This past month world leaders gathered together at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties to discuss collective solutions towards combating climate change.
We at PRCF acknowledge with concern the increasing threats to global ecosystems and that a change of behavior is needed. At stake is the permanent loss of the Earth’s rich biodiversity heritage, which we are responsible for passing on to our future generations. As such, we commit to the following actions during the 2021 – 2030 period:
We commit to strengthening our Biodiversity Conservation Programs in Indonesia and Vietnam, through measures that support human-nature solutions via the direct involvement of local communities living within high biodiversity and conservation value landscapes.
In Indonesia, we commit to operate at least two, 3-5 year projects focusing on several key species, with a combined funding of One Million USD over the 2021 – 2030 period.
Through community-based conservation measures we aim to expand protected forests by at least 185,000 ha (~125,000 ha in North Sumatra and ~60,000 ha in West Kalimantan).
Additionally, we pledge to increase protection and conservation management measures towards threatened species, in:
North Sumatra – Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis), Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica), Agile Gibbon (Hylobates agilis), Siamang Gibbon (Symphalangus syndactylus), Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil), their habitat and associated species.
West Kalimantan – Borneo Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Mueller Gibbon (Hylobates muelleri), Sarawak Surili (Presbytis chrysomelas), Tomistoma Crocodile (Tomistoma schlegelii), their habitat and associated species
In Vietnam, we commit to operate at least two, 3-5 year projects focusing on several key species, with a combined funding of One Million USD over the 2021 – 2030 period.
Through community-based conservation measures we aim to expand protected forests by at least 37,000 ha (~25,000 ha in northern Vietnam’s Tuyen Quang province and ~12,000 ha in central Vietnam’s Gia Lai province)
Additionally, we pledge to increase protection and conservation management measures towards threatened species, in:
Northern Vietnam (Fauna) – Francois Langur (Trachypithecus francoisi), Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), White-eared Night Heron (Gorsachius magnificus), White-winged Magpie (Urosissa whiteheadi), Boulenge’s Spiny Frog (Quasipaa boulengeri),
(Flora) Magnolia grandis, Paphiopedilum henryanum, Aquilaria crassna, Xanthocyparis vietnamensis, their habitat, and associated species
Central Vietnam – Grey-Shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix cinerea), Northern-buffed-cheek Gibbon (Hylobates annamensis), their habitat, and associated species.
Our strategic targets are divided into five year milestones with a minimum combined commitment of twenty years. Partnering with local stakeholder communities we will develop Species Conservation Action Plans, which support long-term conservation and raise environmental awareness among natural resource users through advocacy and outreach. To determine progress, PRCF will conduct baseline surveys to assess the population of targeted species, with periodical (one or two year basis) surveys to address population and habitat changes in the target landscapes.
Beyond our program goals, we further commit to:
strengthen our aim to achieve a net positive impact on biodiversity. Starting in 2022, all PRCF projects will be required to demonstrate positive impacts and incremental benefits to biodiversity, including clear and direct measures to strengthen community involvement and decision-making in conservation management.
reduce our carbon print from all our operations, and aim to offset our carbon usage by countermeasures linked to our target landscapes or comparable areas, accounted separately from project commitments.
We hope that PRCF’s leadership may serve as a guide in founding similar community based conservation programs across other landscapes. Please check back often for continuing updates on our exciting projects.