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Exemplary forest management in Asia and the Pacific Edited by Patrick B. Durst, Chris Brown, Henrylito D. Tacio and Miyuki Ishikawa Another week, another bad news story in the litany of irresponsibility, greed and corruption that seem to characterize forestry in Asia and the Pacific. But, is the actual situation as bad as things are usually painted?
"The MA is an international work program designed to meet the needs of decision makers and the public for scientific information concerning the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being and options for responding to those changes.
News 4- 6 April, 2005 Nairobi, Kenya Pekka Patosaari Director Secretariat of United Nations Forum on Forests Honourable Minister, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to, first and foremost, thank the Swedish Government for generously providing funding for this meeting, as well as AFORNET for organizing it. I would also like to thank individuals and organizations involved in the Sustainable Forest Management project for their effort, which led to the emergence of an African constituency, the results of which are self evident , including this meeting. I want to offer special thanks to Prof Fred Owino, our facilitator, and I would also like to commend all of you for focusing your energies this week on the future of the International Arrangement on Forests.
News What are Alien Species? Alien species are plants, animals and microorganisms from one part of the world that are transported beyond their natural range and become established in a new area. They are sometimes also called "exotic," "introduced," "non-native," "non-indigenous" or "invasive" species. Species that are considered aliens in this province may come from outside British Columbia or be native to some parts of British Columbia, but are counted as aliens in regions of the province where they have been introduced.
CEPF comments to the Internet consultation on the EU biomass action plan DG Transport and Energy is working on a biomass action plan. Different stakeholders were asked to share their opinions and concerns by answering a questionnaire. Developments in the field of biomass are very important for the future of the 16 Million private forest owners in the EU. CEPF pointed therefore at the following activities.
News By NAZRUL ISLAM Two US wildlife experts have started a study of the ecological and behavioural pattern of tigers in the Bangladesh part of Sundarban using radio sensors, official sources said.
News The Finnish bear population is steadily increasing. The number of bears has doubled in ten years. Most of them are found in Eastern Finland where there are least people. However, it is evident that bears have now spread to the whole country. There are more chances than ever before of meeting a bear anywhere in Finland.
News The eight Norwegian forest owners' association discuss the question whether they shall become cooperatives with forest owners as direct members. Recently the tax authorities agreed to the change.
News Modern wooden houses are fire safe and a comparison of new and old wooden buildings is quite irrelevant as far as fire safety is concerned, says Mr Aasmund Bunkholt, Managing Director of TreFokus, in a comment to the publicity campaign against wooden constructions in urban areas staged by the Norwegian concrete and mortar industry.
News Chemical use in Australian forests is clean and it follows strict guidelines - recent claims against this are unfounded and are no cause for concern In recent times there have been two instances, in Tasmania and the ACT where concerns over water quality have been created by a Sydney Doctor’s claims that chemical usage in Australian forests is damaging drink water quality. The first was in Tasmania where general practitioner Alison Bleaney and Sydney-based water scientist Marcus Scammell claimed the St Helens water catchment area was supposedly contaminated with atrazine.
News The following efforts reflect our continued research approach to reduce greenhouse emission levels through cost effective and common sense actions. Background: In 2004, three major hurricanes tracked through central Florida creating vast amounts of tree waste (biomass) debris. The primary actions taken to dispose of this debris were: (1) Open Field Burning; (2) Landfilling.
News The Dalai Lama has called for an end to illegal wildlife trafficking between Nepal, Tibet, India and China. He is appealing to exiled Tibetans, who are increasingly involved in the bloody trade, to remember their dedication to Buddhist non-violence. Last year, Tibetan officials intercepted 32 tiger, 579 leopard and 665 otter skins in one single shipment.
News Photo by György Csóka Gypsy moth infection is spreading through Hungary’s forests. This year the invasion may do even more harm to the forests than it did last year.
News By TARO KARASAKI TAKAHIRO YANAI STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER This is the first installment of a series of interviews with foreign experts and others on current issues; the interviews will be published every Monday. The diversity of Japan's forests has been devastated by greed and bureaucratic incompetence, says outspoken environmentalist C.W. Nicol, 64. Fascinated by this nation's natural beauty, he settled in 1980 in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture, where he purchased land to reforest. Nicol, who became a naturalized citizen in 1995, calls on the Japanese to exert every effort to recreate mixed forests, as was done in his homeland, Britain's south Wales.
News UNFF FIFTH SESSION 16 - 27 May 2005 , United Nations UNHQ, New York The fifth session of the UNFF will be held on 16-27 May 2005 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Forum will deliberate on the following:
News Valdivia, Chile – A history of deforestation and neglect comes officially to a close for a vast stretch of some of the most threatened and biologically rich temperate rainforest in the world. The inauguration of the new Valdivian Coastal Reserve —59,691ha (147,500 acres) of coastal temperate rainforest in southern Chile — marks a major advance in overcoming an era of clearcutting and forest conversion in the area, and makes way for new public access and cooperation for local community development.
News By GAYLE RITCHIE LOTHIAN and Borders has become the first police force in Scotland to appoint a full-time officer to combat wildlife crime. PC Jim McGovern, 52, will co-ordinate investigations and complaints about wildlife crime and develop the work on law enforcement already in place. He will also support six part-time divisional wildlife crime officers and will act as a point of contact with partnership agencies such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and estate and land- owners across the Lothians and Scottish Borders.
News New Communication on the EU Forestry Strategy - proposal for an EU action plan On March 11th 2005 the European Commission presented the final version of the Communication on reporting of the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy. Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for agriculture an rural development, will present this Communication on Monday March 14th 2005 for discussion to the Council and at the same time announce the elaboration of an action plan within one year.
News Brussels, Belgium – Illegal logging is widespread in Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia and is therefore heading to be a major internal market problem unless it is addressed by the EU, according to three new reports released by WWF, the global conservation organisation. The studies show that up to 45% of the total harvest in Bulgaria stems from illegal harvesting operations and the annual allowable cut is exceeded by 1.5 million m3. The volume of estimated illegal harvesting in Slovakia is as high as 10% and the allowable cut is exceeded by up to 16.8%. As far as Romania is concerned, gaps in the government statistics make it even impossible to estimate the level of illegal logging.
News The 1997 Finnish Forest Act obliges landowners to conserve the ecologically valuable characteristics of certain habitats listed as habitats of special importance for biodiversity in commercially managed forests.
News By Loucoumane Coulibaly –ABIDJAN Forest rangers in Ivory Coast tortured to death 13 villagers living in a national park after arresting them for trespassing, the UN mission in the West African country said on Wednesday.
News 21st March each year World Forestry Day is celebrated in forests around the world on 21st March each year as people take time to consider the benefits of forests to the community - such as catchment protection, providing habitat for animals and plants, areas for recreation, education and scientific study, and as a source of many products including timber and honey. World Forestry Day also aims to provide opportunities for people to learn how forests can be managed and used sustainably for these many purposes.
News By Becky McCall Panama – Part of Panama's tropical forest, a biodiversity hotspot lying at the crossroads of two continents and two oceans, is up for sale to developers. Environmental campaigners say the sale of the forest surrounding the Panama Canal is illegal under Panamanian law, but the government disagrees.
News By ANDREW SELSKY BOGOTA, Colombia -- With a sprinkling of holy water, a priest blessed thousands of palm seedlings in a ceremony in Bogota's main park, sealing an unusual Palm Sunday pact between the Roman Catholic Church and environmentalists to save a critically endangered parrot. Thousands of miles away, 22 churches in the United States are for the first time using environmentally sustainable palm from Guatemala and Mexico for their Palm Sunday services this year.
