"At the Governor Climate and Forest (GCF) Task Force Annual Meeting in San Francisco, the United States, recently, various international institutions stated that they are ready to help us," North Kalimantan Governor Irianto Lambrie remarked here, Tuesday.
He pointed out that funding support will be received from donor countries and international institutions for the conservation of 1.3 million hectares included in the Kayan Mentarang National Park.
The Kayan Mentarang National Park, measuring an area of 1,360,500 hectares, is the largest and remaining area of primary and old secondary forest in Kalimantan and Southeast Asia.
This national park has rare and protected plants and animals as well as various ecosystem types, ranging from lowland rainforests to mossy forests in high mountains.
Some of the plants found in this national park include pulai (Alstonia scholaris), jelutung (Dyera costulata), ramin (Gonystylus bancanus), as well as various species of orchids, palms, and tropical pitcher plants (nepenthes). In addition, the national park is home to several species of plants that are yet to be identified, as they are new species in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, some 100 species of mammals of which 15 are endemic, eight species of primates, and more than 310 species of birds of which 28 are endemic to Kalimantan have been registered by the International Committee for Bird Protection as endangered species.
Some rare mammals, such as clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa), sun bears (Helarctos malayanus euryspilus), monkey (Presbytis frontata frontata), and bull (Bos javanicus lowi), are also found in this area.
The GCF 2018 identified 30 world projects under the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) program to prevent forest damage.
In addition to UNDP, the GCF Task Force`s provincial members also received funding from donor countries, one of them being Norway that will provide assistance of US$11 million.
This year, North Kalimantan will receive $400 thousand for forest conservation, including to conduct activities to empower local people living in the forest.
At this national park, some 20 thousand to 25 thousand people from the Dayak ethnic groups live around the Kenyah, Punan, Lun Daye, and Lun Bawang areas. They have cultural knowledge and wisdom that are in line with forest conservation efforts and is apparent from their preservation of biodiversity in the forest.
North Kalimantan has been a member of the GCF Task Force on Climate and Forests since August 29, 2016, with the aim of addressing climate change.
In addition to North Kalimantan, the Indonesian provinces of Aceh, East Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Papua, and West Papua are members of the GCF Task Force.
Editing by Libertina, Bustanuddin
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/B003) 18-09-2018 13:00:46
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
