Living Planet. Make no mistake! The places you love are under threat. SPRING MAGAZINE. FROM THE WALLABIES Your rock stars send their thanks.

Transcription

1 Living Planet MAGAZINE SPRING 2014 EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE FOR WWF SUPPORTERS / ISSUE 29 Make no mistake! The places you love are under threat. GREAT DOG DETECTIVE! A canine mission to stop illegal wildlife trade. FISH FOR LIFE Small business schemes for women. WORLD PARKS CONGRESS For a healthy world and a healthy society. FROM THE WALLABIES Your rock stars send their thanks.

2 JÜRGEN FREUND / WWF-CANON PHOTO COURTESY PROSE PR By Dermot O Gorman CEO, WWF-Australia A global report that shows dramatic declines in biodiversity around the planet has highlighted the positive work being done by many Queensland farmers to reduce pollution on the Great Barrier Reef. The farmers on the Great Barrier Reef coast are demonstrating how reducing farm run-off can boost farm productivity and be good for business, jobs and the marine environment. The work is showcased in the 2014 Living Planet Report released by WWF that measures changes to the world s biodiversity and habitats over the past 40 years, and ranks the Ecological Footprint of 152 countries. While Australia scores poorly in the report, the Queensland farmers provide a positive example of how to tackle one of the world s biggest threats to marine life. The 2014 Living Planet Report identifies catchment run-off as one of the biggest threats to marine environments around the world and nowhere is this more apparent than the Great Barrier Reef. Water running off farms flushes fertilisers, pesticides and soil onto the Reef, with dire consequences not only for corals, seagrasses and marine wildlife but also for almost 69,000 full-time jobs in tourism, fishing and other industries that depend on a healthy Reef. With the decline in the Reef s health - exacerbated by outdated A recent study found that Reef coral cover has halved since More than 40% of this loss was due to outbreaks of the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, which are fuelled by fertiliser run-off from farms. Queensland farmers provide solutions for a stressed planet fishing practices, and threats such as port expansion, the dumping of dredge spoil and climate change - the World Heritage Committee is considering adding the Great Barrier Reef to its In Danger list. But the introduction of innovative farming practices has seen pesticide pollution on the Great Barrier Reef reduced by 15 per cent and fertiliser pollution reduced by 13 per cent over the past five years. These initial results are very encouraging. To ensure the Great Barrier Reef s survival, we now need to scale up this good work across all farmers and all of the catchments that run into the Reef. Dermot O Gorman CEO, WWF-Australia Sustainable beef makes a healthy Reef By Ian McConnel WWF-Australia National Project Coordinator, Sustainable Beef I m a beef producer. I grew up on a beef cattle station west of Brisbane where my family still runs over two thousand head of cattle. As a beef producer, it s my job to take the natural resources on offer and turn them into beef for us all to enjoy. And it s the role of thousands of graziers producing beef for the dinner table of Australians everyday. Australian beef production supports more regional and remote communities than any other industry, employing more than a third of all people employed in agriculture. A lot of these people are my family and friends - and I know how important a vibrant and viable beef industry is to them. The impact of beef on the Reef But, the downside is that to feed the insatiable appetite for beef both here and overseas, past deforestation and landclearing for livestock production has had a profound impact on Australia s native wildlife. We have the world s highest rate of mammal species extinction. In the Great Barrier Reef catchment, over three quarters of the total land is used for producing beef. Any management practices used in producing beef are felt downstream by the Reef and the animals that call it home. So, how do we balance the two? At WWF, we believe a profitable beef industry doesn t have to come at the cost of our native animals and natural places. Even better, Australian farmers have already made significant progress in adopting more sustainable production methods, to meet the growing demand for environmentally-friendly beef. Producing beef from pasture has a simple formula to follow: the amount of grass you grow must be equal to or greater than the amount the cattle eat. This allows ground cover to be maintained and hold topsoil together by strong and healthy grasses. Thanks to your support, WWF is working across the beef industry - from cattle producers to retailers - to ensure sustainability is embedded in every stage of the beef supply chain. By holding the soil on-farm, we reduce sediment entering the waterways and, ultimately, the Great Barrier Reef for example. It also allows for greater production per hectare, less vulnerability to climate change and greater on-farm biodiversity. It s truly a win-win. Beef that doesn t cost the Earth This is the reason I joined WWF. We recognise that the beef industry has the knowledge, capacity and skills to produce beef while minimising the impact on the environment and improving farm profitability. My role is to provide genuine support through our networks to increase demand for sustainable beef and scientific advice on measuring sustainability. This will lead to a better beef industry with a brighter future for me, my family, my friends and the Reef - and you too. I see a future where we can all feel good when we buy Australian beef. Find out more: Visit wwf.org.au/markets 2 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU LIVING PLANET MAGAZINE - SPRING IAN McCONNEL WITH HIS DAUGHTER AILEE PHOTO COURTESY OF IAN McCONNEL

3 You need to know what has happened MARTIN HARVEY / WWF-CANON The great dog detective WAYNE WU / TRAFFIC A recent aerial report has revealed a worrying number of elephant carcasses in the world famous Mau Mara Serengeti ecosystem in east Africa. A total of 192 were counted, of which 117 were in Kenya and 75 in Tanzania. Half had their tusks missing. We re sharing this with you because it s unacceptable Globally, WWF has identified the Mau Mara Serengeti landscape as a priority landscape and has focused its funding on the conservation of this landscape. The Kenyan and Tanzanian governments are keen to work with organisations like WWF to find solutions to the threats facing endangered species that include not only the elephant but also the rhino. We re helping governments acquire anti-poaching equipment and technology, engage communities and private sector in anti-poaching campaigns, carry out elephant censuses, work with communities to reduce human-wildlife conflict, secure elephants outside protected areas, and monitor threats to elephant and rhino populations. It s not all bad Despite this setback, the aerial report indicated an increase in numbers of elephants in the region - up from an estimated 2,058 in 1986 to 7,535 elephants in This means that slowly we are winning the war to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade in the region. HOW YOU HELP SAVE ELEPHANTS Thanks to you, our supporters, WWF is addressing all threats to African and Asian elephant populations: illegal hunting for meat and ivory, habitat loss, and human-elephant conflict. As a WWF supporter, you help to: Improve elephant protection and management Build capacity within elephant range countries Mitigate human-elephant conflict Reduce poaching and illegal trade. Find out more at wwf.org.au/elephant The African elephant population that has recently shown promising signs of recovery, could again be at risk due to the recent surge in poaching for the illegal ivory trade. At the arrivals hall of China s Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, passengers are bustling as usual. Jin Kai is carrying out a routine inspection of passengers luggage. Although Jin Kai isn t the typical airport security officer you d expect she s a Labrador. Jin Kai is one of the first graduates from a detector dog-training program run by the Chinese Customs Antismuggling Bureau. As she walks along the endless stream of luggage, she finally sits next to a suitcase belonging to an arriving passenger. A signal that she believes she has found something. A Customs Officer checks the luggage and finds 13 ivory bracelets, weighing 420g. That s one illegal wildlife trade smuggler caught today. China s first wildlife sniffer dogs With your help, WWF and TRAFFIC are leading the global campaign to stop illegal wildlife trade through this partnership and program in China. Sniffer dogs - with their remarkable sense of smell - are increasingly being used to intercept illegal wildlife and wildlife products like ivory, rhino horns, and tiger parts smuggled through airports, shipping ports and public transportation centres. Following program success in countries like China and Russia, trials in East Africa are underway to determine which airports and seaports are best suited for Sniffer dogs like Jin Kai may look cute, but their message is clear: they can t be fooled. They are on a canine mission to stop wildlife crime. long-term sniffer dog programs. The program also promotes collaboration among governments and lifts public awareness - which will help us win the battle against the illegal wildlife trade. Plus, the message to wildlife traffickers is clear: no matter where you try to conceal illegal goods, you can t fool a dog detective. HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE With your help we are working to: STOP the poachers STOP traffickers on trade routes STOP demand on the streets. 4 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU LIVING PLANET MAGAZINE - SPRING

4 MARK BRISTOW / WWF-PNG For the people of the Solomon Islands, fish are their life. Fish for life In the Solomons, protein from fish makes up about 75% of the diet of coastal fishing communities in the region. And their livelihood - having surplus fish to sell in the markets - also depends on a good, sustainable supply. But that life-source is depleting A rapidly growing population and the overfishing of reefs are placing enormous stress on precious marine habitats and species. For coastal communities it is increasingly difficult to have a secure source of food and income. With your support, WWF is on the ground in the Solomon Islands helping coastal communities to shift fishing from depleted and vulnerable reef species and to find sustainable income alternatives. Reefs for the future In the Solomons they call them rafters, but to WWF scientists they are Inshore Fish Aggregating Devices (IFADS). But no matter what name they go by, they are being used to improve the livelihoods and food security of fishing communities. The aim is simple. Small floating rafts anchored to the sea floor are deployed in deep water close to shore and easily accessible by small boats and dugout canoes. The rafts attract different types of fish that are easy to catch, less vulnerable to overexploitation and moves fishing effort away from areas where vulnerable reef fish live. Fishers can easily and quickly catch enough fish to feed their families and have a little extra to sell in the markets. Small loans, big changes In the Solomons, women are the backbone of the family structure. They play a vital role not just in the day-to-day running of their household, but also in ensuring a better future for their children. But, they have few opportunities to generate income of their own. Thanks to you, WWF and its partners are providing funding, The IFAD project is focused on improving the lives of local fishing communities with the opportunity to earn better incomes from their catches. training and support to help local women save money as a first step towards taking out a small loan to set up a small business venture. Known as micro-finance, these small business schemes are helping women stabilise their income, raise their standard of living and keep themselves, their families, and their communities from poverty. With the Solomons having rich marine resources, vast coconut plantations and also being a tourism hotspot, there are many income-generating options for local women. It is an effective way of helping coastal communities continue to fish and generate alternative forms of income to guarantee a future for both our marine resources and for the people of the Solomons. In the seven months since its establishment, the Solomon Islands Gizo Women s Saving Club that began with 40 now has membership of more than 500 women and its members have managed to save more than $84,000SD. COMMUNITY CONSERVATION One of the most significant lessons WWF has learned over 50 years is that conservation works best when local communities actively participate. Rather than protecting nature from people, WWF looks for practical solutions that allow humans and other species to thrive together. SARA MARTIN / WWF-SI MARK BRISTOW / WWF-PNG 6 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU LIVING PLANET MAGAZINE - SPRING

5 GREAT BARRIER REEF COASTLINE DANIEL BATTLEY / ABC OPEN TROPICAL NORTH The places you love are under threat INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, GREAT BARRIER REEF VANESSA HUNTER / NEWS LTD OUTSTANDING OUTRAGEOUS From the Great Barrier Reef to the Kimberley, from Uluru to Tasmania s ancient forests, our wild places and our wildlife are facing a new battle for survival. The Australian Federal Government is about to abandon its role in national environmental protection. Unbelievable - but true! They plan to wash their hands of their responsibility and give their powers to the states. State governments that historically have shown us they cannot manage our natural assets. Remember, had it been left up to state governments, we would have had oil rigs on the Great Barrier Reef; dams on the Franklin River; Fraser Island would be a sand mine. It s only because the federal government stepped in to override their plans that these environmental disasters were prevented. That s about to change The states and territories could soon be given a free hand to do as they please with our national heritage. State-directed mining developments, state-directed urban sprawl, port expansion, coal seam gas expansion, land-clearing - everything - could occur without Commonwealth oversight or regulation. It s now up to you - and all Australians - to do what the federal government should do. We need you You can help WWF to immediately pressure our governments to deliver environmental protection, not destruction. As a WWF supporter, everything you have worked for, everything you have achieved for our environment is being opened up to potential exploitation. Please make a donation today to help WWF fight to protect the laws that protect the places that you love. HOW YOU CAN HELP Make a donation today and every cent of your gift will go directly to fight to protect the laws that protect the places you love. Your gift will be used to: advocate for better environmental laws and their implementation hold the states and territories accountable for the environmental decisions they make. Let s turn our outrage into action. Please donate as soon as you can wwf.org.au/ placesyoulove WWF, GPO Box 528, Sydney, NSW DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU LIVING PLANET MAGAZINE - SPRING

6 JÜRGEN FREUND / WWF-CANON NATUREPL.COM / ANDY ROUSE / WWF-CANON BRENT STIRTON / GETTY IMAGES / WWF-UK Parks for people and the planet Reefs, deserts, rainforests, mountains, beaches and bushlands - all will be on display in Sydney in November for the IUCN World Parks Congress. Over 3000 delegates from over 160 countries will come together to share ideas on how we can sustain and protect the planet. The World Parks Congress is not just any conference. It is THE conference that discusses and determines the future of the great sanctuaries of life left on Earth - rainforests, mountains, oceans Why are protected areas so important? Protected areas have long been the cornerstone of protecting our environment. As well as being places of wonder and adventure, they do so much more like: Protect some of the world s most threatened species Provide homes, jobs and livelihoods for millions of people Keep us healthy by being a source of clean air Provide the medicines of the future that may still be hidden in the bark and roots of undiscovered plants Provide natural defences against climate change. From just a handful at the turn of the century, protected areas now cover almost 13 per cent of the Earth s land surface - an area larger than India and China put together. But, many protected areas are still under threat. Some are not well managed. And many habitats are not well represented, such as marine areas, of which less than one per cent is protected. Many global threats also affect protected areas, like climate change, food, water and health security and the risk of natural disasters. So while we ve come a long way, there s still more to do to ensure that enough of our planet s ecosystems and habitats are properly conserved. How you play a part The World Parks Congress is our opportunity to represent our key partners (and that includes you!) to work to position parks and protected areas firmly within the goals of economic and community wellbeing. A HEALTHY WORLD A HEALTHY SOCIETY For parks: It s about the expansion, connectivity and better management of protected areas - inspiring people to value and and conserve nature. For people: It s about empowering communities (including indigenous peoples) to become involved with and benefit from parks and protected areas. For the planet: It s about promoting parks and protected areas as natural solutions to the global challenges of climate change, food and water security and health. It s our once in a 10 year opportunity to bring about change - not only today - or tomorrow - but for the decade ahead. 10 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU LIVING PLANET MAGAZINE - SPRING

7 MARTIN HARVEY / WWF-CANON TOMO EGUCHI / WWF-AUS STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / WWF This is your world and your wins Oil company backs off Over 675,000 WWF supporters joined the campaign to demand World Heritage Listed Virunga, Africa s oldest national park, be protected from oil drilling. The French oil giant Total has now pledged to stop exploring for oil in Virunga - and in any other World Heritage site globally. Earth Hour sets records 7,000 cities in 162 countries and territories celebrated Earth Hour It s now the world s largest mass participation, environmental initiative - mobilising action for climate change. FSC celebrates 20 years Established with WWF s help 20 years ago to certify sustainablymanaged forests and give consumers a responsible choice, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has now certified 180 million hectares of forest across 81 countries. Stopping shark slaughter A device to stop goannas eating the eggs of endangered turtles has been a big success, with 1,200 precious loggerhead turtle hatchlings protected during the recent nesting season. 1,200 turtle hatchlings safe to sea WWF is campaigning to get Asia- Pacific countries to stop importing, selling and consuming shark fin. An estimated 100 million sharks are killed annually. Searching for the horizon, making the first daunting scamper down the sand, avoiding feasting predators like goannas loggerhead turtle hatchlings on Queensland s Wreck Rock Beach have an anxious entry to life. But, as a WWF supporter, you ve helped 1,200 hatchlings have a safe start out to sea. Wreck Rock Beach (between Bundaberg and Gladstone) is the second largest mainland nesting site for endangered loggerhead turtles in the South Pacific Ocean. One of the biggest threats to the survival of the loggerhead population is goannas that feast on the precious eggs. During the recent nesting season, WWF and the Burnett Mary Natural Resource Management Group supported the Wreck Rock Turtle Research Team to trial more than 30 predator exclusion devices on Wreck Rock Beach. Under the guidance of Dr Col Limpus from the Queensland Government s Turtle Conservation Project, the devices (made from aluminium grills) were placed over and around nests. Baby turtles can squeeze through the grill, but it s small enough to prevent entry by goannas. Sensor cameras were also set up to detect predator activity and nearly a quarter of the 400 or so nests were monitored tirelessly each day by volunteers and the project team. The result? Excellent news. The success rate for the devices was over 80 per cent with goannas only breaching four of the nests. More than 1,200 loggerhead hatchlings survived! The next step is to trial the devices on other beaches, while also learning more about goannas and their behaviour. It is because of your vital support that these treasured baby turtles have been given a chance to survive and thrive in the great wide sea. Thank you. You are part of a worldwide team of over 5 million WWF supporters that make all our conservation victories possible. Here are just some of the global game changing conservation wins that you have made happen in Two important shark fin hubs, Hong Kong and Singapore, have reported reduced demand for shark fin. And Singapore has also seen domestic sales of shark fin to hotels and restaurants fall by one third. Action on poaching crisis 46 countries have made the commitment to take decisive and urgent action to stop illegal wildlife trade. They have agreed to strengthen enforcement, reduce consumer demand and support sustainable livelihoods for communities living alongside wildlife. Thank you for making all this possible! 12 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU LIVING PLANET MAGAZINE - SPRING

8 REBECCA BOYLAND / WWF-AUS PHIL LEWIS / DPAW / WWF-AUS CHRISTINE ROBINSON / WWF-AUS WWF supporters Jenny and Frank Peel are turning their small acreage into a safe place for the creatures that are being bullied off the landscape. On this property, animals have right of way It s safe to go out now that the cats and foxes have gone. Thanks to all. BRYCE BURROWS / WWF-AUS Jenny, Frank and Christine By Christine Robinson WWF-Australia Philanthropy Officer Besides a very warm welcome, I had little idea what to expect. But meeting WWF supporters Frank and Jenny Peel in rural Victoria was a privilege that left me totally inspired. Frank and Jenny had made a Bequest to WWF. As I had come to know them well through our conversations and correspondence I wanted to meet them and thank them. And what I found was a rare thing - a couple whose lives were not driven by accumulating stuff, but by caring for each other and for the bush and wildlife. As you enter their driveway, the Wildlife Sanctuary signs declare, in no uncertain terms, that on this property, animals have the right of way. Frank says, That s the way it is. Jenny and I are turning our small acreage into a safe place for the creatures that are being bullied off the landscape and we expect our visitors to respect that. My visit was not long after the terrible bushfires that destroyed not only homes in their area, but also the habitat that wildlife relies on for food and shelter. That evening, I watched self-proclaimed hard-arse truckie Frank and life-long wildlife protector Jenny feeding the wallabies and other animals with food bought with their own money. And their love for the local wildlife is infectious. The team at Coles in Horsham have been fantastic, says Frank. They ve provided heaps of stuff from their fruit and veggie section to help us. When I asked why they chose WWF for their legacy, they said it was easy. The animals have no one to speak up for them. But WWF does that. And I reckon that WWF is going to keep on speaking up for our Aussie wildlife long after we are gone. It s people like Frank and Jenny who have become part of the WWF story. And long into the future, the legacy they leave to WWF and conservation, will continue to make our country a little bit better for all of us. For more information on leaving a Bequest to WWF, please: Call: Christine Robinson or Leigh Wigley on bequest@wwf.org.au Visit: wwf.org.au/bequest From the wallabies to you! We wanted to send you this postcard from the black-flanked rockwallabies of WA s Nangeen Hill - via Phil, our sensor camera operator (and wallaby body language interpreter!) From all the black-flanked rock-wallabies, the team at WWF and the WA Department of Parks and Wildlife, thank you so much for all your generosity. Without you, we would have lost the rock-stars of Nangeen Hill. But because you responded: The wallabies are now safe behind the five-kilometre sanctuary fence around Nangeen Hill. We have started repairing and replanting their feeding grounds to provide food for the future. Food and safety have helped them breed. New joeys have helped lift their numbers. And now, your wonderful generosity will put our researchers on Nangeen Hill in December to check every wallaby s health and condition. These precious black-flanked rock-wallabies are now one step closer to being a strong and self sustainable colony - and it s all because of you. Thank you! 14 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU LIVING PLANET MAGAZINE - SPRING

9 The federal government is washing its hands of environmental protection. Make no mistake, the places you love are under threat. You can help WWF fight to protect our most precious places. Get into the fight - donate now. WWF-Australia, GPO Box 528, Sydney, NSW 2001 Cert o. nxxx-xxx-xxxx FRONT: HUMPBACK WHALE, KIMBERLEY WA BACK: WEST ATLAS OIL RIG, KIMBERLEY COAST WA Cover photo: Annabelle Sandes / Kimberley Media Back cover photo Ho New / Reuters / Pcture Media. All photos from the WWF-Canon photographic library have been kindly donated by photographers for WWF use, and cannot be reproduced or provided to external parties panda symbol and WWF is a Registered Trademark. Cert XXX-XXX-XXXX Forest Stewardship Council Join us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter. LIVING PLANET - SPRING WWF.ORG.AU