Borneo is home to some of the planet’s most ancient rainforests, containing concentrated numbers of diverse and endemic species. Unfortunately, decades of logging, land clearing, and agricultural conversion mean that only 50% of this rainforest still remains. Despite the disastrous consequences of deforestation in Borneo, including habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation, conservation efforts of numerous parties active on the Southeast Asian island give us hope for the island’s irreplaceable rainforests and species.
Although the situation is not as dire as during the 1980s or 1990s, NGOs including the WWF warn that logging, land clearing, and plantation expansion are still ongoing issues for Borneo, as they are for many tropical regions. Meanwhile, various not-for-profits and initiatives are pushing to conserve and restore the island’s ancient rainforests.
To protect its species, the WWF has established a Heart of Borneo programme. The initiative – commenced in 2007 via a joint declaration between the organisation and the Indonesian, Malaysian, and Bruneian governments – seeks to create protected areas and enhance sustainable forest management in Borneo’s core; the island is one of WWF’s focus areas, containing five priority species.