East Kalimantan For Nature

East Kalimantan Province contatins some of the last remaining large, intact wilderness areas in Indonesia. Primal rain forests, limestone spires and huge tracts of undisturbed mangroves and seagrass beds all converge here.

Location
East Kalimantan Province is on the island of Borneo. To see a map, click here

Flora and Fauna
Over 80 tree species that occur in the Berau District are listed as threatened by The World Conservation Union (IUCN). The adjacent waters of Berau Bay, which is part of the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea is part of an important migration route for marine mammals. Threatened and/or endangered animal species in the district include:

* Orangutans
* Proboscis monkeys
* Sun bears
* Gibbons
* Banteng (wild cattle)
* Hawksbill turtles
* Leaf monkeys

Birds

*
Hornbills
* Bornean peacock pheasants
* Storm's storks

Coral reefs
The Berau Barrier Reef is considered one of the most important marine sites in all of Indonesia and lies just 37 miles (60 kilometers) off the peninsula. This reef harbors as many as 70 genera of coral and is also a key source of coral larvae for reefs as far away as Taiwan and Okinawa. Indonesia's largest rookery for the endangered green turtle is located here. Endangered hawksbill turtles also nest in the area.

Why the Conservancy Works Here
The Nature Conservancy is focused on working in areas outside of those that are formally protected in East Kalimantan. Vast amounts of biological wealth are centered in these areas, but they have no protection status under Indonesian law and are under critical threat.

What the Conservancy is Doing
In East Kalimantan, the Conservancy and its partners are taking a comprehensive ridges to reefs approach to conservation. Given Indonesia's dependence on natural resources for economic development and the recent decentralization of government, the Conservancy believes that protecting important habitat through creation of new national parks or nature reserves is not a feasible option in the near future. Instead, the Conservancy is using a targeted approach to conserve important areas identified through ecorgional assessments.

By facilitating the development and implementation of a locally derived conservation plan the Conservancy hopes it will create the incentives necessary to gain support of communities, industry and the local government.

One focus of the Conservancy's efforts in East Kalimantan has been on sustaining forest habitats. Scientists believe that the Province's Kelay River watershed is home to over 10 percent of the world's remaining wild orangutan population. Due to its dependency on the three focus forest types, the orangutan has been identified as a "flagship species." Successful protection of orangutan habitat will also be a measure of success in the area's conservation at a larger scale.
Source: Nature