Guest guest Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 --Today for you 34 new articles about earth's trees! (367th edition) --You can now RSS tree news in a regional format at: http://forestpolicyresearch.org --To Subscribe / to the world-wide email format send a blank email to: earthtreenews- OR earthtreenews- In this issue: BC-Canada EU-Africa-Mid-East Index: --British Columbia: 1) Land Developers finally getting busted for bribery, 2) 100 protest premier Cambell's forestry roundtable, 3) Exposing the Marmot recovery scandal, 4) 463-km pipeline approved, 5) $1.7 million for 44 new jobs doing trail work, 6) No one is gathering data on Great Bear ecotourism? 7) Save the Garry oak of the Nanoose peninsula, 8) Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, 9) Shuswap to build pellet plant, --Canada: 10) Hundred of millions spent on promoting clearcutting, 11) Report on Gov's forestry overhaul, 12) Poplar River First Nation still trying to protect their land, --EU: 13) Greenpeace's 12-meter trunk action, 14) Increase in European forest cover coming to an end, 15) Bio-fool standards still not agreed on, --UK: 16) Invasive Squirrels trash forests, 17) Pine Marten's reappearing and eating invasive squirrels, 18) Rare insects found in forests near Staffordshire, 19) Raising money to protect a forest by logging it, 20) Only a half-dozen killed by fallen trees every year, 21) Brazilian Indians arrive in London to plea for forest protection, --France: 22) Forest species migrating to adapt to climate change, 23) Paris: " New Green Spaces, " 24) France intends to scuttle Bio-fool plans, --Bulgaria: 25) Reinstating Ownership of Forests and Lands --Palestine: 26) Israeli's continue to destroy ancient Olive groves --Israel: 27) Ancient trees fought for and lost to construction --Congo: 28) More on $200 million EU protection scheme, 29) More money from 1st world needed for forest protection, --Uganda: 30) FSC certifies forest that 4,000 indigenous landowners were evicted from --Ghana: 31) Gov and EU work to registering illegal chain-saw operators --Ethiopia: 31) Award for Gaia Association's managing director --Tanzania: 32) Fishing as it relates to woodland covering 100,000 hectares --Kenya: 33) Destruction of Embobut forest in Marakwet District is alarming --South Africa: 34) Working for Water, aka Masakane British Columbia: 1) A pair of Vancouver Island developers will face trial on charges involving the alleged bribery of a B.C. government official in a case resulting from the 2003 police raid on the B.C. legislature. Following several days of preliminary hearings in May and June in Victoria, Justice Ernie Quantz has ordered Anthony Ralph (Tony) Young, 76, and James Seymour (Jim) Duncan, 64, to stand trial for three counts each of fraud and one count each of breach of trust over allegations they paid $50,000 to David Basi in 2003.At the time, Basi was ministerial assistant to then-finance minister Gary Collins. The Crown alleges the money was paid in connection to an application to remove property from the B.C. agricultural land reserve for Shambrook Hills Development Corp., now known as the Sunriver Estates, which has developed a residential subdivision near Sooke, west of Victoria. Evidence from the preliminary hearing is under a publication ban. The two men left the courtroom Monday without making any comment. Basi has yet to go through a preliminary hearing on three counts of fraud and one of breach of trust relating to the alleged bribery. He and two other former government aides are facing separate corruption charges related to the Liberal government's $1 billion privatization of Crown-owned BC Rail. Basi, his brother-in-law Bobby Virk, and his cousin, Aneal Basi, are accused of fraud, breach of trust and money laundering activities in the case, which is underway in Vancouver. Virk was the assistant to Judith Reid, the minister of transportation. Aneal Basi was a public affairs officer with the B.C. government at the time. They are accused of trading travel, food and job possibilities for government information. http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20080702138921/wire/bc-news/vancouver-island-\ developers-to- stand-trial-for-alleged-bribe-in-leg-raid-case.html 2) About 100 people attended the protest rally Wednesday at Beban Park to greet Premier Gordon Campbell's roundtable on forestry. The roundtable, which includes new Forest Minister Pat Bell, Nanaimo-Parksville MLA Ron Cantelon, and others drawn from industry, communities, labour and universities, has been touring the province seeking solutions to the ongoing forestry crisis in B.C. But forest unions and the province's NDP feel the roundtable is not inclusive and is a waste of time and accuse the government of doing nothing while one of the province's most important industry flounders. Not all at the rally were confident the NDP would save the industry if they were elected in 2009. NDP Leader Carole James, who spoke at the rally, was interrupted by a laid-off mill worker who called on her to promise to stop raw-log exports if elected. Pat Bell said the roundtable is inclusive and open and pointed out that Bill Routley, president of United Steelworkers Local 8 was invited to speak at the roundtable while in Nanaimo. " We've invited lots of union representatives and others who are interested in exploring options for the industry (about 50 were scheduled to speak Wednesday) to the roundtable as we've toured the province, but they have to be productive and standing outside protesting doesn't do this, " he said. http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=50b8772f-eb40-4b8b-9f7\ a-12887de68ba1 3) Two recent Times Colonist articles have quoted Environment Minister Barry Penner and Victoria Jackson of the Vancouver Island Marmot Foundation, who promoted the oversimplified assertion that wolves and cougars are primary factors in the decline of Vancouver Island marmots. In fact, the marmot survived with these predators in the landscape for millennia. What has changed is the landscape itself. Extensive conversion of ancient forests to tree farms has reduced deer numbers, the primary prey for wolves and cougars. Under these scenarios, predators often consume alternative prey like marmots. Extensive logging road networks now grant hungry carnivores easy access to marmot colonies. Likely, logging has had additional and more direct effects. For years, researchers have hypothesized that high elevation logging has lured dispersers -- critical individuals in marmot society -- into clearcuts, which offer ephemeral, low-quality habitat where survival has been low. Predation might be one of several contributing proximate causes of marmot declines, but the ultimate cause is landscape change wrought by logging. Looking forward, a more honest and broader view would focus on the remaining vestiges of so-called " critical habitat. " This is why the provincial government ought to swiftly identify and protect these areas. If B.C. cannot comply with this essential responsibility under the Species-at-Risk Act for Canada's most endangered mammal, then I fear that the rest of the province's threatened organisms and habitats will likewise face an uncertain future. --Chris Darimont, conservation scientist, Raincoast Conservation 4) The provincial government granted environmental approval Friday to a Pacific Trail Pipelines LP proposal to build a 463-km, $1.1-billion pipeline between Kitimat and Summit Lake, north of Prince George. Environment Minister Barry Penner and Richard Neufeld, minister of energy, mines and petroleum resources, made the decision following a comprehensive review by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office. The 91-centimetre-diameter pipeline is intended to link the proposed Kitimat Liquefied Natural Gas terminal, which would receive ship-borne imports of super-cooled natural gas, with the Spectra Energy gas transmission system. The proposed project, however, has a few more hurdles to overcome. It is still subject to federal environmental approval and must obtain provincial and federal permits. THE PROVINCIAL ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVAL IS CONTINGENT ON THE PROPONENT: 1) Assessing erosion potential and implementing erosion controls. 2) Mitigating potential losses of fish habitat. 3) Monitoring water quality in the Morice Water Management Area. 4) Developing a hydrostatic test plan to manage discharge water quality. 5) Mitigating potential effects on wildlife habitat. Managing public access into previously inaccessible areas. http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=184c930d-cdf7-4f4\ 7-b8bd-155fb9a 7d1d0 5) The city has applied for $1.7 million in forestry aid which is, if the entire amount is granted, enough to put 44 people to work until next spring. The money is for four projects and would come from $26.25 million funneled by the federal government through the province to help towns hit hard by the forest industry collapse. The four projects are for silviculture work, to fix up existing recreation trails and build new ones, do stream restoration work and to clear pine trees from the proposed airport lands industrial park before they are attacked and killed by beetles. " We've already heard back from the people doing the assessing and everything they say sounds like they're going to support the proposals, " said local registered professional forester Rick Brouwer who took a lead role in writing the proposals. It means the city will now move to another approvals level requiring more detail. " But what that actually means in dollars, we don't know yet, " Brouwer added. Jobs applicable to both outside forestry workers and inside millworkers would be provided to avoid the possible problem of having laid off workers in either area not have the skills required for the work available, he noted. " We've tried to create a balance for both, " said Brouwer. Terrace is on the list of qualifying municipalities by meeting a set of criteria for the period of May 2007 onward. http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/terracestandard/news/22724834.html 6) Great Bear Rainforest does not appear on any official map, but the name evoking native myths and legends is key to protecting western Canada's bears, whales, eagles and salmon. Once written off as the " mid-coast timber supply area " , the sprawling 20,000 square kilometers (7,700 square miles) of vast wilderness is fast attracting eco-tourists as environmentalists seek to protect it from logging and mining. Bounded on the west by ocean fjords and winding inlets reaching deep into dense forest and the Coast Mountain range to the east, the remote central and northern coastline of British Columbia is one of the largest and last intact temperate rainforests on earth. As well as being the traditional land of the aboriginal people, it is home to fin, humpback and killer whales, eagles and three kinds of bears -- grizzly, black and the Kermode or " Spirit " bear, as local legend calls the massive white bears. A series of conservation treaties have been put in place in recent years between aboriginals, the provincial and federal governments and environmental organizations. Foreign trophy hunters were banished 30 months ago when environmental groups bought out a commercial guiding company, said biologist Misty MacDuffee of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation. And now even the bears are unwittingly participating in the new " eco-economy " having mostly lost their fear of people, and are now oblivious to tourists watching them as they feed. British Columbia eco-tourism " is the most rapidly growing sector in the tourism industry, " said Chris Genovali of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation. As yet no one has done formal statistics of how many tourists have visited the Great Bear Rainforest, he added. Genovali said environmentalists remain concerned about mining and forestry on the edges of the protected area, and also about poaching of wildlife by illegal hunters.http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Spirit_of_Great_Bear_watches_over_Cana\ dian_rainfores t_999.html 7) Garry oak ecosystems support high numbers of blue and red-listed species of flora and fauna. These plant communities are red-listed by the BC government and listed as rare and endangered by the federal government of Canada. The Nanoose peninsula is unique because it hosts all of the rare ecosystems that are associated with the Garry oak include maritime meadows, coastal bluffs, vernal pools, grasslands, rock outcrops, and mixed transitional forests. I started my hike after turning right off Fairwinds Drive onto Anchor Road, then Chain Road, and finally onto Link Road. After walking past a large holding tank for water built by Fairwinds I noticed new construction. A building site has been leveled next to an existing house. Several carcasses from Arbutus and Garry Oak trees lay in piles surrounded by newly exposed rock and debris. The view from the south face of the Nanoose Notch is spectacular, overlooking Nanoose Bay and the surround 2nd growth forest with Mt. Moriarty and Mt. Arrowsmith off in the distance. I can understand why someone would want to build a house there. How many more houses will be built on this slope? How much of the Garry Oak ecosystem will be blasted and leveled to make way for buildings and roads? Where they will get their water from? On the other side of the hill Fairwinds continues to blasts roads through similarly rare ecosystems and many more are planned. In their most recent newsletter Fairwinds states: The 1350 acre oceanfront community of Fairwinds has 700 acres remaining to develop which translates into 1600 to 1800 units depending on density. In order to meet the changing times and evolving needs of the community, a detailed master plan is being prepared with an emphasis on Community and the Environment. Public input is needed to protect the rare and endangered Garry Oak ecosystems found on the Nanoose Peninsula. There is an opportunity to significantly change the status quote by developing plans that protect key sites like the Nanoose Notch. Significant buffers around the two lakes, bluffs and meadows should be protected from development while enhancing the quality of life for those who live in the community. Nanoose is one of the last strong holds of the Garry Oak ecosystem, which has been brought to the brink of extinction in British Columbia by agriculture and housing development. –Richard Boyce 8) For generations, Hot Springs Island has been a site for healing. It is one of a group of islands in the Pacific archipelago of Haida Gwaii, as the Haida Indians originally called the Queen Charlotte Islands. Located 50 to 130 kilometres from the British Columbia mainland, Haida Gwaii is a powerful and often dangerous marine environment. Hot Springs Island, now part of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and a Haida Heritage Site, provides a sanctuary of warmth and peace from the wild, windswept sea. In 1985 an environmental standoff over logging old growth forests in Haida Gwaii led to an agreement between the Council of the Haida Nation and the federal government to co-operatively manage Gwaii Haanas National Park. From May to September, members of the Haida Watchmen live at the Hot Springs Island village site (and four other villages within the park), protecting the natural and cultural heritage while providing visitor information and emergency service. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/travel/story.html?id=47d6d453-a281-429d-82\ 55-e27fcce1c86e 9) Shuswap bands are looking at developing a pellet plant at either Kamloops, Savona or Clinton that could ship product to Europe where it would be used to create bioenergy.The idea is one option to help First Nations communities deal with the economic impact of mountain pine beetle. Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Betty Hinton announced a $103,000 grant for the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council as part of pine beetle relief funding. The tribal council's economic development arm will hire a consultant and prepare a business plan looking at alternative economic opportunities. Mike Lebourdais, co-chairman of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, said First Nations communities, just like other communities, corporations and government, face poor lumber markets and a long-term reduction in logging. " We (Whispering Pines Indian Band) have forest licences affected. Normally we'd take one million cubic metres a year of pine. With the uplift it's two million. The landscape is changing and we're determining . . . what does it take to develop and implement a pellet mill or chips? " All three locations being studied are on a major rail line. Lebourdais said one of the requirements for such a plant is an additional 300,000 cubic metres of timber each year. That would produce about 150,000 tonnes of pellets a year. The study will also look at opportunities in tourism, botanical products and recreation. Kamloops Indian Band Chief Shane Gottfriedson was also on hand for the announcement. He said the band is far less forest-dependent than other First Nations communities in the region because of its development interests. http://www.kamloopsnews.ca Canada: 10) The federal and provincial governments have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on forestry programs that promote clearcutting, says a report commissioned for the Ecology Action Centre. And that has damaged Nova Scotia's Acadian forest, says Jamie Simpson, forestry program co-ordinator for the Halifax centre. He said the report by the Halifax consulting firm Jozsa Management & Economics concludes the two levels of government have spent $650 million in taxpayers' money over the past 30 years on forest management policies and programs that promote clearcutting. " Clearcutting is used probably more than necessary, " said Tim Whynot, a forester with the provincial Natural Resources Department. " It has been used a lot. " However, he said, it is an acceptable practice under certain conditions — when the trees are very old, insect-damaged or prone to being blown down by the wind. There is no doubt the province's forests have been damaged, Mr. Whynot said, but clearcutting is not the main culprit. He believes selective cutting — picking out the best trees and cutting those down — is a greater cause of the degradation. The province is redirecting more silviculture money to methods other than clearcutting, Mr. Whynot said, and while it has taken a while for companies and woodlot owners to show an interest, the effort is now gaining steam. " More and more companies are moving in that direction, " and there is a waiting list for workshops, he said. Mr. Simpson said the province has set aside $9 million for silviculture but just three per cent of that will go toward alternatives to clearcutting. " That is a step in the right direction but a better balance could be achieved, even 10 per cent would be nice, but 97 per cent of the money goes toward practices that support clearcutting. " http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1065381.html 11) Last Thursday, the interim Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife, Julie Boulet, submitted a working paper to the National Assembly. Entitled L'occupation du territoire forestier québécois et la constitution des sociétés d'aménagement des forêts, the working paper reflects the government's position at this stage in the policy overhaul. We find ourselves confused and very preoccupied by this document - both by its contents and by what it fails to include. We gather that Québec has chosen to pursue its agenda with utter disregard for the concerns of environmental groups and of the many users of the province's public forests. Given the far-reaching implications of this policy reform, we feel obligated to publicly denounce a process which, in our opinion, is rapidly headed in the wrong direction. Reforming Quebec's forest policy was certainly needed to replace the outdated regime of Timber Supply and Forest Management Agreements (TSFMA). However, it is important to bear in mind that the reform was largely necessary because of concerns over the state of our forest ecosystems. Recall the Coulombe Commission of 2004, which unequivocally concluded that Québec had overexploited its forests, that its network of protected areas was inadequate, and that a large-scale transition to ecosystem-based management was warranted. Evidently, these issues should be at the heart of Quebec's new forest regime. Unfortunately, nothing in last Thursday's document allows us to believe that our ecosystems will be spared the mistakes of our past. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/features/viewpoints/story.html?id=6b45dece\ -18a1-4c3d-8b3d -d6f38371b66f 12) In 2004, residents of Poplar River First Nation convinced the Manitoba Government to stop all mining and logging on their traditional land, 600km northeast of Winnipeg, for the next five years. Sophia Rabliauskas is a member of this community and at the forefront of their struggle for full protection. She is now being recognized for her tenacity with one of the province's highest awards, the Order of Manitoba. " It feels great to be recognized, " Rabliauskas says. " It's good because it gives the whole community of Poplar River the support we need and it's also bringing a sense of pride to the community and the people. " In 2002, Rabliauskas, along with several other community members developed a comprehensive land protection and management plan for their territory-a precedent setting accomplishment among First Nations in the boreal. The plan outlines core elements for the protection of the forests, such as respecting traditional knowledge; benefiting from environmental analysis; developing economic opportunities, including protection of traditional hunting, trapping and fishing activities; and creating sustainable tourism opportunities. Rabliauskas is working with other First Nations in the area to safeguard an even larger section of the boreal forest and declare it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. She hopes her work will be an inspiration to other First Nations who face similar challenges protecting their land. Vast areas of Canada's boreal forest have been clear-cut by logging companies and subject to invasive mining development. The Boreal Forest Network reports that nearly 65 per cent of Canada's boreal forests have been slated for long term clear-cut. Environmentalists and residents fear that these boundless forests could be the next target of the world's pulp and paper industry. Gaile Whelan Enns, Manitoba Wildlands director, says Rabliauskas's involvement in her community has to do with preserving the traditional knowledge that has been passed down to her. In April last year, Rabliauskas was one of the six activists to receive the Goldman Environmental Prize in San Francisco for her work. Only three other Canadians have received the award. More information on her community's work protecting the boreal forest can be found at: www.poplarriverfirstnation.ca - http://www.abcleaders.org/stories/61/sophia-rabliauskas EU: 13) Greenpeace has used a 12-metre tree trunk illegally cut from the Amazon to condemn Europe's role in deforestation. The protest in Brussels sought to pressure the European Commission to ban illegal timber imports. A vote on proposed legislation is expected in three weeks. Greenpeace says the EU's lack of strict laws against unregulated tree-felling makes Europeans accomplices in illegal logging. Activist Sebastian Risso said: " It is vital that everyone in the market accepts his responsibilities. The EU is also responsible, as the main consumer. It has to stop illegal wood from being sold to Europeans. " The environmentalists say the EU, as the world's biggest wood importer, should insist that all timber products on the European market are from legal sources and well-managed forests. They say it would help stop the destructive impact of illegal logging on the world's climate, biodiversity and native people living in forests. http://www.euronews.net/en/article/02/07/2008/greenpeace-accuses-europe-over-def\ orestation/ 14) Carbon capture by European forests has increased by about 70 percent since the 1950s, but this trend might be coming to an end, a joint European study said on Monday. The increase was due to favorable climate, raised levels of carbon dioxide in air the and nitrogen fallout, but logging for bioenergy use as well as climate change are threatening carbon sink capacity. " The European Union (EU) is trying to increase the production of bioenergy, and the target can be reached only if logging is considerably increased, " the Finnish Environment Institute said. " As a consequence, the carbon sink may be reduced almost down to zero. " EU targets cutting CO2 emissions by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and having at least 120 percent of energy demand come from renewable sources. Transport fuels should include 10 percent biofuel by then. Planting new trees is not going to be as effective for carbon capture as old forests which can capture 100 to 240 tonnes of carbon per hectare, while new tree stands capture about 40 tonnes. Thus, to maintain the efficiency of the carbon sink, logging rate should be considerably lower than the growth rate, the study said. Droughts, storms and pest invasions due to climate change will slow forest growth and thus also reduce carbon capture, and the warmer the ground, the more it will release carbon dioxide. http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKL2323663320080623 15) The European Union is near to agreeing standards for biofuels that put human rights and endangered species high on the agenda, a diplomat chairing the negotiations said. But the critical issue of how much CO2 they should save is as yet undecided. Biofuel use is soaring as developed countries try to curb dependence on imported oil and cut emissions of carbon dioxide, but critics say the industry has encouraged deforestation and pushed up food prices by competing for grain. As part of its drive to lead the world in battling climate change, the EU plans to get 10 percent of its transport fuels from renewable sources like biofuels by 2020. The EU set up a working group in February with experts from the Commission and member states seeking ways of hitting the goal without causing social or environmental harm. " The possibility of getting an agreement is much improved now, " said Miran Kresal, who chaired that working group on behalf of Slovenia, which on Tuesday hands the EU's presidency to France. Last week, aid agency Oxfam said the knock-on effects of biofuels were pushing 30 million people worldwide into poverty. And this week, a long-awaited report in Britain will advise the government on other unwanted side effects. Aid agencies say EU targets encourage the exploitation of workers in biofuel exporting countries, pointing to tough conditions in the sugar cane plantations as an example. The group looked at imposing legally binding standards on exporters, such as ILO labour rules. But the idea has lost currency due to the risk it might break World Trade Organisation rules on free trade. " It will probably move towards a case of heavy reporting of social standards by the European Commission, " Kresal told Reuters. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/7619727 UK: 16) If anyone said squirrels are a major danger to our natural habitat, you might think they were barking mad. But that is exactly the case as trees across Hampstead and Highgate are at risk from an explosion in the number of grey squirrels. By stripping bark from trunks and branches, the ravenous rodents are causing potentially deadly damage to mature trees on the Heath and in Highgate Wood. Experts have not been able to offer a certain explanation for the surge in squirrel numbers, but the effect of their nibbling is evident to see. Wildlife photographer Ron Vester, who lives in Belsize Park, caught one of the feisty pests going hell-for-leather at the bark of a mature beech in the grounds of Kenwood House. " I've never seen so many grey squirrels here, " he said. " This is a fight between the trees and the squirrels and I'm afraid I have to side with the trees. " As much as I like squirrels, if you cut around the bark on the trunk of a tree then it's finished. I looked up and saw 10 squirrels on the same tree recently - they go at it like a buzz saw. " The bark falls off the branches like hair at a hairdressers - it just tumbles. They can go round a whole branch in as little as an hour. " He says that while it would take a long time for the squirrels to kill a significant number of trees, the ones being attacked are around 30 years old and there will be no way of replacing them if the squirrels are allowed to continue unchecked. http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/content/camden/hamhigh/news/story.aspx?brand=NorthLondo\ n24 & category=N ewshamhigh & tBrand=northlondon24 & tCategory=newshamhigh & itemid=WeED26%20Jun%202008\ %2015%3A30%3A24 %3A320 17) Rare mammals are reappearing in parts of the North East, thanks to conservation efforts. Endangered pine martens, part of the weasel family, are increasingly being seen in woods around the region. Now conservation bosses are trying to find out how many there are and what more can be done to encourage them to thrive. Pine martens are very shy and difficult to spot in the wild. The species has been brought to the brink of extinction in England because of hunting by humans. But Wark Forest in the Northumberland National Park is one place where the animals, which mainly live in trees, are starting to reappear. It is thought they are being helped by changes in the types of trees planted in the region and by work being done through the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Environmental Protection Act. Now the Vincent Wildlife Trust, a national conservation group, will join staff and volunteers from the Northumberland Wildlife Trust to complete a survey of pine martens in the area. On July 9, they will be searching for, photographing and collecting pine marten droppings which can be sent for DNA analysis. That will allow them to find out more about the mammals and how many are living in the forest. John Messenger, one of the UK's leading experts on pine martens, said: " It is hoped evidence of pine martens in Northumberland will encourage forest and other land managers to tailor their land to suit them. " Pine martens prefer mixed woodland with a variety of fruitbearing trees and it hoped a positive result will spur on further native woodland planting in the region. " Such habitat is also preferred by black grouse, red squirrel, goshawk, dormice and many species of birds, mammals, plants and fungi. " Survey leader Kevin O'Hara, conservation officer with Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: " We are delighted to be helping the Vincent Wildlife Trust with this important work and were inundated with calls from our volunteers when we announced we needed help. " Pine martens are becoming yet another endangered species in the UK so it is vitally important that we know where they are so we can protect them for the future. This survey will go some way towards helping us to do that. " The pine marten was recently credited with reducing the population of the invasive grey squirrel in the UK. http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1458986/on_trail_of_the_lonesome_pine/ 18) Wildlife enthusiasts are buzzing after discovering colonies of rare insects during a survey of woodland streams across Staffordshire. Experts at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, based at Wolseley Bridge, have recorded five sightings of a rare hoverfly and one of a scarce cranefly over the last few months. The Riverwood Hoverfly was not recorded at all in Staffordshire until 2004 and the Northern Yellow Splinter Cranefly has only been recorded in the county four times. Trust senior wetlands ecologist Nick Mott said the survey results were very encouraging. He said: " The survey covered a fairly small sample of Staffordshire's woodland streams, ranging from the River Churnet at Tittesworth Water to small tributaries of the River Severn on the Worcestershire and Shropshire borders near Kinver. " Many of these sites – which are called drumbles, dingles, pingles, cloughs or sprinks – are often small, steep-sided headwater streams running through unmanaged woodlands. " These are the conditions that the rare insects we have identified favour. " The findings are exciting because they are good indicators of habitat quality. " They tell us that we have some genuinely wild places in parts of rural Staffordshire. " One of the common denominators in all the sites surveyed was the presence of trees and branches in the watercourse. " In the past, woody debris has been removed but now the trust will be leaving it in place, if possible, to encourage these species to thrive. " Staffordshire Wildlife Trust will be continuing its woodland streams survey next spring, from April to June. http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/06/26/wildlife-fans-buzzing-as-rare-bugs-foun\ d/ 19) An Oxfordshire environmental charity has issued a grant to allow more light through the trees in Ipsden Heath woods between Wallingford and Henley to help woodland flowers flourish. A grant totaling £1,753 from the Oxfordshire's Environment Trust and Grundon Waste Management Ltd, has enabled the removal of some conifers that were casting heavy shade in the 32-acre wood, owned by the Woodland Trust. Since the trees were planted on the heath more than 150 years ago, the site has developed into a precious wildlife habitat with woodland plants such as bluebells, wood sorrel, enchanter's nightshade, herb robert, sweet woodruff and dog's mercury. The Woodland Trust's experience of restoring woodland to encourage flora and fauna in this way has come from its work to restore Planted Ancient Woodland sites covering 10,000 hectares across the country. The Trust commissioned research from Oxford university's forestry institute that found the most successful way to encourage natural regeneration was by gradual selective thinning to manage light levels, as most threats to the survival of ancient woodland come from either excessive shade or light. The Woodland Trust's woodland officer, Loren Eldred, who is overseeing the restoration work, said: " The emphasis is not simply on replacing the plantation conifers with native trees. We're aiming for gradual restoration of these woods to stop the gradual decline of the woodland flora. " The slow approach taken by the Trust means it will be a long time before work is complete, but some flora is expected to flourish after the first operation. It's very encouraging, " he added. http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/news.php?id=448878 20) The Health and Safety Executive indicates that on average half a dozen people in the UK are killed a year by trees falling on them and only three people by trees in public places. This means the average risk of a tree causing a death is about one in 150 million for all UK trees or one in 10 million for trees in public places. Country Land & Businesss Association (CLA) members own or manage more than half the land in England and Wales. We value the contribution trees make to the environment and landscape. However, landowners are being driven into unnecessary, costly practices in managing their trees which are out of proportion to the actual risk of harm being caused by the trees. It is really a case of actual risk being vastly less than perceived risk. Of course trees can never be made completely safe. However, tree consultants are often under an unrealistic pressure to certify a tree as safe. This in turn leads to them being too cautious and prescribing excessive, invasive remedial work. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article4199184.ece 21) Two Brazilian Indians arrive in London today to make a desperate plea to MPs for help to save their Amazon forest home. Jacir José de Souza and Pierlângela Nascimento da Cunha, who are from the Makuxi and Wapixana tribes, also hope to meet Pope Benedict XVI as they tour Europe in a bid to save their ancestral lands, which are under threat from large-scale farmers. For decades the Makuxi and Wapixana tribes, along with three other native peoples, have called on the Brazilian government to protect their territory, known as Raposa Serra do Sol, which is in the state of Roraima in the north of the country. The Brazilian president, Luis Inácia " Lula " da Silva, granted official recognition to the Indian communities' ownership of the territory in 2005 ¬ but a group of powerful landowners, who occupy a significant part of it, refuse to leave the area. The Roraima State government supports the farmers, and is petitioning the Brazilian Supreme Court to give them a large piece of the Indians' land. In recent months, the tribes have come under attack from farmers who have shot and wounded people, burned bridges and thrown a bomb into one of the communities. CAFOD has been supported indigenous groups in the Roraima region for many years and is helping to fund the Indians' visit to the UK. The aid agency works in partnership with the local diocese and the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR) which Jacir founded, to help indigenous groups secure the right to live on their traditional land. On Wednesday Jacir and Pierlângela will meet Liberal Democrat MP Martin Horwood and officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and ask for help to save their territory. CAFOD's Head of Latin America, Clare Dixon, said: " CAFOD has been supporting indigenous groups in the Roraima region for many years to defend their lands, their culture and their livelihood. Now things have reached crisis point. We are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with CIR to show the British Government that people living in England and Wales do care about what is happening on the other side of the globe and they should too. " http://www.indcatholicnews.com/indb323.html France: 22) An analysis of forest species in six French mountain ranges (the western Alps, northern Pyrenees, Massif Central, western Jura, Vosges and the Corsican range) shows that more than two thirds of them moved at least 60 feet (18.5 meters) higher on the mountainsides per decade during the 20th century. " Among 171 species, most are shifting upwards to recover temperature conditions that are optimum, " says ecologist and lead study author Jonathan Lenoir of AgroParisTech in Nancy, France. " Climate change has already imposed a significant effect in a wide range of plant species not restricted to sensitive ecosystems. " Previous research has shown that plants at the highest elevations on mountains (and in the polar regions) have been shifting to adjust to global warming. But this is the first confirmation that entire ecosystems in lower, more temperate regions are moving as well. " Species are not just moving at the extremes of their ranges, " says ecologist and co-author Pablo Marquet of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago. " What we show is that they are moving everywhere. " In an effort to gauge the effect of climate change on ordinary plant life, researchers measured where the best growing conditions on the mountains were for species of trees, grasses, herbs, ferns and mosses. They discovered that those for 118 of the studied species—from the herblike three-horned bedstraw (Galium rotundifolium) to whitebeam trees (Sorbus aria)—migrated to higher elevations as temperatures warmed. The researchers found that grasses, herbs and other short-lived species that had been through many generations shifted the most in search of perfect temperatures, whereas long-lived trees stayed largely in place. According to the authors, this is changing the composition of the forest—mixing formerly low-altitude grasses with high-altitude trees—which could potentially affect the entire ecosystem, particularly the animals that rely on specific plants to survive. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=climbing-trees-plants-move-uphill-as-climate\ -changes 23) Paris's current mayor, Bertrand Delanoë, has taken over the task. In his seven years in the job, he has created 79 acres of what City Hall calls " new green spaces. " Just this month, he transformed the open space in front of City Hall into an " ephemeral garden, " a nearly 31,000-square-foot temporary installation of 6,000 plants and trees, and even a mini-lake. Intimate, lightly trafficked and often quirky, the small gardens of Paris can be ideal places to rest and to read. The trick is to find them. You can consult " Paris: 100 Jardins Insolites " ( " Paris: 100 Unusual Gardens " ), a guide by Martine Dumond whose color photos make discovery for the non-French speaker a pleasure, or explore various Web sites like http://www.paris-walking-tours.com/parisgardens.html 24) The noose is steadily tightening around the neck of EU biofuels targets, with France on Monday (30 June) saying that the EU's 10 percent biofuels target may have to be reconsidered, in the latest attack on the renewable energy drive. With France taking over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU on Tuesday (1 July), the statement carries added weight, and follows on from a call from Italy earlier in the month for the bloc to review the target. " Probably we will be obliged to call into question or postpone the 10 percent objective, " said French ecology minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet speaking to reporters in Paris, according to the Reuters news agency. She added that developing a target for the controversial fuel source was " probably a mistake " and that the EU had proposed things the wrong way round: setting environmental and social criteria for the production of biofuels should have been developed first and then any target should have been drafted to match that. The EU in 2007 agreed that 10 percent of all transport fuel should come form renewable sources such as biofuels by 2020 as part of a wider overhaul of its energy sector. " On biofuels, we do not rule out in the long-run reconsidering the target, " Ms Kosciusko-Morizet said. " We took with too much haste the decision on an objective that is not reachable, " said Italian economic development minister Claudio Scajola in early June. http://euobserver.com/9/26419 Bulgaria: 25) Sofia's Administrative Court refused to revoke the restitution of the forests returned to Simeon Saxe-Coburg and his sister Maria Louisa for being the heirs of Bulgaria's former tsars Ferdinand and Boris III. The forests are located in the land in the areas of the town of Samokov and the village of Beli Iskar. The State Forestry Agency had applied for the revocation of three decrees dating from 2000 and 2003 for the return of the forests to the Land Commission in Samokov and to the Municipal Agricultural and Forestry Agency. The State Forestry Agency had submitted an appeal to the Court after both local offices declined to fulfill the demand. The Court, however, believes that the timeframe for legal appeal had expired. In addition, they cite new circumstances in the Law for Reinstating Ownership of Forests and Lands from the Forest Fund, where a new special order is provided giving the Municipal Agricultural and Forestry Agencies ways to change a previous decision already in effect. The Court also points out that the State Forestry Agency does not have any legal interest, and its not a side in the administrative proceedings, which were only between Simeon Saxe-Coburg and his sister Maria Louisa as applicants for the reinstitution of their ownership rights and the Municipal Agriculture and Forestry Agency in Samokov. The Administrative Court's decision can be appealed before the Supreme Administrative Court in a seven-day period. http://www.bulnews.net/bulgaria-tsar-and-his-sister-to-keep-reinstated-forests/ Palestine: 26) Said Nidal Abu Hamda, board member village of Beit Hanina in occupied Jerusalem that the Zionist bulldozers uprooted Tuesday (24 / 6) More than 300 olive trees old Romanian. He added that the Zionist army, using bulldozers, raided and closed down the dig declared a closed military zone. He explained that the strength of the so-called " border guard " for young men and attacked the village inhabitants, who have gathered to defend their lands, batons and tear gas. He appealed to the village of Beit Hanina and Beit Hanina Diwan people of all international institutions and humanitarian work to stop the risks to the village and the razing of lands and confiscation and destruction of villages and isolated and its people. The Cabinet of the residents of Beit Hanina statement to condemn the inhuman acts carried out by the Zionist army They could also for the hundreds of olive trees are bulldozed durables and land confiscation in addition to besiege and isolate parts of Beit Hanina old and new from each other. He SAI distress call to all States and human rights commissions and the countries that sponsor international covenants to move quickly to put an end to serious violations of Zionism. Declaring that prayers will be held next Friday in the region that have been bulldozed. The bureau warned that the Zionist military authorities placed signs near the vast area planted with olive trees, ancient Roman more than 1200 trees covering an area of 5 thousand acres intends extracted in the coming days. http://www.ntimc.org/newswire.php?story_id=8413 Israel: 27) " With great regret I must inform you that I failed in my efforts to save a 130-year-old tree, one of the first trees in Petah Tikva, " wrote Galon three weeks ago to Mayor Yitzhak Ohayon and the members of the Petah Tikva municipal council. " I have spent the past few nights in the vicinity of the tree, watching its death throes. I still cannot digest the action that has been taken by you and at your initiative. You could have preserved the impressive and healthy tree, earned glory and led an educational act of preservation, " continued Galon of the plant engineering department at the Agriculture Ministry. " However, you chose a different path, with the building permit you obtained serving as a fig leaf for this grave action. Despite my pleas in recent days to hold further discussion and to present to you professional alternatives for the preservation of the tree, you did not bother to reply to me. There is no doubt that this is a wonderful and symbolic gift to Petah Tikva in advance of its 130th anniversary celebrations. Cutting down the senior citizen that contributed to the city is ungrateful and inconsiderate. " The story of the tree in Petah Tikva is not unusual. In recent years quite a number of veteran trees have been cut down in other cities. According to the Petah Tikva municipality, the eucalyptus was a dangerous tree - one of its branches fell on a vehicle a year ago and nearly did serious harm. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/997314.html Congo: 28) KINSHASA–Former Canadian prime minister Paul Martin must worry about the flow of " every single dollar " if he hopes to succeed with a new $200 million fund launched to preserve the world's second-biggest tropical forest, Congolese activists say. Citing chronic corruption, weak governance and rampant illegal logging, African environmentalists say the Martin initiative faces a daunting culture of impunity in the Democratic Republic of Congo, home to 52 per cent of the Congo Basin rain forest. Yet they welcome the involvement of the former Canadian prime minister, who will co-chair the Congo Basin Forest Fund together with Kenyan-born Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai. " We need the world to be watching. We need Canada and Norway and all the big countries involved, because of the climate issues at stake, " said Roger Muchaba, head of the Congolese Natural Resources Network. " But, we also need Mr. Martin and the others overseeing this fund to empower the local leadership of the actual communities who live in and depend upon the rain forest. " Putting power in the hands of the locals is the best way to ensure the forest does not disappear, " Muchaba said. Deforestation is emerging as a critical element in the battle against climate change, with some studies suggesting shrinking tropical forests account for as much as one fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. A senior Congolese government official last week dismissed the fund as paltry compensation for what the world asks of the countries that control the Congo forest's rich resources. " We cannot be the ones who preserve, while others pollute without paying, " said Environment Minister Jose Endundu. " Of course, it's not enough. Congo is the country that has done the best job of preserving its forest, and that cannot remain without some kind of value. We are talking today in terms of billions of dollars. " One of the fund's first projects involves a plan to establish close satellite surveillance of the Congo forest by 2010, enabling far more precise real-time monitoring of an area covering 2 million square kilometres, or about twice the size of France. http://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/452458 29) Wealthy nations must provide more cash to help the impoverished Democratic Republic of Congo preserve the world's second biggest tropical forest, its Environment Minister said. Logging and land clearance for farming are eating away the Congo Basin, home to more than a quarter of the world's tropical forests, at the rate of more than 800,000 hectares a year. Environment Minister Jose Endundu told Reuters he wanted to reduce to 15 million hectares, from 20 million, the land attributed to logging companies, but that rich countries must help offset lost revenues and spur development there. " We cannot be the ones who preserve, while others pollute without paying, " he said in an interview. " Poverty and misery are the enemies of the forest. There needs to be a way that the local people are able to benefit from that forest. " Last week, donors led by Britain and Norway launched the $200 million Congo Basin Forest Fund to help monitor forest depletion and promote economically viable alternatives. Such projects, while encouraging, fall well short of fairly compensating his country, where the vast majority of the basin is located, Endundu said. " Of course it's not enough, " he said. " Congo is the country that has done the best job preserving its forest, and that cannot remain without some kind of value. We are talking today in terms of billions of dollars. " Next month, Congo is due to start evaluating 156 logging titles as part of a long delayed World Bank-sponsored review. Most of the deals were agreed during the turmoil of a 1998-2003 war and the corrupt transitional government that followed. Many are expected to be cancelled outright for breaking a 2002 five-year moratorium on new logging contracts put in place to try to stem rampant deforestation aggravated by the conflict. http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL25203693.html Uganda: 30) In February 2008, the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Uganda People's Defense Forces evicted more than 4,000 people from the Benet and Ndorobo communities living in Mount Elgon National Park in East Uganda. People's houses and crops were destroyed, cattle were confiscated and the people were left homeless. They found shelter where they could: in caves and under trees. The luckier ones stayed in a primary school or moved in with their relatives. The eviction of the Benet started ten days after Annick Van De Venster, a Belgian tourist, was shot and killed in Mount Elgon National Park. According to UWA, which is responsible for managing Uganda's national parks, cattle thieves were responsible. UWA's executive director, Moses Mapesa said, " We believe the people who shot at the tourist's group mistook it to be a rival camp of cattle thieves. " UWA used the tragedy of a tourist's death at Mount Elgon as an excuse to evict the Benet. " Following these incidents, " Moses Mapesa, UWA's executive director, said, " UWA found it prudent to address the issue of encroachment in the park, which in any case is all illegal as the boundaries of the park were redefined in 2002. " ActionAid demanded that the government should provide immediate relief to the evicted people through its Disaster Preparedness Ministry. Mount Elgon National Park is certified as well managed under the Forest Stewardship Council system. Clearly, the fact that the national park is FSC certified has not helped the Benet Indigenous People. SGS Qualifor, the certifying body which issued the FSC certificate for Mount Elgon, is aware of High Court ruling that the Benet are historical and indigenous inhabitants of Mount Elgon. But when UWA evicted the Benet in February this year, they did not worry about finding any " alternative land " . In May, a group of about 100 people who had been evicted from Mount Elgon camped outside Parliament in Kampala, demanding that the government allocate them land. A month later, Nelson Chelimo, the district chairman of Kapchorwa, near Mount Elgon, said that food aid was urgently need to save the lives of more than 1,000 Benet people. " People have no food and shelter following their eviction by Uganda Wildlife Authority and the army, " Chelimo said in a statement. http://www.fsc-watch.org/archives/2008/07/01/Thousands_of_Indigen Ghana: 31) The European Union (EU) in collaboration with Government of Ghana have began registering illegal chain-saw operators, under an European Union Chainsaw Project, to control depletion of forest resources and help minimize further destruction of the ozone layer in the country. Under the project, stakeholders in eight selected forest reserves, including Assin Atandansu Reserve are being educated on effects of environmental degradation through chainsaw operations to assist in preserving the equatorial forest for posterity. Mr Duodu said the project was laudable because, controlling chainsaw operators in the country had become a major challenge facing the Forestry Division as all efforts including formation of taskforce to clamp down their activities had not yielded the desired impact as they adopted various tactics to continue with their nefarious activities. He said Government and the EU were evolving means to review the Legislative Instrument (LI) 1649 of 1997 that banned the sawing of logs by chainsaw machines. Mr Duodu explained that currently, chainsaw operators supplied about 70 per cent of sawn lumber consumed by the local market as the registered timber firms which had been mandated to supply 20 per cent of their products to the local market had refused to comply with the directive. He said when the timber firms complied with the directive, chainsaw operators could be controlled and their activities checked and would be taxed to generate revenue for the nation because currently their operations were illegal and did not pay taxes. Some members of the public expressed concern about the illegal mining along the banks of Pra River and littering of the environment with plastic waste. http://www.modernghana.com/news/172077/1/eu-assists-government-to-reduce-forest-\ depletion.html Ethiopia: 32) Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize laureate and environmental activist, Wangari Maathai, presented the green award to Gaia Association Ethiopia's managing director, Milkyas Debebe, during a ceremony in London last Thursday. This year's top prize of US$80,000 went to India's Technology Informatics Design Endeavour, while Gaia was one of six others to be honoured in the international category. The Swedish-designed CleanCook stove distributed by the Gaia Association on behalf of UNHCR has helped to slow deforestation, curb sexual and gender-based violence, reduce indoor air pollution and ease friction between refugees and locals in Kebribeyah Refugee Camp and other areas of eastern Ethiopia, which has seen an influx of refugees from Somalia since 1991. " Our judges were enormously impressed with the enthusiasm for the stoves among refugee women. Not only did the stoves prevent wood-collection, with its associated dangers and environmental impacts, they were also much safer, quicker and more pleasant to use, in particular avoiding the risk of respiratory and eye diseases from smoke inhalation, " said Sarah Butler-Sloss, founder and chair of the annual Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy. " The Ethiopian people, especially women and children and our growing refugee population, suffer increasingly from poor energy choices and energy poverty. Gaia is pioneering ethanol stoves and fuel, using Ethiopia's natural resources. With support from the UNHCR and the Ethiopian government we are helping both Ethiopians and refugees. This award will help us to reach more people in need, " said Gaia's Debebe. The CleanCook stoves run on ethanol produced from molasses, a by-product of the local sugar industry. UNHCR and Gaia distribute ethanol fuel each day to some 17,000 users of the stoves in Kebribeyah. The stoves are healthier and more efficient than traditional wood-burning clay ovens or open fires, while their use means families can avoid using wood altogether. This is important in an area that has suffered severe deforestation and where women were in danger of attack when they collected fuel wood. http://www.waltainfo.com/walnew/index.php?option=com_content & task=view & id=798 & It\ emid=48 Tanzania: 32) It is possible to start fish culture in most of Ludewa villages, as long as water sources are plenty. Fishing with modern fishing gear and in large scale, will not only be beneficial to potential investors but also the government in terms of revenues and the local population in terms of employment creation. The district is endowed with forest potential as well. It has vast woodland covering an area of 100,000 hectares. There are four National Forest Reserves occupying 7,354 hectares. These forest reserves play an important role as rain and catchments forest. Varieties of unique tree species are found, birds and animals such as black and white colobus monkeys are common in all the forests in the district. The reserves are; Mdandu National Forest Reserve situated at Madilu ward in Liganga division, Madenge, which is situated at Milo ward in Mlangali Division, Sakaranyumo and Mshora national forest Reserves also situated at Milo ward in Mlangali Division. Local residents in Ludewa district believe that the potential for eco-tourism is very high but is yet to be uncovered. Miyombo Woodland is commonly found in almost every part of the District. Specifically they are located in Mawengi, Mbwila Ngalawale, Kimelembe, Nkomang'ombe and Mundindi villages. Mountains around the district are covered by natural forest, which is equivalent to 12,672 hectares. The trees are used for fire wood and lumbering. The demand is above the production. Various institutions and the government plant trees, and up to March, 2007, about 1,868,918 trees had been planted in the district. Authorities promote plantation of indigenous trees which are found in higher zones of rainfall. Roads of 58 kilometres have been made to avoid firebreaks. The practice of keeping bees can be done all over the district because of the suitable environment of both natural and planted forests. There are 8,521 beehives, which produce 3,234 litres of honey and 45 kilogrammes of wax per year. According to sources, honey produced in the area is very natural. Its quality ranks second to that produced in Kibondo District in Kigoma region. It is done at individual and group levels but nationwide consumption is prevented by poor infrastructure. http://dailynews.habarileo.co.tz/columnist/index.php?id=5473 Kenya: 33) The destruction of Embobut forest in Marakwet District is alarming. A lasting solution must be reached soon by the Government and the community before the situation gets out of hand. For the last five years, a lot has been said and written about the same, but the Government officials have remained tight-lipped about the issue. An outcry by the residents of Kerio Valley about the destruction has borne no fruits either. The situation is further worsened by the local chiefs and their assistants, who have taken advantage of the people's ignorance and allocated themselves chunks of forest land and engaged in illegal logging. Culturally, Embobut forest is a sacred resource, a source of medicinal herbs, totemic symbols and animals, rivers and other resources. For many clans living in Marakwet District, the destruction of this forest is catastrophic. This is because it has a lot of culture-associated beliefs. At the moment, the survival and development of the area has been jeopardised and many projects initiated by the Kerio Valley Development Authority have been affected adversely. The adverse effects of the destruction of this forest are very clear; soil degradation, landslides at Kaben Location, drought, ecological imbalance and consequent degradation of the quality of life in the semi-arid Kerio Valley. Other negative impacts may soon crop up, which are likely to bring war between the invaders and those using the water for irrigation in the lower lands of the semi-arid Kerio Valley. One thing to note is that no one clan in the Marakwet has monopoly of this forest. All are expected to manage and use it with due consideration of other stakeholders. If the Government is not willing to get a lasting solution to this problem, then the alternative is to declare the forest free for all to invade. http://allafrica.com/stories/200806240718.html South Africa: 34) Over here we have a group called " Working for Water " or its also known as " Masakane " . They employ mainly African women and teach them which plants are invaders. They form teams which work sections, cutting exotic trees out of the indigenous forests or say, a mountainous area..probably like the United States' National Wildlife Federation. Up in Mpumalanga (Eastern part of the Transvaal) the main problem is Black Wattle (from Australia). If you cut it it grows back even more vigorously and if there is a veld fire, the seeds love it and come up double as thick. It was bought over in around about the 1800's as support beams for mine shafts. You will see it popping up in a line when you look at the side of a mountain ..follows the direction of the shaft..even now, a hundred years later. When I worked for a geologist for a while, thats how I would find some of the old mine dumps for testing...look for the wattle. Down in the Cape it is Port Jackson (Australia) very similar habits to Wattle, and was also used to tan hide. Anyway... Kind regards, Jill lady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.