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22 Panel 1Communication, Education, and Public Awareness for Forest and WildlifeConservation in Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, the Philippines, and JapanKritsana KaewplangIntroductionGlobalization has serious implications on naturalresources worldwide because of the availability ofadvanced communications technology and modes oftransportation that spur the growth of economies. Forinstance, wildlife traders can make money by sellingwild animals through the Internet to importers. In thiscase, the natural resources utilization of one countrycan have an effect on the wild animals’ countries oforigin. The increase in palm oil bio-dieselconsumption worldwide also causes the loss ofrainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia, where, alongwith those in the Philippines, these rainforests arehomes to different kinds of endangered species. Thenumerous tropical rainforests are the source of a widevariety of genetic resources and are therefore precious;but development has led to the rapid loss of plants andanimals, and these are hard to recover,notwithstanding the establishment of protected areasto ensure the conservation of forests and wildlife.Many other issues result from transboundary activities,such as climate change, forest fires, and the depletionof exotic plants and animals, among others. But in allthese, it is clear that environmental degradation,particularly the loss of biodiversity, has never beenimputed as a manufacturing cost. This study found outhow Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, the Philippines,and Japan face environmental problems similar tothose experienced by other countries in the world.Change is unpredictable. The demand for naturalresources continues to increase due to the growth ofeconomies and pressure from growing populations.Unfortunately, natural resources are limited.Nowadays, for example, Indonesia is facing a seriousdeforestation situation due to logging and the settingup of oil palm plantations on what were formerlyrainforest lands. These plantations serve the growth ofpalm oil processing and biodiesel production, biodieselbeing an alternative energy source.In Japan, likewise, human activity and rapidurbanization have increased pressure on the naturallandscape. As a result, many plants and animal speciesfrom the wild are faced with extinction. For instance,the populations of Rothschild’s Myna, the Bali Mynaand the Indonesian cockatoo in Sumba are decliningdue to hunting and the loss of habitats. The use ofchemical fertilizers and pesticides in Japan have put theOriental White Stork at risk of extinction. In light ofall these, communication, education and publicawareness are widely used in combination with lawenforcement and scientific research to avert the crisis.Rodrigo U.Fuentes, Executive Director of the ASEANCentre for Biodiversity (ACB) has declared:We need to know how we can mobilize to addressthe issue. And so, I think it’s where CEPA becomesa crucial element in the programs of the UnitedNations. That’s why they have devoted the CEPAprogram for communicating so that the people willbe educated and be aware that their actions haveimplications on biodiversity.ACB aims to strengthen the capacity of ASEANmember states to effectively implement theirbiodiversity communication, education and publicawareness (CEPA) program.Communication leads to extensive collaborationand social changesThe key element to success in conservation is toexpand partnerships with various sectors andstakeholders. We need to communicate with people todevelop understanding and awareness. The studyfound that most organizations widely use CorporateCommunication and Internal Communication toolssuch as websites, magazines, newsletters, brochures,and posters to provide information and promote theworks of their organizations. For instance, the OsakaNanko Bird Sanctuary regularly provides informationin its website and content to other media publicationsin Osaka City. The Sanctuary also providesinformation to newspapers, TV and radiobroadcasting companies directly. Still, considered themost effective tools is its revised website, http://www.osaka-nanko-bird-sanctuary.com which targetsthe citizens, in general. Such communication helpsThe Work of the 2010/2011 API Fellows