Ally previously worked as FFI's Deputy Director of Communications. Before this she worked in media management and PR for clients including comedians Eddie Izzard and Ed Byrne. She has also worked for Melbourne International Arts Festival, conservation organisation Greening Australia and the production company Roving Enterprises.
A generous legacy left to Fauna & Flora International (FFI) will directly contribute to Bornean orang-utan conservation in Danau Sentarum National Park, West Kalimantan.
As well as increasing the capacity of existing work around orang-utan conservation, the gift will enable new work to take place, which will positively impact on the future of the species in Indonesia.
FFI has developed a three-tiered approach to expand on this investment, incorporating reducing hunting pressures; fire prevention and mitigation; and law enforcement training.
Danau Sentarum National Park and its buffer zone will benefit through extended participatory patrolling and law enforcement through the development of community wardens for orang-utan protection and monitoring. FFI have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Park Management Unit to improve law enforcement related to orang-utan poaching and wildlife trade and prevent illegal logging and encroachment in the park.
The new programme will introduce fire prevention in the area, enabling our monitoring and protection units to undergo training in fire prevention and mitigation. The legacy will also provide new fire fighting equipment and will facilitate awareness-raising amongst local communities to reduce the threat and impact of fires.
The final component of the programme addresses the recent announcement by the government of Indonesia to release all orang-utans currently in rehabilitation centres back into the wild by 2017.
FFI has a long history of successful wildlife translocation and reintroduction and will utilise these skills in the preparation of secure and viable forest area for release sites. Forest possession and adequate management are key in preparing release sites. FFI will secure an Ecosystem Restoration Concession to safeguard an area of high conservation value forest and potential orang-utan habitat.
FFI will partner with orang-utan experts and the International Animal Rescue Foundation to comprehensively assess appropriate areas and determine long-term sustainability, following IUCN guidelines.
The Director of Danau Sentarum National Park has offered to name the base camp of the Orang-utan Protection and Monitoring Units in honour of the donor.