economical importance. Artisanal, semi-industrial, and industrial fishermen have been carrying out their fishery activities in the same area. Thus, all fishing activity within the archipelago area shows signs of overexploitation, with some species on the brink of collapse.

Tanzania Embarks on Road to Green Economy

2012-06-21

Tanzania anticipates making important strides on the pathway towards a Green Economy through green economy initiatives such as the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT).

SACGOT was a major talking point for Tanzania during Rio +20 talks currently going on in Rio Di Janeiro, Brazil. During a side event about investing in Natural Capital organized jointly by WWF and the Africa Development Bank, Tanzania's Minister of State, Vice President's Office (Environment) Dr. Terezya Huvisa noted that Tanzania stood to benefit immensely by greening its economy through initiatives such as SAGCOT.

"The 2011 SAGCOT investment blueprint envisions profitable farming systems services, businesses supported by infrastructure, value chains and human capital development. Innovative financing will include a public- private sector and multi-donor catalytic investment fund leveraged over $2bn," noted Dr. Huvisa.

The minister further noted that the SACGOT region offered immense potential for Tanzania which continues to be bogged down by high poverty levels and vulnerability to climate change.

SAGCOT's Green Growth Strategy includes a number of key components that will safeguard key ecosystem services and natural capital for agriculture and rural communities (e.g., irrigation water supplies) and support climate-smart agriculture to capture carbon in soils and vegetation, improve yields and resilience to droughts and floods as well as protect water quality and biodiversity.

The strategy furthermore involves agricultural investments for food and nutrition security with opportunities for export earnings; using REDD+ to help finance transitions to low-emission energy systems; and designating wildlife corridors in conjunction to maintain biodiversity, improve tourism revenues and minimize human-wildlife conflict.

As the Rio +20 talks continue, Dr. Huviza noted that the Green growth concept will give hope to sustainable climate-smart agriculture and social development to be mainstreamed into development initiatives. The SAGCOT blueprint for Tanzania is a laboratory for testing and implementing this concept and will provide valuable lessons for the agriculture sector in Africa.

Speaking during the same event, WWF's Director General, Jim Leape noted that "it is extremely disappointing to see that the international process on sustainable development culminating in the RIO+20 Conference, is failing in terms of achieving firm commitments in regard to preserving our natural capital. At the same time, it is extremely encouraging to see that individual countries, the champions of this world, are stepping up to the challenge and take crucial actions were international negotiations are failing."

John Kabubu

AfDB and WWF to launch Africa Ecological Footprint Report

2012-05-31

Arusha, Tanzania: The African Development Bank (AfDB) and global conservation group WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) have launched today a joint report on the state of Africa's environment.

The Africa Ecological Footprint Report: Green Infrastructure for Africa's Ecological Security takes stock of the health of Africa's ecosystems, as well as trends in resources use patterns. It also lays out recommendations on implementing green development pathways for Africa.

This report is intended to stoke up thinking on greener development in Africa and to rally action by policy-makers and investors in the lead-up to Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development taking place later this month in Brazil.

"Africa has choices", underlines AfDB President, Donald Kaberuka. "Embracing a more sustainable approach to development can generate benefits in terms of environmental security, human wellbeing, and increased competitiveness."

The Africa Ecological Footprint Report 2012 outlines two alarming trends, which if not addressed by policy-makers and investors are likely to lead to important social and economic impacts. First, by tracking the changes in wildlife populations as a proxy for ecosystem health, the Africa Living Planet Index shows a decline of nearly 40% in biodiversity in the last four decades. This decline reflects a degradation of the natural systems upon which Africa's current and future prosperity depends.

Second, rapid population growth and increasing prosperity are changing consumption patterns, with the result that Africa's ecological footprint – the area needed to generate the resources consumed by the people who live here – has been growing steadily. While Africa's total ecological footprint is set to double by 2040 in a business-as-usual scenario, the good news is that Africa is in an advantageous position to act. It is endowed with tremendous natural resources, which, if managed properly, will be able to meet the needs of a growing population. And its relatively low footprint may be maintained if forward-looking and large-scale solutions can be mobilised in the areas of renewable energy, urban planning, and sound management of forests, water and marine resources.

The opportunity and urgency to act to ensure adequate and equitable access to water, fuel and food in the coming decades is highlighted by Jim Leape, WWF Director General.

"Our ecological infrastructure – terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems – is as essential to human development as are industrial and social infrastructures such as roads, schools, hospitals and energy provision," said WWF's Jim Leape. "The Africa Ecological Footprint Report showcases successful and scalable initiatives across Africa in renewable energy, integrated water resource management, ecotourism and forest conservation. The report offers concrete recommendations for maintaining Africa's natural capital as the foundation for sustainable and inclusive development and I urge decision-makers to act on them."

Donald Kaberuka and Jim Leape launched the report together on 1 June as part of the AfDB's Annual Meetings in Arusha. The event, attended by AfDB senior staff, government ministers, NGO representatives, African business and financial leaders, and the African and international media, is intended to inspire interest and action from these key decision-makers. The report will also be featured at a side event of the Rio+20 conference in June.

AfDB and WWF formally entered into a partnership last July, agreeing to initially focus on three areas of cooperation: developing win-win partnerships with emerging economies and strengthening South-South cooperation; catalysing knowledge sharing and knowledge products for green growth and sustainable development; collaborating on energy and water resource management; and climate change. This report is the first joint product of this partnership.

With a recent tripling of its capitalisation to USD 100 billion, the AfDB is the most important multilateral institution financing development in Africa. As the continent faces rapid economic and population growth, and growing resource and climate pressures, the AfDB plays an essential role in ensuring sustainable and equitable development.

WWF is the world's largest environmental non-governmental organisation and has been active in Africa since its foundation more than 50 years ago. WWF works together with governments, businesses and local communities to deliver conservation and sustainable development worldwide.

To download the report, and to find out more, go to: www.panda.org/lpr/africa2012 or www.afdb.org.

Two twice 'extinct' trees rediscovered in coastal Tanzania

2012-03-12

Scientists have confirmed the rediscovery of two tree species that were feared to have become extinct twice, according to a report published in the Journal of East African Natural History. The finds were made in highly threatened fragments of dry forest in coastal Tanzania.

One of the trees, Erythrina schliebenii, belongs to the genus of 'coral trees' which have spectacular red flowers and viciously spiny trunks. The tree was only known from two collections from the 1930s until it was recollected in a small patch of unprotected forest in 2001. It was feared that it might have gone extinct again when a Dutch company cleared part of that forest for a biofuel plantation in 2008.

The other tree, Karomia gigas, was only known from a single specimen cut down a few years after it was first discovered in coastal Kenya in 1977. Another tree was found some 600 km away in a tiny fragment of forest in Tanzania in 1993, but a more recent search at the same site was unable to relocate it.

Last year botanists from the University of Dar es Salaam set out to look for both trees near where they had been found. They discovered small populations of both in remote coastal forest near Kilwa in southeast Tanzania.

The coral tree Erythrina schliebenii was collected with mature seeds for the first time, allowing taxonomists at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew to confirm it as a distinct species. This was only possible through consulting reference collections of coral tree specimens housed in herbaria throughout the world.

Neil Burgess, senior advisor to WWF's conservation and Africa programme, said: "The re-discovery of these two trees highlights the lack of information in a forested region where we could be losing species without ever knowing they are there.

"Conservation of these forests, in partnership with local villages, is essential. This can also lead to standing forest being used as an income source for communities through the development of sustainable logging initiatives."

Recent infrastructure development, together with a rapid population increase, are putting the coastal forests of southeast Tanzania under increasing threat of being degraded and cleared.

"Erythrina schliebenii has only survived because it grows in rocky areas that are not usually cleared for cultivation, but even those areas will be cleared one day if nothing is done," added botanist Cosmas Mligo from the University of Dar es Salaam.

Roy Gereau from the Missouri Botanical Garden, who coordinates the IUCN Red Data book listing of East African plants, said: "Both trees are still in critical danger of extinction, given that fewer than 50 individuals of each species are known."

Notes to Editors:
About WWF WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with more than 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. 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.

Recent fieldwork in Tanzania's Coastal Forests was supported by the Global Environment Facility through the United Nations Development Programme, WWF and the Tanzania Forest Service. Their work forms a part of the WWF's 'Coastal East Africa' Global Initiative and the UNDP GEF project 'expanding the protected area subsystem in the coastal forests of Tanzania'.

Further details are available online from the latest issue of the Journal of East African Natural History, available online at http://www.bioone.org/loi/eanh

Paper citation: Clarke, G.P., N.D. Burgess, F.M. Mbago, C. Mligo, B. Mackinder & R.E. Gereau (2011). Two 'extinct' trees rediscovered near Kilwa, Tanzania. J. East African Nat. Hist. 100(1&2):133–140.

For further information, please contact:
Robin Clegg, Tel: +44 7771 818707, email: rclegg@wwf.org.uk

Forest gives rise to village bank

2011-11-14

by John Kabubu, WWF Coastal East Africa Initiative

The Kaya Kinondo forest of Kwale, Kenya, is awash with all the beauty and splendor a coastal forest should have. It is one of the oldest forests on Kenya's south coast. Rare bird and plant species populate this awesome ecosystem, along with huge indigenous trees that are imposing in nature and magnificent in splendor.

Forty-five butterfly species – 5 per cent of those known in Kenya – are found in this great forest. The extremely rare Zanj elephant shrew, along with the threatened colobus monkey, make their homes in this magnificent landscape. The Kaya Kinondo forest is also of great cultural and spiritual importance to the Digo people in Kenya.

This dynamic environment also boasts something that doesn't fly or run, has no roots or leaves, but has become an essential part of daily life for the residents of Kwale, and may even help keep the forest healthy. It's a village bank.

'Very good trees'
Client after client comes into the Kaya Kinondo Financial Services Association to either deposit or withdraw money. This bank has no ATMs or free pens, but it does provide effective and efficient financial services to community members within and around the Kaya Kinondo forest area.

According to 50-year-old mother of six Zainab Ahmed, the success of their village bank would have been put in serious jeopardy had the community not realized what immense economic potential their forest has, and acted on it.

"Kaya Kinondo has very good trees. We were beginning to use the forest badly, cutting many trees from it to make charcoal. This was badly affecting the forest and slowly destroying it."

It is at this point that Zainab and her neighbors realized that there is indeed a better way to co-exist with and even benefit from the forest.

"In 2003, we decided to come together and start an eco-tourism project. We sold carvings and introduced our rich culture to tourists along a trail in the Kaya Kinondo forest," Zainab says.

Through this simple venture, the community in and around Kaya Kinondo began to see the economic value of forest conservation. Money begun streaming in, and the community faced a new challenge.

"We were getting all this money, but we had nowhere to take it because at that time, banks were really expensive and inaccessible," says Zainab.

Banking on nature
It was at this point that WWF, supported by the UN Development Programme's Global Environmental Facility, the Ford Foundation and Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, introduced the idea of banking in the village, for the village, by the village. In addition to the bank component, the project worked with people who earned their living by making charcoal or selling firewood with the aim of helping them shift to more forest-friendly enterprises such as growing tree seedlings, eco-tourism and various agricultural projects, such as chicken farming.

"We helped create Kaya Kinondo Financial Services Association in order to help communities in Kwale invest their revenue in environmentally viable businesses that would keep their forests profitable while also conserving them," says WWF's Elias Kimaru, who works on the project.

Training was carried out for community members to help them invest wisely and ensure that the bank is sustainable and continues to benefit the community and the environment.

"In every village, WWF trained one person on how to set up and run a village bank. This was an important move because we had previously seen other village banks start and then die because of mismanagement. We did not want our bank to fail. After the training, we started the bank with 153 members who bought shares at $3 each," explains Zainab.

Client numbers were low at first because villagers were not convinced that their money would be safe in a village bank. As Zainab recalled, other banks had been set up and had folded; the families of Kwale can't afford that kind of financial risk.

Growing strong
Two years down the line, in 2005, the bank was still open, and more and more members enrolled.

But the community realized they needed to learn more and expand the menu of financial services offered, if they were to stay competitive with other micro-finance institutions that had moved into the area.

"In 2005, WWF offered us training on how to manage loans as a bank, and we began providing business loans of up to $50 to our members," notes Zainab.

By 2011, more than 130 members had taken loans amounting to $60,000. From a desire to protect their forest and promote their culture, the members of Kaya Kinondo Financial Services Association have created a strong and growing community institution. With 153 members with a net worth of $3,000 in 2003, to 689 members with a net worth of close to $100,000 today, the village bank is indeed a testament to the fact that human beings can live in harmony with nature.

FSC certification helps stop the 'bleeding' in Tanzanian forests

2011-07-19

By John Kabubu, WWF Coastal East Africa Communications

The sound of a saw cutting deep into the kiaat tree (Pterocarpus angolensis, also called "bloodwood") in a forest in Kisangi village fills the air. Sweat drips from the body of 56-year-old Rafii Hashim as he pushes the saw rhythmically back and forth to ensure a smooth cut. The birds are chirping, the forest air is clean and the lungs present are only too happy not to be breathing in the heavy and polluted city air. As the saw cuts through the tree, it bleeds a deep red color. It's not unusual for the kiaat tree to release red colored sap from its trunk when cut.

The harvesting of trees in Kisangi village goes on in an orderly manner and without fear. This is because all activities being undertaken are legal and sanctioned by both government and the community. FSC certification is slowly taking root in some villages around Kilwa and Lindi districts in southern Tanzania.

Communities are beginning to realize the benefit of conserving their forests and putting a leash on illegal trade in timber. Despite this step in the right direction, it is worthy noting that it hasn't always been as such in rural Tanzania.

A change for the better

Rafii Hashim bears an optimistic look on his face as he speaks to us about FSC certification and the challenges they experienced before coming to the decision to harvest their timber in a sustainable manner.

"Before FSC, we used to get 100 Tanzanian shillings per tree and this wasn't always guaranteed since most of this timber was being harvested illegally. This money was not enough for us to do anything," says the father of 13 children.

Today, the story is different for Rafii and the people of Kisangi village. Through combined support from FDB in Denmark, the Sound and Fair campaign, Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative and WWF, Rafii and his fellow villagers are beginning to reap the fruits of their hard labour.

"This thing called FSC has helped us conserve our forests better. It has helped us know when it is right to harvest and when it is not. We are now making over 100,000 Tanzanian shillings for every cubic meter we harvest. All this knowledge will help us harvest our trees in a way that doesn't harm the forest and ensure that even our children will have a forest to enjoy," he says.

The forest in and around Kisangi village is indeed a lifeline for the communities that reside there. The money generated from sustainable harvesting of trees has the support of government. According to the National Participatory Forest Management Coordinator Joseph Kigula, the government gains when communities advance.

"This is their money and their forest. They decide when and how to use the revenue collected from sustainably sourced trees. We are not losing as a government because the villagers here are part of the government. In fact, they are the government," says Kigula, explaining the benefits of the project.

Living in harmony with nature

The residents of Kisangi village are mainly farmers who grow maize, rice and the cash crop sesame seed. The forest around the village also has many benefits to the community. According to Rafii, the benefits of having a healthy forest cannot be underscored enough.

"We use the forest for many things. Many stomach ailments in my household are treated using medicine from the forest, from roots and leaves that make our children stronger. Today, our forests are even more beneficial to us after the education we have received so far to open our eyes and mind. We are able to build our schools and hospitals now with money from the forest. We did not know how valuable our forests were until we received education from Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative," notes Rafii.

It is this education that has kept illegal activities in the forest at bay and given an incredible drive and willpower to Rafii and the people in his village to protect the forest from illegal activity.

"Before, both outsiders and village insiders harvested trees illegally. Today, every villager watches the forest and takes care of it. We even want to increase the FSC certified acreage so that our villages can continue to benefit even more from our forests," explains Rafii.

Worrying challenges remain

"This is only our second harvest, and finding markets to sell our timber continues to be a big obstacle toward the development of the village," he explains with a look of great concern on his face. This challenge could easily see the communities in Kilwa and Lindi districts revert to previous illegal activities and trade in timber.

A great tree has come crashing down, but the benefits of this project are evident. Hospitals, schools and other development projects will be carried out with funds from the sale of sustainably harvested timber. Communities will develop and forests will thrive – provided that markets are found for this community to keep FSC certification running on its own, sustainably.

Africa needs stronger fisheries management, ministers told

2010-09-24

Banjul, Gambia: African countries need to take fisheries management seriously, the first ever continental meeting of fisheries ministers has been told.

The Forum of South West Indian Ocean Civil Societies reminded the inaugural Conference of African Ministers on Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA) that 200 Million Africans were dependent on fisheries for food and livelihood.

"But despite the significant contribution of the fisheries sector, fisheries management in most African countries has been marginalized," said Dr. Amani Ngusaru, from WWF.

"Most coastal African countries remain poor despite the vast resources in their respective Exclusive Economic Zones," added Dr. Ngusaru.

However, the fisheries sector has low priority in national development programmes and in many cases is grossly underfunded. Governance failure in national and regional fisheries management bodies, the forum said.

Open access has denied most countries and indeed local communities the right to sustainably manage and benefit from their fisheries resources.

In its statement to ministerial conference which concluded Thursday in Banjul, Gambia, the forum said that "the meeting was a timely opportunity to canvass the common issues facing African fisheries and we firmly believe that this meeting should herald the beginning of a new era in management of fisheries resources."

However, if the fisheries sector is to contribute towards the 6% annual growth of the agricultural sector in Africa, the sector needs to implement an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries and work rapidly to ensure fisheries access agreements are sustainable and equitable.

"Countries also need to mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation, improve fisheries data (including stock assessments), and actively involve civil societies in decision making," said Edward Kimakwa of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA).

"The fisheries sector has greater potential if well developed to spur economic development, offer more employment opportunities and reduce poverty among the local population in Africa," Dr Ngusaru said.

Africa needs stronger fisheries management, ministers told

2010-09-24

Banjul, Gambia: African countries need to take fisheries management seriously, the first ever continental meeting of fisheries ministers has been told.

The Forum of South West Indian Ocean Civil Societies reminded the inaugural Conference of African Ministers on Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA) that 200 Million Africans were dependent on fisheries for food and livelihood.

"But despite the significant contribution of the fisheries sector, fisheries management in most African countries has been marginalized," said Dr. Amani Ngusaru, from WWF.

"Most coastal African countries remain poor despite the vast resources in their respective Exclusive Economic Zones," added Dr. Ngusaru.

However, the fisheries sector has low priority in national development programmes and in many cases is grossly underfunded. Governance failure in national and regional fisheries management bodies, the forum said.

Open access has denied most countries and indeed local communities the right to sustainably manage and benefit from their fisheries resources.

In its statement to ministerial conference which concluded Thursday in Banjul, Gambia, the forum said that "the meeting was a timely opportunity to canvass the common issues facing African fisheries and we firmly believe that this meeting should herald the beginning of a new era in management of fisheries resources."

However, if the fisheries sector is to contribute towards the 6% annual growth of the agricultural sector in Africa, the sector needs to implement an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries and work rapidly to ensure fisheries access agreements are sustainable and equitable.

"Countries also need to mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation, improve fisheries data (including stock assessments), and actively involve civil societies in decision making," said Edward Kimakwa of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA).

"The fisheries sector has greater potential if well developed to spur economic development, offer more employment opportunities and reduce poverty among the local population in Africa," Dr Ngusaru said.

Forum members:
WWF – Worldwide Fund for Nature (www.panda.org)
WCS – Wildlife Conservation Society (www.wcs.org)
WIOMSA – Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (www.wiomsa.org)
CORDIO – Coral Reef Degradation in the Indian Ocean (http://www.cordioea.org)
COMRED – Concertation Mondiale des Réseaux d'Éducation à Distance (http://www.comredafrica.org)
FORDIA – Concern for Development Initiatives in Africa (www.fordia.org)
IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature (www.iucn.org)
EAWLS – East Africa Wild Life Society (www.eawildlife.org)
MSC – Marine Stewardship Council (www.msc.org)

For further details please contact:

Dr Amani Ngusaru
WWF, Coastal East Africa Initiative
Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA
angusaru@wwftz.org

Mr Edward Kimakwa
WIOMSA Secretariat
Zanzibar, TANZANIA
Kimakwa@WIOMSA.org

Mr. Kimunya Mugo
WWF Eastern & Southern Africa Regional Programme
Nairobi, Kenya
kmugo@wwfesarpo.org

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

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Madagascar drought forces farmers into charcoal devastation

2010-08-20

Toliara, Madagascar - 2 years of drought and late arrival of the rainy season in south western Madagascar have forced hundreds of farmers into charcoal producing which is devastating forests, according to WWF field staff at Tollara.

"Charcoal production in the South of Madagascar is particularly unsustainable as people cut the natural spiny forest, a unique ecosystem which exists nowhere else" says Bernardin Rasolonandrasana, Spiny Forest Eco-regional Leader for WWF in Toliara. "We are horrified to see the amount of charcoal currently coming out of those forests."

Farmers were driven from their fields after rain did not arrive in quantity or the usual December to March periods over the last two years. Ironically the cyclone of the beginning of June, which brought rain in abundance and has now turned the area uncharacteristically green, was no help to farmers whose crops had already withered away.

The lack of regulations and control makes the charcoal business an obvious, if highly destructive alternative. Now threatened is an area of threatened natural spiny forest which received temporary protection status only in December 2008. PK-32 Ranobe, an hour north of regional capital Toliara is co-managed by WWF and an inter-communal association.

Number of "charbonniers" tripled

WWF agents have investigated the amount of charcoal coming south down the road to Tollara and assessing the number of villagers trying to make a living by producing charcoal. Proportions look similar in most villages.

The number of so called "charbonniers" almost tripled over the duration of the normal rainy season.

A year ago, four trucks, each carrying a maximum of 250 bags, were doing the journey twice a week on this road. Today WWF agents count every day eight trucks carrying 400 bags each time.

"Whole charcoal villages just seem to spring up like mushrooms out of nothing," says Rasolonandrasana "and other rural communities start a charcoal business although they have never been active in it. Some people even start cutting fruit trees because the forest was already losing ground."

"Every village has a Tamarind tree in the middle of the village. In its shade village elders gather to discuss and perform rituals. Those trees are well respected. I have seen some of those old trees being cut down for charcoal, mainly by immigrants. It's heart-breaking. "

"A flourishing charcoal export is the last thing this country needs,"

While a heavy drought forces people to look for alternative livelihoods, commercial interests in charcoal increases. Companies started to show interest in exporting charcoal to the French islands of La Réunion, Comoros and Mayotte.

"Madagascar already struggles to meet its growing population's energy needs," said Nanie Ratsifandrihamana, Conservation Director for the WWF Madagascar and Western Indian Ocean Programme Office. ,

"The export of large quantity of charcoal could lead to shortages on the local market and therefore an increase in prices. A yes towards the export of charcoal would definitely encourage even more people to cut forest and thus become charcoal producers."

She added that a few years ago the control of the charcoal production through forest administration led to a rise in prices in Toliara and caused riots in the city. The forest administration had then decided to open charcoal production to everybody to calm the riots.

WWF's Regional Representative in Madagascar, Niall O'Connor has initiated talks with the minister of environment in the capital of Antananarivo.

"A flourishing charcoal export is the last thing this country needs," O'Connor said. "Already, its unique fauna and flora are facing many threats. Another sale of natural resources would be devastating for the country".

Madagascar is the world's fourth largest island and hosts countless endemic species such as lemurs, chameleons or the fossa, a mongoose-like nocturnal mammal which is the biggest predator in Madagascar. But much of the countries celebrated biodiversity is under threat as predatory commercial interests move in under the cover of nearly two years of political instability.

New fuel wood forests hold out hope

WWF-Madagascar's Footprint program works to reduce specific human pressures on natural resources like fuel wood. One of WWF's projects in the Southwest aims to plant forests which are dedicated for charcoal production; Voahirana Randriambola, Coordinator of the Footprint program, is convinced that this is a way to save the natural spiny forest in the big island's South.

"We work with local communities and show them a new technique, so that they can produce same amount of charcoal with much less wood," said Randriambola.

"We encourage and help them to plant trees as source of income in the mid and long term. And last but not least, we are working with different stakeholders to make sure the fuel wood chain of custody is sustainably managed on every level. "

WWF's efforts have resulted in an order regulating the chain of custody for fuel wood in the Atsimo Andrefana (Southwestern) Region. WWF will work with the Head of the Southwestern Regionand the different stakeholders unified in a regional energy forest commission on the challenge of enforcement.

"This is a sign of hope and a step into the right direction," Randriambola said . "But we call on national authorities to get a grip on the situation at a national level.

"We are willing to share the experience of the Southwestern Region for a better understanding of the wood energy issue in the whole country. It is clear that the development and implementation of policy, strategy and clear national regulations on this chain of custody is more than necessary in the light of increasing problems and the importance of charcoal in daily households."

Scientists show waves of deforestation across East Africa

2010-08-04

A new study co-authored by a WWF scientist documents waves of forest degradation advancing like ripples in a pond 75 miles across East Africa in just 14 years.

Scientists from 12 organizations in Europe, Africa and the US demonstrated that forest exploitation begins with the removal of the most valuable products first, such as timber for export, followed by the extraction of less valuable products such as low value timber and charcoal in strict sequence. This 'logging down the profit margin' in tropical forests follows the same pattern of removal seen for fish in unmanaged oceans.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Tuesday, tested an economic model that predicts the sequential removal of products from high to low value. Researchers visited forests at varying distances up to 137 miles from Tanzania's largest city, Dar es Salaam, in 1991 and again in 2005, tracking the trees that remained. They found that waves of degradation moved, on average, six miles a year out from the city. For example, charcoal extraction extended 31 miles from Dar es Salaam in 1991, but in 2005 it was found up to 106 miles from the city.

"The degradation waves have spread rapidly. Urban migration and rising demand for timber, particularly in China, are amongst the major reasons for this," said lead author Dr Antje Ahrends of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. "By the end of the study, high value timber logging production took place over 125 miles from the city. This is very likely to be unsustainable."

The ability to predict forest degradation is essential if new market-based incentive programs to protect forests are to be successful. Such plans, like the proposed 'Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation' (REDD) being negotiated under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, may channel billions of dollars into conservation and poverty alleviation if these instruments can be shown to verifiably reduce carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation and degradation.

"REDD would create incentives for developing countries to conserve tropical forests and to adopt low-emission strategies for sustainable development," said study co-author Professor Neil Burgess of WWF and the University of Copenhagen. "REDD could rapidly cut carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation and degradation, which are currently responsible for 15% of total emissions from human activity".

Most logging in Tanzania is illegal and causes major financial losses. A trade survey by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, estimated that in 2005 some 96 percent of harvested timber was exported illegally, losing the Tanzanian government an estimated $58 million of revenue. Charcoal burning is also mostly illegal, but carried out by local people who have no alternative means of income. Charcoal is used in towns by poor people to cook their food.

The authors recommend that policy interventions should be carefully tailored to the type of degradation activity, and care should be taken to provide alternative income sources and prevent increasing levels of poverty in an already poor country.

"This study highlights the value of strong interdisciplinary research coupled with large-scale and long-term datasets," said co-author Dr Simon Lewis of the University of Leeds. "Both are needed if scientists are to provide the knowledge to assist managing the natural world sustainably whilst benefiting local people."

Seizing China's opportunity

2010-04-16

In recent years China's investments in Africa have dramatically increased, from 50 million US dollars in 2001 to one billion dollars in 2009. This is associated with China's growth from both domestic and international demand, and the need to access natural resources such as timber, oil and minerals.

Commodities supply has supported China's economy and, at the same time, stimulated development in Africa, as shown by the almost absolute correlation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in China and Africa in the last ten years.

There are also 60 years history of China providing infrastructure, technical and development assistance to developing countries for mutual progress and in exchange for access to natural resources.

China's engagement with Tanzania dates back to the 1960s, when China undertook the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia railway (TAZARA) linking Dar es Salaam with Kapiri Mposhi in the Copper Belt – one of the largest foreign aid projects. Similar examples, together with new joint ventures, have gathered speed in recent years and in April 2009, Chinese President Hu Jintao committed around 22 million US dollars in aid for Tanzania and discussed the possibility to create a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to stimulate trade.

As Tanzanian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is heavily dependent on agriculture and trade of commodities, a strategic approach to access, control and management of the country's natural capital is of utmost importance. It is in Tanzania's interest to define how to seize China's development as an opportunity to create long-term prosperity for the people and ensure that the use of natural resources causes minimal harm to the environment.

China has learnt that aid alone is not a solution to reducing poverty and achieving growth, and has been forward thinking in terms of planning its future. Tanzania has now the chance to move in the same direction, and in this perspective it can draw on China's example in at least three areas.

Firstly, China has placed the issue of domestic poverty at the center of national policies. Thanks to this approach, in the last 30 years 600 million people (15 times Tanzanian population) were lifted out of poverty and China's Human Development Index increased from 0.530 in 1975 to 0.781 in 2006 (out of a maximum level of 1).

Secondly, China has recently included targets to protect its own environment in top economic development decisions, such as the five-year plan – the most powerful tool to guide economic and social progress. With the 11th five-year plan (2006-2010) China decided to reduce major pollutants emissions by 10% and to increase forest coverage to 20% of the territory by 2010. It also committed to generate 15% energy from non-fossil fuels by 2020.

Thirdly, China has used green technologies to improve living standards and reduce poverty in rural areas. With the "Brightness" project, for example, China has committed to make renewable energy available for 23 million people (1,7% of total population) in rural areas not connected to the grid by 2010. Today, with the largest production of PV products in the world, China is a leading manufacturer of renewable energy products that can be made available at a price Tanzanians can afford.

To create a mutually beneficial partnership, Tanzania needs to build a strategy for sustainable development that includes a clear approach towards China, with regular monitoring and exchange of information with Beijing. China needs to know what Tanzania strategically aims to achieve in terms of investment and trade.

On the other hand, China needs to ensure that its operations abroad adhere to internationally recognized social and environmental standards, in order to protect the natural environment and have a positive impact on the local economy.

With Africa, China has the opportunity to champion a new development path that sustains the planet's natural environment. This principle should inspire the China-Africa Summit taking place in Beijing in 2012, so that China's presence in Africa brings a positive contribution to the Millennium Development Goals.

Dr. Li Lin,
Leader of WWF's China for a Global Shift Initiative
Stephen Mariki,
WWF Tanzania Programme Office Country Representative

This opinion editorial was published on 15 April 2010, on the occasion of a a workshop for senior policy makers organized in cooperation with the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) in Dar es Salaam to discuss how Tanzania can be more strategic in its trade and investment relationship with China in order to achieve sustainable development.

Indian Ocean tuna commission fails again on tuna, does better with sharks

2010-03-05

Busan, Korea: Closing to fishing an area already largely closed by pirates is a long way short of being meaningful fisheries management, WWF said at the conclusion of the annual meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) in Busan, Korea today.

"The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission continues to lag well behind nearly every other comparable fisheries regulator in its failure to introduce catch limits for the commercial fish species under its control," said Dr Amani Ngusaru, head of WWF's Coastal East Africa Marine Programme.

"We have agreement on a catch limit for bigeye and yellowfin tuna, as recommended by the scientists and this is a big step forward for the IOTC. And we have a non-binding commitment that catch limits for the tuna resources of the Indian Ocean will be considered at the 2012 meeting, which could be a big step nowhere."

"In the meantime, we have this laughable measure that an area off Somalia which is already largely off limits due to piracy will be closed to long-liners for a month and purse seiners for a month. Are we really serious about limiting fishing pressure on our already overfished stocks?"

But the IOTC did rather better on protecting sharks and seabirds.

"The vote to adopt a ban on commercial landing of endangered thresher sharks is not all we wanted in relation to sharks and to the trade in shark fins but it is a major advance for the commission," Dr Ngusaru said.

"It also illustrates the truth of our assertion for all the world's Regional Fisheries Management Organisations that they make better decisions when they vote on recommended fisheries management measures than when they race to the bottom trying to achieve a consensus."

With studies showing that several endangered albatross and petrels were highly vulnerable to longline fishing in the Indian Ocean during their critical juvenile phase, the commission hardened seabird catch mitigation requirements for longline boats operating south of 25 degrees south.

Boats will now need to use two out of five recognised mitigation measures which include minimum light night operation, bird scaring lines, weighted branch lines and blue-dyed bait.

IOTC's scientific community had warned contracting country parties that bigeye tuna catches should be limited to 110,000 tonnes and yellowfin tuna should be limited to 300,000 tonnes. But although the meeting accepted these recommendations, action to institute catch restrictions is to wait on a process of setting country allocations.

Another key measure not adopted was a Seychelles proposal for a ban on discards of Skipjack, Yellowfin and Big eye tuna from purse seine vessels. This would have reduced the carnage from the practice of trawlers "trading up" or discarding previous catches if better catches of higher value fish are found.

"Developing Indian ocean states were rightly upset about the failure to pass this significant bycatch measure as it is a food security issue for them," said Dr Ngusaru. "If it is good enough for fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean, why isn't it good enough for fisheries in the Indian Ocean."

A key development of the meeting was the growing assertiveness of Indian Ocean developing states in taking responsibility for their fish stocks, both in improving management of their own fishing industries and in seeking better practice from foreign industrial fleets in their waters.

"This was illustrated in the Maldives signing up to the IOTC," said Dr Ngusaru. "WWF is totally behind this new push for sustainable fishing in the Indian Ocean and will do all we can to support it as it benefits both the fisheries and coastal populations depending on them."

For further information:
Dr Amani Ngusaru,
Head of Marine Programme, WWF Coastal East Africa Network Initiative, ANgusaru@wwftz.org
+255 754 367362

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

www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

Treaty parties learn of 40 proposed wildlife trade rule changes

2009-10-26

Gland, Switzerland - Proposals for tighter trade controls for species such as the Atlantic Blue Fin tuna, sharks and corals have been submitted for the next meeting of parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).

The meeting, which will have changes to trade rules for an unusual proportion of marine species on its agenda, will be held in Quatar in March. Controversy is also expected over conflicting proposals concerning elephants.

WWF especially welcomes the proposal by the Principality of Monaco to list Atlantic bluefin tuna on Appendix I to the convention, which would ban international trade for commercial purposes and was submitted as Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks are declining dramatically because of uncontrolled overfishing.

"An Appendix I listing for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna has become imperative if we are to save the species," said Amanda Nickson, Director of the WWF International Species Programme.

"If we act now we can secure the future of this species and guarantee that fishing can be resumed in the future, but at a sustainable level."

WWF was also encouraged to see that proposals to list several shark species on Appendix II, which allows for international trade but imposes strict regulations and requires proof that trade is sustainable and legal, were submitted. Threats such as bycatch and shark finning and illegal fishing and overfishing have caused serious declines in shark populations.

Also proposed for an Appendix II listing were red and pink coral, which are used to make jewellery. Red and pink corals are found throughout the world's tropical and temperate seas but the absence of effective international trade controls has led to overharvesting.

Elephant debate expected to be controversial

Elephants, one of WWF's priority species, will be a topic of debate at the CITES meeting as potentially conflicting proposals were submitted for elephants. Kenya submitted a proposal – together with a group of west African countries - that would impose a 19 year ban on other countries seeking permission for one-off ivory sales, such as the one that took place under CITES supervision in 2008, and that would suspend the legal sale of ivory souvenirs in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

One the other hand, Zambia and Tanzania submitted proposals that would have elephant populations within their borders moved from Appendix I to Appendix II in order to ease the permitting rules for trophy hunting and allow for the sale of government-owned ivory stockpiles.

"WWF recognizes that some southern African Elephant range States have successfully demonstrated that their populations should be placed on Appendix II," said Nickson.

"However, Tanzania and Zambia have yet to prove their case by demonstrating that their management of ivory stockpiles is adequate enough to prevent laundering of poached ivory.

"And while we acknowledge the concerns that have motivated Kenya's proposal, we must focus not forget to address what WWF sees as the main issue driving elephant poaching – that is, unregulated domestic markets in central and West Africa."

Two other of WWF's priority species that were not the subject of listing proposals but that will be discussed at the meeting are tigers and rhinos, which are both critically endangered and are being poached in order to feed the illegal market for their parts and derivatives. Tiger numbers could now be as low as 3,200 and rhino poaching has reached a 15 year high according to new research released this summer.

WWF will now engage with its partners TRAFFIC and IUCN, which will do a full analyses of the proposals in order to assess whether or not they meet the criteria required for a species to be listed in the CITES appendices. WWF will formulate its position on each proposal based on this analysis.

"WWF looks forward to the CITES meeting," said Ms Nickson. "There has never been a meeting where marine animals featured so prominently. Now is an opportunity to show that CITES has the capacity to address the pressing issues concerning the trade in these species."

Forests fundamental to effective climate deal

2009-10-25

Buenos Aires, Argentina – The world's ability to control climate change could be crippled if global leaders do not support clear and effective targets to arrest deforestation at climate talks in Copenhagen in December, WWF said at the conclusion of a key global foresty summit.

As the XIIIth World Forestry Congress finished Friday, WWF called for an ambitious and bold climate deal at Copenhagen to give clear guidance and incentives for the forestry sector to do its part in stopping catastrophic climate change and adapt to predicted changes.

"Setting immediate deforestation targets is a key component of any climate change agreement," said Rodney Taylor, Director of WWF International's Forest program.

"If the global deal on climate change ignores the dangers of unchecked deforestation, it will set the world on an accelerated path to savage climate change."

Despite conservation efforts, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate – 13 million hectares per year, or 36 football fields a minute. It generates almost 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and halting forest loss has been identified as one of the most cost-effective ways to keep the world out of the danger zone of runaway climate change.

To this end, WWF during the Congress proposed a global target of zero net deforestation by 2020 to avoid runaway climate change and stop the current catastrophic trend of species loss.

"A zero net deforestation by 2020 target will set the scale and urgency needed to gather the political will to stop forest loss," Taylor said.

WWF will continue to advocate for a strong deforestation target to be included in all other relevant international treaties and agreements, including in the Convention on Biological Diversity.

In Copenhagen, negotiators need to agree to strong financial and emissions reduction commitments to craft a climate deal that enables developing countries to halt forest loss.

"WWF received strong feedback at the Congress from various sectors, including governments, other NGOs, and the private sector to support our target on deforestation," said Gerald Steindlegger, WWF International's Forest Manager on Global Policy.

Many developing countries already are adopting major deforestation policies that mirror WWF's call for zero net deforestation by 2020.

On Wednesday, government representatives from Argentina and Paraguay pledged during a special ceremony co-hosted by WWF and its partner organization Fundacion Vida Silvestre at the Congress to work towards zero net deforestation in the Atlantic Forest, and to implement a package of measures that include national legislation to enforce those commitments.

The Atlantic Forest initially spanned 500,000 square kms, shared between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. However, only 7.4 percent of the forest is left today – or about 35,000 square kilometers, making it one of the most threatened and fragmented subtropical forests in the world.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian government already has established a zero deforestation target by 2010 for the Atlantic Forest. Brazil also has pledged to establish protected areas covering at least 10 percent of the forest.

This year, the World Forestry Congress brought together more than 4,000 participants in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Loophole looms for illegal loggers ravaging Madagascar

2009-10-07

Antananarivo, Madagascar – An exceptional authorisation from the Malagasy transitional government for the export of raw and semi-processed precious woods risks opening a loophole for the legal export of illegally cut timber and encouraging further assaults on Madagascar's endangered forests and wildlife, conservation groups active on the island have said.

"It legalises the sale of illegally cut and collected wood onto the market (...) and constitutes a legal incentive for further corruption in the forestry sector. " said a communique published locally by WWF, Conservation International (CI) and the World Conservation Society (WCS).

The communique follows a Reuters report quoting Prime minister Monja Roindefo denying that the transitional government was legalising the plundering of forests, but refusing to rule out issuing future licences.

Niall O'Connor, Regional Representative for WWF Madagascar and West Indian Ocean Programm Office in Antananarivo says "We condem the impact of the plundering of Madagascar's forests, particularly the protected areas, on biodiversity and the loss of livelihood options for the local population."

No forest containing precious woods is safe

A study entitled "Evaluation of rosewood and ebony stocks in two communities in the North East and in the middle-west of the country", commissioned by WWF Madagascar in August 2009 revealed shocking details about the professional exploitation of precious woods such as the above mentioned in Madagascar.

In Andranopasy, a community in western Madagascar, only 6 of 15 species of rosewood survive. No rosewood trees with a trunk diameter of more than 30cm have been found. Three species of rosewood are very unlikely to regenerate. Another species, Diospyros perrieri, is no longer regenerating.

"This can be explained by the abusive commercial exploitation of the forest by foreign economic players. Even more, the local population cannot benefit from the precious woods in their forest for their very survival. Wood workers are paid the equivilent of 2 Euros a day while rosewood sells at 8.5 Euros per kilogramm." says the study.

Another statement, signed by 15 Madagascar and international conservation groups including WWF, said that "Precious woods are being extracted from forests by roving and sometimes violent gangs of lumbermen and sold to a few powerful businessmen for export. . . . Those exploiting the trees are also trapping endangered lemurs for food, and the forests themselves are being degraded as trees are felled, processed and dragged to adjacent rivers or roads for transport to the coast.

"No forest that contains precious woods is safe, and the country's most prestigious nature reserves and favoured tourist destinations, such as the Marojejy and Masoala World Heritage Sites and the Mananara Biosphere Reserve, have been the focus of intensive exploitation. Currently thousands of rosewood and ebony logs, none of them legally exploited, are stored in Madagascar's east coast ports, Vohémar, Antalaha, and Toamasina. The most recent decree will allow their export and surely encourage a further wave of environmental pillaging."

WWF Madagascar is investigating whether rosewood can be registered as an endangered species according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This will increase and tighten regulations on both import and export.

Madagascar is home to abundant unique fauna and flora and one of the top biodiversity hotspots in the world, with a developing industry in sustainable eco-tourism.

The world-famous lemurs are a key symbol of the island – lemurs going into cooking pots to feed illegal loggers of rare woods is a different symbol entirely.

Battered sharks get critical listing

2008-12-05

Rome, Italy: Four commercially valuable shark species have just been recognized as being "of conservation concern" under the international Convention on Migratory Species.

The listing applies to northern hemisphere populations of spiny dogfish, a common ingredient of food staple fish and chips, and global populations of Porbeagle shark and both species of mako shark.

Intense debate saw southern hemisphere populations of spiny dogfish excluded from the listing on the agreement that a comprehensive population review will be conducted for the next meeting of the convention.

"WWF welcomes this listing by the CMS--the first listing by an international conservation convention of commercially utilized shark species," said Dr Susan Lieberman, director of WWF International's Species Programme.

"This shows that the world community now recognizes that sharks are over-fished, declining, and worthy of the kind of conservation concern afforded to other species."

The sharks have been listed under Appendix ll of the convention, which supports co-operation between range states on conservation plans for listed species. For migratory species it focuses attention on the status of the species and can help trigger other regional and international initiatives in fisheries management and trade.

The sharks, which are among the most valued of shark species for both meat and fins, suffer from excessive levels of targeted fishing as well as being bycatch casualties of other fisheries such as purse seining and long-lining for tuna.

The slow growth, late maturity, small litters and long lives of sharks make them vulnerable to over-exploitation. Porbeagle sharks gather together, making them especially easy targets for fishing – a critical factor in the collapse of their populations in the 1970s and continuing failure to demonstrate any lasting recovery.

Listing of all four species across their entire ranges was proposed but the porbeagle shark and the compromise on spiny dogfish were only agreed after intense negotiation.

WWF has also raised concerns over declining populations of Mediterranean bluefin tuna – subject of a recent International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) decision to continue fishing at well over scientifically recommended levels – as a species of concern before the migratory species convention.

Marine turtles in Kenya fitted with satnav systems

2008-09-11

Five marine turtles - four green and one hawksbill - in Kenya's Kiunga Marine National Reserve have been tagged with satellite tracking devices in an attempt to learn more about their ecology.

To improve current turtle conservation efforts WWF-Eastern Africa has started a turtle satellite tracking programme which will provide information on feeding, behaviour during migration, and the preferred development habitat for juveniles.

The relatively pristine and isolated Kiunga beaches provide key refuge and nesting ground for marine turtles in Kenya. WWF, the Kenya Wildlife Service and the local community protect these nests out of which over 11,000 hatchlings emerge and enter the sea each year. The rich aquatic habitats also support other rare species such as dugong, whale and dolphin.

Turtles, protected under the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) as well as national legislation in Kenya, are generally regarded as a good indicator for the health of the ecosystem.

"The installation of the Sirtrack Kiwisat 101 PTT on sea turtles will provide accurate data to explain migratory patterns of the species," said Sam Weru, WWF's Marine National Coordinator for Kenya. "The broader significance of this project is to enhance our ability to effectively protect and conserve marine turtles and their habitats."

The joint WWF/KWS turtle conservation programme at Kiunga is financially supported by USAID and was officially launched by the US Ambassador to Kenya, Michael E. Ranneberger,

"I want to commend the excellent work that WWF is doing working with KWS and your [Kiunga] community," said the ambassador during the launching ceremony.

The programme involves the youth from communities living around the reserve. Local fishermen also provide regular reports on turtle nests and other conservation issues. The progress of the five turtles thus far can be followed online using the link above to the right.