Last-Gasp Effort to Save Borneo's Tropical Rainforests

摘要

One of the most ambitious attempts ever to safeguard tropical forests is taking shape in Southeast Asia. In February, the three nations—Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia—that share Borneo agreed to conserve and jointly manage vast tracts of the world's third-largest island to protect its unparalleled biodiversity. At the meeting, scientists outlined their vision for the Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiative—to rave reviews. "It's phenomenal. A fantastic project," says terrestrial ecolo-gist Nigel Stork, head of the School of Natural Resource Management at the University of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Yet with many details still to be worked out, some worry whether the partners will follow through on all that's been promised.