Why are Indonesia’s forests important?
With the third largest area of tropical forest in the world, Indonesia’s forests play a significant role in climate change mitigation at the national and global level. They are also critical for economic growth and the welfare of people.
What is happening to Indonesia’s rainforest?
Spread over 18,000 islands, Indonesia contains the world’s third largest area of rainforest after the Amazon and Africa’s Congo Basin. Tragically, the rapid loss of Indonesia’s biologically wealthy rainforests is driving in-numerable species to the very edge of survival.
What are the characteristics of the Indonesian rainforest?
These forests, like other tropical rain forests, receive year-round rainfall and are characterized by closed canopies and high species diversity but no warmth and sunshine throughout the year. The facts about Indonesia rainforest became one of them, spelled out to be the largest forest in southeast Asia.
What is the total forest cover in Indonesia?
In 2013, the total forest cover in Indonesia was estimated to be 98 million hectares, about half of the total land cover of the country. With the third largest area of tropical forest in the world, Indonesia’s forests play a significant role in climate change mitigation at the national and global level.
Why is the rainforest valuable and important?
Rainforests are often called the lungs of the planet for their role in absorbing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and increasing local humidity. Rainforests also stabilize climate, house incredible amounts of plants and wildlife, and produce nourishing rainfall all around the planet.
What is the rainforest in Indonesia called?
The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (TRHS), Indonesia comprises three widely separated National Parks; Gunung Leuser (GLNP), Kerinci Seblat (KSNP) and Bukit Barisan Selatan (BBSNP), and covers a total area of 2,595,124hectares, constituting one of the biggest conservation areas in Southeast Asia.
Why is preserving the rainforest important?
Rain forests serve many important functions. They capture, store, and recycle rain, which prevents floods, droughts and erosion of the soil. Even though rain forests now cover less than 7% of Earth's land surface, they are the home to over 50% of all known species of living organisms.
Why is the Sumatra rainforest important?
At a very basic level, the Sumatra rainforest is part of a ring of forests along the equator known as lungs of the world– soaking up the carbon we produce and giving us precious oxygen.
What is destroying Indonesian rainforests?
Drivers of Indonesia's Deforestation Indonesia's irreplaceable rainforests and carbon-rich peatlands are being destroyed to make products we use—and throw away—every day. Products like paper for our magazines, toilet paper, packaging, and palm oil for toothpaste and chocolate are fueling the destruction.
How big is Indonesia's rainforest?
242,163,274 acresThe forests of Indonesia, along with their thousands of plant and animal species, are being destroyed at an alarming rate due to massive illegal logging and clearing for palm oil plantations. Indonesia's tropical forests are of global importance, covering over 98 million hectares (242,163,274 acres).
How would you explain the importance of tropical rain forests to people who think that such forests have no connection to their lives?
They make much of the oxygen humans and animals depend on. Without them, there would be less air to breathe! Rainforests also help maintain Earth's climate. By taking in carbon dioxide, they help to reduce the greenhouse effect.
Why the forest is important?
Overview. Forests are vital to life on Earth. They purify the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, prevent erosion, and act as an important buffer against climate change.
Why is the rainforest important in Jakarta?
Economic Value of Rainforests Ecosystem services account for 75% of the GDP of Indonesia's rural poor. Indigenous people have sustained and been sustained by these forests for many centuries. Now they are bearing witness to their destruction in less than a generation.
Does Indonesia have a rainforest?
The biodiversity of Indonesia's rainforests is among the planet's highest: orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinos all call them home. These days, home is a pretty risky place. All of these mammals, and countless other species, are listed as critically endangered, due largely to habitat destruction from deforestation.
What is Sumatra known for?
The island has some of Indonesia's richest oil fields, its finest coalfields, and deposits of gold and silver. Its offshore islands are known for their tin and bauxite. Most of the country's rubber and coffee is grown in Sumatra; pepper, tea, sugarcane, and oil palms are also grown on plantations.
Does Indonesia have a rainforest?
The biodiversity of Indonesia's rainforests is among the planet's highest: orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinos all call them home. These days, home is a pretty risky place. All of these mammals, and countless other species, are listed as critically endangered, due largely to habitat destruction from deforestation.
What is the most famous rainforest in Indonesia?
Tropical Rainforest Heritage of SumatraUNESCO World Heritage SiteLocationSumatra, IndonesiaIncludesGunung Leuser National Park Kerinci Seblat National Park Bukit Barisan Selatan National ParkCriteriaNatural: (vii), (ix), (x)Reference11675 more rows
Where is the jungle in Indonesia?
Indonesia is made up of more than 17,500 islands, but the majority of its rainforest is found on just four: Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and New Guinea. Sumatra is the western-most of Indonesia's large islands. It is the only place in the world that has tigers, orangutans, rhinos, and elephants all living in the wild.
What found in the rainforest of Indonesia?
Incredibly, with just 1 percent of the Earth's land area, Indonesia's rainforests contain 10 percent of the world's known plant species, 12 percent of mammal species – including endangered orangutans and critically endangered Sumatran tigers and rhinos – and 17 percent of all known bird species.
Major Carbon Pool
Often growing on peat domes 10 – 20 metres deep, Indonesia’s rainforests are incredible storehouses of carbon. It is estimated that Indonesia’s peatlands and rainforests store at least 70 billion tons of carbon
Rapid Deforestation and Degradation
Indonesia is deforesting at an alarming rate – 40% of its forest has disappeared in the last 50 years. Eighty-five percent of Indonesia’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions stem from deforestation (37%), peatland disturbances (27%) and other land use activities (21%) (National Council on Climate Change, 2010).
Why is Indonesian deforestation having an especially negative impact on our climate?
Indonesia’s rainforests are unique in their carbon-storage capacity. In addition to the trees, the peat in which they grow is a carbon sponge. When drained to support fast-growing palms and other plantation trees, the peat decays quickly, releasing its stored carbon into the atmosphere.
Introduction
Indonesia has the highest deforestation rates in the world, exceeding even Brazil while having only a quarter of Brazil’s forest area. The major drivers of deforestation are in the following order of magnitude: fibre plantations, logging concessions, oil palm, mixed concessions and mining concessions.
How important is the value of Indonesian ecosystems ?
Over the last few years, Indonesia has demonstrated considerable leadership in recognising the value of its natural capital. Indonesia’s forests provide considerable economic, social, and environmental benefits for its people.
What is the aim of the Forest Ecosystem Valuation Study?
The Forest Ecosystem Valuation Study (FEVS), undertaken by the United Nations Office for REDD+ Coordination in Indonesia (UNORCID) with funding support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) seeks to put a measurable value on the ecosystem services provided by forests so that the role of forests in the Indonesian economy and society is better understood.
What is the purpose of the Indonesia Green Economy Model ?
The Indonesia Green Economy Model is utilised to compare investments in forest preservation and sustainable forest management options, with the added benefits and avoided costs that would be derived from the successful implementation of such options.
What is the importance of forests and forest services for a green economy transition ?
By valuing the benefits of forests and their services, the Government of Indonesia can promote a shift towards the recognition of the critical interdependencies between socio-economic development and forest conservation.
What demonstrates the engagement of Indonesia towards a green economy?
The evidence of the green growth oriented thinking in Indonesia is reflected through Indonesia’s deep engagement with the REDD+ mechanism and through the involvement of communities in forest management, which is demonstrated by the Community Plantation Forest (CPF) programme.
What is the role of forest in poverty alleviation ?
Indonesia’s forests, through Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) play an important role in the livelihoods of poor rural communities. For example, on average across Central Kalimantan, 76 percent of the incomes of rural households are derived from forests and ecosystem services.
What is the rapid loss of Indonesia's rainforests?
Tragically, the rapid loss of Indonesia’s biologically wealthy rainforests is driving in-numerable species to the very edge of survival. Only decisive action and a paradigm shift towards meaningful conservation commitments by industry and the Indonesian government will prevent a catastrophic epidemic of extinctions in the coming decades.
What is the only surviving tiger in Indonesia?
The Sumatran Tiger. Many of Indonesia’s most iconic and well known species are also its most endangered. With the extinctions of the Balinese and Javan tigers, the Sumatran tiger is the only surviving species of Indonesian tiger.
How many species of mammals are there in Indonesia?
Indonesia has more species of mammal than any other nation, an incredible 515 species by most counts. Unfortunately, Indonesia also leads the world in the number of threatened mammals at 135 species, which is nearly a third of all of its native mammals.
How many birds are there in Indonesia?
Indonesia has more than twice the number of breeding birds as North America in only one-fifth the land area. There are a staggering 1539 bird species known – with 430 species found nowhere else. Many of these birds live on only one or two small islands. One hundred fourteen species are considered extremely threatened, the largest number of threatened birds of any country in the world.
How many species of birds are threatened in Indonesia?
One hundred fourteen species are considered extremely threatened, the largest number of threatened birds of any country in the world. One thousand species of reptiles and amphibians live in Indonesia, a full 10 percent of the world’s herpetofauna.
Which country has the most biodiversity?
Indonesia’s rainforests are home to some of the highest levels of biological diversity in the world . Many sources credit Indonesia as the most species rich country on earth. Spread over 18,000 islands, Indonesia contains the world’s third largest area of rainforest after the Amazon and Africa’s Congo Basin.
Is the Red Ape endangered?
The Red Ape, the orangutan (literally ‘people of the forest’) continues to suffer precipitous declines from deforestation. Sumatran orangutans are designated as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, with a population of just a few thousand, while the Borneo orangutan is considered Threatened.
Introduction
Indonesia is the country where the most forest is being cut down every year, exceeding even Brazil, although Indonesia only has a quarter of Brazil’s forest area. Forests are cut down either to use the wood or to make way for other uses, like mining and planting fields.
How important are the Indonesian forest ecosystems ?
Biodiversity plays a major role in food security, human health and livelihoods, providing clean water, timber, medicinal plants and other important services. Biodiversity also enhances community resilience to climate change impacts and contributes to carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.
Why is it important to put a value on Indonesian forests ?
The Forest Ecosystem Valuation Study (FEVS), seeks to put a measurable value on the ecosystem services provided by forests in Indonesia so that the role of forests in the Indonesian economy and society is better understood.
What is the role of forest in poverty alleviation ?
Across Indonesia, more than 74 percent of the poor depend on ecosystem services for their basic livelihoods. Depletion of these services would thus, have dramatic effects on the livelihoods of the poor, whilst widening the national inequality gap.
What are the key findings of this study on the valuation of Indonesian Forests?
This study demonstrates that a Green Economy (GE) route, where ecosystem services are given a financial value, rather than ‘Business as Usual’ (BAU), would lead to a better management of forests that would ultimately translates into an increase in production and revenues from the forestry sector.
Why is the rainforest important?
They support 50 percent of all living organisms on Earth even though they cover less than 5% of the earth’s surface. The importance of the rainforest is truly immeasurable when it comes to species diversity.
Where is the rainforest in Indonesia?
To know facts about Indonesia rainforest, here is the explanation: 1. Rainforest Locations. Tropical rainforests mainly occur in the equatorial regions of the world. Tropical rainforests are confined to a small field of latitude 22.5 ° North and 22.5 ° South equator – between Tropic of Capricorn and Tropic of Cancer.
How much rainfall does the Indonesia rainforest get?
Become one of the habitats that become the balance of the world’s ecosystems. Rainforests get at least 250cm of rainfall a year. Sometimes it’s almost doubled to 450cm.
What is the largest rainforest in Southeast Asia?
The facts about Indonesia rainforest became one of them, spelled out to be the largest forest in southeast Asia.
What are some interesting facts about Sumatra Tiger?
Hence interesting facts about Sumatra Tiger. 3. Rainforest Damage. Several thousand years ago, tropical rain forests were estimated to cover 12% of the earth’s surface.
What are the characteristics of a tropical rainforest?
All tropical rainforests share the same characteristics including climate, precipitation, canopy structure, complex symbiotic relationships and amazing species diversity. However, not every tropical rainforest can claim the right characteristics when compared to the region and there are rarely any clear boundaries.
How does the rainforest help the world?
The benefits of the rainforest are helping to stabilize the world’s climate by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Hopefully, the explanation of the facts about Indonesia rainforest makes us more appreciate the forest in our beloved country.
How does the rainforest help the planet?
As well as the vivid beauty that comes with great diversity in plants and animals, rainforests also play a practical role in keeping our planet healthy. By absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing the oxygen that we depend on for our survival.
How do rainforests help the water cycle?
Rainforests also help to maintain the world's water cycle by adding water to the atmosphere through the process of transpiration which creates clouds. Water generated in rainforests travel around the world; scientists think that moisture generated in the forests of Africa ends up falling as rain in the Americas!
How do rainforests store water?
In fact, it is believed that the Amazonian forests alone store over half of the Earth's rainwater! Rainforest trees draw water from the forest floor and release it back in to the atmosphere in the form of swirling mists and clouds.
Why is the rainforest so poor in nutrients?
Surprisingly, soil in the rainforest is very poor in nutrients. This is because the nutrients are stored in the vast numbers of trees and plants rather than in the soil . Tree roots bind the soil together, while the canopy protects the soil from heavy rains.
What would happen if the rainforests were not reclaimed?
Without rainforests continually recycling huge quantities of water, feeding the rivers, lakes and irrigation systems, droughts would become more common, potentially leading to widespread famine and disease.
What happens when oil companies remove forests?
When oil and logging companies come to remove vast areas of forest, they bring diseases which the indigenous people have no resistance to, threatening their survival. Often they are also forced to move away from their homes to unfamiliar places, sometimes even being killed in the process.
How many species of animals are there in the tropical rainforest?
Habitat for animals and plants. Tropical rainforests contain over 30 million species of plants and animals. That's half of the Earth's wildlife and at least two-thirds of its plant species! There are also many more thousands of rainforest plants and animals species still waiting to be discovered.
What is the most important ecosystem in Indonesia?
Indonesia is home to some of the most ecologically important stands of tropical rainforest in the world. Between providing habitat for species and keeping a wealth of carbon out of our atmosphere, these unique ecosystems have everything – everything but protection that is.
How does canopy help the world?
By helping the world’s publishers, printers, packaging consumers, clothing brands and other large companies develop and implement environmental policies that prohibit the use of pulp from ancient and endangered forests, Canopy can help save these important places.
