Posted on June, 30 2015

Proboscis monkeys (nasalis larvatus), a unique species distinguished by their large protruding noses, are found only on the island of Borneo. Once covering the whole of coastal Borneo, proboscis monkeys are now more endangered than orangutans, with their population having declined by more than 50 per cent over the last four decades.
 
Much of the remaining population of proboscis monkeys lives outside of protected areas, and is increasingly under threat because of habitat loss caused by forest clearing for logging, cultivation and settlement. In an area where logging activities often don’t consider wildlife conservation, WWF-Indonesia has been working actively with PT Kandelia Alam and PT Bina Ovivipari Semesta (BIOS) – which manage mangrove forest concessions in Kalimantan – to ensure that logging is done in a way that preserves the habitat of these endangered species.
 
In May, the two WWF Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) participants received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for 28,220 hectares of mangrove forests in West Kalimantan. This is the first group certification at the concession level in Indonesia – both concessions are part of a group certification under management from APCS. 
 
"The group certification represents a major milestone in Indonesia. FSC certification ensures that the mangrove and swamp forests are managed according to best management practices, and there is a strong onus on the companies to protect and conserve the mangrove’s ecosystems," said Joko Sarjito, GFTN Indonesia Manager.
 
The concessions of PT Kandelia Alam and BIOS represent an increasingly rare ecosystem of mangrove forests in West Kalimantan. Mangrove forests are critical to fighting climate change, as mangroves absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing the carbon in the trees and in the soil. In addition to proboscis monkeys, these forest management units are also home to freshwater dolphins and Irrawaddy dolphins.
 
GFTN has facilitated surveys of the biodiversity, social and the baseline assessments of the concessions, and has enabled discussions with local stakeholders on certification and responsible forest management. GFTN has also held trainings for staff on high conservation value (HCV), preparation of management plans, ways to implement best practices to harvest responsibly, preserve the habitat of proboscis monkeys, and mitigate social conflict with local communities.
 
Fairus Mulia Director of PT.Kandelia Alam and BIOS expressed his appreciation of WWF support in assisting the companies achieve FSC certification. “WWF has been supporting us for the last three years and it has been impacting our management performance and our relationship with our stakeholders," he said.