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RISI European Forest Products Conference (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 23.

How the First Earth Day Came About (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 22.

News

IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE (ForestPress)

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?

2005. April 20.

News

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) (ForestPress)

"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.

2005. April 19.

Nairobi Preparatory Meeting for Selected African Delegations to UNFF5 (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 18.

Alien Species in British Columbia (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 17.

News

Energy and electricity from forest (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 15.

US wildlife experts begin tracking Sundarban tigers-Radio sensors to be used for first time (ForestP

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.

2005. April 14.

Increasing bear population in Finland (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 14.

Will Norwegian forest owners' associations become cooperatives? (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 14.

Wood and concrete on collision course in Norway (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 11.

Forestry Chemical use follows guidelines (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 11.

Combining Carbon Sequestration & Phosphate Mining Reclamation in Florida (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 9.

Dalai Lama campaigns for wildlife (BBC 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.

2005. April 8.

Further 125 million against gypsy moth (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 7.

Japan's ailing forests need diversity (asahi.com )

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.

2005. April 6.

UNFF FIFTH SESSION (ForestPress)

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:

2005. April 4.

Chile protects coastal temperate rainforest (ForestPress)

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.

2005. April 4.