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Ponsse Invests in Forest Research (ForestPress)

Ponsse Oyj invests in increasing the interest in European countries in research and innovations contributing to the role of modern technologies in sustainable development by establishing a special fund. The Ponsse Fund awards mainly scholarships for PhD or post-doctoral studies at the European Forest Institute (EFI). From left: Risto Päivinen, Director, European Forest Institute; Jan Heino, Managing Director, Metsähallitus; Einari Vidgrén, Industrial Counsellor; Arto Tiitinen, President and CEO, Ponsse Oyj and Raimo Tammilehto, Director, OKOBANK

2005. July 8.

Agroforestry systems (ForestPress)

The World Agroforestry Centre is one of a network of 16 Future Harvest centres located throughout the developing world. We are an autonomous, not-for-profit research and development institution supported by an international consortium of nearly 60 different governments, private foundations, regional development banks, and the World Bank. Learn more about the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) at www.cgiar.org. Our mission is to improve human welfare by reducing poverty, improving food and nutritional security, and enhancing environmental resilience in the tropics.

2005. July 7.

Financing of Forestry in Europe: is the money well spent? (ForestPress)

The effectiveness, economic efficiency and equity aspects of forestry funding mechanisms in Europe were assessed by EFI coordinated EFFE project. The results provide information for designing new public programmes and contribute to the development of related evaluation tools.

2005. July 6.

Wind Turbines Not so Deadly for Birds (THE NETHERLANDS)

AMSTERDAM - Wind turbines producing "green" energy kill many fewer birds than previously thought and pose less of a threat to avian life than cars, a study by the Dutch Bird Protection charity and power utility Nuon showed. The study, published on Wednesday, was based on results from three wind farms. It showed each turbine killed an average 28 birds per year, a third of what had been assumed on the basis of research conducted in the 1980s.

2005. July 6.

Emissions credits to be issue at G-8 (The Asahi Shimbun)

At this week's Group of Eight summit, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will propose easing conditions on Kyoto Protocol projects to make emissions credits easier for Japan and other nations to get, government sources said. Preventing global warming is one of the top issues on the agenda for the G-8 summit from Wednesday to Friday in Gleneagles, Scotland, along with addressing poverty, especially in Africa. Japan will also announce its plan to double official development assistance to Africa over the next three years.

2005. July 6.

Wood for good (ForestPress)

A new ad highlighting woods role in sequestering CO2 was agreed by the wood for good board in May and is now running in professional and trade titles.

2005. July 5.

Perth City – G8 City (ForestPress)

The Romans built a fort at the confluence of the rivers Tay and Almond, where Perth now stands, and the town’s name is believed to derive from an old Celtic word for “wood” or “copse”. It is often said Perth was the ancient capital of Scotland. This may or may not have been the case but it has always been a major centre of political and commercial influence, not least because its harbour allowed for significant overseas trade.

2005. July 5.

Gaylord Nelson, Environmentalist Politician Who Started Earth Day, Dies at 89 (Associated Press)

By Ryan Nakashima MILWAUKEE — During the Vietnam War, Gaylord Nelson looked at the anti-war teach-ins and got an idea: Why not try the same thing for the environment? The result was Earth Day, and with it the start of the modern environmental movement.

2005. July 4.

Implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy (ForestPress)

European Parliament, Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development Exchange of views with experts Presentation by Mr Mikko Ohela, Vice President, Public Affairs, Metsäliitto Group Metsäliitto Group Fourth biggest forest industry group in Europe - annual turnover EUR 8.5 billion (2004)

2005. July 3.

News

Mitsubishi rejects old-growth wood (AAP)

The Japanese company Mitsubishi Paper Mills has said it will stop using woodchips from old-growth forests. MPM is a major customer for Tasmanian woodchip exporter Gunns Limited, and Tasmania's forest industry has accused environmental groups of economic vandalism.

2005. July 1.

Russian forests privatisation not planned (Itar-Tass)

MOSCOW, - The worked out forestry code does not envisage privatisation of forests, the head of the Economic Development Ministry's department for property and land relations, economy and natural resources use, Vsevolod Gavrilov, told a press conference on Tuesday.

2005. June 30.

California Turns to Goats to Stop Wildfires (Reuters)

By Leonard Anderson SAN FRANCISCO — Move over Smokey the Bear. In California, thousands of goats are helping prevent wildfires. From hilly San Francisco to more rural settings, California landowners, business and officials have hired the voracious animals to devour the grass and brush that fuels wildfires.

2005. June 30.

News

Forest owners want carbon credits back (Manawatu Standard)

By MARTA STEEMAN Forestry investors are calling on the Government to relinquish carbon credits from forests and allow forest owners to own and trade them They say the Government's embarrassing Kyoto blunder would be solved because forestry would be much more economic with carbon credits and planting would take off again. Plantings after 1990 create carbon sinks, which earn credits.

2005. June 29.

COILLTE (ForestPress)

Coillte Teoranta (The Irish Forestry Board) is a leading Irish company which operates in forestry and related businesses. The name Coillte is the Irish language word for woodlands. The company's shareholders are the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, who own the shares on behalf of the Irish State.

2005. June 29.

Gotcha! The first picture of the wolf in Southern Switzerland (ForestPress)

This is one of the very first pictures of the wolf in the Southern Swiss canton of Ticino (read Mark Schulman's story about the wolf's return to Switzerland).

2005. June 29.

FAO workshop for nature oriented forestry management (ForestPress)

An opening workshop of FAO/ TCP/ Hungarian Project/3003 (A) was held at the Buják hotel of Hungarian Ministry of Defence, on June 24th 2005. In accordance with the agreement signed on September 8th 2004, FAO will grant a US $ 271,000 project lauched by HM Budapesti Erdõgazdaság Rt. (Forestry of Budapest Co. under Ministry of Defence) for development and enhancement of initiative forest management methods and operations.

2005. June 28.

European Wood Day in Tokyo 25 October (ForestPress)

The second European Wood Day will be staged in the Yayoi Auditorium of the prestigious Tokyo University this autumn. Cooperation in invitations and arrangements has already been promised by the University and by the Japan Association of Timber Engineering. The conference is arranged by the partners in European Wood. Japanese authorities, architects, specifiers, construction companies and educators will be the prime target groups.

2005. June 28.

Greenpeace gives Golden Chainsaw to Brazil Tycoon (Reuters)

SAO PAULO, Brazil - Brazilian agriculture tycoon Blairo Maggi, the world's largest soy producer, has been voted winner of environmental group Greenpeace's first Golden Chainsaw award for contributing to Amazon destruction. Maggi, who is also governor of Mato Grosso state, secured 10,348 votes out of 27,849 cast in an Internet poll, Greenpeace said on its Web site on Monday. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was runner-up with 7,314 votes.

2005. June 27.