Guest guest Posted July 7, 2008 Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 --Today for you 35 new articles about earth's trees! (368th 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: EU-Africa-Mid-East Asia-Pacific-Australia Index: --UK: 1) Animation commissioned by Woodland Trust, 2) Tree protest in Bristol, 3) Man's forest loses protection because he says it's just a garden, --Germany: 4) Economics of Climate Change, 5) 500 million Euros for tropical forests, --Lebanon: 6) Forest cover at 13% & efforts to maintain it --Congo: 7) Conservation and forestation --Eritrea: 8) Forest plantation stats. --Kenya: 9) " Sustainable " paper company faces collapse due to lack of raw material? --Russia: 10) FSC's High conservation value areas are popular places to log, 11) Fires, --India: 12) New strategy to evict tribes from their land, 13) Why cut young trees? --Bangladesh: 14) Propagating afforestation & reforestation programs, 15) Down to 2%? --South East Asia: 16) Don't buy Nutella! --Philippines: 17) Achieve ideal forest cover of 54 percent? --Papua New Guinea: 18) 2.1 per cent takings of every log exported sits in a Singapore bank account, 19) Greenpeace demands investigation into 2.1% takings (US$40 Million), --Malaysia: 20) Company in Tawau earns Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) certification, 21) Save Ulu Muda forest! --Indonesia: 22) Rivers and tributatries of Bali dry and in need of regreening, 23) Orangutan may be the first great ape to go extinct, 24) IMH's Acasia growing for pulp and paper, 25) Door makers works to restore Harapan forest, 26) Orangutan survival must guide conservation efforts, --New Zealand: 27) High grade logger stupidity, 28) Mammalian predators, pest threats, --Australia: 29) UN investigates Tasmania destruction, says it's ok! 30) Mt Rae forest saved! 31) Lack of scientists means lack of knowledge of terrestrial ecosystems, 32) Rainforest Rescue travels the world to save Daintree forest, 33) Gunns Pulp Mill summary, 34) Discussion of logging quotas, targets and methods in WA, 35) NSW government moves to shield forest destroyers, UK: 1) The short animated film, called Reliable and tidy hoverfly looking for a place to live was made and directed by three young film-makers, and was commissioned by the Woodland Trust. It marks the first complete year of its Ancient Tree Hunt, a five-year project to find and record 100,000 ancient trees in the UK. The film illustrates why such trees are so important as wildlife habitats, with holes, dead and rotting wood, wrinkles and crannies all important habitats for hundreds of plants, animals, insects and fungi, including many rare and threatened species. Using animation with characters made of paper, recycled cardboard and other recovered materials, it tells the story of a hoverfly that wants to move into an old tree and is looking for the perfect spot to live. He is befriended by a click beetle who introduces him to the other inhabitants, the inner workings, relationships and survival mechanisms of the interior of a hollow, ancient tree. The film will be shown at the Woodland Trust's stand in the Exploring Nature zone. This summer, the Ancient Tree Hunt organised its 'Summer of Hugs' to get more people out looking for ancient trees. The Trust will be taking its hugs to Blenheim and running lessons in tree-hugging. Hugging is an easy way to measure the girth of old trees; one of several indicators of age. http://www.fwi.co.uk/blogs/rural-life/2008/07/ok-its-not-indiana-jones-but.html 2) Do these trees look dead, dying or dangerous to you? Well in their wisdom our friends at Bristol City Council have decided to allow the felling of these trees in Grove Wood next to Blackberry Hill. We have contacted the media to tell them of our opposition to this decision. We are organising a PEACEFUL and LEGAL protest to demonstrate our concern on Monday 7th July from 5.30pm. If you want to get involved please email us at snuffmills If you want to know Bristol's reasoning for this decision, here is the letter they are sending to the hundred or so people that objected: http://snuffmills.blogspot.com/2008/07/goodbye-blackberry-trees.html 3) The saga began when the businessman and his wife Gillian moved into a £750,000 house in Woolverstone, Suffolk, in 2004. He set about clearing the overgrown parts of the 2.83 acres of land which came with the house, with the aim of planting oak and beech trees and returning it to its condition of 50 years ago. But Forestry Commission officials objected when his contractor uprooted alder saplings that had begun growing wild on the land. Mr Rockall claimed before Lowestoft magistrates that Environment Department rules did not require him to have a licence to cut down trees in his own garden. But magistrates decided the overgrown land had 'ceased to be a garden' and convicted him. The legal battle ended yesterday when Lord Justice Moses, sitting with Mr Justice Blake, overturned the conviction, saying that the definition of a garden has become much broader in modern times. Mr Rockall's barrister, Dominic Grieve, QC, said a previous owner had allowed the land to run wild. Lord Justice Moses said: 'The Oxford English Dictionary states that a garden is an enclosed piece of ground devoted to the cultivation of flowers, fruit or vegetables. 'That definition is clearly now too narrow, as the current fashion for wild gardens and meadow areas amply demonstrates. 'The reality is that no description will categorically establish whether a piece of land is a garden or not. It is incumbent on the fact finder to determine its use. 'It is important to look at the relationship between the owner and the land, and the history and character of the land and space.' The judge added: 'It has been contended that the garden was so disused that it had ceased to be a garden - I have some doubts about that. 'Did it cease to be a garden because the owner went abroad and the occupier had neither the means nor the intention to keep it well maintained? There will be many of us that inherit land and are unable to maintain it in the way our forefathers kept it, through insufficient time or money. 'The fact that the previous owner didn't have the need or desire for the land as a gardener and that the owner went abroad didn't mean that the garden ceased to be one.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1032112/When-garden-garden-Judges-better\ -definition.html Germany: 4) The European Commission has recently launched a report on the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity. This report was inspired by the momentum created by the Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change and it was proposed by the German Government. The purpose of this study was to initiate the process of analyzing the global economic benefit of biological diversity, the costs of the loss of biodiversity and the failure to take protective measures versus the costs of effective conservation. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/economics/pdf/teeb_report.pd\ f 5) German Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent pledge of 500 million Euros over four years to conserve tropical forests, followed by increased annual spending on forest protection, starts to address a major source of greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change. As Chancellor Merkel notes, tropical forests are home to biological diversity and healthy ecosystems that strengthen Earth's resilience to global warming and help people adapt to the changing climate. The burning and clearing of tropical forests contributes 20 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions – more than all the world's cars, trucks and airplanes combined. Emissions from deforestation, rather than industrial discharges, make developing countries Brazil and Indonesia two of the world's top four greenhouse gas polluters. However, less than 1 percent of current investments in the global carbon market created by the Kyoto Protocol target forest-related solutions. Germany's G8 partners – the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and Russia – can help correct that imbalance by making pledges similar to Merkel's and promoting forest conservation as an important and viable way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. " Halting deforestation is an immediate and cost-effective way to cut greenhouse gas emissions, " said Peter Seligmann, the chairman and CEO of Conservation International (CI). " Solutions for climate change that don't include the conservation of carbon sinks such as tropical forests and oceans will fail to reduce greenhouse gas emissions enough to prevent catastrophic impacts from rising global temperatures. " Tropical forests are home to more than half the species on Earth and harbor vital resources such as fresh water, food and medicines directly depended on by local communities, often the most vulnerable and poorest of society. http://www.netnewspublisher.com/german-initiative-to-conserve-forests-offers-win\ -win-solution/ Lebanon: 6) CHOUF: Covering 13 percent of the country, they are a unique green area in the Middle East, and attract tourists from around the world. The cedars of Lebanon are much loved, but they have had a difficult time lately. Last year, 4,700 hectares of forest were destroyed in fires, including 1,500 hectares as the worst blazes raged on October 2. There is no national plan for managing forest fires in an emergency, and driving through Beiteddine into the mountains, the view is not of forests, but of hundreds of burnt trees. But on Thursday, the Association for Forests, Development and Conservation (AFDC) showcased several new reforestation programs and prevention measures which have been funded by the EU. AFDC director Sawsan Abou Fakhreddine hopes that with the 350,000 euro ($550,000) grant the AFDC can not only buy equipment for their firefighters and 300 volunteers but, more importantly, set up a central forest fire operations room to co-ordinate action in a crisis. " We will never be able to prevent fires, " she said at the Chouf cedar reserve, " but we hope to be able to limit their impact a little bit, and to control the times when they can break out. " She champions local campaigns to raise awareness that fires can start when broken glass is left as litter and focuses sunlight, although she adds that not all fires are accidents. Even nature in Lebanon is not immune to politics. " People here are sometimes politically opposed to a municipality, " she said, " and so they start a fire in the area. " The main objective of the project is to set up an early warning system. The operations center will be based in Beirut and will be managed by the Civil Defense forces who will work alongside staff from the Lebanese Army, the Internal Security Forces and representatives from the Environment, Agriculture and Interior ministries. They will work to monitor fires, to warn of outbreaks and to co-ordinate volunteers and troops to fight them. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1 & categ_id=1 & article_id=93813 Congo: 7) Conserving the Congo forest, and indeed all of our forests in Africa, as well as accelerating forestation efforts, is vital to our survival on a continent where the Sahara Desert is expanding to the North and the Kalahari Desert is expanding to the Southwest. For this reason the Congo Basin Forest Fund (CBFF) was launched in London on June 17. The initial financing of the CBFF comes from a pair of $200 million grants from the governments of the United Kingdom and Norway. Ten countries in the Central African region established the Congo Basin Forest Initiative to manage the forest more sustainably and conserve its rich biodiversity. The Congo Basin Forest is the world's second largest forest ecosystem and is considered the planet's second lung, after the Amazon. The forests of the Congo Basin provide food, shelter, and livelihood for over 50 million people. Covering 200 million hectares and including approximately one-fifth of the world's remaining closed-canopy tropical forest, they are also a very significant carbon store with a vital role in regulating the regional climate. The diversity they harbour is of global importance. Spanning an area twice the size of France, the Congo Basin rainforest is home to more than 10,000 species of plants, 1,000 species of birds, and 400 species of mammals. Today, the Congo Basin rainforest is coming under pressure. Increased logging, changing patterns of agriculture, population growth, and the oil and mining industries are all leading to ever greater deforestation. This situation is not sustainable for the people who live there, for the countless species that may be driven to extinction, or for the climate. Reversing the rate of deforestation in the Congo Basin is therefore essential both to securing the livelihoods of the people in the region and to maintaining the carbon-storage capacity and biodiversity of the forest. http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/Opinion/op070720088.htm Eritrea: 8) At the Ministry of Agriculture, the coordinator of the Community Plantation Program, Mr. Fkreyesus Ghilay, stated that there were 20 nurseries at national and community levels in 2006. However, the number was raised to 30 in 2007. Similarly, the Ministry of Agriculture prepared 3.7 million seedlings in 2007 compared to 1.7 million in 2006. This showed a 117 percentage increase. According to Mr. Fkreyesus, since independence more than 30,000 hectares of land were terraced ad planted with different species of trees and about 200,000 hectares were reserved as green area. Speaking about activities for the year 2008, he said that 34 nurseries are expected to produce 12.3 million seedlings and already 5.6 have been prepared so far. The forest resources in Eritrea are known to be rare, degraded and placed under an increasing human and livestock pressures for divers needs such as firewood, construction materials, grazing and agriculture. It is true that not much forest was left from what was reported to exist even only a century ago. But it is also true that Eritrea is still endowed in many of its parts of a sizeable forest cover that plays an important social and economic role in the nation. The forestry formations, which include the highland forests (Juniperus procera, and Olea africana) which cover about 0.8 %, mixed woodlands of Acacia spp. and associated species, grasslands and woodland, riverine forests and mangrove vegetation cover about 13.5 % of the total surface area of the country. (fao.org) http://www.shaebia.org/artman/publish/article_5518.shtml Kenya: 9) Paper manufacturer Pan African Paper Mills (Panpaper) is facing collapse due to lack of raw materials. Five years after its long term logging licence expired, the government is yet to renew it. The licence, which allows the company to fell and extract wood from government-owned plantations, expired in December 2003. The government has since then been extending its logging licence annually, forcing the miller to engage in short-term felling of trees. The government owns substantial shares in the company. Last year, Panpaper announced plans to stop the production of bleached paper claiming it was unable to stock enough eucalyptus wood — the main raw material in the manufacture of light grade paper — and Hydrogen peroxide, a chemical used to bleach paper. The intermittent supply of raw materials has forced the company to operate at 35 per cent of its capacity over a number of months. However, to avert a recurrence of the crisis, the company has written to the government, requesting it to grant it a long term logging licence. Meanwhile, Panpaper has proposed to the government to issue it with a five-year felling plan to insulate it from material supply interruptions in the short run. Even as the company makes a formal request to the government to re-introduce long-term logging licences, it has criticised the government for its reluctance to bring into action the Forest Act 2005. The Act, which proposes to replace long-term logging licence with concessioning, would enable Panpaper get raw materials from forest with minimal interruptions. The Act stipulates that concessioning authorities will have to ensure that concession areas are well stocked with trees and that only mature ones are felled. If enacted, Panpaper will develop its own plantations in forest concession areas which it estimates will be 18,000 hectares in Turbo, Lugari, Timboroa and Mt Elgon. Under the arrangement, Panpaper will be allowed to manage forests and harvest trees on concessionary terms within some specified period of time. However, Panpaper's executive officer Niranjan Saha insists that there is need to ensure forest concessions are sufficiently stocked till such a time when new plantations mature. Mid last month, the company announced the return to normalcy of its operations after last year's poll violence. Coincidentally, the regions most affected by the poll violence were the company's major sources of raw materials. This led to a Ksh320 million ($5 million) loss. The company claims it will take time before it recovers from such a " substantial " loss. http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/Business/biz070720084.htm Russia: 10) At the beginning of June, Karelian environmental NGO SPOK wrote an official letter to the Russian national office of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) requesting investigation of the forestry practises of forestry company 'Zapkarelles'. SPOK considers that the activities of 'Zapkarelles' do not conform to the principles and criteria of FSC to protect areas of high-conservation value forest (HCVF). SPOK considers that the leaseholder is ignoring information on HCVF, which has been collected and made public by the NGO several years ago. Large-scale logging operations in HCVFs are planned by the company. The NGO requests that the company does not proceed with logging in the Porosozerkii and Salmiyarvski Forests (Suyoyarvskiy Central Forest District). The company 'Zapkarelles' and the Danish parent company FLEXA Group A/S (represented in Petrozavodsk by 'Fleksa Wood'), did not provide answers to the NGO's questions concerning HCVF. The current situation cannot be considered normal practice for a modern company certified as sustainable under the FSC scheme. This complaint follows another recent Karelian example of cancellation of FSC certificates for the 'Segezhskiy' Pulp Mill, on grounds of not meeting the FSC criteria. http://www.fsc-watch.org/archives/2008/07/02/Karelian_Certificate_challenged 11) This image, captured by NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites on June 30, shows a pall of smoke drifting over a vast area of Siberia and wafting across Sakhalin Island and into the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean. Hundreds of fires, which have destroyed at least 37,000 acres, burned as overtaxed fire crews were unable to extinguish the blazes. Russian scientists say that rising temperatures in Siberia — much of the region has experienced temperature increases of 2 degrees C over the past half-century — are making its boreal and temperate forests more susceptible to fire. Increased logging, much of it driven by China, also plays a role as the cutting brings more people into once-inaccessible sections of the taiga. http://e360.yale.edu/content/digest.msp?id=1290 India: 12) If one day you 'fail' to help the fire service in dousing a fire in your neighbourhood or do not assist the police in catching a dangerous culprit, should you be turfed out of your house in order to be taught a lesson? The Tamil Nadu forest department seems to believe so. It feels they have the legal power to eject irresponsible citizens from forestlands, even if this were not so easy in cities. Underlying the move by the forest department to target the scheduled tribe, Kani, on the grounds that its members were lax in preventing a forest fire seems more an attempt to displace them from the forests in violation of the recently operationalised Forest Rights Act than anything else. In an astonishing notice sent to Kanis of Kalakad Mundunthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) the forest department has claimed the schedule tribe forest dwellers have forfeited their right to stay in the forests as they allegedly did not help the department officials in preventing a forest fire that they are 'required to do' under the Tamil Nadu Forest Act. The notice, sent by the deputy director of the tiger reserve, also blames them for not providing any 'useful information'. In the notice, in Tamil, the forest department has said: " Only those who respect the law and assist the Forest Department are eligible to live and obtain rights in the forest " . The deputy director of KMTR, C Bhadrasamy, told TOI, " We were short of staff when the fire occurred but they did not come to help se we sent them the notice. " The Kani, now a scheduled tribe, were forcefully brought to the forests under the colonial rule starting in 1910 to run their and the then zamindar's plantations. Some of these Kani now live in four hamlets in the heart of what in 1962 was declared a tiger reserve and eke a living out of the forest. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Tribe_faces_eviction_for_failing_to_sto\ p_forest_fir e/articleshow/3201681.cms 13) More than 50 percent poplar trees (Euramericana guinier) on the banks of canal have completed their average age (10 years) and need be replaced, because they can be hazardous to the environment and health, botanists and environmentalists told Daily Times. They said, however, removal of the trees from the banks of canal would result in soil erosion and affect the city's beauty. More than 70 percent trees on the banks of canal are poplar while other species include jaman (Eugenia jambolana), shishum (Dalbergia sissoo), mango, amaltas (Cassia fistula) and Alphitonia excelsa. They said, " The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) has adopted a better policy for tree plantation keeping in view the long-term environmental effects. Trees planted by the DHA have an average age of 50 years. " DHA Public Relations Officer Tajjamul Hussain said the DHA had planted 10,000 saplings including sukh chain (Pongamioa pinnata), Magnolia (Magnoliax wieseneri), and amaltas. Punjab University's Botany Department Chairman Khan Rass Masood said most of the poplar trees on the canal had been planted thirty years ago. He said these trees should be removed. He said, " Rest of the trees should be replaced on time to avoid timber loss and environmental hazards. Trees are considered the lungs of Mother Earth, so they should be planted keeping in view their longevity. " Before Partition, he said, pines (coniferous trees) – with an average age of 100 years, were planted at Khanas Pur. On The Mall pipal (Ficus religiosa) trees – with an average age of 400 years, were planted. http://lahorenama.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/50-poplar-trees-on-lahores-canal-need\ -to-be-replaced/ Bangladesh: 14) Planting of trees or seeds in order to transform open land into forest or woodland is termed as afforestation. It can also refer to giving land the status of 'royal forest'. Afforestation is not to be confused with reforestation, which is another related term. Reforestation involves using native trees to restock already existing depleted forests. Most countries have seen rapid decline in forest cover since the dawn of the industrial revolution. Hence, both government and Non-governmental organisations (NGO's) have been directly propagating afforestation & reforestation programs. Afforestation and reforestation can go a long way in minimizing the Green House effect. These are relatively quick, easy to accomplish options with no economic penalties. It is a viable option to reduce net emissions. The essential benefits that these programs include climate stabilization, food and forest products. The forests under the control of the Forest Department have been classified into hill forests, mangrove forests and plain land forests. The hill forests belonging to tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen species extend over the hilly eastern part of the country. Over four hundred tree species have been found in the hill forest region. According to one estimate more than 100,000 ha of hill forests have been replaced by plantations of valuable and fast growing species. Around 12,000 ha of plantation are raised in hill forests every year. It is also known that about 1.8 million acres of forestland is available for plantation development activities. Homestead forestry is another method by which forest resources are being enhanced and it has an important environmental component. But as it stands today, programmes for community forestry or large-scale social forestry in Bangladesh have had limited success so far on account of nominal participation from local villagers. For the sustainable management of forest resources, it is thus necessary to ensure active participation of the people at large, especially the womenfolk as trees have always been central to women's life-style. http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/07/03/news0489.htm 15) The Northwest Bangladesh has only about 2% tree cover. One popularly cited statistics reckons the rate of forest destruction to be at the tune of 8000 ha/year and the annual deforestation rate is estimated to be 3.3. Traditionally, religious beliefs and culture had a major influence on forest resource generation and use in the Indian sub-continent. Documentation, scripture, seals and paintings from the Indus valley civilisations showed that forests were adored as a collection of celestial plants and were supposed to be inhibited by divine spirits. Some analysts have gone as far as to argue that the ancient culture of this sub-continent had its very origin in Aranyas (forests) and Ashrams (religious centres, mostly located in woods). Major Indian philosophies and preaching, for example, found expression in the thoughts of Rishies and Gurus (saints and hermits), who mostly lived in the serenity and obscurity of forests. As early as 1500 BC, Rigveda, for example, preached: " Plant, Thus I hail Thee - The Divine Mother of Mankind " (Rig-X-97-4). Similarly, the Puran considered " plantation of trees and maintaining them were good acts " and suggested that, for " those who do not have sons, trees are there sons " . Later the Aryans, basically a pastoral community and one of the most dominant races of ancient India, revered forests and maintained all their big institutions in the sylvan surroundings of the forest. The Prophet of Islam also preached that " if any of you plant a single seed or plant whose fruits are eaten by animals, birds or men, then it will be considered an act of piety " and " do not tear even a single leaf of any plant unnecessarily " . The Muslim rulers of India (including Bengal), for example the Mughals, also demonstrated a utilizational and aesthetic approach towards forests. For the rulers, forests served the 'imperial hunting' and 'ornamental' purposes. Worshipping of trees was commonplace. This, coupled with spiritual preaching by some rulers, most likely instilled among people some consciousness and interest in forest preservation and propagation. Customs and religion, for example, forbade the use of sickles or axe in certain areas; while in other areas forests were treated as Devaranya (gods' grove) from which only twigs and fallen branches could be fetched without causing any damage to trees. The rulers also fostered the linkage between forests and religious culture. There were forests exclusively " for the study of religion " under some ancient Indian kingdoms. http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/07/04/news0516.htm South East Asia: 16) We're still working to build a coalition of companies which are determined to reform the palm oil industry so no more forest is lost due to the expansion of their plantations in South East Asia and with Unilever's help we're in contact with other major players in the palm oil trade. However, some are less keen than others to co-operate and need some persuading. One such company is Ferrero, makers of Nutella and of course Ferrero Rocher. It is another large user of palm oil and one that has already been the focus of attention for our Italian office. They analysed the ingredients of Nutella and it contained 31 per cent vegetable oil, and much of that is palm oil. Despite repeated requests from Greenpeace campaigners, Ferrero refused to reveal the names of its palm oil suppliers whilst saying it's dealing with the issue through its membership of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. But as I've mentioned in the past, as things stand this organisation isn't living up to its name and some of its members are actively involved in deforestation. After sending a buffoonery of orang-utans, not to the ambassador's reception but to persuade the Italian football team to support the campaign (Nutella is a major team sponsor) and more than 9,000 of emails sent from Italian Greenpeace supporters, Ferrero still refuses to spill the beans. It's still at the stage where Ferrero could be taking a lead on this, but without being honest and transparent about the source of its palm oil, Ferrero can't even begin to tackle the problem. http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/forests/nutella-with-this-deforestation-you-ar\ e-really-spoil ing-us-20080703 Philippines: 17) The law should identify a management scheme for the remaining open and denuded forests for the purpose of restoration. This is to ensure the expansion of protection for forestlands in order to achieve the ideal forest cover of 54 percent of the total land area of the Philippines. Restoration of forests by rainforestation, which refers to the use of native trees, is a primary objective of the bill given the poor state of our forests and biodiversity. Further degradation or destruction of our forests will lessen our capacity to adapt and mitigate the effects of global warming. Decreasing forest cover compromises our ability to optimize ecological benefits derived from natural forests. Studies have shown that forest restoration is more likely to improve the long-term sustainability of land use because it improves biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Forest restoration also provides a wider range of ecological services such as watershed management, carbon sequestration, and economic gains to rural communities that could benefit from sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest products. The law should provide for guidelines on buffer-zone management. The law should provide for guidelines on buffer-zone management for natural forests, watersheds, critical habitats and other protected areas. It is necessary to determine the effective size of buffer zones to prevent encroachment and reduce pressure on the areas mentioned above. Only indigenous species should be used for reforestation. Strictly speaking, " reforestation " should back the original forest with the planting of species native to a particular forest. The use of native trees in reforestation (i.e. rainforestation) should be promoted because native trees have a greater chance of survival. Aside from reviving the life support system of a forest, they also ensure the flourishing of native plants and trees and truly improve biodiversity. It should be emphasized that reforestation refers to ecological restoration and does not apply to timber plantation establishments. Reforestation should be differentiated from plantation forestry, which is the planting of one or two species for the sole purpose of production and harvesting. http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/july/05/yehey/opinion/20080705opi7.html Papua New Guinea: 18) About $US40 million, money from log exports is sitting in a Singapore bank account for a Government Minister and is being looked after by a " consortium " in that country. This $US40 million (K145 million) is from the 2.1 per cent takings of every log exported overseas, a deal struck by this MP in the last Government and has been accumulating since. The money has been going to this private account in exchange for logging deals in Papua New Guinea from several loggers in the country (named). Papers sighted by the Post-Courier yesterday showed the money kept in two Singapore banks (named) have been accumulating since 2002. From records, the MP had " touched " this account twice since the opening balance of that account in 2002 and since then it has been accumulating. Two top Government advisers hesitantly told the Post-Courier when approached that this money, which had been deposited every time several logging companies exported logs out of PNG into this private account and has not been used because " the money is too large it will raise concerns if brought into the country in a large amount " . THE papers also state that the money belongs to a single MP but has some percentages shared among three others, also PNG Government MPs and which has the backing of a foreign multi-millionaire businessman from Asia. The two Singapore banks — a commercial bank and a foreign bank (named) — were contacted yesterday for more information and to confirm that Papua New Guineans had accounts in their banks together with cohorts from Singapore as a consortium. The banks refused to comment and they neither confirmed nor denied such things existed. But the Waigani advisers said there was a need to investigate this account and an explanation was needed from whoever was involved because rightfully, this money belonged to the people of Papua New Guinea. http://www.trupela.com/blog/2008/07/03/it-would-appear-that-forestry-and-corrupt\ ion-in-png/ 19) Greenpeace and the PNG opposition are demanding a full investigation into allegations that an unnamed government minister skimmed more than $A41 million from logging deals and funnelled the money into an offshore bank account. PNG's Opposition Leader Mekere Morauta said Prime Minister Michael Somare and his government must answer the allegations surrounding Post-Courier newspaper report that a senior minister had put the money into a Singapore account. " If the allegations are true, they also demonstrate what I have been saying for a long time - that corruption has been institutionalised, it is systemic, " Morauta said. " If the allegations are true, they show that senior members of the government are using state institutions for personal gain. " Morauta also asked the Singapore government to help in any investigations. The Courier reported $US40 million ($A41.9 million) is being kept in two Singapore accounts and managed by a consortium for the unnamed minister. The minister allegedly took 2.1 per cent on every log exported from the country since 2002. PNG Greenpeace Forest Campaigner Dorothy Tekwie said the PNG logging industry and government are defrauding the people out of a substantial amount of money. " Greenpeace has been concerned for years that there is a complete lack of transparency in the dealings of the government and the logging sector. " This is just another in a string of allegations which claim deep-seated corruption in forestry and collusion by logging companies and public servants to defraud the people of PNG. " The allegations come at a difficult time for Somare, who last week was referred to the public prosecutor for alleged irregularities in his own personal finances. In May, the government strongly rejected allegations surrounding a Taiwanese diplomatic cash scandal, in which $US30 million ($A32 million) earmarked for PNG to switch allegiance from China to Taipei, went missing. A spokeswoman Somare suggested the opposition and the Courier provide evidence to prove the latest allegations. " Until we establish facts about these purported bank accounts, we can't do much. " There's been a lot of false reporting and we really ask the Courier to show us evidence, " the spokesman said. http://news.smh.com.au/world/png-minister-accused-of-41m-scam-20080702-30n0.html Malaysia: 20) SANDAKAN: A timber company based in the east coast district of Tawau has been recognised as among the first commercial entities in Sabah to have successfully implemented a sustainable approach in its logging operations. The Sabah Forestry Department yesterday awarded the Exemplary Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) Certificate to Hormat Jadi Sdn Bhd at the department's headquarters here. Department director Datuk Sam Mannan said Hormat Jadi, which was represented by its managing director Elbert Lim, was " arguably the only company in the world that had produced a significant volume of tropical timber within a short time while maintaining RIL standards. " All this was achieved without compromising work quality and still maintaining the forest environment, " he said. He said the company's success was due to its willingness to learn and adopt new technology. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/6/nation/21748096 & sec=nation 21) The Kedah Sino-Malay Ricemillers' Association has appealed to Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak to reconsider his decision to log the Ulu Muda forest reserve. Its president, Datuk Chew Giok Kun, said Azizan should hold discussions with the Federal Government before proceeding. " All parties should view the matter positively. They should find the best way to tackle the problem and not find the easy way out since this involves Kedah's biggest water catchment area, " he said Chew joins a chorus of concerned groups, including non-governmental organisations, which had condemned Azizan's decision to log in the water basin, about twice the size of Singapore. However, Azizan remained defiant of protests, including from his Kelantan counterpart, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, who is Pas spiritual leader. He also drew the ire of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng who said logging in the forest reserve would be catastrophic, especially at the Muda Dam, which supplies water for irrigation, industries and domestic use in Kedah, Penang and Perlis. Chew said he expected differences in opinion between the Pas-led state government and federal authorities over Azizan's plan. " However, we must put the interests of padi farmers and our rice needs first before making any decision. " We may think differently but we must agree on the same thing -- whatever is in the interest of the nation. " To date, Azizan has received only brickbats for his decision to log the timber, valued at about RM16 billion, to finance his administration's development programmes. Azizan had also said that he would continue the logging plan even if the Federal Government gave in to his RM100 million per annum request to spare the trees. http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2282699/Article/index_\ html Indonesia: 22) The people of Bali will go to the polls on Wednesday, July 9, 2008, to elect their next Governor and Vice-Governor. While who will win the election is a matter of open conjecture; the current front-runners according to pre-election polls are former Bali Chief of Police Made Mangku Pastika and A.A. Ngurah Puspayoga. Comments attributed to Pastika in the Bali Post suggest that, if elected, the man once named " Man of the Year " by Time (Asia) for his role in bringing Bali bombers to justice, will bring a strong commitment to a greener Bali to his job. Lamenting that Bali's scenic forest and river ways are seeing their trees harvested and their landscapes turned into tourist resorts, Pastika said: " Sadly some 200 rivers and tributaries on Bali have dried up. The condition of our jungles and forests is in decline. Water sources are increasingly limited, leaving smaller reservoirs of water to be managed by the 'subak' system. This condition will become a complex problem for Bali where water is the key element of life. " In order to preserve and protect Bali's water supply, Pastika has identified key areas for action. First, the system of managing the Island's jungles and forests must be repaired to allow the retention of rainfall. Second, there is a need for closer supervision of sub-terrain water supplies. And, thirdly, better management of Bali's delicate river system must be put in place. Pastika and Puspayoga are calling for an end to illegal logging in Bali, returning the forests to their natural function as absorption areas and vital link in Bali's mountainous ecological system. In this context, the duo have also called for an aggressive replanting and reforestation of Bali's semi-arid eastern plains in combination with organic farming to help support the people of that economically poor region. http://www.balidiscovery.com/messages/message.asp?Id=4617 23) Illegal loggers and palm oil plantations may make the orangutan the first great ape to become extinct, scientists warn. In Indonesia, a mere 6,600 of the apes remain, while on Malaysia's Borneo Island, the population has fallen 10% to 49,600, the Telegraph reports. Soaring biofuel prices have aggravated the issue by enticing farmers to expand palm oil plantations. The ape will soon die out, one study concludes, " unless extraordinary efforts are made soon. " Indonesia has long promised to step up and help the orange-haired mammal. http://www.newser.com/story/31714.html?refid=rss_all_default 24) To take advantage of high prices of pulp and paper, PT ITCI Hutani Manunggal (IHM) and PT Adindo Hutani Lestari (AHL) are aggressively growing acasia trees to supply pulp and paper mills. IHM, which is partly owned by state forestry firm PT Inhutani I, holds 161,127 hectares in forest concessions in North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara regencies in East Kalimantan. AHL's concession areas are in four regencies: Bulungan, Malinau, Tana Tidung and Nunukan. IMH general manager Armadani said the company would spend Rp 1 trillion (US$109 million) over the six-year growth-period leading up to harvest, beginning with land clearance, cultivation and maintenance. IHM managing director Mohamad Helmi said: " The forest industry is labor and capital intensive indeed, but we believe it has a very bright prospect thanks to the rising price of paper and pulp globally. " As of May, the company had 68,000 hectares of acasia tree plantations. Of the total fund, 80 percent will be allocated for the seedling process, with the assumption that one hectare of tree plantation will cost between Rp 8 million and Rp 12 million. One hectare of acasia trees can yield up to 145 tons of wood after a 5-year maturing period and 170 tons after six years. A ton of pulp can usually be derived from five to six whole logs. " A ton of acasia timber is priced at between Rp 450,000 and Rp 500,000. " So IHM could reap Rp 65 million to Rp 72 million from each hectare of acasia after a 5-year mature period, and Rp 76 million to Rp 85 million after six years, " IMH public relations manager I Made Suarjana said. IHM sells its harvests to paper mills in Kalimantan, Java and Sumatra, including to Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper in Riau and Kertas Nusantara (formerly Kiani Kertas) in Berau, East Kalimantan. http://old.thejakartapost.com/detailbusiness.asp?fileid=20080705.L03 & irec=2 25) Door supplier JB Kind is urging major merchanting chains to follow its example in supporting an effort to save an Indonesian rainforest. The Derbyshire-based company, which imports doors from Indonesia, has spent tens of thousands of pounds supporting the campaign to restore the Harapan lowland rainforest, a 250,000-acre logging concession bought by the RSPB and its international partners for preservation. And it has asked RSPB to use the company as an example to persuade others to take part. As well as making a substantial donation, the company's nine lorries have been painted with the campaign's " Save the Sumatran rainforest " photo and details, while its website and future catalogue will feature the project prominently. Door ranges will feature Harapan rainforest details on the packaging, while the company's suppliers, including those in Indonesia, will be supporting the campaign. Company newsletter " Off the Latch " will take the message to customers. JB Kind became involved when its managing director Philip Smith, an RSPB member, was approached to to make a donation. He realised that Sumatra was an area where the company sourced some its products. " There is an opportunity for major merchanting groups to get behind the campaign, " said Gordon Nelson, JB Kind national account director. He said the company's Indonesian-made doors would achieve FSC certification by October. http://www.ttjonline.com/story.asp?sectioncode=14 & storycode=56238 & c=3 26) Conservation action essential to survival of orangutans, found only on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo, must be region-specific to address the different ecological threats to each species, said Wich and his co-authors, a pre-eminent group of scientists, conservationists, and representatives of governmental and non-governmental groups. They convened in Jakarta, Indonesia, in January 2004 to address the threats to orangutan survival and develop new assessment models to guide conservation planning. New orangutan population estimates revealed in the July issue of Oryx reflect those improvements in assessment methodology – including standardized data collection, island-wide surveys, and better sharing of data among stakeholders – rather than dramatic changes in the number of surviving orangutans. The experts' revised estimates put the number of Sumatran orangutans (P. abelii) around 6,600 in 2004. This is lower than previous estimates of 7,501 as a result of new findings that indicate that a large area in Aceh that was previously thought to contain orangutans actually does not. Since forest loss in Aceh has been relatively low from 2004 to 2008, the 2004 estimate is probably not much higher than the actual number in 2008. The 2004 estimate of about 54,000 Bornean orangutans (P. pygmaeus) is probably also higher than the actual number today as there has been a 10 percent orangutan habitat loss in the Indonesian part of Borneo during that period. " It is clear that the Sumatran orangutan is in rapid decline and unless extraordinary efforts are made soon, it could become the first great ape species to go extinct, " Wich et al. wrote. " Although these revised estimates for Borneo are encouraging, forest loss and associated loss of orangutans are occurring at an alarming rate, and suggest that recent reductions of Bornean orangutan populations have been far more severe than previously supposed. " The new numbers underscore important issues in orangutan conservation. With improved sharing of data and deeper collaborations among stakeholders, the experts determined that 75 percent of all orangutans live outside of national parks, which have been severely degraded by illegal logging, mining, encroachment by palm oil plantations and fires due to a general lack of enforcement by regulatory authorities, who are either unable or reluctant to implement conservation management strategies. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080703113628.htm New Zealand: 27) John Wardle harvests his trees like a farmer culling the biggest and juiciest lambs for the meat market. Not for him the wanton clearfelling of a plantation that levels some trees before their prime. " I was brought up with farming and drafting off the larger lambs and holding on to the others until they were up to size for maximum returns, " he says. " To my way of thinking the same principle applies to trees, although you won't get many corporates agreeing. Every situation is different, but ours suits us. " John and his wife, Rosalie, can speak with some authority. While a black fog of depressed returns hangs over the radiata-pine industry, the Wardles are making good money from their selective tree harvesting. No tree in their Oxford forest comes down unless it is 60cm in girth, whatever its age. In spite of the critics cautioning that individual harvesting is too costly and damages standing trees, the Wardles have proof otherwise. By removing only the trees ready to be harvested, they get $120 to $140 a cubic metre (cu m) for large pruned butt logs, before costs. Had lower-export-grade trees been clearfelled with the better logs, they would only have got $25 to $30 for them. Once extraction costs of $30/cu m are taken into account that would have left almost nothing to show for their efforts. In one part of the forest three picks have been taken of the best trees and there remains a crop that would warm the heart of any forester. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/4607435a6531.html 28) Introduced mammalian predators and pests such as possums, rats and stoats present huge threats to our native forests and wildlife, many which are being eaten into extinction. Today's " silent forests " which have lost their bird song, are due to the destruction of introduced animal predators not 1080 says Colin Giddy, DOC Kapiti Area Office. " It is the killers of the night, such as possums, rats and stoats, that are responsible for the loss of native forest canopy and decline in bird species, " comments Mr. Giddy. New Zealand's flora and fauna evolved for 80 million years with no browsing or predatory mammals, so they have not developed any natural defence against these animals. Thus, our native plants and animals are particularly vulnerable. The tens of millions of brush tailed possums, which eat millions of tonnes of vegetation each year, cause major damage to forest canopies. Possums also eat birds, eggs, chicks, berries and other native bird food sources. In addition, agile rats easily climb up trees to dine on unsuspecting native birds sitting on nests. 1080 is currently the safest, most cost efficient and effective way to reduce possum numbers. Research has shown forest canopy and nesting success of native birds such as kereru, tomtits and robins improves noticeably following aerial 1080 operations. The recovery of forest vegetation after possums are killed also means nectar, berries and other food sources increase which benefits bird life. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0807/S00005.htm Australia: 29) In March the United Nations World Heritage Centre sent a delegation to Tasmania to investigate logging coupes near the wilderness area boundary. A leaked copy of its report, obtained by the ABC's Stateline program, has found the level of conservation in the region is satisfactory. The report does not agree with claims that logging is threatening old-growth forest within and around the World Heritage Area. Rather, that the threats posed by industry are well managed. But it recommends extending the boundary of the wilderness area to include 21 adjacent parks and reserves, which are already covered by the World Heritage Area management plan. The report will be considered by the World Heritage Committee at a meeting in Canada this weekend. The Wilderness Society's Vica Bayley says the report is flawed. " We're disappointed in the report but there are positives and it does recommend that the World Heritage Area boundaries should be extended to include an additional 21 sites, " he said. " It does recommend that existing mining leases should be cancelled once they expire and those areas should be incorporated into the World Heritage Area, and it does call for additional funding to help manage Aboriginal sites. " So there are some positives. " http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/04/2295174.htm?section=business 30) The developer wanting to log the Mt Rae Forest has withdrawn his appeal against Upper Lachlan Shire Council in the Land and Environment Court. But anti-logging campaigners say this does not mean the issue is over, expecting the proponent 'Firewood Baron' Bernie Smillie to wait until changes in the Upper Lachlan's Local Environment Plan (LEP) make it possible for him to proceed without council determination. Council's solicitors - Pike, Pike and Fenwick - tabled a letter advising that the applicant Mr Smillie had discontinued his appeal at last Thursday's Upper Lachlan Council Meeting. The letter advised: " It is likely that the applicant (Mr Smillie) will now proceed to lodge a new development application so as to overcome the problem, which caused him to withdraw his appeal in this case (ie that the modification was not substantially the same development). http://goulburn.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/developer-not-about-to-\ log-off-shire-t old-mt-rae-forest-saga-not-over/804140.aspx 31) Australia is not in a position to reliably track changes in its environment caused by climate change and other threats due to a lack of critical 'baseline' data and long-term monitoring programs, according to three experts quoted in the latest issue of Ecos (143, June-July 2008). Dr Andrew Campbell and Professors Hugh Possingham and Will Steffen believe our intelligence on the state of our terrestrial environment falls well short of standards set by the US and the UK, and will prevent us from making effective management decisions in responding to future environmental threats. Dr Campbell says Australia has too few botanists, entomologists, vertebrate taxonomists and soil scientists and, surprisingly for the 'marsupial country', one full-time marsupial taxonomist. Professor Steffen argues we need a coordinated, national approach to environmental monitoring, with water, the carbon cycle and biodiversity the highest priorities. " We have a world-class national carbon accounting system, but we also need to understand the long-term behaviour of carbon in the environment, to complement carbon flux measurements and satellite assessments of vegetation cover, which are important tools in understanding the processes that drive the terrestrial carbon cycle, " he says. Covered in this issue too is the emergence of a movement of young Aboriginals advocating genuine involvement of indigenous people in managing the land - the Indigenous Environment Foundation (IEF). In recent years, a debate ignited about whether Cape York's rainforests, wetlands, pristine rivers and savannah grasslands should be managed as restricted-access natural heritage sites or handed to the 10,000-strong indigenous communities living on the Cape manage using traditional knowledge. Shaun Edwards, an IEF founder and member of the Kokoberrin people, says the IEF's aim is to help shape policy and the broader environmental agenda. " We also want to invest in traditional knowledge for the future through conservation, management and research, establishing conservation scholarship programs, and up-skilling youth to protect their cultural knowledge. " http://www.terradaily.com/reports/State_Of_The_Environment_A_Nation_In_The_Dark_\ 999.html 32) As you probably already know, Dan and I are riding from London to Lhasa to raise money for Rainforest Rescue, a not for profit organisation based in Australia, who is committed to protecting rainforests for current and future generations. To watch the latest video showing footage of some of the endangered rainforests and species that Rainforest Rescue are working to protect, click here 33) The former Labor prime minister, who used federal powers to halt the Franklin dam 25 years ago, yesterday told The Australian he had serious reservations about the Gunns pulp mill, proposed for the Tamar Valley. " I'd be very sceptical about why it should go ahead, " Mr Hawke said. " The environmental impact of it seems to me to be pretty devastating -- both immediately and at the level of ocean (outfall). " The mill will release 64,000 tonnes of treated effluent into Bass Strait each day. Gunns insists the risks to marine life are minimal but the federal Government has demanded further modelling to show how effluent will disperse. Mr Hawke said his decision to stop the Franklin dam, and provide $270 million compensation to create jobs and alternative energy sources, showed that it was possible to protect the environment and grow the economy. This required " sensible policies " and while this was " more acknowledged " in Tasmania now than in 1983, debate in the state on such issues was still held back by " vested interests " . Even so, Mr Hawke pointed to a poll by GetUp released yesterday showing 75 per cent of Tasmanians oppose further public subsidies for the pulp mill. Premier David Bartlett yesterday pushed aside that sentiment to extend a deadline by which Gunns must begin construction of the mill or risk losing a sovereign risk agreement with the state Government. The deal, struck by former premier and pulp mill champion Paul Lennon, grants compensation of up to $15million to Gunns should further forest protection affect wood supply for the mill. The Lennon government claimed the deal was a requirement of potential financiers of the mill. A clause in the agreement states that it can be terminated if construction of the $2billion mill proposed for the Tamar Valley, north of Launceston, does not begin " by June 30 " . Gunns sought a further extension until November 30, while it continues to court a syndicate of foreign lenders to finance the $2billion project and awaits further federal approvals. While agreeing to the request, Mr Bartlett said cabinet would remove a clause in the deal that effectively kept the deal alive for an additional six months after the construction deadline. " The Government has drawn the line in the sand, " Mr Bartlett said. " The pulp mill project has divided the Tasmanian community significantly and we believe that the divisions should not last for too much longer. " http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23949724-30417,00.html 34) Members of Margaret River Regional Environment Centre, Leeuwin Environment and the Forest Products Commission met recently to discuss management of WA's State Forests and farm forestry. Issues discussed included logging quotas, targets and methods, indigenous consultation, tropical timber imports and the value of WA's forests for bio-diversity and carbon storage. Primary aims of the meeting were to establish positive communications, state positions on various issues and to explore a way forward for a win-win outcome for forest conservation and timber production. As a member group of the WA Forest Alliance, MRREC is committed to ending logging, thinning and clearing in WA's forests and woodlands including Margaret River's Chester Forest. The group also supports shifting all logging operations into diverse farm forestry and plantations to ensure a future for the timber industry. " We envisage an agency that would be called Plantations or Timber Products Commission to replace the current agencies that oversee the industrial logging of WA's forests, " MRREC forest spokesperson David Rastrick said. " Native forests would then be preserved for biodiversity and carbon storage values. As our Federal Government is telling neighbouring Papua New Guinea to stop logging their native forests we must lead by example. " Following the meeting there was some debate between conservationists and logging industry representatives as to whether there are enough native hardwood plantations to provide for timber industry requirements, especially in milling quality timber – a subject to be discussed in future meetings. The meeting is expected to be followed by others aiming to discuss and resolve at least some areas of disagreement on forest issues and to find ways forward. http://margaretriver.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/forestry-talks-opt\ imistic/80217 9.aspx 35) When you submit a development application to transform your house, you know the plans will be pored over by neighbours anxious to find out what you are up to. It used to be the same in the country when you wanted to log the back paddock, but not any more. On the North Coast, the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, under its minister, Verity Firth, has reversed the long-standing practice of releasing details about logging operations on private land. We know this because of two very different decisions made by the same departmental officer when he received two freedom of information applications within eight months. The department's FoI officer, Racho Donef, received the first request from the North Coast Environment Council in June last year. It sought access to all approvals granted to " harvest, log, clear and remove vegetation " on six properties. Within a month Donef sent back a one-page letter granting access to all the documents. Then something happened. In February the same group asked for almost identical documents, including the property vegetation plans and maps and documents identifying old-growth forests and endangered ecological communities. This time Donef said that every document was exempt because disclosure would breach a confidence, would affect the operation of the department and the documents contained information about threatened species. When the Environment Council requested an internal review, the department ditched those reasons and Alf Zawadzki, the manager of corporate audit and review, came up with two new ones: that the documents concerned the " business affairs " of the landholder or the department and contained information concerning someone's " personal affairs " . With five different grounds of exemption claimed in two decisions, it's pretty clear the department is struggling to come up with a credible argument. There are good reasons this information has been public in the past and should be now. The reason the department says the vegetation maps and logging plans must remain secret is that some landowners have called their office complaining that " people will trespass, machinery could be damaged " . An unidentified staff member said landowners could be " blockaded " . http://forests.org/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=102382 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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