YOUR FUNDS AT WORK!
Orangutan SSP Grant Funding for Emergency Funding for Borneo Peat Fires
CORE Borneo
CORE Borneo is a registered non-profit that was formed to support orangutan and tropical peatland forest conservation by conducting scientific research, training future scientists, providing environmental education, and engaging local communities in conservation. The Tuanan Orangutan Research Station Project (TORP) is the physical manifestation of CORE Borneo’s mission. Established in 2003, this long-term project is based out of the Tuanan Orangutan Research Station (2o09’ S and 114o26’ E), located in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia and has been primarily run by Universitas Nasional in Jakarta, The University of Zurich (Switzerland) and Rutgers University, with support from the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. The Tuanan research area comprises 900 ha of peat swamp forest with a peat depth of 1-2 m in most parts (overall depth of ≤ 3.5 m), and is located in the 3,090 km2 Mawas Conservation Area, along the Kapuas Murung River. Established in 2002, the study area is recovering from selective commercial logging in the 1990s and subsequent illegal logging until the early 2003. Tuanan’s orangutan population density is estimated to be between 4.3-4.5 individuals/km2 [Husson et al. , 2009; van Schaik et al. , 2005], among the highest in Borneo [Husson et al., 2009]. We have collected behavioral data as part of the research project on over 130 identified individuals. We have been collecting data on orangutans continuously since 2003 and have accumulated over 100,000 hours of focal data on wild orangutans.
CORE Borneo is a registered non-profit that was formed to support orangutan and tropical peatland forest conservation by conducting scientific research, training future scientists, providing environmental education, and engaging local communities in conservation. The Tuanan Orangutan Research Station Project (TORP) is the physical manifestation of CORE Borneo’s mission. Established in 2003, this long-term project is based out of the Tuanan Orangutan Research Station (2o09’ S and 114o26’ E), located in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia and has been primarily run by Universitas Nasional in Jakarta, The University of Zurich (Switzerland) and Rutgers University, with support from the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. The Tuanan research area comprises 900 ha of peat swamp forest with a peat depth of 1-2 m in most parts (overall depth of ≤ 3.5 m), and is located in the 3,090 km2 Mawas Conservation Area, along the Kapuas Murung River. Established in 2002, the study area is recovering from selective commercial logging in the 1990s and subsequent illegal logging until the early 2003. Tuanan’s orangutan population density is estimated to be between 4.3-4.5 individuals/km2 [Husson et al. , 2009; van Schaik et al. , 2005], among the highest in Borneo [Husson et al., 2009]. We have collected behavioral data as part of the research project on over 130 identified individuals. We have been collecting data on orangutans continuously since 2003 and have accumulated over 100,000 hours of focal data on wild orangutans.
CORE Borneo supports research activities, environmental education projects, community development workshops, and the full-time TORP fire team – all activities in the research area and local villages. In 2015, Indonesia experienced some of the worst forest fires it’s had in more than a decade, burning an estimated 2.1 million hectares of land, much of it in Central Kalimantan. During the 2015 fires, roughly 10% of the research area at TORP was destroyed and the research camp nearly burned down. In this emergency situation, TORP researchers, students, and local staff found themselves on the front lines of firefighting efforts that threatened the research area and camp. In order to protect the forest, our team drilled deep (about 50 feet) into the peat, to access a water source to extinguish the peat fires. Thanks to a very successful crowd-sourced fundraising campaign, we were able to purchase firefighting equipment, and hire a specialized local team who will maintain these hydrants and patrol the forest for fires throughout the dry season.
This year, in 2019, we are experiencing these fires again and need your support. With the support from organizations like Orangutan SSP we have been able to hire more local people to fight these fires and purchase the equipment we need to control the current fires. Please know that any kind of support that you could provide would go directly to fighting these fires and not to salaries or overhead costs. All of the CORE Borneo staff, the small NGO we constitute, and with the exception of our local fire team and assistants, volunteer their time. To read more about CORE Borneo, please click here https://coreborneo.com/
ORANGUTAN SSP GRANT FUNDING
Photo Credit - Steve Okamura
The Orangutan Species Survival Plan (SSP®) actively supports initiatives that advance its mission of overseeing the management of orangutans within AZA member institutions and enhancing the conservation of orangutans in the wild. On an annual cycle, the SSP® considers proposals not exceeding $5,000 to fund projects that specifically meet these criteria.
PROPOSALS THAT ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING:
Basic science:
Studies that occur ex situ may cover a range of academic disciplines and focus on a variety of topics. Emphasis is placed on projects that have an applied value in terms of increasing the general knowledge of the genus Pongo. Examples include veterinary and nutritional care, husbandry, and captive management. Research must not compromise the welfare of individual subjects, or their social partners. Studies that collect data through opportunistic sampling are highly preferred. Elective sedation solely for the purpose of research will not be considered.
Conservation-useful science (as described in: Defining Field Conservation for the AZA Community):
PROPOSALS THAT ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING:
Basic science:
Studies that occur ex situ may cover a range of academic disciplines and focus on a variety of topics. Emphasis is placed on projects that have an applied value in terms of increasing the general knowledge of the genus Pongo. Examples include veterinary and nutritional care, husbandry, and captive management. Research must not compromise the welfare of individual subjects, or their social partners. Studies that collect data through opportunistic sampling are highly preferred. Elective sedation solely for the purpose of research will not be considered.
Conservation-useful science (as described in: Defining Field Conservation for the AZA Community):
- Field conservation conducted in situ that involves "Direct Action" such as field work, species recovery, veterinary care, and costs associated with maintaining assurance populations.
- Research in or ex situ that advances the conservation of wild orangutans or their habitat.
- Field Conservation Education such as awareness-building through the production of educational materials, outcome-oriented education, and training/capacity building.
Photo Credit - DC Zoo Walks
Sanctuaries and Rehabilitation Centers:
Requests for operating and capital expenses for in situ sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers that care for orangutans will be considered.
Emergency Appeals:
Unanticipated emergencies directly related to the mission of the SSP® may be eligible for funding. In these cases, the steering committee may vote to respond proactively without receiving a proposal.
Applicants should keep in mind that projects that allow the SSP® to be distinctively identified, as opposed to being part of a large commingled funding pool, are encouraged. The funded activity may be part of a larger collaborative effort, but the SSP's® mission is often best advanced by clear identification with a discrete aspect of the work. The SSP® does not typically provide seed money to start a project whose completion will depend on subsequent support.
The SSP® is philosophically committed to the idea that local people are an essential part of the conservation equation; therefore, sustainable co-existence between humans and wildlife is of paramount concern. Preference will be given to in situ investigators who invest in local people and encourage sustainability. This may include training, employment, mentorship, or academic opportunities.
SUBMISSION PROCESS (Application Form)
All proposals must contain a cover letter, CV for the principal investigator, and a completed proposal funding form (attached). Incomplete submissions will not be considered. If applicable, verification of IACUC or IRB approval by the applicant's home institution, letters of approval from the research site (in or ex situ), and documentation of domestic and/or international permits should be included.
It is expected that student proposals are jointly submitted with the student's primary advisor. A letter of endorsement from the primary advisor should be included.
Deadline for annual proposal submissions is August 31. Funding decisions are finalized and notifications will be made by
November 30. Any proposals received after August 31 will be considered for the following calendar year.
All proposals should be submitted electronically to Steering Committee Member Cindy Cossaboon. Applicants should expect an acknowledgment when their proposal is received.
EVALUATION
Grantees are expected to provide an annual progress report. Due dates for reports will be coordinated based on the schedule for each project. When appropriate, a peer-reviewed publication can serve as the annual report. In other cases, a narrative is the best option. This should include a detailed assessment of accomplishments, and measures of conservation success when appropriate. Inclusion of photos, educational materials, copies of media coverage and other products are highly encouraged.
A complete accounting of expenditures including receipts or other proof of payments must be provided annually or upon request.
New proposals from the grantee will not be considered until annual reports have been received for previously funded projects.
Requests for operating and capital expenses for in situ sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers that care for orangutans will be considered.
Emergency Appeals:
Unanticipated emergencies directly related to the mission of the SSP® may be eligible for funding. In these cases, the steering committee may vote to respond proactively without receiving a proposal.
Applicants should keep in mind that projects that allow the SSP® to be distinctively identified, as opposed to being part of a large commingled funding pool, are encouraged. The funded activity may be part of a larger collaborative effort, but the SSP's® mission is often best advanced by clear identification with a discrete aspect of the work. The SSP® does not typically provide seed money to start a project whose completion will depend on subsequent support.
The SSP® is philosophically committed to the idea that local people are an essential part of the conservation equation; therefore, sustainable co-existence between humans and wildlife is of paramount concern. Preference will be given to in situ investigators who invest in local people and encourage sustainability. This may include training, employment, mentorship, or academic opportunities.
SUBMISSION PROCESS (Application Form)
All proposals must contain a cover letter, CV for the principal investigator, and a completed proposal funding form (attached). Incomplete submissions will not be considered. If applicable, verification of IACUC or IRB approval by the applicant's home institution, letters of approval from the research site (in or ex situ), and documentation of domestic and/or international permits should be included.
It is expected that student proposals are jointly submitted with the student's primary advisor. A letter of endorsement from the primary advisor should be included.
Deadline for annual proposal submissions is August 31. Funding decisions are finalized and notifications will be made by
November 30. Any proposals received after August 31 will be considered for the following calendar year.
All proposals should be submitted electronically to Steering Committee Member Cindy Cossaboon. Applicants should expect an acknowledgment when their proposal is received.
EVALUATION
Grantees are expected to provide an annual progress report. Due dates for reports will be coordinated based on the schedule for each project. When appropriate, a peer-reviewed publication can serve as the annual report. In other cases, a narrative is the best option. This should include a detailed assessment of accomplishments, and measures of conservation success when appropriate. Inclusion of photos, educational materials, copies of media coverage and other products are highly encouraged.
A complete accounting of expenditures including receipts or other proof of payments must be provided annually or upon request.
New proposals from the grantee will not be considered until annual reports have been received for previously funded projects.