Christoper Stewart discusses the problems mining presents in HCV areas within palm oil landscapes.

1. Maintaining High Conservation
Values in oil palm landscapes
Zoological Society of London
May 2011
Dr Christopher Stewart – HCV Resource Network
www.hcvnetwork.org

2. Addressing critical conservation
priorities within the palm oil sector:
RSPO and the HCV approach

5. A sustainable vision for palm?

6. RSPO standard – P&C
– P1: Transparency
– P2: Compliance with laws and regulations
– P3: Economic and financial viability
– P4: Use of best practices by growers and millers
– P5: Environmental responsibility and conservation of
natural resources and biodiversity
– P6: Employees, individuals and communities affected by growers
– P7: Responsible development of new plantings
– P8: Commitment to continuous improvement

7. High Conservation Values
within RSPO P&C
• Existing plantations:
– P 5.2: Rare/threatened spp. and HCVs within
plantations or affected by plantations/mills must be
taken into account in management.
• Plantation expansion:
– P 7.3: New plantings (since Nov 2005) do not replace
primary forest or areas required to maintain or
enhance one or more High Conservation Values.

8. What is the High Conservation
Value approach?

9. Some operational definitions
High Conservation Value (HCV) – a biological, ecological, social or
cultural value of outstanding significance or critical importance at the
national, regional or global scale.
HCV Forest or Area – A forest or area which possesses one or more
HCV attributes (1+ of the 6 values defined in HCV Toolkits)
HCV Management Area - The area that needs to be appropriately
managed to maintain or enhance HCVs

10. The six High Conservation Values (I)
Biodiversity
HCV 1 - Significant concentrations of biodiversity values
(protected areas and RTE, endemic, migratory species).
Landscapes
HCV 2 – Large, landscape level ecosystems where most
species exist in natural patterns of distribution and
abundance.
Ecosystems
HCV 3 - Rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems.

11. The six High Conservation Values (II)
Ecosystem services
HCV 4 - Basic ecosystem services in critical situations.
Livelihoods
HCV 5 – Basic needs of local populations in critical
circumstances
Cultural identity
HCV 6 – Local communities’ cultural identity.

12. Practical interpretation
• HCV definitions are global, and
generic
• Applicable in principle to any
ecosystem
• Need local interpretation

13. Basic elements of HCV process
• What are the potential HCVs in this region?
Identify • Which values occur in the area?
• Where are these values located?
Consultation
• What are the existing threats to the values?
Manage • What is habitat area needed to maintain the values?
• How should habitat be managed?
• What needs to be monitored?
Monitor • How will monitoring be done?
• How will the results of monitoring be used?

14. Application of HCV approach
in the plantation sector

15. Scales of application
• Site scale:
– HCV is primarily used as a site-level
planning and management approach
– Aims to identify conservation priorities,
define management targets, mitigate
risk through effective participation by
stakeholders
• “Landscape” scale:
– Some HCVs are by definition landscape
phenomena
– HCV 1,2,3,(4): “exceptional” value
depends on wider context incl.
landscape configuration, habitat quality
etc
– Effective management requires taking
into account threats and opportunities in
surrounding landscape

16. HCV 1
HCV 1
HCV 4 HCV 3
HCV 1
HCV 5

17. HCV 1
HCV 1
HCV 4 HCV 3
HCV 1
HCV 5

18. HCV 1
HCV 1
HCV 4 HCV 3
HCV 1
HCV 5

19. New Plantings
procedure 2011

20. Sustainable agricultural zoning
• Site scale:
– Quality site level assessments (biodiversity, social values)
– Participation of local communities in decisions
– Site scale planning – considering landscape context
– No conversion of HCVs or areas required to support them
– Good management practices elsewhere
• “Landscape” scale
– Biodiversity and ecosystem services included in land use planning
criteria, balanced with development needs
– Trade-offs made explicit, space is made for consultation and
participation in decisions
– Responsible regional zoning takes account of priorities and threats

21. Case study:
Threatened ecosystems (HCV 3)
in Kalimantan Barat
HCV Resource Network TP peer-reviewed assessment of a
Wilmar Palm Oil concession for RSPO by Daemeter Consulting
Maps and photos of W. Kal landscape courtesy of Daemeter Consulting

23. Images of HCV1
HCV 1 – RTE species

24. Forest cover:
• Shows large decrease
in lowland forests since
1973
• Landsat: Very little
natural forest within
concession areas
•Is any of this really HCV
forest?

25. Challenges for implementation

26. Making HCV work for the plantation sector
• Consistent and credible use of the concept
– Appropriate tools and methods for assessment
– Training and technical capacity building (assessors, auditors, managers)
– Adaptation to non-forest ecosystems
• Scientific underpinning for decision making e.g.
– Shared maps (esp. ecosystems, species distributions)
– Integration of systematic conservation planning principles, landscape ecology
– Population and community ecology
• Issues of scale and responsibility
– Concession zoning
– Transboundary conservation
– Smallholdings
• Legal framework for land use
– Permits, taxes, transparency
– Communities legal and traditional rights

27. The HCV Resource Network
• A voluntary association of people and
organisations using the HCV
approach, bound by a Charter
– Definition of 6 HCVs
– Guiding principles for HCV
assessment
• Made up of:
– Steering Group (17 orgs.)
– Technical Panel (24 experts)
– Secretariat (ProForest)
– Global participants
– Regional partners

28. The HCV Resource Network
4 Key Strategic Aims:
• Provide a credible central point of reference
• Support development and implementation of the HCV
concept
• Provide a governance and quality control function
• Promote the use of HCV in emerging and potential
applications

29. www.hcvnetwork.org
Thank you