Dec. 3 (UPI) — Unregulated mining across the Mekong region is accelerating at a pace that environmental researchers warn is outstripping governance, enforcement and ecological safeguards.

From Myanmar’s jade-rich northern highlands to informal gold pits along Laos and Cambodia’s riverbanks, mineral extraction is expanding in some of Southeast Asia’s most fragile ecosystems, often beyond the reach of national law and outside public scrutiny.

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The post Unregulated mining expands across Mekong region, raising concerns first appeared on Open Development Mekong.

A logged forest isn’t a lost forest, new research reveals. In recent surveys, scientists from Imperial College London found a surprising number of endangered species living in logged forests in Borneo.

The forests in question aren’t clear cut, but “selectively logged.” Only a specific tree species is removed. Often, conservationists labels these forests as “degraded.” When agricultural interests lobby for more land, these forests are the first to be sacrificed.

The latest findings, detailed in the journal Ecological Applications, suggest these forests are tremendously undervalued.

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The post Logged forests are havens for endangered species in Southeast Asia first appeared on Open Development Mekong.