News from the world of forests

Stowaway foxes pose threat to Tasmanian wildlife (ForestPress)

The tasmanian-devil From Bernard Lagan of The Times in Sydney More than 150 years after Australia’s settlers brought them from Britain so they could enjoy the hunt, foxes have reached Tasmania — until now a predator-free haven for rare small mammals. A panel commissioned by the Tasmanian Government reported that there was overwhelming evidence that the European red fox had become established on the wilderness island which is about the size of Scotland.

2006. June 30.

Finland and Austria chair EU chief foresters’ meeting (ForestPress)

The Directors-General of the ministries responsible for EU forestry measures will meet in Gmunden in Austria on 28 and 29 June 2006. The meeting, to be held at the end of Austria’s EU Presidency, will be chaired by both Finland and Austria. Aarne Reunala, Director-General of the Department of Forestry, will be the second chairman.

2006. June 29.

News

KOREA–FOREST (ForestPress)

Korea is a heavily forested country, with 65% (6.5M hectares) of its total area covered with forest. Despite this, Korea is not yet self-sufficient in wood. To large extent, this is because of a lack of mature timber. The Korean government has initiated a forest policy which will result in a well stocked forest. As part of this policy, and in an effort to reduce abusive harvests, there are now restrictions on cutting that apply to forest product companies and individuals.

2006. June 29.

Water levels fall for seventh week despite rain (ThinkSpain/ForestPress)

Despite widespread rain across the country, water levels in Spain's reservoirs fell for the seventh consecutive week last week. Total capacity fell by 482 cubic hectometres (-0.9%) and now stands at 54.4%. Although average weekly rainfall of 13.5 litres per square metre is significantly up on the average for 1930-1986 of 8.7 litres, water levels have fallen as the rain failed to reach the reservoirs.

2006. June 28.

Tourists to be asked to pay ‘green tax’ (The Sunday Herald/ForestPress)

By Jenifer Johnston Visitors to Scotland will be asked to opt-in to a new “green tax” under a revolutionary scheme being drawn up by tourism chiefs, environmental groups and the business community. The charge – expected to be between 5 and 10 – would be used to offset the environmental damage tourists cause while visiting the country.

2006. June 27.

Forestry Undergrads Embark on Cross-Canada Bike Tour (ForestPress)

Two forestry undergrads, Carl Kristoff and Sean Macalister, have embarked on a cross-Canada bike tour this summer, to raise money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis... This how they write about themselves

2006. June 27.

Press room

BAGEPALLI CDM REFORESTATION PROGRAMME

As the Linking Directive for lCERs tCERs is not yet in place, the Bagepalli CDM Reforestation Programme is not able to go to the market in a conventional manner for selling our VERs/ lCERs. Thus we are launching a public call to interested parties to purchase the VERs/ lCERs from our project. The PDD is done and currently undergoing validation with SGS.

2006. June 26.

Rate of African forest loss underestimated (Reuters/ForestPress)

By Ed Stoddard ANTANANARIVO - The pace of deforestation in Africa has probably been underestimated by satellite imagery, lending new urgency to efforts to save the continent's wild treasures, a scientist said on Thursday. "The consensus is that Africa is losing about 0.4 to 0.7 percent of its forests each year but this is likely an underestimate," said Holly Gibbs, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Wisconsin who has been studying the phenomenon.

2006. June 26.

The Bosnian Pyramid (ForestPress)

Visocica Hill, is the first European pyramid to be discovered and is located in the heart of Bosnia, in the town of Visoko. The pyramid has all the elements: four perfectly shaped slopes pointing toward the cardinal points, a flat top and an entrance complex. There are also the ruins of a Medieval walled town, once the base of a Bosnian king Tvrtko of Kotromanic (1338-1391). Because of its similarities to the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico, it has been named the “Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun” ('Bosanska Piramida Sunca').

2006. June 26.

Take Hunter Ed this Summer (ForestPress)

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department It's prime time to get in a hunter education class. If you're looking to purchase your first hunting license in New Hampshire, you are required to complete a hunter education course before you can hunt. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department offers hunter and bowhunter education classes around the state, as well as trapper education. To find a class call (603) 271-3214.

2006. June 25.

News

A MIXTURE OF DAYTIME SHOWS AND WORKSHOPS OVER THE RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL

Written By: Yeoh Jun-Lin The Rainforest World Music Festival has established itself having two components to make up its whole. There are the evening shows under the canopy of trees and night sky. And there are the daytime mini-shows that have been called “workshops” over the last 9 years of the festival’s existence, but are really more of a loose collection of every possible attempt to milk more information, more music and more personal interaction from the musicians with the audience.

2006. June 23.

Foretsry - A real alternative land use for farmers (ForestPress)

Speaking at the Small-Scale Forestry and Rural Development Conference which was opened in Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology today, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Mary Wallace T.D., said “wherever we have forests, we will have options: options for jobs, for exports, for energy, for biodiversity, for the environment, for rural communities. Previous generations of planters have given us those options”.

2006. June 23.

Killing tick with fungi Hungarian researchers’ invention (ForestPress)

Chemical-free tick killer, a biopesticide has been developed by two Hungarian researchers. Containing no chemicals at all, it is completely environmental friendly. To release the new tick-killer into the forests and recreation areas the earliest possible, the two inventors, Dr Zoltán Bratek and Dr Béla Pál Bózsik are looking for producers.

2006. June 23.

Threat of fines for Swedish forest owners (Nordicforestry/ForestPRess)

About 2 000 forest owners in Southern Sweden risk being fined, unless by 15 July they have taken care of the timber felled by the severe storm in January 2005. According to the Swedish Forest Agency the quantity of timber still remaining in the forest is over one million m3.

2006. June 22.

Danube - River of Life for Danube Day 2006 (ForestPress)

Thirteen Countries to celebrate 3rd Danube Day Series of Events Planned Across Danube River Basin on 29 June VIENNA, June 2006 - A series of events have been planned for the celebration of the third Danube Day, 29 June, to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the Danube River Protection Convention in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1994. Thirteen Countries to celebrate 3rd Danube Day Series of Events Planned Across Danube River Basin on 29 June VIENNA, June 2006 - A series of events have been planned for the celebration of the third Danube Day, 29 June, to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the Danube River Protection Convention in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1994.

2006. June 21.

Timber industry gets exemption from endangered-species law (Seattle Post)

By ROBERT McCLURE For the next half-century, Washington's timber industry will be shielded from Endangered Species Act prosecutions for harming salmon and four dozen other types of water creatures, the federal government declared Monday. In exchange, the industry pledged to take steps to help salmon, such as leaving forests alongside streams on 9.3 million acres. That's one-fifth of the state, making it the largest such deal in the West.

2006. June 20.

News

Myth That Green Protection Hits Economy (Reuters)

Story by By Alister Doyle OSLO - The world must lay to rest a "myth" that protecting the environment harms economic growth, the new head of the UN Environment Programme said on Thursday. Achim Steiner, a 45-year-old German, said he would seek to involve consumers, governments, businesses and activists in developing new economic mechanisms to protect the planet from threats ranging from climate change to pollution.

2006. June 19.

Frogs and football (The Observer/ForestPress)

Best reason of the week for losing a World Cup match Ukrainian defender Vladislav Vashchuk claims they lost 4-0 to Spain because of noisy frogs outside the team's hotel. 'Because of the frogs' croaking we hardly got a wink of sleep,' explained Vashchuk.

2006. June 19.