A New Year, A New Way of Thinking

[rainforestguy]

Each year goes by and I wonder what advances we have achieved in anything. But pertaining to nepenthes, I often wonder how far we have actually come.
Aside from "saving" these species. I feel we should also expand our horizons in thinking. It is often taboo for someone to collect wild nepenthes from habitat, yet each day, thousands of plants are destroyed (FOREVER) due to logging, road building, and so forth. We need to start to integrate the idea of "saving" these plants from such activities. I see a weekly show of orangutans saved from illegal logging and forest destruction called "Orangutan Island." This show highlights the struggle of orphaned primates develop and live outside of their habitat regions.
I don't plan on creating such a show for nepenthes, but what if wild nepenthes can be saved and rescued and perhaps relocated to a new environment, safe from destruction of our forests. What are the processes involved in making such an effort? You would need dedicated individuals (like on the show) to process these collections and reestablishing them in "safe" protected sites. Of course you would need money to purchase the land, secure it as a sanctuary or protected zone, or even combine them with other established sanctuaries such as bird sanctuaries or other protected areas.

With Orangutan Island, nothing is shown or said about the illegal trade in logging and habitat destruction even though these animals are protected under CITES as well. I think we need equal legislation with regards to nepenthes as well.

Whenever it comes to saving a plant from habitat it becomes a big hush up topic. Yet commercial growers can take seeds, cuttings and even whole plants from habitat without any second thoughts. How is this possible?

M

[phissionkorps]

Have you ever seen Expedition Borneo? It might just be for that tract of land (Heart of Borneo), but I was under the impression that when an endangered species is found on a certain plot of land, the Malaysian government is obligated to protect it? Then again, I don't live in Malaysia and know next to nothing about their laws. However, there was a short segment on Nepenthes on EB, and there was a team of some individuals that were looking for every possible threatened or endangered species to add to the Heart of Borneo. Perhaps as a byproduct, some Nepenthes populations (endangered or not) will be saved, but they did not mention specifically looking for them. The impression was given however, that at least one population of tentaculata and possibly reinwardtiana will be saved. Haven't seen the footage in months though, so don't take my word for it

[rainforestguy]

Like so many situation, they probably hired zoologists or worst, botanist to relocate and plant them. I wonder though with so many species on hand that they are able to keep each species population distinct and from becoming mixed over time.


I hope to capture these episodes when they are on here. Its not as interesting as seeing two orangutans play around, but interesting to see what developments they have in maintaining these plants in a new location. I wish more emphasis was made to preserve Madagascar in ways we've been seeing for many other regions. If you know of any billionaires who plan to leave some $ to a dusty museum, they need to rethink about saving some nature areas as well.

M

[kltower]

phissionkorps,

The taking of orang utans occur mainly on the Indonesian side. Orangutans are found in Sabah, Kalimantan and Sumatra. Recently, some theme parks and private zoos in Malaysia had their orangutans confiscated and repatriated back to Indonesia after DNA test confirmed the big apes came from the Indonesian population.

On another note, yesterday, I went up with David to Genting Highlands and I was very amazed and breathless to see the wall of cliff-face covered with N. sanguinea. On another site we managed to find a very dark red sanguinea pitcher over a foot tall. All this is very nice, except that these populations are growing on abandoned condominium sites. When the project are viable, they will be gone.

Is it MORALLY WRONG to cllecxt from these sites?

Choong

[phissionkorps]

If you know of any billionaires who plan to leave some $ to a dusty museum, they need to rethink about saving some nature areas as well.

Agreed.

The taking of orang utans occur mainly on the Indonesian side. Orangutans are found in Sabah, Kalimantan and Sumatra

I wasn't even aware of people taking orangutans. I thought Expedition Borneo was about whatever endangered species were there, and not just orangutans? I've only seen the program twice though.

Is it MORALLY WRONG to cllecxt from these sites?

Of course not [when done responsibly]. I think 10% or less of available seed is considered "responsible", barring other conditions (an obvious drought, etc, resulting in extremely low yield). Some people get fussy and throw out "well what if EVERYONE just took "a little"?" While possible, it's probably not very probable that that will happen. It is certainly alright IMO morally/ethically/whathaveyou to collect seeds from locations like this in times where nothing is being done with the land, and when the land will certainly become developed (company has bought it and begun construction preparation), I fully support removing all plants. What should be done with them afterwards is a matter of debate: they should either stay in cultivation, so as to not "contaminate" other populations, or they should be replanted in a less likely area for them to be bulldozed over....but that's a different topic. As you said:

When the project are viable, they will be gone.

IMO, it is much more immoral to stand idly by and let the genetic diversity of the plants be forever lost, than it is to collect seed when they are not in danger, and the entire plants when they are facing imminent doom.