Philippines: Palm oil and mining threaten Palawan Island, a UNESCO Man & Biosphere Reserve

Indigenous peoples and rural communities are facing the destruction of their livelihoods as natural forest on Palawan island, Philippines is being destroyed for palm oil and mining while other traditional food zones and non timber forest products reserves are being replaced by oil palm plantations.

Palawan is part of the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve programme, with 49 animal and 56 plant species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as globally threatened.

You can sign a petition against the destruction of indigenous peoples' farmlands and rainforests by nickel mining and palm oil expansion, addressed to the President of the Republic of the Philippines.

It's at http://www.rainforest-rescue.org/.

There's also more detail on the story there.