This comes at a time, too, when our own work at the SOCP is faced with numerous serious challenges due to inappropriate planning in the province of Aceh, Sumatra, and the very real threat of the destruction and fragmentation of huge tracts of the Leuser Ecosystem, home to around 85% of all remaining wild Sumatran orangutans, by new roads and new timber, mining and plantation concessions. In fact,the level of threat is such that it is totally realistic to say that the existence of viable wild populations of not only Sumatran orangutans, but also sumatran elephants, rhinos and tigers too, in 20 years time, hangs on decisions being made in Government, here, RIGHT NOW!

So never have I felt more compelled to tackle an event such as this and to make it work; to raise awareness of climate change AND of the very real threat of destruction of the vitally important Leuser Ecosystem and all its unique biodiversity. Actually the two issues really do intersect right now. Conservation of many species will depend on their ability to adapt and cope with climate change, and this in turn depends on such things as the extent and altitudinal gradient and continuity of the habitat as temperatures increase. So basically I have never been more ready, and willing to tackle a challenge like this and get these issues out into the global arena. I just hope I am also “able”!