The Last Stand of the Orangutan

dramatic impact on regional carbon dioxide emissions, and thus

help to prevent dangerous levels of global climate change. If the

logging of national parks continues unchallenged, it could under-

mine the protected area concept worldwide. The Indonesian ini-

tiatives to strengthen protection of their parks therefore urgently

need substantial support from the international community if the

orangutan habitats and national parks are to be rescued from this

growing state of emergency.

Recommendations

Based on these findings, it is recommended that Indonesia and

countries involved in processes such as FLEG consider the following

actions:

Substantially strengthening the Indonesian initiative of SPORC units

to ensure the necessary para-military skills and equipment for secur-

ing national parks, including evaluation of the combined joint op-

erations conducted in recent years between the Ministry of Forestry,

police and Joint Chiefs of Staff of Navy and Army. This could include

bringing in expertise from other Indonesian and international agen-

cies in training and countering illegal activities at these scales

Rapid deployment of reconnaissance units to collaborate with

the relevant law enforcement and forest rangers, to secure infor-

mation from the individual parks

Rapid development of training units to prepare existing rangers

locally for future enforcement

Removal of illegal plantations, mining and agricultural develop-

ment inside the national parks

Strengthening surveillance and intelligence units in this work

Further strengthening international programmes of law enforce-

ment against illegal logging and activities, including support

from Interpol

Establishing a small, strategic cross-sectoral coordination unit,

including selected international specialists, with sufficient presi-

dential mandate to assist in operational planning and monitor-

ing of the programme to win back the parks