The Role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Assessment of Forest Condition, Pressures and Conservation Actions at Key Forest Sites in Tropical Asia and New Guinea

Abstract

HIGHLIGHTS Involving Indigenous Peoples and local communities in forest monitoring and governance not only empowers them and supports their livelihoods, but also can result in improved forest conservation and management. Investment in training and communications is key to ensuring that communities engage most effectively in conservation activities. A variety of methods and tools were used to deliver a monitoring assessment based on a framework developed for Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas at a selection of sites in tropical Asia and New Guinea, but there is scope for revising its application to better suit local situations and to deliver higher quality assessments in measuring the health of sites over time. The biodiversity at most of the sites has been heavily affected by a range of human-related pressures, especially relating to forest replacement with monocultures, as well as other factors associated with infrastructure development (including facilitating hunting pressure), and some of these activities extend back several decades. Global datasets on tree cover loss and forest landscape integrity usefully infer the condition of forests for conservation in areas with large areas of natural forests. SUMMARY Forests in tropical Asia and New Guinea provide local and global benefits to people and are exceptionally rich in biodiversity but they have receded by more than 75% in the past 100 years. This project set out to strengthen effective engagement of non-state actors in forest monitoring, planning and policy processes in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and New Guinea, and hence reduce the rate of loss of tropical forests and biodiversity. Monitoring assessments of state, pressure and response were undertaken at key sites for biodiversity conservation using a monitoring protocol established for Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas. Indigenous Peoples and local communities participated in a range of surveillance activities. These assessments were supported by global datasets on tree cover loss and forest integrity. The inputs from Indigenous Peoples and local communities were especially valuable in implementing actions, informing national and regional policies, and in helping them manage their local environment and resources. Les forêts en Asie tropicale et en Nouvelle-Guinée génèrent des bénéfices locaux et globaux pour les peuples et sont exceptionnellement riches en biodiversité. Elles ont cependant diminué de plus de 75% au cours de cent dernières années. Ce projet a pour but de consolider un engagement efficace des acteurs autres que l'état dans la gestion des forêts, la planification et les processus de politique en Malaisie, en Indonésie, aux Philippines et en Nouvelle-Guinée, afin de réduire le quotient de perte des forêts tropicales et de la biodiversité. Un examen des évaluations de l'état, de la pression et des réponses, a été conduit dans des sites-clé pour la conservation de la biodiversité, en utilisant un protocole d'examen déjà établi pour le Zones importantes pour les oiseaux et la biodiversité. Les peuples indigènes et les communautés locales ont participé à une diversité d'activités de surveillance. Ces évaluations étaient soutenues par des bases de données globales sur la perte de couvert forestier et de l'intégrité de la forêt. Les apports des peuples indigènes et des communautés locales étaient particulièrement positives pour la mise en œuvre des actions, une mise à jour de l'information des politiques nationales et régionales, et pour aider ces politiques à gérer leurs ressources et leur environnement local. Los bosques de Asia tropical y Nueva Guinea proporcionan beneficios locales y globales a la población y son excepcionalmente ricos en biodiversidad, pero han disminuido más de un 75% en los últimos 100 años. Este proyecto se propuso reforzar la participación efectiva de los agentes no estatales en los procesos de monitoreo, planificación y elaboración de políticas forestales en Malasia, Indonesia, Filipinas y Nueva Guinea, y reducir así el ritmo de pérdida de bosques tropicales y biodiversidad. Se realizaron evaluaciones de monitoreo del estatus, la presión y la respuesta en lugares clave para la conservación de la biodiversidad utilizando un protocolo de monitoreo establecido para Áreas Importantes para las Aves y la Biodiversidad. Los Pueblos Indígenas y las comunidades locales participaron en diversas actividades de vigilancia. Estas evaluaciones se apoyaron en bases de datos mundiales sobre la pérdida de cubierta arbórea y la integridad de los bosques. Las aportaciones de los Pueblos Indígenas y las comunidades locales fueron especialmente valiosas en cuanto a la implementación de acciones, informar las políticas nacionales y regionales y ayudarles a gestionar su entorno y recursos locales. Hutan di wilayah tropis Asia dan Nugini telah memberikan manfaat secara lokal dan global bagi manusia serta kaya akan keanekaragaman hayati, namun hutan telah berkurang lebih dari 75% dalam kurun waktu 100 tahun terakhir. Proyek ini dimaksudkan untuk memperkuat keterlibatan para aktor non-pemerintah secara efektif dalam pemantauan hutan, perencanaan dan proses kebijakan di Malaysia, Indonesia, Filipina, dan Nugini, sehingga laju kehilangan hutan tropis dan keanekaragaman hayati berkurang. Pemantauan kondisi hutan, tekanan terhadap hutan dan tindakan terkait dilakukan pada lokasi-lokasi utama untuk konservasi keanekaragaman hayati, dengan memakai protokol pemantauan untuk Area Penting bagi Burung dan Keanekaragaman Hayati. Masyarakat Adat dan komunitas lokal berpartisipasi dalam berbagai kegiatan pengawasan. Penilaian tersebut didukung dengan kumpulan data global tentang hilangnya tutupan pohon dan integritas hutan. Masukan dari Masyarakat Adat dan komunitas lokal sangat berharga dalam melaksanakan berbagai tindakan, menginformasikan kebijakan nasional dan daerah, serta membantu mereka sendiri dalam mengelola lingkungan dan sumber daya lokalnya. Ang kagubatan sa tropikal Asya at New Guinea ay nagbibigay ng pandaigdigan at lokal na benepisyo sa mga tao at napakayaman sa samu't saring buhay ngunit bumaba ito ng higit pa sa 75 porsiyento sa nakalipas na daang taon. Ang proyektong ito ay naglatag ng epektibong pagpapalakas ng pakikipag-ugnayan ng mga non- sate actors sa pagsubaybay ng kagubatan, pagpaplano at paggawa ng mga polisiya sa bansang Malaysia, Indonesia, Pilipinas at New Guinea upang mabawasan ang mabilis na pagkaubos ng mga tropikal na kagubatan at samu't saring buhay. Ang pagsubaybay sa kasalukuyang Kalagayan, Banta at Gawain ay isinagawa sa mga susing lugar na may mga samu't saring buhay gamit ang isang pamamaraan sa pagtatalaga ng mga mahahalagang lugar para sa mga ibon at samu't saring buhay. Ang mga katutubo at lokal na komunidad ay lumahok sa gawaing pagmamatyag sa kanilang mga kagubatan. Ang pagsubaybay na ito ay suportado ng mga pandaigdigang datos hingil sa pagkaubos ng mga punong kahoy at integridad ng kagubatan. Napakahalagang bahagi mula sa mga katutubo at lokal na komunidad ang magsagawa ng mga kaukulang aksiyon, magbigay ulat upang mabalangkas ang mga kaukulang polisiya sa rehiyon at bansa, upang matulungan sila sa tamang pamamahala ng likas yaman at kapaligiran. Bus na diwai long Asia na New Guinea sawe givim planti gutpla samting long ol asples na long olgeta hap graun tu, na igat planti ol samting moa blong bus, tasol displa ol samting blong bus em ol wok lus na igo daon moa long sevenpla-ten-faiv (75) pesent (%) long tenpla-ten (100) krismas igo pinis. Displa projek blong strongim ol lain ino wok long gavaman, em blong lukautim bus long Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines na New Guinea na bai ol samting long bus inoken lus. Lukautim na lukluk long ol samting long hap wea igat ol planti samting blong bus istap olsem ol pisin na arapela samting blong bus. Ol asples man-meri mas was gut long displa ol samting. Displa wok blong lukautim ol samting blong bus em ol arapela hap graun igat planti toktok long en stap. Olsem na ol asples lain igat bikpela wok long mekim, long toksawe long pasin blong harivim na lukautim ol bus na graun blong ol.