Selective forest clearing criticised
The Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) is facing severe criticism over "selective" clear-felling of trees in the rich Vidarbha forests. The corporation's decision, ironically, comes at a time when the Supreme Court has ordered removal of forest encroachments so that the country's cherished goal of 33 per cent forest …
Wildfire menaces homes near L.A.
A fast-moving brush fire erupted in a wilderness park surrounded by suburbs, sending a towering plume of smoke rising over the Los Angeles area. More than 30 homes were evacuated. More than 30 buildings have been evacuated in threat of a fast-moving brush fire surrounding Los Angeles suburbs.
Aerial survey of green cover conducted
An aerial survey was conducted to enable the officials to have a holistic view of the twin cities and Rangareddy district of Andhra Pradesh, the green cover. Several barren lands, hillocks and open spaces have been identified to raise greenery during the survey.
Moscow cannot blame fires just on weather - WWF
Forest and peat fires choking Moscow are partly due to poor environmental policies and are not just the result of exceptionally hot and dry weather, the Swiss-based WWF conservationist group said. The group said that peat was burning in former swamp and marshland that had been drained in the 1920s. …
Thick smog shrouds Hong Kong, health warning issued
Thick smog blanketed Hong Kong last week, a clear sign that the territory and southern China are still a long way from cleaning up their bad air. The government urged people with respiratory problems to avoid heavily congested traffic areas and cut back on outdoor physical activity.
Australia braces for another ferocious fire season
Australia's bushfire season is still a month off but one of the driest winters ever recorded, coupled with the return of the El Nino weather phenomenon, has already forced the fire services on to high alert. Officials said last week they were bracing for a possible re-run of the ferocious …
TNPL move to use captive plantation of eucalyptus
The Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd. (TNPL) is in discussions with Tamil Nadu Forest Corporation to raise eucalyptus plantations to meet a part of its raw material requirement, according to Mr. A Velliangiri, Director (Finance), TNPL. The move is in line with the company's initiative in environment conservation and …
Scam in teakwood auction exposed
Forest department of Indore has exposed a major scam where expensive teakwood worth Rs 20 lakh was being sold off on a lesser price in an auction. No sooner the forest conservator got the wind of the fact, he canceled the auction of 31 lots of teakwood. Sources said cases …
Foresters, villagers collaborate to combat forest fires
With already about a thousand acres of forests burnt, foresters in Trashigang are engaging farmers in a dzongkhag wide campaign against forest fires. About 190 villages in Samkhar and 135 in Kanglung were trained on various methods of preventing and combating forest fires. They were also briefed about safety measures …
Plans to divert Sandakphu trekkers to Senchal
In order to reduce pressure on Sandakphu situated in the Shingalila national park close to Darjeeling, the West Bengal state forest department has decided to introudce two new trek routes in the Senchal wild life sanctuary this year. The sancturary is located in Ghoom and houses twin lakes that serve …
Orissa fails to protect forests
The Wildlife Society of Orissa has urged the State to take immediate steps to remove the encroachments from forests and wildlife sanctuaries in keeping with the Environment Ministry directive, issued four months ago. Albeit Orissa lost over a lakh hectares in 1995-96, it has, so far, not even constituted monitoring …
Complaint filed over illegal felling of trees on govt. land
A resident of Dando in Snagged, Goa, has filed a police complaint, alleging that illegal felling and theft of timber and firewood worth about Rs 1.5 lakh is taking place at the government property at Shell in Naiquinim village of Snagged Taluka. A team of police officials attached toe the …
Gulmohar trees need the kiss of life
The Delhi Government has been trying hard to create an awareness on growing more trees and making the city green, but it seems the MCD Horticulture Department had some other ideas when one looks at the condition of Gulmohar Park. The number of Gulmohar trees in the colony has been …
Central team arriving on Aug 19
A 3-member Central team constituted by the Union Ministry of Tribal Welfare, will be on a 4-day visit to Assam from August 19 for an on-the-spot study of the situation, following the eviction drive carried out by the Assam Government. Serving of eviction notices by the Forest Department has generated …
Tree felling in Mudradi town unnecessary, say greens
The Karkala taluk in Karnataka environmentalists association has protested in strong terms the move of the local panchayat chief to pressurize the departmental officers to cut down the 30 trees on both sides of the road in the town claiming that they are dangerous to traffic. Contending that the trees …
APP wood supply questioned
A recent environmental audit of Asia Pulp & Paper Co, questions whether the financially troubled company will continue to have access to cheap and sustainable wood supplies in Indonesia, and warns that APP may have to consider potentially more expensive alternatives to meet its production targets.
Bushfire high alert
Australia's bushfire season is still a month off but one of the driest winters ever recorded, coupled with the return of the El Nino weather phenomenon, has already forced the fire services on to high alert.
Californian study confirms "sudden death" hits redwoods
California's mighty coastal redwood trees and valuable Douglas firs are both susceptible to the same "sudden death" blight that is destroying coastal oaks, marking a serious new threat to the state's $1.1 billion timber industry, scientists said this week. Gov. Gray Davis immediately asked President George W. Bush for $10 …
Panama says UN to aid canal reforestation
The United Nations gave its support this week to plans to reforest environmentally damaged areas along the 50-mile (80 km) Panama Canal, a top canal official said. Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program, told Panama Canal officials on the final day of the Johannesburg Earth Summit …
Environment meet
After trekking along an elephant trail in the Congo basin, US secretary of state Colin Powell talked into the night with the President of Gabon about the country's commitment to preserve its lush forests.
