"With recent developments in international climate change policy, the question is no longer if, but when the global trading market will emerge."

Richard Martin, CEO, Rothschild Australia.

Recognising that the problems facing Borneo represent a range of global issues in microcosm, BTRF’s programmes are conceived to inspire environmental, economic and social stability at planetary level.

Projects make sound economic as well as ecological sense. For example, when compared with losses estimated at US$ 100,000 per hectare caused by forest fires (not counting pollution damage or the resultant negative impacts on human health and regional tourism revenues etc.) the relative cost effectiveness of ensuring rapid response fire fighting helicopter stations through BTRF’s ground-breaking ‘F.I.R.E’ programme is self-evident.

The immediate global benefits are also obvious when it is recalled that fires in Kalimantan during 1997/98 alone are estimated to have resulted in the release of more than one gigatonne of CO2 - almost half of the global annual release of CO2 from tropical deforestation.