Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management in Insular Southeast Asia

Indonesia and the Philippines are amongst the world’s mega-biodiversity countries. Their insular nature has certainly contributed to this level of diversity. However, at the same time, there is rapid environmental degradation in terms of forest loss, loss of plant and animal species and overexploitation of wildlife. Insular Southeast Asia, with a population of over 300 million, is more densely populated than any other insular area. Yet, remarkably, this region plays a low-key role in comparative island studies. Both Indonesia and the Philippines have recently moved from centralized forms of government to regional and even local autonomy. This article presents an overview of the present state of biological and cultural diversity of the two archipelagic states. Recent changes in styles of natural resource management are discussed, with a focus on forest resources in the area.