Brazil Approves Deforestation of Important Amazon Reserve
rudkla - 4. Feb, 18:30
Forest - Wald
Sonntag, 4. Februar 2007
End Clearcut Logging of Ancient Old-Growth Forest Wilderness in Northern Finland
rudkla - 4. Feb, 18:12
Mittwoch, 31. Januar 2007
Once a Dream Fuel, Palm Oil May Be an Eco-Nightmare
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/business/worldbusiness/31biofuel.html
Informant: binstock
https://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Palm+Oil
Informant: binstock
https://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Palm+Oil
rudkla - 31. Jan, 17:10
Donnerstag, 25. Januar 2007
"Schlussverkauf": Versteigerung indonesischer Urwälder
25.01.07
Nach Angaben der Umweltschutzorganisation Greenpeace will das indonesische Forstwirtschaftsministerium über eine Million Hektar Urwald versteigern. Es handele sich um zehntausend Quadratkilometer, was etwa elfmal der Fläche Berlins entspreche. "Damit beginnt quasi der Schlussverkauf", so Greenpeace. Schon jetzt seien 72 Prozent der ursprünglichen intakten Urwälder des Landes zerstört. Nirgendwo sonst seien so viele Tier- und Pflanzenarten akut bedroht, so Greenpeace. Die Arten verlören mit dem Wald ihren Lebensraum.
Die ganze Nachricht im Internet: https://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=15194
Nach Angaben der Umweltschutzorganisation Greenpeace will das indonesische Forstwirtschaftsministerium über eine Million Hektar Urwald versteigern. Es handele sich um zehntausend Quadratkilometer, was etwa elfmal der Fläche Berlins entspreche. "Damit beginnt quasi der Schlussverkauf", so Greenpeace. Schon jetzt seien 72 Prozent der ursprünglichen intakten Urwälder des Landes zerstört. Nirgendwo sonst seien so viele Tier- und Pflanzenarten akut bedroht, so Greenpeace. Die Arten verlören mit dem Wald ihren Lebensraum.
Die ganze Nachricht im Internet: https://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=15194
rudkla - 25. Jan, 22:33
RAINFOREST ALERT: Brazil Approves Deforestation of Important Amazon Reserve
https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=brazil_reserve
https://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/2007/01/brazil_approves_deforestation.asp
https://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/2007/01/brazil_approves_deforestation.asp
rudkla - 25. Jan, 21:58
Mittwoch, 3. Januar 2007
Europe Must End Their "Deforestation Biofuel" Energy Policy
Please forward alerts widely!
ACTION ALERT
Europe Must End Their "Deforestation Biofuel" Energy Policy
Rainforest Portal, a project of Ecological Internet, Inc.
https://www.rainforestportal.org/
January 3, 2007
TAKE ACTION Industrial biofuels threaten Rainforests and European land sustainability
https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=europe_biofuel
There exist serious concerns regarding the production of plantation crops on lands cleared of ancient rainforests for production of biodiesel in Europe in particular. For example, remaining natural orangutan habitat and their rainforest ecosystems in Southeast Asia are threatened by the unsustainable harvesting of palm oil for the use of biofuels. The campaign to stop Europe's "Deforestation Biofuel" Energy Policy is now at an important decision point, as the European Commission is expected to finalize the "Biomass Action Plan" policy by January 10th for biofuels sourced from plantations cleared from ancient rainforests. Earlier the European Parliament voted for rapid market expansion before safeguards are put in place. Please tell the European Commission now that they must prevent biofuels from causing ever greater deforestation, biodiversity losses, and evictions and impoverishment of local communities both in tropical rainforests and Europe. Unrestrained industrial biofuel expansion will accelerate, not slow down, climate change; as peatlands, rainforests, forests and croplands across the world are converted to energy crop monocultures and release their carbon in the process.
TAKE ACTION NOW at: https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=europe_biofuel
Discuss this alert at: https://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/2007/01/alert_europe_must_end_their_de.asp
ACTION ALERT
Europe Must End Their "Deforestation Biofuel" Energy Policy
Rainforest Portal, a project of Ecological Internet, Inc.
https://www.rainforestportal.org/
January 3, 2007
TAKE ACTION Industrial biofuels threaten Rainforests and European land sustainability
https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=europe_biofuel
There exist serious concerns regarding the production of plantation crops on lands cleared of ancient rainforests for production of biodiesel in Europe in particular. For example, remaining natural orangutan habitat and their rainforest ecosystems in Southeast Asia are threatened by the unsustainable harvesting of palm oil for the use of biofuels. The campaign to stop Europe's "Deforestation Biofuel" Energy Policy is now at an important decision point, as the European Commission is expected to finalize the "Biomass Action Plan" policy by January 10th for biofuels sourced from plantations cleared from ancient rainforests. Earlier the European Parliament voted for rapid market expansion before safeguards are put in place. Please tell the European Commission now that they must prevent biofuels from causing ever greater deforestation, biodiversity losses, and evictions and impoverishment of local communities both in tropical rainforests and Europe. Unrestrained industrial biofuel expansion will accelerate, not slow down, climate change; as peatlands, rainforests, forests and croplands across the world are converted to energy crop monocultures and release their carbon in the process.
TAKE ACTION NOW at: https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=europe_biofuel
Discuss this alert at: https://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/2007/01/alert_europe_must_end_their_de.asp
rudkla - 3. Jan, 19:08
Concern for Rainforest Forces RWE to Scrap Palm Oil Project
A leading German utility has abandoned plans to convert a British power station to run on palm oil, in a blow to the promotion of biofuels in Europe. The company halted production because it was unable to secure sufficient supplies without risking damage to tropical rainforests.
https://www.truthout.org/issues_06/010207EB.shtml
https://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Palm+Oil
https://www.truthout.org/issues_06/010207EB.shtml
https://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Palm+Oil
rudkla - 3. Jan, 11:39
Freitag, 29. Dezember 2006
Satellite images unlocks extent of logging
Snapshot of the view of logging in Tasmania.
Photo: Google Earth
https://www.smh.com.au/news/web/satellite-images-unlocks-extent-of-logging/2006/12/13/1165685727367.html#
Asher Moses December 13, 2006 - 12:32PM
Australian anti-logging groups are using Google Earth to show the impact of forest clearing.
At least two groups - the Tasmanian arm of The Wilderness Society and the Victorian Rainforest Network (VRN) - have created Google Earth "overlays", which can be downloaded from their websites.
An overlay adds a layer on top of the basic Google Earth satellite map, and can be used in this case to add specific information about logging campaigns beside the relevant geographical area.
The Wilderness Society's overlay provides details on Forestry Tasmania's logging plans for the coming year based on information publicly available on its website, says Vica Bayley, a forest campaigner with The Wilderness Society.
These details include the outline of logging zones, as well as pop-up text boxes that provide further information and images on individual logging areas.
Mr Bayley said Google Earth allowed the group to more effectively convey the impact of logging, which had been difficult to do previously as many Tasmanian forest areas were closed off to the public.
"For those people who don't go out to the forest a lot, it basically unlocks the gates," he said.
"Many of these areas are hidden in more remote catchments where people can't get in, can't get a look, and can't see for themselves what's going on."
Paul Oosting, a spokesman for The Wilderness Society, added in a statement: "These images highlight the close proximity of logging operations to the Tasmanian wilderness World Heritage area."
While The Wilderness Society has a national presence, its Google Earth campaign is limited to Tasmania.
This is because other states "don't have a government department, such as our Forestry Tasmania, that produces maps and plans of exactly what they're going to clear", Mr Bayley said.
He said logging in NSW was "not as forwardly planned as it is here in Tasmania", so there wasn't sufficient data available for a NSW overlay.
In Queensland, it was mainly "rogue landowners that are clearing", which also meant data on proposed logging plans was sparse.
But the VRN has managed to acquire sufficient information for a Victorian overlay, and provides similar information to the Tasmanian version, including past and future logging plans, and how close these are to national parks and water catchments.
Environmental groups say logging causes habitat loss, water degradation and climate change.
"Logging is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gases and climate change in Tasmania - more than the entire transport sector," Mr Bayley said.
"Not only are you destroying huge and globally important carbon sinks [the trees], but you're actually releasing vast, vast amounts of that stored carbon back into the atmosphere through huge forestry burns in autumn, [and] through broad-scale woodchipping."
-- Tim Hermach
Native Forest Council
PO Box 2190 Eugene, OR 97402
541.688.2600
541.461.2156 fax
web page: https://www.forestcouncil.org
Informant: Scott Munson
Photo: Google Earth
https://www.smh.com.au/news/web/satellite-images-unlocks-extent-of-logging/2006/12/13/1165685727367.html#
Asher Moses December 13, 2006 - 12:32PM
Australian anti-logging groups are using Google Earth to show the impact of forest clearing.
At least two groups - the Tasmanian arm of The Wilderness Society and the Victorian Rainforest Network (VRN) - have created Google Earth "overlays", which can be downloaded from their websites.
An overlay adds a layer on top of the basic Google Earth satellite map, and can be used in this case to add specific information about logging campaigns beside the relevant geographical area.
The Wilderness Society's overlay provides details on Forestry Tasmania's logging plans for the coming year based on information publicly available on its website, says Vica Bayley, a forest campaigner with The Wilderness Society.
These details include the outline of logging zones, as well as pop-up text boxes that provide further information and images on individual logging areas.
Mr Bayley said Google Earth allowed the group to more effectively convey the impact of logging, which had been difficult to do previously as many Tasmanian forest areas were closed off to the public.
"For those people who don't go out to the forest a lot, it basically unlocks the gates," he said.
"Many of these areas are hidden in more remote catchments where people can't get in, can't get a look, and can't see for themselves what's going on."
Paul Oosting, a spokesman for The Wilderness Society, added in a statement: "These images highlight the close proximity of logging operations to the Tasmanian wilderness World Heritage area."
While The Wilderness Society has a national presence, its Google Earth campaign is limited to Tasmania.
This is because other states "don't have a government department, such as our Forestry Tasmania, that produces maps and plans of exactly what they're going to clear", Mr Bayley said.
He said logging in NSW was "not as forwardly planned as it is here in Tasmania", so there wasn't sufficient data available for a NSW overlay.
In Queensland, it was mainly "rogue landowners that are clearing", which also meant data on proposed logging plans was sparse.
But the VRN has managed to acquire sufficient information for a Victorian overlay, and provides similar information to the Tasmanian version, including past and future logging plans, and how close these are to national parks and water catchments.
Environmental groups say logging causes habitat loss, water degradation and climate change.
"Logging is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gases and climate change in Tasmania - more than the entire transport sector," Mr Bayley said.
"Not only are you destroying huge and globally important carbon sinks [the trees], but you're actually releasing vast, vast amounts of that stored carbon back into the atmosphere through huge forestry burns in autumn, [and] through broad-scale woodchipping."
-- Tim Hermach
Native Forest Council
PO Box 2190 Eugene, OR 97402
541.688.2600
541.461.2156 fax
web page: https://www.forestcouncil.org
Informant: Scott Munson
rudkla - 29. Dez, 09:43
Dienstag, 19. Dezember 2006
Asian Timber Cabal Threatens Creation for Your Dinner Table
rudkla - 19. Dez, 15:08
Freitag, 15. Dezember 2006
Protest Plans to Destroy Uganda's Few Remaining Rainforests for Plantations
https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=uganda
Let the Ugandan President and Parliament know rainforests and their ecological services are more valuable than sugar and oil palm production
By Rainforest Portal, a project of Ecological Internet - December 15, 2006 Huge Ugandan rainforest tree Caption: Uganda's remaining ancient rainforests provide the water, air and soil necessary to sustain its citizens https://www.rainforestportal.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=Uganda%20rainforest
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is pursuing legally dubious plans to destroy much of Uganda's last few rainforests to grow palm oil and sugar cane crops. Uganda has long been facing a deforestation crisis, with forests covering 20 percent of Uganda 40 years ago, but now just covering seven percent. The plans targets two forested areas: 10,000 hectares on the island of Bugala on Lake Victoria for oil palm by a company named Bidco; and 7,000 hectares, some one-third of Mabira Forest Reserve which has been protected since 1932, for sugar cane production by the Mehta Group.
Loss of forest cover in Uganda has had devastating ecological impacts which will be intensified by the proposed projects. Deforestation has been directly responsible for declining levels of waters in Lake Victoria, River Nile and other rivers resulting in a scarcity of drinking water and reduction in hydroelectric energy production. Local environmentalists say destroying Uganda's surviving forests could have further grave ecological consequences -- threatening hundreds of rare species, sparking soil erosion and removing a crucial buffer against pollution of Lake Victoria. Local people are critically dependent upon remaining forests for firewood and building houses.
According to Uganda’s National Forest Authority (NFA), the plan to log Mabira reserve endangers 312 species of tree, 287 species of bird and 199 species of butterfly. Nine species found only in Mabira and nearby forests risked going extinct. The forest absorbs pollution in an industrial area, sinking millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide, and helps maintain central Uganda's wet climate. Their removal would bring drier weather and hurt crop yields. Mabira is a watershed for two rivers contributing to the Nile, an ecological stabiliser between two major industrial towns and it protects Lake Victoria. According to the Uganda Tourism Board, eco-tourism generated some $300 million for Uganda last year.
At the end of November, more than 2,000 protesters from Uganda, the United States, Israel and other places signed a petition urging President Museveni not to parcel out land from the Mabira Forest Reserve. Local NGOs have described the situation - with the President questionably pushing the projects while the parliament remains largely silent - "as a governance crisis, disrespect for constitutionalism and the rule of law… forest reserves are protected by the constitution and environmental laws and that change of land use can only be approved by Parliament… ongoing actions also question Uganda's commitment to respect international law and obligations."
The whole matter seems to reflect a desperate power grab by the President to reward cronies under false and illusory promises of industrialization. The government has no legal mandate to give out constitutionally protected forest reserves to be cut down by private companies. Recently the president asked the NFA boss to do just that, and forced him to resign after he refused to license the rainforest destroying palm oil development.
Please contact President Yoweri Museveni, the entire Ugandan parliament, and Ugandan ministries and embassies and insist that these projects be abandoned, and Uganda's remaining rainforest strictly protected as ecological reserves while restoring forests where they historically occurred.
Let the Ugandan President and Parliament know rainforests and their ecological services are more valuable than sugar and oil palm production
By Rainforest Portal, a project of Ecological Internet - December 15, 2006 Huge Ugandan rainforest tree Caption: Uganda's remaining ancient rainforests provide the water, air and soil necessary to sustain its citizens https://www.rainforestportal.org/shared/search/welcome.aspx?searchtext=Uganda%20rainforest
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is pursuing legally dubious plans to destroy much of Uganda's last few rainforests to grow palm oil and sugar cane crops. Uganda has long been facing a deforestation crisis, with forests covering 20 percent of Uganda 40 years ago, but now just covering seven percent. The plans targets two forested areas: 10,000 hectares on the island of Bugala on Lake Victoria for oil palm by a company named Bidco; and 7,000 hectares, some one-third of Mabira Forest Reserve which has been protected since 1932, for sugar cane production by the Mehta Group.
Loss of forest cover in Uganda has had devastating ecological impacts which will be intensified by the proposed projects. Deforestation has been directly responsible for declining levels of waters in Lake Victoria, River Nile and other rivers resulting in a scarcity of drinking water and reduction in hydroelectric energy production. Local environmentalists say destroying Uganda's surviving forests could have further grave ecological consequences -- threatening hundreds of rare species, sparking soil erosion and removing a crucial buffer against pollution of Lake Victoria. Local people are critically dependent upon remaining forests for firewood and building houses.
According to Uganda’s National Forest Authority (NFA), the plan to log Mabira reserve endangers 312 species of tree, 287 species of bird and 199 species of butterfly. Nine species found only in Mabira and nearby forests risked going extinct. The forest absorbs pollution in an industrial area, sinking millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide, and helps maintain central Uganda's wet climate. Their removal would bring drier weather and hurt crop yields. Mabira is a watershed for two rivers contributing to the Nile, an ecological stabiliser between two major industrial towns and it protects Lake Victoria. According to the Uganda Tourism Board, eco-tourism generated some $300 million for Uganda last year.
At the end of November, more than 2,000 protesters from Uganda, the United States, Israel and other places signed a petition urging President Museveni not to parcel out land from the Mabira Forest Reserve. Local NGOs have described the situation - with the President questionably pushing the projects while the parliament remains largely silent - "as a governance crisis, disrespect for constitutionalism and the rule of law… forest reserves are protected by the constitution and environmental laws and that change of land use can only be approved by Parliament… ongoing actions also question Uganda's commitment to respect international law and obligations."
The whole matter seems to reflect a desperate power grab by the President to reward cronies under false and illusory promises of industrialization. The government has no legal mandate to give out constitutionally protected forest reserves to be cut down by private companies. Recently the president asked the NFA boss to do just that, and forced him to resign after he refused to license the rainforest destroying palm oil development.
Please contact President Yoweri Museveni, the entire Ugandan parliament, and Ugandan ministries and embassies and insist that these projects be abandoned, and Uganda's remaining rainforest strictly protected as ecological reserves while restoring forests where they historically occurred.
rudkla - 15. Dez, 19:47
