Hello from Besitang, Indonesia

I had an opportunity to visit a non-RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certified Palm Oil Plantation in Besitang, Indonesia and met with the General Manager.  In the past few decades the world's demand and production of vegetable oils especially palm oil has risen.  Palm oil cultivation has increased mainly in Malaysia where palm trees can thrive and be productive.  This increasing demand has put pressure on the environment, the wildlife that inhabit these areas and the people and communities.  The RSPO is a nonprofit organization, founded in 2004, that unites stakeholders from seven sectors of the palm oil industry including farmers, bankers and conservation groups to name a few.  The mission of the RSPO is "promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards and engagement of stakeholders".  Take a look at their website for more info by clicking here.

A non RSPO palm oil plantation.  Where did the rainforest go?

While we toured the non RSPO Palm Oil Plantation I learned a lot about the company, plantations and sustainable palm oil. 

The company was founded in 1995 and are smallholders because they rent their land (about 5,000 acres) from the Indonesian government.  The company was not aware of RSPO.   Panut Hadisiswoyo, founder and current director of the Orangutan Information Center (OIC), explained to us that RSPO is not recognized by the Indonesian Government.  Indonesia has their own organization for sustainable palm oil (Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil, ISPO).  Until October of 2011 the ISPO was part of the RSPO, but after criticizing the RSPO for what they call being biased towards environmental groups they decided to sever ties with the RSPO.  Read this article about the ISPO leaving the RSPO.
The plantation destroyed about 135 acres of rainfroest in the Gunung Leuser National Park to build their palm oil plantation.  To lease their land from the government they utilize GPS's to measure how much land they are using.   The Manager added that they use the land and pay taxes on what they had cleared.
This company harvests their palm seeds and sells the seeds to a mill (Gaya Baru). 

A female employee getting ready to apply fertilizer.

Most palm oil companies hire both males and females.  One of the females responsibilities is the tough job of applying fertilizers around oil palm trees.  They carry about 176 pound  sacks of chemical/fertilizer in a powder form and spread it around the base of the oil palm trees.  In one days time they go through about ten bags of fertilizer.  If you do the math thats 1,760 pounds a day!  In this particular plantation I noticed they do not use any protective gear such gloves, boots or face masks.  It seems the daily interaction with these chemicals could be bad for the health of the animals.  Also the company was asked if they ever tested the local water quality to see if there is contamination of fertilizers into their water supply.  The company said no.

Employees at the plantation are seventy five percent local and others come from surrounding communities.  Workers at the plantation make about $130/month and about 67 pounds of rice.  In Indonesia rice is included in every meal - breakfast, lunch dinner.   The plantation provides houses for the employees and their families.  Most employees live in the plantation and their kids go to the local community school in Besitang.

In regards to wildlife and the environment, the manager and employees reported spotting wild elephants about every two months, and one orangutan in 2006.  They have been using fencing to prevent elephants from enterring the plantation.  Elephants can easily destroy palm trees and cost the farmers money.  Human-elephant conflicts can occur as well. 

When asked why the company started growing palm oil trees their response was, "to reduce the oil palm demand." 

Antonia

The Rainforest, the Tropical Rainforest!

Antonia has been exploring the rainforest! 

Led by two guides from Indonesia named Darma and Dadi, Antonia is exploring the "Hidden Paradise in Sumatra" of Tangkahan.  Take a look at this eco-tourism site describing Tangkahan.  Tangkahan is a small village on the border of Gunung Leuser National Park located in North Sumatra.  It is situated at the junction of two rivers, the Buluh River and the Batang River.   On their very wet and humid hikes they have spotted semi-wild elephants, short and long tail macaques and heard siamangs!  Here are some pics from the rainforest:

Antonia and Dina (from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo).

It seems like Palm trees and the rainforest co-exist.  Although, unfortunately oil palm trees absorb most of the water about 25 liters per oil palm.

Can you see the long-tailed macaque?

Near Tangkahan in Sumatra.

Leeches!  Yes they are real and yes Antonia had to pull some off of her!

The fruit that we saw Antonia with in the last blog, the stinky durian fruit, well I had the chance to ask if she tried it.  The local people and orangutans love the fruit and Antonia described it as very tasty although the taste stays with you for a while.  A lot of hotels there do not permit you to bring durians inside because they smell like "rotten potatoes and poop".  Hmm I think I will pass! 

It looks like Antonia is getting into the heart of the rainforest and viewing the destruction palm oil plantations have on the overall rainforest ecosystem.  I know she will not only be witnessing the destruction but also will be visiting areas of habitat recovery.  I am curious to see the devastation of the plantations but also to see if the areas of recovery are coming back alive.  I look forward to hear and see more from Antonia! 

A sing along side note:  At the El Paso Zoo we have a Rainforest curriculum class that we present to schools and groups to educate people about the importance of the rainforest and how we can protect it.  In the program we sometimes play the "Rainforest Rap" a quirky, informative and catchy song.  Well, Antonia said she has been singing the song while out on her hikes in the actual rainforest!  Click here to listen to the song and catch on!

Naima
Education Specialist

A Malaysian Thanksgiving for Antonia

I have received a few messages from Antonia but over all the internet in Malaysia is not very reliable.  We are truly lucky to have quick access to the internet here in the states.  From what I have gathered Antonia sounds like she is having an amazing trip, meeting lots of new friends, and learning a LOT!  I can not wait to see all her pictures and videos when she returns. 

Antonia attended the two day Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) conference and here is a quick note from her on the conference:

It was great to see over 900 world-wide delegates working together to find solutions to a complex problem. However after a quick reflection, the wildlife topic was hardly mentioned and health issues were not even touched upon.  I am not disappointed with what the RSPO is doing.  I think trying to get companies and small holders to use better practices when planting oil palms is a great start. But I came with somebody as my inspiration, Ibu our female orangutan, especially when celebrating the International Orangutan Caring Days, now my inspiration is even stronger.  As Paulo Fraire said, “to give voice to the voiceless.”  Upon my return, expect better programs and activities to celebrate the value of plants and animals and to provoke changes, behaviors, knowledge and attitudes that will help ensure a positive future for people, wildlife and wild places.
I am ready to continue my adventure!

Antonia also mentioned that at the conference were delegates representing 80 families evicted from their lands by big palm oil companies. They came to the RSPO conference looking for solutions for their problems.  It must have been very powerful to witness all of these people fighting for their land. 

Here are some pictures from Antonia's adventures:


Antonia checking out the native Durian fruit.  She didn't mention if she liked the smelly fruit!



This is where Antonia spent her Thanksgiving 2011, a small village East Sabah, Malaysia.



Red and yellow watermelons = yummy!



The durian fruits.  People and Orangutans enjoy this fruit.

Antonia is now back in Kuala Lumpur and is embarking on a journey to find some tropical rain forest!  She says that there is not much left as most of it has been overtaken by palm oil plantations.  Very sad. 
At this very moment right now Antonia could be watching a wild orangutan!  My fingers are crossed for her and I hope she captures them on film.


Naima
Education Specialist

The RSPO and sustainable palm oil.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a global nonprofit to encourage sustainable harvesting of palm oil to meet the worldwide demand for the oil.   The RSPO has a certification program in which companies must meet strict criteria from each level of the production process.  Click here to view the RPSO Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Palm Oil Production.  The RSPO defines sustainable palm oil production as being comprised of legal, economically viable, environmentally appropriate and socially beneficial management and operations. 

The RSPO has a very detailed certification process but there are still some concerns about the program.  One concern is from the end product it is very hard to identify the real sources where the palm oil is being collected.  Most companies that utilize palm oil do not know where it is coming from.  Consider this: in 2004, Malaysia and Indonesia together accounted for 85% of global palm oil production. There is a direct correlation between the rise of palm oil and the fall of habitat for wildlife especially orangutans.  If you have not read "Cruel Oil, How palm oil harms health, rainforest and wildlife" published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, please click here to read it.

During the conference, there were many small palm oil plantation holders present trying to encourage the RSPO to help them get their land back.  Many of the small holders have had their land taken by the government of are over run by larger companies.  The small holders have an uphill battle when trying to become certified by the RSPO.  The certification requires them to commit to many criteria and when they are not in compliance of the criteria they rack up fees.

Antonia

Greetings from Kota Kinabalu!



First day of Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil Conference in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. From left: Antonia Alvarado (El Paso Zoo), Lori Perkins (Zoo Atlanta), Liz Harmon (Kansas City Zoo), Tracey Gazibara (Cheyenne Mountain Zoo), Debbie Fenton (Cheyenne Mountain Zoo), and Dina Bredahl (Cheyenne Mountain Zoo) 

 Hi all!

One of the highlights of the conference today is by 2015 all palm oil purchased by Nestlé will:

• Be derived from plantations and farms operating in compliance with local laws and regulations
• Protect high conservation value forest areas
• Support the free prior and informed consent of indigenous and local communities and activities on their customary lands where plantations are developed
• Protect peatlands
• Protect forest areas of ‘high carbon’ value.

Nestle is working in partnership with TFT (The Forest Trust), a global non-profit organization that helps companies and communities understand and combine environmental and social expertise to deliver responsible products which respect the environment and improve people's lives.  Click here to read the article about Nestlé's commitment to the environment.  Nestle has developed an action plan in collaboration with TFT to understanding and mapping the supply chain and initiating contact with all suppliers.  In one year, Greenpeace has praised Nestle for its commitment to no deforestation and their serious attempt to raise the bar. 

Although Nestle buys less than one percent of the worlds palm oil they are acknowledging the severity of the Palm Oil Crisis and its devastation on the environment.  Hopefully other companies will take a look at their palm oil consumption and become better stewards of the environment as well. 

Antonia

Day 1 from the RSPO Conference

I have been attending the conference all day and had the chance to sit in on some intense sessions.   The internet is not reliable and the conference center's system has been down all day.  I had a minute during my lunch break to find the media center to be able to send a short blog post.  I have gathered pictures, interviews and notes from the conference and hopefully, with internet later, will be able to share more.
What I have gathered from the conference so far is that the Palm Oil Crisis is very complex.  By attending sessions and visiting with people from around the world I now better understand the goals, mission and plan of the RSPO.  Click here to read the RSPO's vision and mission.  The RSPO is very important and the conference has brought light to many issues and brought together delegates from around the world to create solutions to these problems.  However, many issues were not much of a priority during the conference and I feel as if the world would benefit from bringing awareness these issues.  Such as the health issues of palm oil from human consumption, local people evicted from their land by palm oil plantations, the immense habitat destruction and of course the wildlife devastation issues associated with the production of palm oil .   For example, elephants used to roam the forest and graze on over one hundred different types of plants and fruits and now that number has declined to a variety of about ten to thirteen options. 

Antonia.

I made it to Malaysia!

 

 

After nearly 30 hours on the plane or in airports, first Los Angeles, then Hong Kong, then Kuala Lumpur and finally Kota Kinabalu, I have finally arrived in Malaysia! Soon I will post pictures and stories of my trip. Stay tuned. Here is my itineary for the next couple of days:

• November 19-20 Fly from the United States to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia.
• November 21-24 Fly from Kuala Lampur to Kota Kinbalu, Malaysia, which is located in the northeast area of Borneo. Meet with Isabelle Lackman, Marc Ancrenaz and/or Harjinder Kler to hear updates on Hutan projects such as reforestation, ecotourism and orangutan observation research. November 19-20 Fly from the United States to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia.
• November 21-24 Fly from Kuala Lampur to Kota Kinbalu, Malaysia, which is located in the northeast area of Borneo. Meet with Isabelle Lackman, Marc Ancrenaz and/or Harjinder Kler to hear updates on Hutan projects such as reforestation, ecotourism and orangutan observation research.
• November 22-24 Attend the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) ninth annual international meeting in Kota Kinabalu.

I am excited to hear from representatives of Hutan.  Hutan is a French nonprofit organization that creates innovative solutions to conserve orangutans in Sabah, Malaysia.  Together with the Sabah Wildlife Department they have established the  Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Project.

I am also excited to meet and attend sessions at the RSPO 9th annual international meeting.

In the meantime check out the amazing city I am staying in, Kota Kinbalu!  Look at this website.

Antonia

Preparations for the trip.

I just finished up the last enrichment program for Orangutan Caring Week here at the El Paso Zoo.  All week we have been celebrating orangs and bringing awareness to the critically endangered species.  Ibu, our resident female sumatran orang put on quite a display today as she swung through her exhibit in search of enrichment items.  Here is a video of Ibu today, from one of our guests:

Just as Antonia boarded her plane en route to Malaysia I recieved a text from her that said, "Heading to Malaysia with Ibu as my inspiration!" 

Armed with passport and airline ticket and ready to embark on her journey!

I have Antonia's itinerary and throughout her trip if you don't hear from her on this blog, hopefully you will get an update as I sit in my comfy office and she is out exploring the rainforest with her leech protecting socks! 

I am so excited about Antonia's trip to Asia and I know she had a lot of preparations to do before this trip.  We joked that once she was on the plane it would be the easy part.  Take a look at some of the items she packed in her bag!

A backpack full of goodies for the rainforest!



Antonia made her own socks out of pillow cases to try and be a deterent from leeches, backpack cover to keep everything dry, mosquito netting, flashlight, camera and of course the El Paso Zoo Palm Oil Shopping Guides.  You can download your own shopping guide right here!

Since Antonia started working at the zoo she has become very passionate about the Palm Oil Crisis.  The opportunity to discover what is happening first hand in Malaysia will be the trip of a lifetime.  If you are unfamiliar with the Palm Oil Crisis watch this excellent two minute video describing what is happening.

As I write this post right now, Antonia should be touching down in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia and getting some much needed rest.  Her journey from El Paso to Kuala Lampur will be about 24 hours!  She brought lots of reading material on the places she will be visiting so she can be sure to make the most out of this amazing trip. 

Antonia is modeling her mosquito protecting net and backpack while standing in front of her display area for orangutans inside the Asia Discovery Center at the zoo.  Here you can see what kinds of products we buy everyday that contain palm oil and make a pledge to avoid palm oil. 

I am excited to track Antonia's journey and can not wait to hear that she landed safely and is on to the next adventure.  Her next stop will be another plane ride to Kota Kinabalu in Borneo to attend the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) ninth annual international meeting.  At the meeting she will have a first hand update on projects such as reforestation, ecotourism and orangutan observation research.

Naima
Education Specialist

An exciting journey to Malaysia!

I am embarking on an exciting trip to Asia representing the El Paso Zoo. The main focus of this trip is to gain firsthand experience of the Palm Oil Crisis.  As a Zoo Education Specialist, I am excited to learn about the Palm Oil Crisis in Malaysia so that I can communicate this information to our community and beyond.  This is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am looking forward to learning about the changes we can make to help save critically endangered animals and our rainforests.

My first stop will be to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia and then on to Kota Kinbalu in the north east part of Borneo on November 19th and 20th. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)'s ninth annual international meeting is held in Kota Kinabalu on November 24. This meeting is the world’s largest meeting on sustainable palm oil with over 800 delegates from over 15 countries attending.

This is the part of the world I will be traveling to.  Keep up with my journey by following this blog!

After the RSPO meeting, we will be visiting Indonesia and Sumatra to personally see the health of the forests and the wildlife in these areas.  Throughout my trip I will be armed with a camera and computer!  I will be posting pictures, videos and posts about my adventures.  I will try to post as often as possible but keep in mind that some of my travels will be off the beaten path and it may be a while until I can get back to internet access.

I am excited to embark on my journey and to share the stories with you through this blog.

Antonia Alvarado

Education Specialist