Tim Radford in Krasnoyarsk Fires in the Siberian forests - the largest in the world and vital to the planet's health - have increased tenfold in the last 20 years and could again rage out of control this summer, Russian scientists warn. They say they have neither the money nor the equipment to control or extinguish the huge forests fires often started illegally and deliberately in the Russian far east by rogue timber firms who plan to sell cheap lumber to China.
News-NAFI (National Asssociation of Forest Industries) Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane’s announcement that a $100 million fund will be in place to support cutting-edge renewable energy technology development has been welcomed by the National Association of Forest Industries Wood waste can be used as an important and cost-effective source of renewable energy. Existing forestry and sawmilling operations generated around seven million tonnes of wood waste which could be used as biomass for energy generation.
Woodland managers in Scotland are being recruited to pilot a special new forestry grant that appears to turn traditional forestry wisdom on its head. Usually when Forestry Commission Scotland awards grants for woodland establishment or management, it insists that farm animals such as cattle and sheep are kept out of the woodland to prevent them eating and trampling young trees.
By Sam Bond Beech and birch could be replaced by walnuts and Corsican pine as climate change shapes the face of British woodlands. British woods as we know them today could be an endangered species This is just one of the changes predicted by tree specialists who believe the Southern England of the near future will have a climate comparable to modern-day Bordeaux.
China has become the largest destination of the hardwoods of the United States, said Theodore Rossi, chairman of the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) in Beijing Wednesday in a press conference. According to US statistics, in 2004 the value of US hardwood products imported to China's mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan reached 3.6 billion RMB yuan (approximately 500 million US dollars) , representing a growth of 29.2 percent from 2003.
The final day of the ENA FLEG Preparatory Conference focused on two draft texts: "The Structure of the St. Petersburg Declaration" and "Elements for the ENA FLEG Indicative List of Actions." Both texts were drafted by the Co-facilitators and will serve as the basis for government and non-governmental stakeholder deliberations in the run up to the ENA FLEG Ministerial Conference. In the morning, two groups met separately in the morning, one composed of government delegates and the other of industry, civil society and other stakeholders, to discuss both texts. Participants met in a joint morning plenary session to review the outcomes of the two group discussions, and hear closing statements from Industry, Civil Society, and other stakeholder groups. In the afternoon, Co-facilitators Jag Maini and Jürgen Blaser summarized the deliberations of the Preparatory Conference, and explained the next steps to prepare a draft Ministerial Declaration and Indicative Action Plan. The Co-facilitators also outlined the preparation process and timeline for the documents, leading to their consideration during the ENA FLEG Ministerial Conference in December 2005.
Dialogue into action Contents An international journal of forestry and forest industries - Vol. 56 2005/1 2005/1 56.kötet FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Editor: A. Perlis
to Protect Neretva and Bosna Rivers from Municipal Pollution WASHINGTON, The World Bank Group - The World Bank today approved a Water Quality Protection Project for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project will be funded by a grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) of US$8.9 million, with expected contributions from the borrower and others of US$11.37 million equivalent.
Wood for good It was standing room only at the second seminar in wood for good’s “Building Sustainably with Timber” series. An audience of 130 architects and engineers packed into the seminar room of the Building Centre on 16th February, Kyoto Day when the Kyoto Climate Change Protocol became legally binding, to hear three leading experts in engineered timber structures describe some of the most exciting projects in recent years.
On the second day of the ENA FLEG Preparatory Conference, participants continued discussions on major issues in regional and thematic break-out groups and in plenary sessions. In the morning, participants briefly reconvened in regional break-out groups, before participants heard reports of the groups in a plenary session. Thematic break-out groups also met in morning sessions, and reported back to the plenary in an afternoon session. In the afternoon, participants also heard presentations on the integration of the ENA FLEG process with existing processes.
By Alister Doyle OSLO - The United Nations urged better "green" planning for burgeoning cities on Sunday, annual World Environment Day due to be marked by rallies, tree-plantings and clean-ups from Australia to Zimbabwe.
Opening Session In May 2004, the Russian Federation announced its intention to host in 2005 a Europe and North Asia (ENA) Forest Law Enforcement and Governance ( FLEG ) process. T he Preparatory Conference for this initiative will convene from 6-8 June 2005 in Moscow. The Ministerial Conference is expected to meet in November or December 2005 in the Russian Federation .
BY STEVEN EDWARDS Bold statements about the need to save the world's trees poured into the United Nations last week at a massive conference called the Forum on Forests And yet the world body produces so many reports daily it is known as the globe's most prodigious paper factory. Which wouldn't be so bad if someone were getting some benefit from all the printed words.
Ear Falls Town Map Ear Falls, August 12-14, 2005 We're celebrating our tenth year of presenting world class performers to the community. This year our lineup is a collision of styles and genres with some of our favorites from the past returning along with new voices coming together in our woods. Bluegrass, Gospel, Folk, Funk and Roots music are all part of the programming this year. Sweet voiced singers will resonate in our soul and hot pickers will tantalize our spirits over the weekend. The big party Saturday night features the funk, rap music of Ridley Bent moving us into the wee hours.
Get to grips with climate change is the slogan, and the objective, of this year’s Green Week, the Commission’s annual conference programme and exhibition showcasing EU environment policy. Green Week 2005 will take place in the Charlemagne building from 31 May to 3 June in the week leading up to World Environment Day on 5 June. Some 200 speakers from Europe and around the world have been invited to the 20 conferences, workshops and talks that will explore different aspects of climate change, and in total around 4,000 participants are expected. Parallel ‘Green Days’ will be held in Member States, giving Green Week a pan-European dimension. Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner for Environment, will open Green Week 2005 at 9:45 on 31 May.
At its annual meeting in New York IFFA, the Global Alliance of Family Forest Owners, decided to establish a formal organization in order to become a more powerful spokesman for family forestry in relation to international organizations, such as the UN-organizations and the World Bank. Bob Simpson from USA was elected Chairman of the Board and Mr Ivar Korsbakken from Norway was elected deputy.
The "Roadmap 2010 for the European woodworking industries" is an action launched by CEI-Bois on the initiative of its chairman, Mr Bo Borgström. This Roadmap study was launched with the aim of: producing an updated analysis on key factors and challenges affecting the European woodworking industries; identifying the opportunities for the sector; describing the ideal position; producing an action programme for the European woodworking industries towards 2010; within the general vision of "Wood and wood products to become the leading material in construction and interior solutions by 2010". The final aim of this study is the establishment of an action programme targeted to the industries, their associations and the authorities.
Forest fires have surged in Siberia in recent decades Siberia's forests are facing an unprecedented threat from fire, according to Russian scientists. The taiga, which accounts for one-fifth of the world's forested land, has seen a tenfold increase in the rate of deforestation in recent decades. Last year 22m hectares (54m acres) - half the area of France - was lost. The scientists say global warming and lack of funding, which has left foresters ill-equipped to combat fires, are the main factors behind the loss.
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