Borneo's location on a world map (press play)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Wallpaper-world-map-2006-large.JPG

The island of Borneo is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. Located on the equator, Borneo is part of the Malay Archipelago, between mainland Southeast Asian and Australia. 

Map showing modern areas that 
were once part of Sundaland (CEPF)

http://www.cepf.net/where_we_work/regions/asia_pacific/
sundaland/Pages/default.aspx

During the Pleistocene glacial period, Borneo was part of a larger landmass called Sundaland, which encompassed other islands such as Java and Sumatra.  About 12,000 years ago, ice near the equator began to melt, submersing much of Sundaland and creating isolated areas of land.  Although Borneo shares plant and animal species with surrounding islands and the Asian mainland, its isolation has caused many species to develop unique evolutionary paths (McGinley & Hogan).

Lowland rainforests dominate Borneo
The majority of Borneo, about 60%, is comprised of lowland tropical rainforest.  Characterized by year-round warm temperatures, and average monthly rainfall exceeding 200 millimeters, the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) estimates that Borneo’s lowland rainforests are home to over 15,000 species of plants and animals, many of which are endemic.  

A map showing the different ecoregions of Borneo (WWF)

http://worldwildlife.org/science/wildfinder/

With canopies between 20-35 meters high, and emergent Dipterocarps that reach heights of more than 70 meters, Borneo’s lowland forests are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.  Lianas and epiphytic plants can be found in the forests’ lower strata, as well as many amphibians, reptiles, insects, birds, and mammals, including the Sumatran Rhinoceros, Borneo Tarsier, and endangered Orange-Brown Orangutan. 

Montane rainforests are found in high altitudes
Central Borneo, which is much more mountainous than the surrounding lowland, is covered in montane rainforests.  Comprising a total of about 7% of Borneo, these forests are found at elevations above 1,000 meters (WWF, Broadleaf Forests).

Trees in montane forests are much shorter than in lowland forests, with a canopy that reaches between 10 and 20 meters.  Montane forests don’t contain the massive Dipterocarps found in the lowlands, but rather, contain trees that are more slender, and have smaller leaves.  Borneo’s montane forests also contain a large number of oak and chestnut trees, as well as a wide variety of animals including many endemic birds.  

Top: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/borneo/klum-photography

Bottom: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/06/climate-change-tropical-forest-greater

Borneo's rainforests laid untouched for thousands of years

Borneo was once covered with dense tropical rainforest, which went largely undisturbed for thousands of years.  Inhabited by native Dayak tribes, the Dayak practiced subsistence and mid-scale agriculture, preserving much of the rainforest ecosystem ("Dayak People").  Before widespread unsustainable land-conversion, forest fires were not a concern in Bornean rainforests, as the dampness under the canopy, as well as the lack of abundant flammable material on the forest floor (because it decomposes so quickly) prevented fires from starting/spreading. 

Forest cover in Borneo - Past, Present, and Future (WWF)

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/borneo_forests/borneo_deforestation/

The arrival of the Portuguese in the 16^th century and the Dutch and British in the 17^th century led to some initial forest degradation ("History of Borneo").  Not only did the colonists farm on a larger scale and hunt wildlife, but by displacing many native people they forced them to begin practicing their slash-and-burn agricultural practices on primary rather than secondary forest.  Despite this disregard for the Bornean rainforest ecosystem, the limited numbers of colonists and their inability to navigate the terrain limited the extent of the damage they were able to do (University of Missouri-Columbia).

It was not until the 20^th century that widespread deforestation in the lowland tropical rainforests began.  Rubber plantations were established early in the century, and although they didn’t have a huge impact initially, they grew in size over time.  By the 1970’s, Malaysia was turning to its forests in Borneo for wood, and logging began on a large scale.  Logging increased exponentially in the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s, and Borneo quickly became one of the world’s largest exporters of wood for paper, plywood, and fuelwood.

Borneo's montane forests are more remote and difficult to navigate than lowland areas, and therefore have not been subject to the same level of degradation.  Although Borneo's montane rainforests do experience some logging, agriculture, and mining activity, it is on a much smaller scale.  It is estimated that 10-30% of Borneo's montane forests have been cleared, as opposed to over 50% of Borneo's lowland forests (WWF).

Borneo's forests are currently being cleared at alarming rates     

A study conducted by Yale biologist Lisa Curran estimates that during the 1980’s and 90’s, more than 50% of Borneo’s lowland tropical forest were cleared, exporting more timber than Latin America and Africa combined.  Although the governments in Borneo have attempted to limit logging practices, reports by the UN suggest that over 70% of the logging in Borneo is done illegally, much of it in national parks (UNEP).

What the rainforests covering Borneo once looked like

In the past 15 years, oil palm plantations have become an additional threat to Borneo’s rainforests.  Cultivated for food and biofuel, oil palm plantations in Borneo have grown from only 60,000 hectares in 1960, to over 3 million hectares in 2001 (Butler).  A Stanford University study published in the journal Nature Climate Change estimates that the future expansion of oil palm plantations in Borneo will not only cause deforestation, but will also emit more than 550 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by 2020 (Carlson et al., 2012).

What an increasing number of Borneo's forests

look like today (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008
/11/borneo/klum-photography)

Although primary tropical rainforests are usually fire resistant, forest degradation in Borneo has lead to a severe increase in the frequency and intensity of forest fires.  Often set for land-clearing purposes, when fires in Borneo’s forests spread to areas that have been recently logged, wood and ground cover on the forest floor (that are dry due to a lack of forest canopy) catch fire and can cause widespread destruction.  In the 1997-1998 season, a strong El Niño driven drought occurred, and when a fire set for clearing got out of control, it spread to nearby forests, eventually burning over 10 million hectares and causing over 9 billion dollars in damage (McGinley & Hogan).

Borneo's future is grim

http://www.mongabay.com/borneo.html

The future of Borneo’s rainforests is rather bleak.  With a current deforestation rate of about 4% per year  it is estimated that Borneo’s forests will be almost completely cleared within the next decade (Butler).  Although there are some protected areas throughout the island (about 12% of total land), few are well managed.  With little or no law enforcement, large tracts of forest are susceptible to degradation for logging, oil and coal exploration, agriculture, and mining.  Even when countries do attempt to establish anti-logging laws, for example Indonesia’s harsher prison sentences for illegal loggers, locating loggers and enforcing laws is difficult with such limited available funds.  Additionally, local governments in Borneo are often very corrupt, and with substantial poverty rates, individuals are often willing to sell plots of land or work with logging companies.  If something is not done soon, future loss and fragmentation of forest habitat, the pollution of rivers, and the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere will have drastic effects on rainforest wildlife.  

Table showing the loss of forest cover (in millions of hectares) in some of Borneo's largest forested areas (Borneo:Treasure Island at Risk)
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/borneo_forests/publications/?21037/Report-Borneo-Treasure-Island-at-Risk

There are currently efforts being made to slow and possibly reverse some of the damage being done to Borneo’s rainforests.  In February 2007 the three governments of Borneo (Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia) signed the Heart of Borneo Declaration, promising their determination and willingness to cooperate with one another in an effort to conserve Borneo’s wildlife (WWF).  These governments should seek to increase the amount of protected forest areas, as well as crack down on illegal loggers, miners, and poachers. The Indonesian, Malaysian, and Bruneian governments also need to work with outside governments, NGO’s, and private companies to raise funds for conservation.  With more money readily available, these governments could increase their ability to monitor and enforce logging restrictions, fund research, restore degraded areas with native trees, and offer subsidies to sustainable companies and farmers as incentives.  Although projections of Borneo’s future look grim, with determination and cooperation, the long-term ecological success of Borneo’s lowland and montane rainforests can be ensured.  

Works Cited 

Benders-Hyde, E. "Southeast Asian Rainforest." N.p., 2002. Web. 24 Nov. 2012. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/se_asian_rnfrst.htm>.

Brodwin, Erin. "Deforestation in Borneo: Its Impact on Indigenous Societies and Implications for Development." Click Rally Magazine 14 Sept. 2011: n. pag. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://www.clickrally.com/deforestation-in-borneo-its-impact-on-indigenous-societies-and-implications-for-development/>.

Butler, Rhett. "Borneo." Mongabay.com. N.p., 2007. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://www.mongabay.com/borneo.html>.

Carlson, Kimberley et al. "Carbon Emissions from Forest Conversion by Kalimantan Oil Palm Plantations." Nature Climate Change (n.d.): n. pag. Nature.com. 7 Oct. 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2012.

Curran, Lisa et al. Science 303.5660 (2004): 1000-007. Web. 23 Nov. 2012

<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/303/5660/1000.full>.

"Dayak People." Incito Primo. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://www.incitoprima.com/details.php?catid=14&aid=160>.

"History of Borneo." Borneo Transverse. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.borneotransverse.com.my/history.php>.

McGinley, Mark, and Michael Hogan, eds. "Borneo Lowland Rainforests." Encyclopedia of Earth. N.p., 25 May 2010. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Borneo_lowland_rain_forests?topic=49597>.

"The Heart of Borneo Declaration." WWF. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/borneo_forests/borneo_rainforest_conservation/declaration.cfm>.

The Last Stand of the Orangutan.  United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2012. <http://www.grida.no/publications/rr/orangutan/>.

"Tropical and Subtropical Broadleaf Forest - Southeastern Asia: Indonesia and Malaysia." WWF. N.p., 2012. Web. 17 Nov. 2012. <http://worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/im0102>.

University of Missouri-Columbia. "Slash-and-burn Farming Method In Western Borneo Under Analysis." ScienceDaily, 26 Apr. 2007. Web. 26 Nov. 2012.