Forest consumers' group blames govt policy
Forest consumers' groups blame the Nepal government for excersing double standards regarding the ever increasing slackness in the protection of the lush rain-forests of the Terai region.
FAO says deforestation continues despite slowdown
The rate of global deforestation is slowing, but huge swathes of forest still disappear each year the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Monday.The Rome-based agency said the slowdown was mainly due to new plantations in Europe and the United States, where forest areas are actually increasing.
Community forests handed over
Ten thousand hectares of forest has been handed over to 253 Community Forest Consumers' Group constituted in one muncipality and all VDCs in Baglung district of Nepal except Sukhoura.
NGO spots last of rainforests in N-E with 332 rare species
The last of the rainforests in Assam is facing fast depletion due to the "gross neglect" by the state government and ignorance of the community people living around the forest areas. Nature's Beckon, a non-profit organisation working on ecology management in the state, has now stepped in to mount what …
Ex-Kamaiyas continue to encroach forest land
The ex-Kamaiyas who forcibly occupied undesignated forestland in Manehera Gaidi (Nepal) kept on building sheds throughout the day today, despite protests from the locals, police, forest office and the local administration.
Uttaranchal to devise new forest policy
After getting a drubbing in the Uttaranchal Vidhan Sabha over the absence of a new forest policy, the Forest Ministry has got down to the task of formulating one.
Building roads could destroy Amazon, report says
Well-meant efforts to build roads into Brazil's Amazon rain forest may end up destroying it and costing the country far more ecologically than it will gain economically, experts said on Thursday. But the country may end up losing its most valuable resource-its rain forest-in the process, William Laurance of the …
Tripura forests
The forest cover of Tripura has registered an increase following implementation of social forestry, joint forest management programmes and intensified vigil against felling of trees and smuggling of forest produces to Bangladesh, a top forest official said on Thursday. Chief conservator of forests M.A. Khan, quoting a survey report of …
Periya
HC direction to forest officials: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court today directed the forest officials to see that Kunnakkadan Musthafa and others who have bid the timber felled from the disputed forest land at Periya, Waynad, deposited the entire outstanding amount (Rs 38,78,457) before February 2, 2001, …
Hudco-aided water scheme will be fully implemented
The Kerala Water Authority has dismissed apprehensions that the HUDCO-aided project for supplying drinking water for Vypeen and West Kochi areas will be partially abandoned as mere remours. Kerala Water Authority will fully implement the HUDCO-aided water supply scheme for Kochi, said authority managing director, Balachandran Nair.
New method to help fight sea erosion
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a new way to map the ocean currents that erode beaches, cost coastal towns millions of dollars in annual property losses, and threaten a tourist industry worth billions. With this new method, one video camera with special software does the same work as …
UN grants China $25 million to help ozone layer
The United Nations has given China a $25 million grant to help save the ozone layer by phasing out products that destroy the thin shield protecting Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation, state media said on Monday.The largest single contribution China has received from a special UN ozone fund would be …
Community forestry for poverty alleviation
The Livelihood and Community Forestry Programme (LCFP) is to be implemented in 13 districts of Nepal for poverty alleviation, with the financial assistance of the British government, according to a report.
Slumkids turn wastelands green
This is a unique greening project. The slum children identify a wasteland in their area, plant fruit trees and nurture them. Their incentive: They get ownership of the trees, including the right to harvest them for four to five years. They also get to learn about horticulture in return.The novel …
Canadian lumber firms unite for trade battle
Canada's timber producers have united for a looming trade battle with the United States over softwood lumber to push for significant changes to the current pact which expires in March, according to a key industry executive.The new Canadian Lumber Trade Alliance said it will be seeking free trade in lumber …
"I want to hand over the forests to the people"
What is topmost in your list of priorities? My government wishes to begin work on several fronts simulta- neously. But naturally, my priority lies in ensuring road connectivity. The interior, tough high altitude terrain should be connected with the other areas. What are your sources of revenue? We will need …
"If necessary we can change the Forest Conservation Act"
What would be your charter of development? I don't have any charter except what the people expect from us. We have taken over at a time when people have high expectations. The government will implement the people's agenda. But what is your priority? The struggle for the new state is …
Bureaucratic control over forest wealth flayed
The Uttaranchal Government move to rejuvenate 6000-odd Van Panchayats in the State has been described as an attempt to establish a bureaucracy-controlled body parallel to the Gram Panchayats to siphon off part of the World Bank loan for forestry. In a Van Panchayat, the control is of bureaucracy, members are …
