European farming is being threatened by declining soil quality, particularly in eastern states, according to a report. More than 16% of EU land is affected by soil degradation but more than a third is affected in eastern countries. Costly measures to boost soil fertility put pressure on the Common Agricultural Policy, the EU's farming subsidy system, says the Soil Atlas of Europe.
North Lawn Arbor Day 2005 President Bush, Secretary Johanns and Marshal Case, CEO of the American Chestnut Foundation, plant an American Chestnut tree on the White House lawn in celebration of Arbor Day. The American Chestnut dominated eastern woodlands before being virtually wiped-out by blight. As President Bush noted, this disease-resistant brings new hope.
By Elliott Gotkine At the end of the world, a sky-blue stream sweeps down from an ice-glazed mountain on its way to the Beagle Channel. Wild horses chomp nonchalantly on lush, green bushes. Tourists gawp at a submerged forest as a beaver glides gracefully among the trees. This is the Argentine part of the island of Tierra del Fuego, which is shared with Chile. It looks like an ecological paradise.
by Brian Fitzgerald Here's the obituary from the our main website of Bob Hunter, one of the great inspirations of Greenpeace, who died today of cancer. Everyone who met Bob has a story about him, and we hope to see some of them posted here: just hit the reply button at the bottom of the page. Stories are the best memorial to a great storyteller, and Bob's will be around for a long, long time.
09/05/05 - 13/05/05 Celje & Ljubljana, Slovenia The forest and the city are two extremes: the forest on one side as highly developed natural ecosystem, and the city on the other as the most perfect man made (eco)system. They are both integrated in an urban forest.
Hunting is one of many options for using natural resources in forests. In many forests, too large cloven-hoofed game populations are still hampering the development of structurally diverse forests and their selective browsing of plants is causing a depletion of species. Hunting in forests must aim at a sustainable use of game populations. This can also minimize the burden placed on tax-payers (e.g. for costly measures to protect plantations against wild game).
Unasylva - No. 219 - Trade and sustainable forest management An international journal of forestry and forest industries - Vol. 55 2004/4 FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Editor: A. Perlis Unasylva is published quarterly in English, French and Spanish editions.
Forests play a particularly important role for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity on a global scale. Many forest ecosystems and species that naturally occur in Central Europe have specifically adapted to local environmental conditions. This also applies to Germany. A mosaic of manifold forest ecosystems has evolved here which has also been shaped by forestry interventions.
Forest Service programs are siphoning money from the national forests' recreation programs, which is not true. WASHINGTON – With the White House calling for a big cut in spending, the U.S. Forest Service is asking local forest supervisors in Washington state and elsewhere to consider which campgrounds, trailheads, cabins, picnic areas and other recreation facilities could be closed to save money.
For Europeans, a healthy environment is as important to their quality of life as the state of the economy and social factors, according to a new Eurobarometer survey. The environmental issues that citizens worry most about are water pollution, man-made disasters, climate change, air pollution and chemicals. The survey is also the first to examine attitudes towards the environment across the enlarged EU-25.
Following the enlargement of the European Union in 2004, Europe now hopes to establish structures better tailored to its needs. The European institutions have therefore decided that the Festival of Europe 2005 should be on the subject of the European Constitution.
Spotted owl population declining PORTLAND, Oregon – A decade after the Clinton administration reduced logging in national forests in the Northwest, scientists have concluded the forests are growing, but the population of the threatened northern spotted owl has declined.
by Matthew Beard Climate change is playing havoc with the timing of the seasons and could drastically alter the landscape, according to one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind. Frogs have begun spawning in Britain as early as October, oaks are coming into leaf three weeks earlier than they were 50 years ago and there were an unprecedented 4,000 sightings of bumblebees by the end of January this year.
Lack of competent labour may endanger forest work in Finland. Lumber jacks’ average age is circa 50 years and there are not enough young people coming. Many forest owners themselves work in their forests, but they are also getting older. Many instances endeavour to get young people interested in forest work and specific means are sought to get more active participation.
BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhuanet) -- A patch of China's state-owned forest has received authentication from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a sign that China's public forests have for the first time received recognition from the global market.
Scottish Forestry Minister Lewis Macdonald went into the midst of an urban estate of brick-and-concrete houses today to launch a very different building project.
MILWAUKEE- TAPPI Paper Expo will be held May 23-25, 2005, at the Midwest Airlines Convention Center in Milwaukee, WI. The Milwaukee event is the first in a new series of TAPPI Paper Expo exhibits that will rotate throughout the United States, bringing the latest technology and educational opportunities close to the nation's pulp and paper mills. TAPPI President Wayne Gross stated "With 25% of all U.S. mills within driving distance, Milwaukee is an ideal location for our first Paper Expo exhibit. Not only is it easy to get to, but it's very cost effective to visit. We look forward to bringing an excellent exhibit and high-quality educational programming to the area."
Appeal to the Eurpean Court of Justice concerning Finland's decision in respect of the Natura 2000 European network of protected areas A number of Finnish landowners, together with the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK) have appealed to the European Court of Justice against the EU Commission's Natura-decision in respect of Finland.
Collection 1995–2005 FAO has published State of the World’s Forests – the Organization’s flagship publication presenting the latest information on major policy and institutional developments and key issues concerning the forest sector – every other year since 1995.
What Happened? American chestnut was once the most important tree of the Eastern North American hardwood forest. One fourth of this forest was composed of native chestnut. According to a historical publication "many of the dry ridge tops of the central Appalachians were so thoroughly crowded with chestnut that, in early summer, when their canopies were filled with creamy-white flowers, the mountains appeared snow-capped."
By Alister Doyle and Ed Stoddard OSLO/JOHANNESBURG - The new pope being chosen by cardinals in the Vatican may have a huge impact on the environment depending upon which side he favours in the centuries-old Biblical debate about whether humans should exploit or safeguard nature, experts say.
A region devastated by war. Ms Mariann Fischer Boel, the EU commissioner for agriculture, was deeply shocked by seeing the forest devastation in the regions in Smoland that were worst stricken by the storm. This is worse than I could ever imagine. I find it depressing. It looks as if there had been a war here, was the commissioner's first reaction when seeing the destruction with her own eyes.
Central and Eastern Europe as a Customer and Competitor Join RISI's team of expert economists at the 7th RISI European Forest Products Conference. They will present their forecasts for demand, supply, profitability, investment and trade for each major sector of the forest products market. Plus, they will address your questions and concerns for the industry's future either one-on-one or during the sessions. This year's program will provide you with insight into Central and Eastern Europe's role as both a customer and competitor.
By Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day What was the purpose of Earth Day? How did it start? These are the questions I am most frequently asked. Actually, the idea for Earth Day evolved over a period of seven years starting in 1962. For several years, it had been troubling me that the state of our environment was simply a non-issue in the politics of the country. Finally, in November 1962, an idea occurred to me that was, I thought, a virtual cinch to put the environment into the political "limelight" once and for all.