News from the world of forests

THE IBERIAN PENINSULA IN A EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE (ForestPress)

Spain boasts a surface area of some 13.695.000 has of forests. With a further 12.265.000 has suitable for plantation, which would bring the total to 51% of Spanish soil. If we consider the Iberian Peninsula as one unit within the E.U., and add Portugal's 2,755,000 has of forest we arrive at a grand total of 28.715.000. Some 48% of the surface area of the two countries and the forth major producer behind Sweden, Finland and France, but in front of some important producers such as Germany.

2005. June 23.

Asturforesta 2005 (ForestPress)

Asturforesta 2005, the Fifth Edition of the forest fair, begins a new walking with its best guarantees, the maturity after the success of earlier editions. The assistance of 86 exhibitors and more than 12.000 professional visitors from over 15 countries consolidate Asturforesta as the lead forestry fair in the Iberian Peninsula. The press describes it as "the most important forestry fair in the Iberian Peninsula".

2005. June 23.

Britain's vanishing red squirrels face deadly virus threat (Independent)

By Matthew Beard The dwindling population of red squirrels is being threatened by a virus that can kill them within 15 days. Squirrel pox is being spread by grey squirrels, which are immune to the virus, and it is infecting red squirrels living in Scotland. Conservationists say the estimated 160,000 population of red squirrels in the UK will almost certainly decline, since it has been noticed the virus was being spread by grey squirrels spreading north from Cumbria. The Moredun Research Institute near Edinburgh discovered the virus after taking blood samples from grey squirrels.

2005. June 23.

France's Bardot Demands EU Action on Wolf Cull (Reuters/ForestPress)

BRUSSELS - French actress turned animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has urged the European Union to take legal action against France for authorising the killing of six wolves. Bardot, a star of the cinema in the 1950s and 1960s, wrote to EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas on Monday, saying France had broken EU conservation rules.

2005. June 23.

New ideas concerning wood growing (ForestPress)

Effective wood growing requires a more broad-based view. Instead of concentrating on saw timber we should think of more variety in wood growing, says Mr Esa Härmälä, Chairman of the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK)

2005. June 22.

Music in the Forest 2005 (ForestPress)

The Forestry Commission has musical events throughout the year in stunning forest settings. Following the hugely successful Forest Tours 03 and 04, the following acts have been confirmed for the Forest Tour 2005.

2005. June 21.

Australia Government Steps in to End Grazing Row (Reuters/ForestPress)

CANBERRA - The Australian government responded on Friday to protests by mountain cattlemen and issued emergency laws to protect their 170-year tradition of allowing their herds to graze on plains in the country's alpine region.

2005. June 21.

The 22nd IUFRO World Congress (ForestPress)

The 22nd International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) World Congress will be held 8-13 August 2005 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. The theme for the 2005 Congress is Forests in the Balance: Linking Tradition and Technology. The congress will interest government agencies, non-government organisations, scientists, researchers, managers and scientific societies.

2005. June 20.

News

EIB loan for “Fier-Tepelene road project” in Albania (ForestPress)

The European Investment Bank is lending EUR 35 million for the rehabilitation and upgrading of a 70-km section of road from Fier to Tepelene, a key element of Albania’s north-south axis. The project is co-financed by the EBRD with a similar loan of EUR 35 million and is supported by technical assistance grants from the EU.

2005. June 20.

Last chance for the forests of Armenia (OneWorld UKNews/ForestPress)

Onnik Krikorian, Mtnadzor Reserve, Armenia Government-connected businessmen and state officials engaged in the illegal export of timber from Armenia are mostly to blame for the former Soviet republic’s dwindling number of forests. Whereas 11 per cent of the republic was covered by forests in 1991, the figure stands at below 8 per cent today. Environmentalists warn that unless current trends are reversed, Armenia will be forestless by 2024.

2005. June 20.

News

Native Trees of North America (Forestabout/ForestPress)

By Guy Sternberg és Jim Wilson This beautiful tree book begins by preparing a native tree landscape in a great "Getting Started" section. A brief but meaty review on landscape management segues to a "Menu" of 96 common native American trees.

2005. June 19.

The biggest forest fair in the world (ForestPress)

The Swedish forest fair Elmia Wood 2005 exceeded Elmia’s own expectations. Exhibitors put in more resources than ever before, the right visitors arrived and over 200 reporters from all over the world attended the fair. Torbjörn Johnsen, the project manager, says that this year’s international forest fair will have record impact.

2005. June 18.

USDA Quarantine Facility to Help Control Invasive Pests (ForestPress)

By Erin Peabody SIDNEY, Mont., May 4--U.S. Department of Agriculture officials broke ground here today for a quarantine-greenhouse complex. The new facility will allow government scientists to develop pesticide-free ways to control invasive plants currently threatening millions of acres of native rangelands across the western United States.

2005. June 17.

Schweighofer Innovation Prize spurs further cooperation (ForestPress)

At the picture from the left: Gerald Schweighofer, founder of the prize, Jan Söderlind, Nordic Timber Council, Bo Borgström, member of the jury of the Schweighofer prize. A unique collaboration was awarded in Vienna in Austria yesterday evening. For innovations in the world of wood, the joint initiative European Wood was given the Schweighofer Prize for its special initiatives in the field of marketing and education. And for the first time, the Schweighofer Prize goes to a collaborative project instead of a person.

2005. June 17.

News

Federal firefighting agency (ForestPress)

WASHINGTON, Federal firefighting agency leaders today said they have a sufficient mix of aerial resources to meet this fire season. This announcement follows preliminary results of a study on P2V. airtankers, which showed that they could be used in the upcoming fire season.

2005. June 17.

Huge rise in Siberian forest fires puts planet at risk, scientists warn (The Guardian)

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.

2005. June 17.

News

Renewable energy funding (ForestPress)

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.

2005. June 14.

WOODLAND GRAZING - IT'S E-COW-LOGICAL! (ForestPress)

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.

2005. June 13.