Deforestation
More information about Deforestation.
The endangered Tapaculo adapts to fragmentation of its forest.
When we lose so many animals and plants from South America, often as soon as they are discovered as new species. It is consoling to discover such an animal that seems to be looking after itself, in secondary forest, and with hopes of recovery from population loss. Of course, some smart new conservation effort may be required in the form of forest regeneration and afforestation ----- !
The Great Green wall Grows and Grows (in Paris too)
Whats up this week in the Paris Climate Change Conference? We heard less than we wanted last week, but when weve got down to the nitty-gritty, theres some hope for great improvement. Heres one example from both Africa and the Americas. Although afforestation is hardly a headline these days, desertification certainly is and we want to be sure the Great Green Wall across Africa is working. There is certainly money flooding in and trees being planted, but lets see more photographs and people actually on the ground there!
An Amazonian nightmare of deforestation
The Indonesian forest, especially on 'easier' islands is disappearing fast and there seems little we can do to stop the Amazon once again disappearing as fast as it ever did, under the chainsaws and giant equipment of loggers. Murder is being used as a weapon, activists are threatened and armed men rule. We cant rely on tribal peoples to stop potentially dangerous people from robbing them of their inheritance, but we can take joint responsibility by stopping any trade in agricultural products. Lets plough all our effort into prevention. The need is to stop these greedy people rather than compensate for their destruction.
Carbon credits, afforestation and wildlife diversity, at last
While politics plays a part, peoples hearts and minds are a much more important local cog in the process of building conservation, industrial, afforestation, eco-tourism and educational change into the environmental perspective.
Rate of deforestation increases in the Amazon and elsewhere
What can we do, miles away from the beautiful forests that are being torn down, as we watch on satellite. The argument that some countries gambled with their own forests centuries ago is irrelevant, as wooden ships are no longer tools of warfare and sheer greed drives these loggers on to final destruction of whole systems.
International Day of Forests
The livelihoods of more than 1.6 billion people depend on forests. Not only that, but around 300 million people actually live in forests and these are often among the world's poorest people. Industry that depends on forest production is a source of economic growth and employment, with the annual global trade estimated at $327 billion. It is estimated that an area approximately the size of England is lost each year as a result of deforestation. In November 2012 the U N General Assembly Second Committee had passed a resolution designating 21st March the International Day of Forests.
Eco forestry rewards scheme 'hits problems'
Most nations that signed up to the REDD+ scheme to cut greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation are struggling to meet monitoring and measurement requirements, says a new report.
Amazonian Solutions from 1200 A.D.
The black soils or 'tera preta' of the Amazon forests were created by burning and composting, in an Pre-Columbian farming style that is still much admired. A study has looked at how these ancient farming techniques may be used to help reduce deforestation.
WWF report links Sumatra deforestation to toilet paper
Eco-friendly companies and individuals are going to be shocked at the habitat destruction wreaked on rainforests by their toilet paper, paper towels and tissue.
Tropical deforestation carbon release 'overestimated'
American scientists have created the first 'wall-to-wall' carbon storage map that shows tropical vegetation contains 21% more carbon than previously thought and that up to 12% less carbon may have been released into the atmosphere due to deforestation.
Bamboo Skateboards from BambooSK8
You may ask, why bamboo for a skateboard? Well, skateboards have become the leading cause of maple deforestation, beating out other large sectors such as furniture.
New African venture will reduce deforestation, improve sustainability
A proposed ethanol-production facility in Mozambique will reduce deforestation, improve local farmer's sustainability, and help reduce air pollution. The plan calls for construction of an integrated food-energy business that will replace charcoal-burning fireplaces with ethanol-burning stoves.
Bonds for trees programme announced
A coalition of conservation groups has announced a new bonds initiative aimed at increasing financial incentives to reduce deforestation of the world's tropical forests. Announced by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) and the Global Canopy Programme (GCP), the initiative calls for governments to enhance forest conservation efforts by purchasing bonds to help fund existing conservation commitments and goals.
New primate species found skittering in threatened Amazon
A three-week expedition through some of the unexplored remnants of Amazonian rainforest, in Brazil's Mato Grosso state, has uncovered a wealth of nature - including a brand new species of monkey. The new member to the titi monkey family was discovered alongside new species of fish and plants, all in a part of the Amazon where most of Brazil's deforestation is happening.
Financial profit or forest protection in Brazil?
The forest protection laws in Brazil are being questioned and a bill is pending in the Senate which experts fear could result in a rise in deforestation. But will public and political support for forest protection override the temptation to cash in on forest clearance?
Forests still sucking it up, when it comes to carbon
Forests world-wide have maintained their levels of carbon-storing, despite the twin assaults of tropical deforestation and climate change. New tropical forest growth in previously cleared areas, as well in the temperate forests of the US and China, have helped keep an uneasy balance in the carbon accounts of global forested areas - which helps take the edge off of our climate change-threatening emissions.
Saving forests requires a focus on farming, says report
A report from CGIAR sees success in halting deforestation as being intimately linked to the yoking of agricultural and forestry policies together. In assessing the 20 countries party to the REDD+ scheme, to pay nations for protecting their forests, too many countries have avoided making that basic, but vital connection.
Are efficient stoves the way to halt deforestation?
A new study shows that more effective methods of preventing deforestation are needed. A new study, published in Nature Climate Changehas found that REDD+ is a valuable tool in forest conservation.
Warning about forestry loss
Wildlife pressure group WWF has warned that more than 230 million hectares of forest could disappear by 2050. The Living Forests Report argues that policymakers and businesses should unite around a goal of zero net deforestation and forest degradation by 2020.
Congo to host international tropical forest summit
Tropical forests need our help - can the summit in Congo halt deforestation? The objective of the summit is to ensure sustainable management of forest ecosystems and to contribute to climate regulation. To achieve this, the summit aims to establish a formal agreement between the three tropical forest basins, which will encourage them to share conservation strategies.
Seeds of hope for the world's rainforests
A small glimmer of hope for the future of the world's rain forests comes in the form of a 'miraculous' reforestation programme in Borneo. Horror stories about the deforestation that is destroying the world's rainforests on a massive scale are sadly old news. Every year enormous tracts of land the size of Cubaare lost, and at the current rate it is estimated that the world's rainforests will have completely disappeared by the end of this century.
Biggest carbon footprint for Brazilian beef
Beef from the Brazilian Amazon could carry the highest carbon footprint of any beef in the world, suggest findings from a new study by Swedish scientists. Researchers from SIK (the Swedish Institute of Food and Biotechnology) and Chalmers University of Technology have revealed that Brazilian beef production emits more greenhouse gases than previously thought, because earlier studies did not account for land changes like deforestation.
From Solar Panel To Bio-panel, Going Green With Algae.
Is algae the biofuel of the future? The biodiesel industry faces huge challenges in the coming years. Unless youre in a country such as Malaysia or Indonesia where there's the climate and suitable land to grow plantations for palm oil or similar plant biofuels, then your options are limited.
New UN Climate Law: Protection or otherwise?
A new UN climate law Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) is being protesd by various environmental groups as being detrimental for the climate policies already in place. Groups like the Global Justice Ecological Programme say that the REDD is being pushed by powerful interests to allow continued pollution, since industrial countries can offset their emissions by paying poor countries with forests to plant trees to absorb the carbon.
Evidence suggests deforestation of Amazon is slowing down
The Brazilian government have presented evidence at the Cancun climate conference that supports the slowing down of deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil...
Kids' books 'use paper that destroys rainforests'
A new report from the Rainforest Action Network lists publishers who are taking action against deforestation in Indonesia, and recommends avoiding those who do not. According to the RAN report, US publishers are using paper sourced from controversial suppliers. Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), owned by Sinar Mas Group, was criticised in 2008 for logging operations that threatened the rare Sumatran tiger
Developing nations exporting deforestation
Though a number of domestic nations may be protecting and replanting natural forest at home, many are fuelling reforestation elsewhere as their timber imports increase in volume.
Dutch pledge boosts campaign for sustainable palm oil ahead of GA7
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) meets this week in Jakarta. But, despite the Netherlands having now become the first nation to pledge itself to using only sustainably-sourced palm oil, many other members of the global organisation are still lagging behind, environmentalists say.
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We use the tiger (this is a prime Siberian example) to show up our failure to conserve wild species, but while we monopolise all the food that animals require, we could remember that it is not only their conservation we urgently need to cover. It is also our own indulgences.
How can you describe the threats existing to species, both large and small? Using the highly-threatened primates, we can perhaps see how they have contrived to exist until the current time. Then we can better understand just how we can prevent factors simply wiping them from the face of the earth, often through ignorance, lack of care, prejudice and of course the universal profit motive. Conservation begins in our minds, but demands much more than that.
What does that blue butterfly do when you are not watching. We still have to discover exactly how the Eurasian large blue exploits Myrmica ants, but many of its relatives are either cuckoos (eg. (Phengaris alcon), or outright predators like the AustralasianLiphyra brassolis larvae ,eating the whole brood of the green ants they live with. How did such diverse habits evolve? Well, start reading here.
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Recent Blog Posts
The future is certainly renewable, but are we too late to prevent future centuries problems of global warming- and the rest! Here are some current US solutions to waste and warming for you to enjoy---there are some ads in this piece but weve allowed them for one blog only.
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When dolphins are 'rescued' in various countries, the car given seems to be ill-considered. We are simply looking at the success rate which is reported to be low, in most places. They could even end up in commercial aquarium shows, but they certainly rarely make it back to the sea.
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