Take action re threatened Malaysian forest

This just in: Support Petition to Save Malaysia’s Belum-Temengor Rainforests By Rainforest Portal, a project of Ecological Internet,

May 17, 2006 TAKE ACTION Proposed National Park "Richest of the Rich" in Terms of Biodiversity and Ecosystems, Threatened by Logging

Malaysia’s magnificent Belum-Temengor rainforests are 130 million year old, making them some of the richest and most ancient rainforests in the world. Located in Perak state along the Thailand border of Peninsular Malaysia, Belum Temengor rainforests are a world-class wilderness with tremendous ecological, aesthetic and economic values including immense tourism potential. Sadly, this large and intact life-sustaining ancient rainforest marvel is now under threat from both legal and illegal industrial logging. Belum-Temengor’s rainforests provide the last refuge for at least 14 globally threatened mammals including the Sumatran rhino, the Malayan tiger, the Asian elephant, tapirs and leopards. This is the only place in Malaysia where all 10 of Malaysia’s hornbills are found, flying in flocks of more than 2,000, something not found anywhere else in the world. Despite rising wealth and environmental sensibilities, Malaysia still continues the low value and unsustainable practice of industrially logging their and others’ ancient rainforests. This type of poorly conceived industrial development is highly damaging to Belum-Temengor and its ability to continue providing critical local, regional and global ecosystem services such as carbon storage, water cachment, and maintaining wildlife and biodiversity while continuing local sustainable uses and business opportunities. Please respectfully support local initiatives to have Belum-Temengor declared a National Park – and an end to logging in order to pursue eco- tourism and other ecologically based and sustainable economic development opportunities. Your email will be sent to local conservationists in order to sign their petition to protect the area.