英國威爾斯親王（HRH The Prince of Wales）將於11月2日出訪印尼的蘇門答臘島（island of Sumatra），視察一個創新的雨林保育計畫，而這也是他目前所進行的遠東訪查行程的一個部分。
查爾斯王子將視查保育團體－國際鳥盟（BirdLife International）對於熱帶雨林被砍伐殆盡的蘇門答臘島所進行的保護以及修復工作。國際鳥盟總部位於倫敦劍橋，印尼本地稱Burung Indonesia；而在英國則稱為英國皇家保護鳥類協會（Royal Society for the Protection of Birds）。
保育組織將復育島上面積約有101,170公頃（390平方公哩）的熱帶雨林區，其中大部分的油棕櫚樹（oil palm）或人造林都已經快消失了。因此，他們決定將這片雨林命名為 「Harapan」，意即印尼文的 「希望」。
印尼國際鳥盟Burung Indonesia的主席瑪帝阿斯圖堤(Ani Mardiastuti)教授表示，「印尼人民相當欽佩威爾斯王子奮力不懈地為保護雨林而戰。他出訪『希望雨林』對於當地民眾而言是一個極大的榮耀，同時也更強化我們對於保護雨林的決心。」
經過保育團體的協力合作，印尼在最近通過的一項法律當中，已經允許保育人士能獲得南半部「希望雨林」的管理權；此外，他們現在也能對北半部的「希望雨林」進行有限度的監督工作。
該些環保團體希望英國皇室在訪查印尼的這段期間，印尼森林部長卡邦（Malam Sambat Kaban）能夠確認北半部雨林即將進行移轉的管理權能夠順利進行，這樣我們將能夠保護整個「希望雨林」至少100年。
因此，2007年4月所通過的新法律已經為希望雨林復育計畫舖上了康莊大道。在這之前，擁有雨林管理權的人不得不對木材進行必要的開採，而且經常都是毫無節制的；但是新法律則支持維持樹木的永續生長。
印尼國際鳥盟Burung Indonesia執行長烏托莫（Agus Utomo）表示，「希望雨林是一個領航計畫，未來我們必須要以這種創新的方式，來挽救印尼其他的重要棲地。」
英國皇家保護鳥類協會執行長維勒（Graham Wynne）也表示，「我們很高興威爾斯王子對於希望雨林所展現的關心和支持。這個創新計畫是為了保護世界上最健全的野生物棲地之一，而且透過我們所做的調查記錄，我們也將發現更多動植物的新物種。」
HRH The Prince of Wales will this Sunday visit the Indonesian island of Sumatra to view an innovative rainforest conservation project as part of his ongoing Far East tour.
Prince Charles will see how logged rainforest on Sumatra is being protected and restored by conservation groups BirdLife International, based in Cambridge; Burung Indonesia, which in English is BirdLife in Indonesia; and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which is BirdLife in the UK.
The three organizations are working to regenerate this area of rainforest, a 101,170 hectare (390 square mile) site on an island where most forests have been lost to oil palm or timber plantations. They decided to name this forest, Harapan, which is Indonesian for "hope."
Professor Ani Mardiastuti, chairwoman of Burung Indonesia, said, "The people of Indonesia admire HRH The Prince of Wales for his tireless fight to save rainforests. His visit to Harapan Rainforest is a great honor and reinforces our determination to conserve the forest."
A recent law, which the groups helped develop, allowed conservationists to acquire the management rights to the southern half of Harapan Rainforest. They now oversee limited work in the northern section as well.
The groups are hopeful that during the royal visit on Sunday Indonesian Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban will confirm the imminent handover of management rights to the northern half. That would safeguard the whole of Harapan Rainforest for at least 100 years.
The new law, enabling forest restoration, paved the way for the Harapan Rainforest project last April. Previously, those holding management rights for rainforests were obliged to extract timber, often doing so unsustainably. The new law sanctioned the right to keep the trees standing.
"Harapan Rainforest is a pioneering project. Replication of such an innovative approch is required to save critical habitats in Indonesia," said Agus Utomo, managing director of Burung Indonesia.
"We are delighted with the interest and support HRH The Prince of Wales is showing in Harapan Rainforest," said Graham Wynne, chief executive of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
"The initiative is protecting one of the world's finest wildlife hotspots and we are finding new species of plant and animal with each survey we do," said Wynne.
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
