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A deforested area of rainforest along the border of the Xingu river in northern Brazil. Photo courtesy: Antonio Scorza/AFP/Getty Images via guardian.co.uk
The Brazilian government is to launch a four-year tree census of the Amazon to improve understanding of the impacts of deforestation, climate change and conservation efforts.
The study will also help to assess the potential value of the biodiversity under the canopy and the growth of human settlements in the Amazon region, which is home to a number of fast-expanding cities, as well as uncontacted indigenous tribes.
The cataloguing operation will be the most detailed study for 40 years – a period in which the world's greatest forest has come under unprecedented pressure from farmers, loggers and drought.
The environment ministry said the inventory "will allow us to have a broad panorama of the quality and the conditions in the forest cover".
Improvements in satellite monitoring technology have already provided a wealth of data about the degradation of the Amazon.
Last week, Nasa released figures showing that an area twice the size of California continues to suffer from a mega-drought, which began eight years ago. Nasa said this may be the first sign that the Amazon is suffering major consequences from climate change.
The Brazilian government also uses a sophisticated satellite system to co-ordinate its actions against illegal forest clearance. The environment ministry says this has slowed deforestation and pushed Brazil halfway towards its Copenhagen commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 36% by 2020.
However, there are limits to what can be analysed from above, particularly when it comes to the quality of the forest and the biodiversity below the canopy.
"We are going to come to know the rainforest from within," said forestry minister, Antonio Carlos Hummel.
With the results expected to be released year by year, the environment minister, Izabella Teixeira, said the government would have more information on which to base its future strategies of conservation and extraction of economic value.
Pumas are among Costa Rica's most treasured species. Photo courtesy: Raul Arboleda/AFP/Getty Images
Good for you, Costa Rica!! Costa Rica has became the first Latin American country to ban hunting as a sport, after an unanimous and final vote from Congress.
Lawmakers had provisionally approved a reform to its Wildlife Conservation law back in October. With a population of 4.5 million people, Costa Rica is one of the world's most biodiverse nations.
The central American country is already known for its environmental mindset, with 25% of its land protected as national parks or reserves.
Under the new law, those caught hunting can face up to four months in prison or fines of up to $3,000.
Smaller penalties for people who steal wild animals or keep them as pets were also included in the reform. Jaguars, pumas and sea turtles are among Costa Rica's most treasured species.
"There is no data on how much money hunting generates in the country, but we do know there are currently clandestine hunting tours that go for about $5,000 per person," said Arturo Carballo, deputy director at Apreflofas, an environmentalist organisation who spearheaded the reform.
Foreign hunters come to Costa Rica in search of exotic felines while others look to obtain rare and colorful parrots as pets.
This is also Costa Rica's first proposal that came to Congress by popular initiative, with 177,000 signatures calling for the ban submitted two years ago.
A land conservation group calling themselves Highland Titles has come up with a unique way to raise funds to conserve the dwindling highland forests and help conserve other Scottish ecosystems.
Have you always wanted to indulge your inner Downton Abbey fantasy, but didn't have the landed property to do so? Are you seeking the perfect present for the poseur princess in your life? Have you grown tired of your mail-order ministership and dream of a new novelty title to behold? Look no further.
To the potential dismay of Ladies and Lords across the Scottish highlands, the awesome land conservation organization, Highland Titles, is selling 'souvenir plots' on its estate in Glencoe Wood – granting the legal use of the Scottish title of Laird, Lord or Lady. But here's the thing; this isn't just a goofy gimmick. The title may have loads of novelty appeal, but it's all for a very noble cause.
Many, many centuries of industry and farming have pretty much decimated most of Scotland's forests – in fact, only 1 percent of the native woodland is all that remains. Highland Titles had the royal brainstorm to sell small plots of land to help fund the rescuing of woodlands, tree planting, maintenance and acquisition of land at risk of development – guaranteeing that it cannot be purchased or developed. Plot sizes range from one square foot to 1,000 square feet. Prices start at $49.99.
So you get a fancy title and a bit of land gets protected. But wait, there's more! When buying a one-square-foot plot, the new Lord or Lady will also receive:
•The title of Laird, Lord or Lady of Glencoe
•A high quality, full color, gift folder containing all your documents
•A legal title deed for land ownership, on velum parchment
•Master Title Deed to change your title on bank accounts, driving license and other ID
•A map of Glencoe Wood and directions as well as instructions on how to visit and find your personal plot (you can even camp on it, if you want)
•Information and pictures of the area, Glencoe Wood and the conservation project.
•A bumper sticker for you to proudly display your new status (Laird, Lord or Lady)
"We have created a new approach to raising funds to support the restoration of destroyed woodlands and preservation of land at risk for development," said Stephen Rossiter, marketing director, of Highland Titles. "It is imperative that we conserve our remaining forests and replace trees that have been lost for the sake of biodiversity, wildlife, carbon sequestration and the enjoyment of future generations. Extending the Scottish tradition of a descriptive title such as Laird, Lord or Lady is just great fun."
To purchase your very own Lord/Ladyship, visit Highland Titles.
Not since Morris, the 9Lives cat, has there been another star with such charisma, determination of purpose and box office appeal. Norman, eco-warrior, is such a star.
Actually, Norman is the new spokescat promoting Loblaw's new sustainability program. By the end of 2013, the supermarket giant promises to sell only sustainable seafood in all their stores. In the meantime, Norman has a cause, a message and a video. Keep reading to discover the changes he has made in his life; and, then, check out his video at the bottom of the blog.
Norman the 'eco-warrior' cat may be the most environmentally-friendly cat to ever grace YouTube. He may even be more environmentally conscious than most humans.
While pondering what he could do to help the environment, Norman starts looking around the house for simple changes he can make.
Norman researches renewable energy like wind and solar.
His commitment to the environment makes him take a strict approach to energy conservation.
He even makes the switch to reusable bags. And we all know how much cats love paper and plastic bags.
Norman upcycles discarded items into cat toys, and institutes a trash sorting and recycling program in his home, among other green steps.
ALL photos are screen captures from the following video courtesy: WWF Canada.
Don't you just love it when the victim becomes the victor? Rwandan gorillas are turning the tables on poachers; and, I couldn't be more delighted.
For Rwanda's population of Mountain gorillas, poaching remains one of the biggest threats to their long-term survival. But after decades of being a prime target for unlawful hunters, these critically endangered gorillas have apparently learned to outsmart them -- and even the youngsters are getting in on the act.
This week, conservationists from Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund observed, for the first time ever, a pair of juvenile gorillas doing something remarkably clever: destroying sharp, wooden snares set out by poachers to trap them. Just days earlier, a gorilla had been killed in a similar snare nearby, which may have familiarized the youngsters with the workings of those cruel devices.
"We knew that gorillas do this but all of the reported cases in the past were carried out by adult gorillas, mostly silverbacks. Today, two juveniles and one blackback from Kuryama’s group worked together to deactivate two snares and how they did it demonstrated an impressive cognitive skill," said Veronica Vecellio, a program director from the Fund.
Here's an account of the event, from the Fund's blog:
John Ndayambaje, our field data coordinator, reported that he saw one snare very close to the group; since the gorillas were moving in that direction, he decided to deactivate it. Silverback Vuba pig-grunted at him (a vocalization of warning) and at the same time juveniles Dukore and Rwema together with blackback Tetero ran toward the snare and together pulled the branch used to hold the rope. They saw another snare nearby and as quickly as before they destroyed the second branch and pulled the rope out of the ground.
John and his team were able to dismantle several other snares in the area, but they're quick to point out that poaching of gorillas is far from quelled. However, with a greater push towards conservation and some much needed international awareness, Rwanda's mountain gorilla numbers have grown by 17 percent in the last 15 years, proving that such in the field efforts really pay off -- though it's not just humans helping to keep the jungle a safer place for the species, says the Fund:
"Today we can proudly confirm that gorillas are doing their part too!"
Every once in a while, a story comes along that just makes me giggle inside. The mass tree-hugging in Pakistan is one such story. I wish we, in the western world, would do more of this type of thing. What a wonderful bonding moment between all participants. In a totally gentle, "no tree was harmed" kind of demonstration, the villagers showed the world how they felt about their beloved trees; and, drew world-wide attention to their cause.
Straddling the borders of India and Pakistan, Kashmir may be one of the most hotly-contested places on the planet -- but despite being at the center of a tumultuous boundary dispute, the people that call the region home share in common something far more important: a love of nature. And it shows.
In a recent show of solidarity with the forest and one another, more than a thousand Pak-Kashmiri villagers gathered in near the Pakistan-Indian border to set a world record by simultaneously giving their beloved trees a loving squeeze. For over a minute, the assembled crowd of men, women, and children were joined together in the simple, symbolic gesture of hugging a tree.
The event, which took place 150 miles from Pakistan's Kashmir capital of Muzaffarabad, was organized by a local social development organization to underscore the important role forests play in the region's culture and the livelihoods of its people, reports the Kashmir Monitor.
“This was an emblematic effort to show huge respect to our forests and to raise awareness among the local communities who largely depend upon the forests for their livelihood,” says volunteer organizer Amiruddin Mughal.
Although Kashmir in recent decades has gained international attention for the precariousness of its political boundaries, for folks living there, environmental threats seem much closer at hand. This region of the world has has long been known for its natural beauty, but in recent decades deforestation, soil erosion, and human encroachment as begun to pose a serious threat to both the forest and the numerous endangered species that call it 'home'.
The recent mass tree-hugging is currently being reviewed by the Guinness Book, where it is expected to break the current record involving 700 nature-lovers in the UK. Meanwhile, local environmental specialists, like Aftab Alam, hope that the collective tree-hugging will bring some much needed attention to an ecological problem too often overshadowed by Kashmir's more widely-known challenges.
“Awareness and education through such kind of events is only one side of our environmental landscape. Our generations may face catastrophic future if government and environmental agencies do not respond swiftly to tackle ecological challenges.”
I'm fortunate to have several passions in my life. I am absolutely an eco-nut. I am always trying to find new ways to reduce, reuse, recycle. We, as a species, have done more harm to this planet in the short time we have been here, than any other catastrophe or happening ever has. It's up to us to fix it.
I care about the environment whether it is as small as a single cell or as large as the universe.
I adore creativity and think we can all do more with much less. This earth has enough resources for us all to live comfortably if we all learn to share. Wasn't that a lesson we were supposed to learn in kindergarten?
I also love the bizarre, unusual, the weird and the strange. Be prepared for the odd "different" blog.
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