As a sign of its commitment to the environment, Singapore Airlines recently pledged its support for the Harapan Rainforest Initiative, a ground-breaking forest restoration project in Indonesia.

Deep within the Harapan rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia, the wonders of nature unfold in a picture of breathtaking beauty and serenity. In various corners of the 100,000-hectare site, a stunning Bluebanded Kingfisher flits about restlessly near a slow-moving stream; Agile Gibbons perch on branches high up in hardwood trees, sleeping with their arms wrapped around their knees and heads tucked into their laps, while reclusive Malayan Sun Bears amble out to forage for berries and insects. They, along with endangered species like the Sumatran tiger and Malayan tapir, have made the Harapan rainforest their home. But increasingly, reality is closing in: the shrinking of the rainforest in which they live and thrive has put their very survival at risk.

According to environmental think tank World Resources Institute, more than 80 per cent of the Earth’s natural forests have been destroyed. Of these, the Harapan Rainforest (home to over 290 species of birds and 55 mammals) is one of the last remaining swathes of lowland forest in Indonesia.

Realising the need to conserve this tract of forest, Singapore Airlines has pledged US$3 million to the Harapan Rainforest Initiative (HRI), its first major involvement in a large-scale green project.

“Forests are among the world’s chief carbon stores, and the arrestment of deforestation is a key step towards combating climate change,” stressed Bey Soo Khiang, Singapore Airlines’ Senior Executive Vice-President Marketing and Corporate Services.

The funds from Singapore Airlines will go towards financing core operations, such as programmes to protect the rainforest’s plant and animal species, and the employment of forest patrols – many of whom are indigenous people who depend on the forest for their livelihood – to prevent illegal logging and forest fires.

“Harapan is a ground-breaking forest restoration project. It will be of even greater value if it serves as a pilot that others can follow,” said Sir Graham Wynne, Chairman of Yayasan KEHI. The non-profit foundation manages the day-to-day operations of the project.

A collaboration between several international non-governmental organisations including BirdLife International and Burung Indonesia, HRI is one of the first forest protection and restoration concessions of its kind in the world.

Taking the first step to preserve our rainforests with initiatives like this will help ensure the sustainability of our environment for future generations.

ILLUSTRATION: ELENA TSAREGRADSKAYA

COPYRIGHT 2010 © SINGAPORE AIRLINES LTD (REGN. NO. 197200078R) AND SPH MAGAZINES PTE LTD (REGN. NO 196900476M). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Source: SILVERKRIS

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