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Save the Orangutans (report)

__ Problem __

Our main problem is that orangutans in Indonesia are dying from the lack of habitat that is caused by farmers using the slash and burn method to burn down trees so that they can plant palm tree plantations. This main problem also leads to other problems like global warming, deforestation, flooding, forest fires, haze, etc. Although all of these problems are caused only by farmers' crave for palm oil, which can be sold for money, the Indonesian government can do nothing to stop them because palm oil makes up for about half of Indonesia's revenue.

__ Aim __

The aim of this project is to suggest possible solutions to stop farmers from burning down any more trees/orangutan's habitats and stop planting anymore palm tree plantations - and thus save the orangutans - but at the same time provide a stable income that is enough to feed his/her family. We will be working on the question: How can we stop the farmers from using the slash-and-burn method to destroy forests and increase the extinction rate of the orangutans such that they (the farmers) still can get a stable income that can support their family like before?

__ Situation in ____ Indonesia __

The current situation in Indonesia is bleak, with the farmers using the slash and burn method to burn down forestation as the root of the problem. Often, farmers burn down forestation to provide space for the purpose of planting palm tree plantation which will eventually provide the farmers with palm oil that be sold at a considerably high price. Little did the farmers know that their crave for palm oil and money could lead to problems that can end all life on this world. An example of this would be forest fires. Forest fires are caused as most farmers take the easiest method to destroy forests and create palm oil plantations. The method they use is the slash-and-burn method, where farmers cut off trees and burn them. When the farmers are burning them, some sparks might land on some peat - decayed vegetation that is combustible - which will cause the fire to spread even further which will eventually lead to a forest fire. These forest fires will then produce carbon dioxide which in turn will pollute the air and harm the ozone layer, furthermore it will also lead to hazes and global warming.

Another example of a problem caused by the farmers' crave for palm oil and money is deforestation which can too lead to many other problems. Deforestation is the extermination of plants and trees and this extermination will likely lead to landslides in the monsoon seasons as the heavy rains will create excess water that can then wash away huge amounts of mud as there are no longer any trees to hold the mud down and make the mud compact.

__ Solution __

We plan to educate the farmers and villagers there, letting them know how severe the consequences of their acts. Then, we will persuade them to stop destroying forests. However, most of them will be against the plan because they also need money for their family. So, we can support them by giving them income aid to let them provide for their family like before. At the end of the day, the money spent will not go down the drain as now, the Indonesian government is spending the money on unnecessary things to save the forests and rejecting help from example, Australia. By doing so, they are not saving the orangutans. So, we hope our plan will work and together, we can save the orangutans! But that is not good enough. We have to protect the habitats of the orangutans to prevent them from being injured or captured and traded illegally. What we will do is to put the orangutans in a wildlife conservation area and protect the place, naming it 'Borneo Wildlife Protected Lands'. There are also other protected areas out in the world. For example, the three parallel rivers of Yunnan, China, are protected area and limited access to the place is strictly enforced. Pandas, which are also on the route to extinction, are preserved there. This is why we thought of this solution. It is already effective for the pandas, so why not try it with the orangutans?

__ Where to get help? __

In order to let you know more about our project to save the orangutans, we have included a few hotlines and websites so that you, as our reader can have a deeper understanding of our project. info@forest4orangutans.org (email), [] (website) [] (website) []/ (website)
 * Orangutan Land Trust:
 * Australian orangutan project:
 * Sumatran Orangutan Society: