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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
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