435 - EU-Africa-Mideast

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435 - EU-Africa-Mideast Tree News

--Today for you 30 news articles about earth's trees! (435th edition)

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Index:

 

--EU: 1) Trees play a crucial role in sustaining stream biodiversity,

2) Talks related to Russian timber tariffs, 3) Protected areas,

--UK: 4) Winter big tree hunting season begins, 5) Chainsaws catch

activists by suprise, 6) Orangutan Foundation, 7) Stewards take

chainsaws into their own hands, 8) They wanna kill a half million deer

to 'save' the forest? 9) 70 trees cut down without permission,

--Scotland: 10) North Highland Forest Trust (NHFT), 11) Furious

citizen over forest giveaway to foreign investors,

--Romania: 12) Regrowing forests need to be for ecotourism?

--Macedonia: 13) Opera singer starts massive reforestation drive

--Malta: 14) New regulations regarding pruning and cutting

--Congo: 15) Three Forest Guards killed, 16) Greenpeace says they set

up and office,

--Nigeria: 17) Lawmakers lack technical expertise, 18) Deforestation

in the North,

--Burundi: 19) Stopping poverty by preventing deforestation

--Uganda: 20) Soldiers to be used in new conservation efforts, 21)

Forest leases for treeplanting have been rescinded due to abuse,

--Ghana: 22) Destruction of forest reserves happens at faster rate

every day, 23) Underwater logging,

--Kenya: 24) Will the Mau forest be saved? 25) Mau forest findings are

the new roadmap, 26) Forest value comes second in Kakamega,

--Zimbabwe: 27) Ecologists turns economist cause it's the only way to

protect ecology

--South Africa: 28) Greenpeace opens another office today

--Jordan: 29) firefighting plans include monitoring stations,

--Iran: 30) Hara Mangrove forest

 

EU:

 

1) Marginal plants, particularly trees, play a crucial role in

sustaining the biodiversity of Europe's big river systems, according

to a recently held workshop organised by the European Science

Foundation (ESF). This finding provides important clues for protecting

Europe's rivers against a combined onslaught from human development

and climate change, which are tampering with existing ecosystems and

changing both the physical and biological forces acting upon them.

Both aquatic plants (living in rivers) and, more importantly, riparian

ones (growing along the banks and on islands) play critical roles in

building and sustaining habitats for colonisation by other species,

and in the chemical and biochemical processes that keep rivers and

their ecosystems healthy, according to Professor Angela Gurnell,

convenor of the ESF workshop and director of the Centre for

Environmental Assessment, Management and Policy at King's College,

London. Gurnell described some plant species as " ecosystem engineers "

marshalling habitat development and maintenance. Furthermore,

ecosystem engineering by plants operates at many different spatial

scales, and in different ways along rivers from their source to mouth.

But the vegetation itself is part of the habitat it supports and so

vulnerable to the same forces, with the potential for tipping whole

ecosystems into new states when certain thresholds are breached, for

example as a result of a slight change in climate or river flows.

" Vegetation–physical process interactions are highly complex and are

subject to distinct thresholds across which massive shifts in system

condition can occur, " said Gurnell. " Threshold crossing can be driven

by both physical and biological processes and is particularly

susceptible to changes in climate, river flow and channel management. "

The ESF workshop focused on Alpine systems because most of Europe's

largest rivers, including the Rhine, Rhone and Danube have their

source in the Alps. Alpine rivers receive a significant part of their

flow from snow and ice melt and so are particularly sensitive to

climate change, but these rivers also embrace ecosystems and

conditions that are found widely in other European rivers. The ESF

workshop heralded an important step forward for the field of modelling

the complex physical and chemical processes of river ecosystems, by

taking account of the vegetation's role not just as a guardian of

habitats but also in modulating water flow and sediment movements. A

full understanding of river habitats therefore requires these effects

to be incorporated in the models used to analyse them and predict

response to forcing factors such as climate change. " Complex river

channel patterns, including a wide variety of vegetated and

unvegetated landforms, induce complex flow patterns at the surface and

subsurface driving a range of hydraulic 'patches', which change their

hydraulic properties and also connect and disconnect at different flow

stages, " said Gurnell.. " It is crucial to develop models that

represent this hydraulic patchiness and its dynamics under changing

river levels, whether through detailed numerical approaches or more

aggregated statistical approaches, because these make it possible to

define the range of hydraulic conditions available to aquatic

organisms within different river settings. " http://www.esf.org/

 

2) While the fallout from Russia's conflict with Georgia and troubled

financial times are likely to dominate the agenda at an EU-Russia

summit opening Friday in Nice, some participants are likely to be

interested in a more prosaic topic -- timber. More specifically, after

the EU agreed Monday to reopen talks on a new cooperation agreement

with Russia, its officials remain keen on preventing a hike in tariffs

on Russian timber exports, which is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1

and which Finland, Sweden and other EU states say poses a threat to

their lumber and pulp and paper industries. " Export tariffs are the

main individual trade policy problem between the EU and Russia, "

Finland's minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Paavo VКyrynen,

said by e-mail Monday. " The forum for finding a solution is the WTO

accession process, and at the EU-Russia summit this will be in

negotiations. " On New Year's Day, Russian duties on exported logs are

set to increase by more than 300 percent, from 15 euros to 50 euros

per cubic meter -- or 80 percent of the log value. The increase, one

in a series of hikes that began in July 2007, is aimed at reducing the

incentive for companies to export raw timber. Instead, the government

wants to foster the development of a domestic wood-processing industry

or even the shift of some of the foreign companies' operations to

Russia. " I respect [Russia's] ambition to diversify, to modernize

their industry, but closing one's borders is the wrong way to go, "

Swedish Trade Minister Ewa Bjorling said by telephone last week.

" [sweden] opened up its border to more international trade, and that's

how we created our prosperity, and that should be the same recipe for

other countries. " European Union leaders are looking to make that

point in Nice. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1009/42/372251.htm

 

3) The International Conference " The European Forest-Based Sector:

Bio-Responses to Address New Climate and Energy Challenges? " took

place from 6-8 November 2008, in Nancy, France. The Conference aimed

to provide policy makers with information regarding the role of the

forest-based sector in relation to the physical processes of the

carbon cycle, the competition between wood and other materials, and

the energy market. Held under the auspices of the French Ministry of

Agriculture and Fisheries, with the support of the European

Commission, and organized by Ecofor, France, the conference addressed

three themes: forests as carbon sinks; wood-based products: carbon

storage and energy conservation; and the forest-based sector as a

source of renewable energy. Participants discussed the latest

scientific developments and options for policy development on the role

of the forest-based sector in light of climate change and the energy

crisis. [iISDRS Coverage of the Conference] [Conference Website]

http://www.climate-l.org/2008/11/european-forest.html

 

3) A network of protected forest areas (PFAs) stretching across Europe

plays a major role in conserving a wealth of biodiversity. However, a

recent study voices concerns that the full benefits of such areas will

not be reaped unless a standardised approach, which uses scientific

guidelines, is used to help select forest areas for protection. Poor

connections between forest areas, unsuitable surrounding habitats, an

inadequate size of forest and omission of some forest types, all

affect the ability of a protected network to conserve biodiversity and

ensure the long-term survival of species found in such habitats. There

are three guiding principles that should be used in the design of

PFAs, as cited by the researchers: 1) Representativeness - all forest

types, threatened habitats and endangered species should be included,

2) Spatial design - size, connections with other forest areas and

habitat diversity all play an important role, 3) Site quality -

suitable habitats and condition of the site, including structure of

the vegetation and presence of old growth elements are also important.

--- The study assessed how forest planners from 21 European countries

participating in the COST E271 initiative selected PFAs. They found

that the planners did not tend to follow the recommended scientific

guidelines. Only 26 per cent of the 101 forest types assessed were

selected using all three recommended criteria. For the remainder, only

limited use had been made of guidelines to identify the conditions

that contributed most to the preservation of biodiversity. Forest

planners gave three main reasons for not using the suggested

guidelines. 1) There is a lack of supporting ecological data and

practical information for choosing sites. Where this is the case, the

researchers recommend using vegetation types as indicators for

biodiversity and species distribution, complemented by modelling

techniques to help select sites. 2) Planners prefer to seek advice

from individual experts over standardised guidelines. The researchers

suggest it is essential for forest managers and scientists to form

partnerships during the entire planning process, but they should use a

systematic approach as a guide. 3) Systematic conservation planning is

time-consuming, expensive and competes with other uses for the land.

For example, it can involve setting aside areas of forest of high

commercial value. Justification for the inclusion of forest areas

containing biodiversity hotspots, not currently included in the PFA

network, is therefore important to optimise PFA efficiency and protect

a wealth of species under threat from commercial interests, in

accordance with MCPFE2 decisions.

http://www.environmental-expert.com/resultEachPressRelease.aspx?cid=8819 & codi=39\

834 & idproducttype=8 & level=0

 

UK:

 

4) Monday 1st December sees the launch of the first official Winter

Tree Hunting season. The Woodland Trust is asking everyone to get out

into the countryside and measure the oldest trees you can find for

it's Ancient Tree Hunt, a five year project to record all ancient

trees in the UK. The finds will be logged on the Tree Register of the

British Isles, which aims to have logged at least 100,000 ancient

trees by 2011. This means that we all need to get tree hugging! " Eh?

What has all this measuring and tree hugging got to do with knitting? "

you ask. Well, the Tree Hunt team at the Woodland Trust have decided

that the best and cosiest way to measure trees is to use The Winter

Warmer Ancient Tree Hunting Scarf. This scarf measures exactly 1.5

metres in length – estimated to be the same size as a British Standard

Hug. This is where your knitting skills come in handy. The Tree Hunt

team have joined forces with designer Laura Long and produced three

free downloadable patterns – a Stripy Scarf, for novices, a Leaf Scarf

for more experienced knitters and a lovely pair of gloves to keep your

hands nice and toasty! The Tree Hunt team would like you to measure

the fattest trees you can find using the scarf as a kind of fuzzy tape

measure – but not just any old tree – they need to be big fat ones!

The fatter the tree, the older it is. For example, an Oak would

qualify as 'ancient' when it measures three hugs or more i.e., three

scarf lengths around the trunk. All the information and the patterns

can be found on the Woodland Trust's Ancient Tree Hunt website here.

You can also join the Ancient Tree Hunt Winter Knitters group on

flickr to show off your creations! So, pick up those needles and get

knitting for a fantastic project and a great way to have fun in our

beautiful countryside! Reported by Anna from Half an Acre

http://ukhandmade.blogspot.com/2008/11/scene-ancient-tree-hunt-winter-knitters.h\

tml

 

5) Shocked members of the Friends of Bickerton Hill group say they

have been misled by the National Trust after trees were felled at a

picturesque site near the Sandstone Trail. The trust have chopped down

trees in the Cuckoo Rock Valley area as part of their heath

regeneration project but temporarily stopped the initiative after a

heated meeting between the two groups last month. The FOBH group claim

that members of the National Trust management had agreed to cut down

trees in other locations of Bickerton Hill and save what they describe

as " one of the most attractive and secluded woodland walks on the

hill " . But they have been shocked to learn that " dawn raid " visits to

the Cuckoo Rock Valley, by contractors using chain saws, have resulted

in more birch trees being felled. A FOBH spokesperson said: " The

present disagreement with the trust's conduct of affairs on the hill

is as a result of its intention to remove almost all of the birch

trees from Cuckoo Rock Valley. " This clearance was and has been done

without any clear notice of the Trust's intentions and without any

consultation with local people or hill users and at a stage when the

trust had almost reached its 50% target. " In what can only be

described as a surprise dawn raid, about a dozen contractors, with

eight chain saws, were instructed by the trust's management to get the

trees down as fast as they could, which left a chaotic tangle of trees

lying in all directions. " National Trust officials say the claims

about its conduct are inaccurate and that the tree-felling work, that

has now been completed, is supported by Natural England, the Forestry

Commission and Cheshire County Council. The trust have removed

self-seeded birch trees from a three-hectare area of Bickerton Hill as

part of their heathland regeneration project. Chris Widger,

countryside manager for Cheshire, said: " Bickerton Hill is a site of

special scientific interest under the Wildlife and Countryside Act

1981, and as such the National Trust is obliged to follow statutory

guidelines laid down by the government throughÅ its agent, Natural

England, toÅ manage this extremely rare heathland habitat.

http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chester-news/local-chester-news/2008/11/21/nat\

ional-trust-dawn-raid-angers-friends-59067-22305790/

 

6) Orangutan Awareness Week, 10th – 16th November, is an annual event

that creates a focus for groups or individuals to hold fundraising

events and raise awareness of the threats to orangutans and their

rainforest habitat. This week Orangutan Foundation are highlighting

the important role the orangutan's habitat, the tropical forests of

Borneo and Sumatra, has in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.

Deforestation is the second largest cause of global warming. Andrew

Mitchell, Director of the forest conservation organisation, Global

Canopy Programme and a trustee of the Orangutan Foundation says " If

deforestation is the front line for forests in the war on climate

change then orangutans are the ambassadors being burnt at the stake.

Emissions from deforestation are equivalent to 36 million people

flying from London to New York every day and unless this is halted we

will lose the fight against Global Warming. The global community has

one year to agree a workable mechanism for including forest emissions

in the global climate deal to be agreed next year in Copenhagen. We

along with our orange cousins watch with fear and hope. " London

businesses are swinging into action for Orangutan Awareness Week.

G-Wiz have donated one of their electric cars. The vehicle has the

slogan 'Cut Carbon emissions not our forests. Save orangutans. Support

Orangutan Foundation' and will be driven, by a person dressed as

orangutan, on Friday 14th November. Le Pain Quotidien, the sustainable

and community-aware bakery and restaurant, whose stores are carbon

neutral, are putting an " orangutan dish " on their menu and the manager

of their flagship store on Marylebone High Street will dress as an

orangutan.

http://www.orangutan.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content & task=view & id=247 & Itemid\

=9

 

7) The village of Urchfont has made a bid to be among the greenest

communities in Britain with yet another eco-friendly initiative. The

co-operative has developed from the work of the Friends of Oakfrith

Wood, a band of hard-working volunteers which, over the last 14 years

under the direction of county councillor countryside manager Steve

Russell, has transformed what was an unruly jungle into a delightful

bluebell wood. Now they have taken over the thinning out of the wood,

formerly carried out by a contractor, and will sell the resulting

firewood to members of the local community. The money from the sale of

the firewood will finance further work on the woodland. Fleur de

Rhe-Philipe, county council cabinet member with responsibility for the

environment, handed over a brand new chainsaw to Ian Maidment,

chairman of the co-operative, to officially launch the scheme at the

entrance to the wood on Saturday. Mr Maidment said: " Welcome to our

office! This is the culmination of two years' work during which we

raised the money, trained the people and got accreditation. " We will

be carrying on the work of woodsmen Jesse Fiddler and William Hale. "

http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/3836015.Village_bids_to_go_green/

 

8) " The current numbers being culled are not enough. We need to be

culling about 500,000 deer and we are not even close to that. " There

is a significant number of lowland woodlands that are in an

unsatisfactory condition because of deer impacts. It is in those areas

where we are working with landowners to get the habit back into a

better condition. Almost inevitably, that means culling more deer,

because people haven't traditionally been culling enough. " We're not

simply calling for a huge increase in culling. We are trying to

address local issues. That might mean an increase in culling, and I

think it generally does. But the aim is to address the issues, not

deer numbers per se. " However, the proposed increase has proved highly

controversial. John Robins, from the campaigning group Animal Concern,

said: " Not enough has been done to look at alternatives to lethal

control, like giving deer contraceptives. " In some areas, current

culling practices are totally unacceptable in a civilised society. We

are extremely concerned that some culls are of pregnant deer and hinds

when they are feeding calves. " Among the areas of England worst

effected by large deer populations are East Anglia, Northamptonshire,

Herefordshire, Exmoor, Oxfordshire and parts of the Midlands. Last

week, the Deer Initiative, which is funded by the government and its

other partner organisations, held meetings with landowners in the east

of England to discuss ways to control numbers there. David Hooton, the

organisation's regional representative, said: " In some areas, like

Suffolk, Norfolk and Hertfordshire, culling has already started to

increase. " But deer management is a very gradual game and it takes a

long time to get it right. What no one wants is to be indiscriminate.

We need to carry out monitoring and research as well. We are not

simply interested in culling, for culling's sake. " The organisation is

also trying to increase the marketing of venison, to provide a further

incentive for landowners to cull more deer.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/ecology/3463388/500000-deer-must-be\

-culled-to-protect-countryside-from-damage-by-herds.html

 

 

9) Residents say things came to a head a fortnight ago when workmen

chopped down more than 70 trees on the land, which is next to

Eastville Park. They hacked at 35-year-old ashes, oaks, birches and

hawthorn and left many of them lying on the ground, without permission

for felling from the Forestry Commission. The Commission and Bristol

City Council investigated after residents complained. Now the

landowner could face prosecution, because no licence was in place to

fell so many trees. Bristol City Council reacted by placing tree

preservation orders on the remaining trees in the wood in a bid to

protect them against further felling. The land borders large badger

setts and supports a lot of other wildlife, including owls, according

to the Bristol Parks Forum. Householders say they have never been kept

informed of what has been planned for the land and have never met the

owners. Some residents fear the trees have been cleared to pave the

way for more homes to be built. One woman living in the street, who

asked not to be named, said: " We just want the area tidied up. " At one

point, the two empty houses were taken over by travellers and there

were more than 20 vans parked on the land. It took a year to get the

squatters out. " Lorries have driven up into our cul-de-sac and dumped

rubbish and a mound of rubble and soil has been piled up into a mound,

spoiling the view for some of the residents. " Now this piece of

woodland has been decimated. No-one has the right to just decide that

they will cut down dozens of well-established trees. " According to

Land Registry records from 2007, the rectangular piece of land, listed

as 11,13, and 15 Ashdene Avenue, is owned by Alice Elisabeth Baisley.

She is listed as living in the US city of Denver and has a 'care of'

address in Hanham.

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Anger-felled-trees/article-491031-detail/art\

icle.html

 

 

Scotland:

 

10) Climate change could be the " last straw " for rare woodlands in the

far north of Scotland already damaged by overgrazing animals, it is

claimed. The warning from the North Highland Forest Trust (NHFT) came

as it received £250,000 from charities to help in its work to protect

trees. Upland birch woods, oak woods, wet woodlands and ancient wooded

pastures have been identified as under threat. NHFT said many of the

habitats were on the very fringes of their UK range. The funding -

which has been welcomed by Environment Minister Mike Russell - will be

used to run the Golspie-based trust's Far North Woodland Biodiversity

Project over the next three years. It will be led by trust manager

Steve Robertson, woodland biodiversity officer Pat Rae and project

support officer Sasha Saunders. Trust chairman David Glass said NHFT

was eager to work with communities and crofters in preserving the

woodlands and turning them to the benefit of the local economy. He

said: " The woodland biodiversity project aims to conserve and enhance

key woodland habitats within Sutherland and Caithness, whilst at the

same time providing a boost to the local economy and contributing

positively to climate change mitigation. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7734980.stm

 

11) Plans by the Scottish government to raise hundreds of million of

pounds by giving control of vast areas of Scotland's forests to

foreign multinationals are facing furious opposition from trade unions

and Labour politicians. The SNP has been accused of proposing to " sell

off our family silver. " Public access to forests and the protection of

wildlife are also in jeopardy, critics allege. Minister Michael

Russell promised there would be no compulsory redundancies

redundancies and guarantees to protect access and wildlife. The

government needed to raise money to combat climate change, he said. In

a consultation paper the government has proposed powers that would

enable ministers to lease more than 25% of the nation's forests to

private companies. The leases, which could run for 75 years, would

give the companies rights to fell timber for commercial purposes.

Among those likely to be attracted to such a business are logging

companies from around the world. The plans have incensed the forestry

workers' trade unions, GMB, Unite, Prospect and PCS. They " represent

the biggest challenge to our jobs, the integrity of the Forestry

Commission and the sustainability of Scottish forestry that we have

seen for more than 10 years, " said Edward Shephard, secretary of the

commission's trade union group.

http://www.sundayherald.com/misc/print.php?artid=2470044

 

Romania:

 

12) Romania is increasingly becoming a hub for eco-tourism, it has

been reported. It might interest those considering timber investment

in the country to know that the nation's forests and their wildlife

are attracting growing number of tourists, reports the Daily

Telegraph. Writing for the newspaper, Paul Mansfield explains that

some operators are now offering braver holidaymakers tours which bring

them face-to-face with bears. He said: " We saw 14 bears in all, in an

exhilarating and moving evening. It's rare enough to see bears at all,

but to encounter them on their own turf was a joy. " Bears aside,

people who visit the plentiful forests of Romania will see plenty of

other animals, including a huge variety of birds and mammals such as

wolves, deer, lynx and chamois, Mr Mansfield added. Last week, Xinhua

reported that Varujan Vosganian, the Romanian minister for economy and

finance, believes that the recent downgrading of the country's

financial rating by Fitch ignored several improvements made in the

nation. This news item is brought to you by KMS Baltics in conjunction

with Fest-Forest and EST KINNISVARA. Baltic forestry and property

specialists. http://www.kms.ee/articles/Romanian_forests_attracting_tourists?747

 

Macedonia:

 

13) Boris Trajanov, a Macedonian opera singer, launched a massive

project this week to seriously green the country in one day. Thousands

of people, including 1000 soldiers, were bused to designated planting

sites where they planted six million trees! That's a lot of trees to

plant for a little country of 2 million people. The idea, according to

Trajanov, was to raise awareness of eco issues and generally green-ify

Macedonia. The project also helped replant acres of forest destroyed

in major wild fires over the past couple of years. Let's hope this

isn't a one-time thing. Organizers hope to spread this campaign across

the entire Balkan region next year. Spreading beyond that would be

even better, according to Trajanov who said, " If Macedonia, a country

of two million people, can plant six million trees, we can only

imagine how many trees can be planted in other, bigger countries " .

While recycling, driving a hybrid, and buying local helps, there's

something pretty remarkable about so many people getting down in the

dirt and literally greening a part of their country.

http://www.greendaily.com/2008/11/19/macedonians-planting-millions-of-trees/

 

Malta:

 

14) The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has issued a number

of proposals aimed at providing stricter protection for a number of

tree species while simplifying procedures for pruning, felling or

uprooting protected trees. The newly proposed Trees and Woodlands

(Protection) Regulations aim to replace the current regulations, which

were released in 2001. They are currently being discussed with NGOs,

government agencies, the private sector and the general public. A

public consultation seminar open to all interested parties will be

held on Tuesday at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. MEPA noted

that the current over-protection of native species can be

counterproductive, as people are resorting to the use of non-native

species for landscaping purposes. The authority suggests that for

protected species, the current need for prior clearance by the

Department of Agriculture is to be removed, leaving MEPA's permission

as the only requirement. A number of particularly rare native species,

such as the Bean Trefoil, the Terebinth, and the Maltese National

Tree, the Sandarac Gum Tree (Għargħar), would be protected

irrespective of their location in the Maltese Islands. For other

species, protection would be given to all trees over 50 years of age

in protected areas, ODZ areas and in Urban Conservation Areas.

Exceptions would be in place for alien invasive species and for trees

which are damaging to the environment, to structures or to features of

natural or cultural heritage. MEPA also proposes that the use of

certain species, such as the Acacia, the Castor Oil Tree and the

Eucalyptus, which are alien, invasive or incompatible with Maltese

biodiversity, should be made illegal, and the authority may also order

the removal of such trees which are considered to be damaging. The new

regulations also make reference to Tree Protection Areas, areas which

contain representative types of Maltese woodland communities,

particularly those which are rare, threatened or critical to local

biodiversity. It is recommended that MEPA should compile a list of

such areas, which would be updated when necessary.

http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72 & Action=1 & NewsId=55808 & newscategory=36

 

Congo:

 

15) Rebels attacked three ranger posts in the Democratic Republic of

the Congo's Virunga National Park this weekend, killing one wildlife

officer, wounding three more, and taking 13 hostages. While the human

prisoners were released, the Mai Mai rebels still have hostages of a

sort: they have made it clear that they'll start killing endangered

mountain gorillas if rangers try to retaliate. About half of the

world's remaining mountain gorillas live in the 2-million-acre

Virunga, which is Africa's oldest park and a United Nations World

Heritage site. It has been a long-standing hotspot for conflicts

between locals who live in the park illegally and conservationists;

more than 100 rangers have been killed in recent years trying to

protect wildlife there. The Mai Mai are only one of several groups who

have used violence to vie for power and resources in the area. " It's

sometimes quite difficult to see what really triggered the violence, "

says one ape advocate. " The situation is very fragile. "

http://www.grist.org/news/daily/2007/05/24/3/?source=daily

 

16) Greenpeace today marked the opening of its office in the

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by welcoming Congolese officials

aboard its ship, the Arctic Sunrise, currently docked in Matadi, the

country's principal port for timber exports. The inauguration takes

place as the legality review of 156 logging titles in the DRC nears

its end and on the eve of critical climate talks in Posnan, Poland,

where forest protection is expected to be a central focus. Greenpeace

demands complete transparency from the Congolese government as it

completes the legal review of 156 logging titles. The first phase of

this process resulted in the validation of 46 forest titles covering

approximately 7 million hectares of forest. Eighty-one of the logging

companies whose titles were rejected in the first phase have submitted

appeals to the interministerial commission in charge of the process.

Greenpeace expects the government to respect the criteria laid out in

the 2005 presidential decree regarding the review of these titles.

" The Congolese government must not give into pressure from the logging

industry, which is currently doing all it can to highjack the legality

process. Clearly what the industry wants is to keep control of some 10

million additional hectares of illegally acquired forest, " said René

Ngongo, a policy advisor with Greenpeace Africa. Ngongo went on to say

that " those who exploit the forests are expecting the legality review

to approve the greatest number of logging concessions possible. They

are using the international financial crisis – which has had an impact

on the logging industry just as it has on most every other industry –

as a pretext for getting around the objective legal criteria already

established by the government. " Over 60% of DRC's population depends

directly or indirectly on the country's forests for subsistence. It is

the duty of the government to protect the forests and not give into a

political deal favouring an industry that is today directly

responsible for the pillage and degradation of the Congo forests.

Greenpeace also believes that it is essential the forests be kept

intact so that the Congolese people may benefit from international

funds currently being established to protect tropical forests. That

way Congolese can earn money by preventing the destruction of their

forests. The next United Nations climate talks are set to take place

in Posnan, Poland from December 1 – 12. One of the negotiator's

principal goals will be the creation of a mechanism to finance the

fight against greenhouse gas emissions caused by the deforestation and

degradation of tropical forests. Greenpeace's 'Forests for Climate'

financing mechanism is designed to protect the rights of forest

populations, while also protecting biodiversity and fighting climate

change.

http://7thspace.com/headlines/298405/greenpeace_opens_an_office_in_the_drc_and_c\

alls_on_the_government_to_act_swiftly_to_protect_the_congos_forests.html

 

Nigeria:

 

17) Majority of the members saddled with the responsibility for

lawmaking are either naive or lack the technical capacity to enact any

meaningful legislation to protect the environment, U. D Ikoni, has

said. Ikoni, a lecturer in the Faculty of Law, Benue State University,

Makurdi, said this in Abuja while presenting a paper on " Combating

Deforestation and Desertification IN Nigeria " . " The lukewarm attitude

of government to the question of the right to a clean environment may

be attributed to the lack of awareness among ordinary people of this

specific right which they possess. He continued, " the inadequacy of

existing legal mechanisms to protect man and the environment from

incursions of modern technology necessitated the clamour for

recognition of environmental rights as a separate and distinct right "

The lecturer said that the executive and the judiciary usually hide

under the provisions of section 6(6) © of the constitution which

renders the provisions of the chapter II of the same constitution non-

justiceable.According to him, the right to a clean and healthy

environment is the right of everyone to the conservation of the

environment, free from the degrading effects of pollution and other

human activities.He stated further that the requirement of a healthy

and balanced environment and of the environmentally sound management

of natural resources is a condition for the implementation of other

fundamental rights. " It is our belief that environmental rights will

grant the public a right to a healthy, environment and introduce a

series of reforms to increase the powers of the private citizens to

protect themselves and their environment from the negative effects of

pollution, " he said. Also, such right would increase the powers to sue

in civil courts for damage caused by pollution and to initiate private

suits or claims for pollution where government or its agency has

refused or neglected to act. In addition, it will grant increased

access to information on pollution and rights to participate in

standard settings and other processes relating to environmental

protection. http://allafrica.com/stories/200811100119.html

 

18) No fewer than 35 million people located in about 10 states in

northern Nigeria are facing threats of hunger and extreme weather

conditions due to desert encroachment on arable lands and grazing

fields. This is because the Sahara desert is said to be moving

southwards at the rate of 0.6 kilometres per annum, just as the rate

of deforestation has been about 350,000 hectares per annum. This was

part of a report presented to the House of Representatives Committee

on Environment when it received a joint delegation of officials from

the Agricultural Development Company Limited, Israel and the Federal

Ministry of Environment. The Isreali firm and the Nigerian government

are collaborating under the Desert-to-Food Programme to eradicate the

menace of desertification. Chairman, House Committee on Environment,

Honourable Duro Faseyi, who while receiving progress report on the

Green Wall Project / World Bank project on Tree Planting and Green

Wall Sahara, said the House was worried about the devastating effect

of desertification in northern Nigeria and was prepared to collaborate

with relevant organisations and institutions working in that area to

stop desert encroachment. Faseyi expressed dismay that the Federal

Ministry of Environment has not been carrying the parliament along in

the projects, and assured that the committee will provide the enabling

legislative framework to encourage tree planting and enhance

successful execution of the Green Wall Project in the country. of Desertification, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr

Ononina Nkem, who briefed the committee on the state of

desertification and progress on the Green Wall project, said

desertification was posing serious threat to the nation's economy,

food security and employment. According to him, about 35 million

people in the northern parts of the country are suffering from the

menace of desertification. He noted that the Sahara desert is moving

southwards at a rate of 0.6 kilometres per year, adding that the rate

of deforestation between 1978 and 1995 alone was about 350,000 hectare

per annum. http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=128982

 

Burundi:

 

19) Never has Floresta mission been so critical. The global charity

Floresta, that works to end poverty by halting deforestation, has

named Burundi the nation most impacted by environmental degradation as

judged by its dwindling forests, severely poor soil, fuel consumption

from firewood and people living on less than $1 per day. " For more

than two decades, we have watched the poor struggle to stay afloat

while their forests were cut down for fuel and income with nothing

being done to improve the land for farming and to protect hillsides

from erosion. The vicious cycle of poverty caused by deforestation is

growing exponentially so never has our mission been so critical, " said

Scott Sabin, executive director of Floresta. " We have been working in

the developing world since 1984 and have established a track record of

very effective work through local leadership in Mexico, Tanzania,

Haiti, Dominican Republic, Thailand and Kenya. " Floresta is expanding

its services into Burundi in 2009, bringing to seven the number of

countries that have benefited from its programs to plant trees, start

farms, teach animal husbandry and make small business loans that

empower the poor to take control of their environment. The group based

in San Diego, Calif., used data on poverty and deforestation rates

from a wide variety of sources to identify the following top seven

nations most in need of protecting or restoring the environment:

Burundi, Haiti, Ethiopia, Togo, Nigeria, Niger and Cambodia. Sabin

said Floresta drew up its environmental degradation ranking system to

bring attention to the intersection of poverty and deforestation that

exponentially increases human misery. " We want it to end, " he

stressed. " We are drawn to work in countries that will benefit the

most from our unique expertise in promoting the growth of new forests

and farms while helping the poor realize their potential to build a

better future, " explained Doug Satre, Floresta's director of outreach

and development. " Now, more than ever, it is clear that poverty and

the environment should be addressed together, " he added.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Floresta-Names-Burundi-Nation-Most/story.a\

spx?guid={3705846F-9303-4F11-AB20-09FABC0A77D9}

 

Uganda:

 

20) The government has announced intensified efforts to promote forest

conservation with the latest move being a plan to deploy soldiers in

forests to stop illegal forest exploitation. The Minister of Water and

Environment, Maria Mutagamba says that her ministry has finalized

talks with the security agencies to provide security operatives to be

deployed in forests across the country. She says the soldiers will

help curtail illegal timber cutting, ferrying of trees for charcoal

and forest encroachment for farming purposes by people in different

parts of the country. Mutagamba says the inspection exercise for the

deployment of soldiers to guard forests against encroachment and

illegal exploitation has been finalized. She says the increasing need

for agricultural lands and tree products by many Ugandans has been

worsened by the absence of forest rangers who would protect forests

from encroachment and over exploitation for timber and charcoal.

Mutagamba says while the army has agreed to provide soldiers, her

ministry is considering recruiting and training its own force that

will protect forests since the soldiers might be called for duty any

time when the need arises for them to defend the country.

http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/news.asp?about=Uganda%20to%20deploy%20sold\

iers%20to%20protect%20forests & ID=7145

 

21) President Yoweri Museveni has stopped the leasing of chunks of

forest reserves to individuals to plant trees. The individuals,

Museveni said, had abused the reserves by cutting down trees and

mining sand. The President cited forests on Mityana Road, which he

said had been sold to people including public servants. In a

communication to the environment ministry, Museveni accused officials

of NFA, the organisation which manages forests, of selling the land

cheaply. Describing them as criminals, the President said the culprits

should be punished. In the paper entitled, Mismanagement of forests by

the National Forestry Authority (NFA), Museveni said the policy of

selling or leasing forest reserves had not been decided by the

Cabinet. " Who decided on the policy of privatising or leasing forests?

I do not remember Cabinet deciding on this, " he said. The President,

accordingly, directed the environment minister, Maria Mutagamba, to

stop the selling or leasing of the forests to individuals by NFA.

" This takes immediate effect, " he said. The President issued the order

on July 29 but the ministry published it last week. In the

communication, Museveni named the NFA official whom he accused of

being responsible for the sale of the Mityana Road forests as George

Gasana. " This Gasana has been selling forests very cheaply, " he said.

" These are criminals and must be punished. " He also ordered Mutagamba

to report to him the action she had taken on the matter. He also

directed resident district commissioners to report individuals

claiming or destroying forests. The forestry department, which has

since been replaced by NFA, the District Forestry Services and the

Forestry Support Services, came under fire in Parliament in February

2003 for allocating a forest reserve in Mukono district to big shots,

including former vice-president Dr. Specioza Kazibwe, to plant trees.

Many politicians and senior government bureaucrats were also accused

of getting land from reserves across the country.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/detail.php?newsCategoryId=12 & newsId=661004

 

Ghana:

 

22) Currently, the legendry toll of deforestation on our forest

reserves appears not to conclude. Deforestation increases by the hour

both in protected and open reserves. Tropical rain forest (by

estimate) the worst hit, now is 25% of its original size. At the

prevailing rate of tree cutting, (22,000 hectares per annum) the

forestry sector, predictably, might die out. In deed, it is worrying

that, a significant eco-system service; wetlands deteriorate by the

day. In the mistaken name of reclaiming land, exploiting resources,

wetlands in the country are literally under " siege " . What is more,

Pollution, an act of man has ensured that life in wetlands is

effectively neutralised, thus that of the livelihood based on it. In

so doing, we have in turn given the upper hand to floods and species

invasion and consequently, changing climate. Is it then a surprise to

see wetlands such as Songhor, Chemu and Korle lagoon " wear " out? The

point is, for a society where about 70% of livelihood depends on land

resources, in an election year, one expected conservation of resources

to have informed most discussions, if not debates. Not that this might

have drowned fears of a gloomy picture for our space, but then it

demonstrates a certain increased willingness of political leadership

to improve agriculture yield, sustain rural industrialisation and

offer reasonable income levels for the numerous rural households in

the country, who predominantly are at the heart of a degraded

environment. Equally, a party manifesto which sought to extol the

gains to the economy of a well preserved wetlands (thus not worth

degrading) would have hit the bull right in the eye. And so would have

a manifesto whose underlying theme boldly highlighted environmental

sustainability! As was noted some 50 years ago by Sir. Julian Husley,

first Director General of UNESCO, " Environmental issues need to be

placed at the top of the political agenda even above defense, the

building of hospitals and schools, for it is usually serious

environmental problems that threatens efforts to improve standard of

living, health conditions and reduced income from agriculture " .

Jonathan Allotey, Executive Director of EPA shares in this and

recommends " at the national level emphasis should be placed on

building capacity on eco-system services and enhancing capacity of

countries to have more effective legal regimes and functional

institutional structures that contribute to good environmental

management " .

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=152675

 

23) Logging of a Ghanaian forest submerged 40 years ago by a

hydroelectric dam could point to an underwater timber bonanza worth

billions of dollars in tropical countries, a senior Ghanaian official

said on Monday. Exploiting submerged rot-resistant hardwoods such as

ebony, wawa or odum trees in Lake Volta, the largest man-made lake in

Africa, can also slow deforestation on land and curb emissions of

greenhouse gases linked to burning of forests. Logging will be led by

a privately owned Canadian company, CSR Developments, which says it

aims to invest $100 million in Ghana. Cutting equipment can be mounted

on barges, guided by sonars to grab trees below water. There were " 5

million hectares (12.36 million acres) of salvageable submerged timber

in the hydroelectric reservoirs in the tropics with the potential to

supplement global demand for timber. " " The trees are still strong, "

Robert Bamfo, head of Climate Change at the government's Forestry

Commission said, even though they had been under water since

construction of the Akosombo Dam in the 1960s. Harvesting would cost

more than on land but was still commercial because of the value of the

timber. http://jagadees.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/submerged-ghana-forest/

 

 

Kenya:

 

24) Will the Mau Forest be saved? Kenyan leaders and politicians, in a

bid for votes, have always failed in reaching an agreement on the

Forest; most have always put their political interests first, than the

Forest's. And that's what they continue to do now. They do this, while

an environmental disaster lies in waiting. " Effort should be made to

save the forest because it is the source of lakes and rivers.

Scientific reports say Lake Nakuru will be the first to dry, " recently

said the Prime Minister, Raila Odinga. Most Kenyan leaders and

politicians know the dangers of not protecting the Mau Forest; but

fearing in losing votes, they have always failed to act to save the

Forest. " Forest destruction will be a major blow to Kenya's biological

diversity, since forests harbor 50% of Kenya's plant species, 40% of

mammal species, 35% of butterfly species and 30% of bird species - all

on only two percent of the land mass. Logging in the Mau Forest will

have a devastating impact on water quality and level in Lake Nakuru,

home to the world's largest concentration of flamingoes. Protected

under international law (Ramsar Convention), Lake Nakuru may lose its

economic value as Kenya's second most visited tourist site. "

GlobalResponse And the downside, as stated by UNEP, could be worse:

" Kenya stands to lose a nature-based economic asset worth over US $300

million alone to the tea, tourism and energy sectors if the forest of

the Mau Complex continues to be degraded and destroyed, the UN

Environment Programme said today " .

http://safarinotes.blogspot.com/2008/11/save-mau-forest.html

 

25) The government will use the Mau task force findings as a road map

to the recovery of forests and in preservation of water towers in the

country. The Minister for Forestry and Wildlife Dr Noah Wekesa said

the destruction of forests in the country went unchecked for a long

time, a situation he said must urgently be addressed if the country is

to survive in future. He was speaking in Meru when he accompanied

Finland Minister for Foreign, Trade and Development Dr Paavo Vayrynen

on a tour of Mt Kenya Forest in Meru. He said the problem of illegal

logging in Mt Kenya and other forests in the country was made worse by

lack of enough personnel to police the forest at the moment. The

minister However said the government was in the process of acquiring

two choppers which will be used for surveillance to stop illegal

logging and charcoal burning in the interior of forests. On illegal

encroachment in the forests, the minister said the government where

possible would seek for an alternative settlement to ensure renewal

and recovery of the involved areas. Dr Wekesa said the government was

moving towards commercializing farm forests where farmers would plant

trees in the farm and later sell to the government and private

entities. The minister said the government was addressing the problem

of inadequate technologies and lack of management guidelines for farm

forestry to make it succeed The northern conservancy produces over 60

million tree seedlings to re plant in the forest reserves and for

issuance to farmers in the region. On dry land Forestry mostly in the

upper eastern regions of Isiolo, Marsabit and Moyale, the minister

said Kenya Forest Research Institute with other stake holders are

undertaking research to establish the best suited vegetation for the

region. He said Prosopsis Junflora, which was introduced in the dry

areas could be of much economic benefits to the region if properly

utilized. The Finland Minister for Foreign Trade and development Dr

Paavo Vayrynen affirmed that his government would continue to support

forest conservation efforts and urged the government to increase the

budget on forest conservations beside involving members of the

community in the conservation efforts. He said his government will

fund projects on commercialization of farm forests where farmers could

be funded to plant tress and later sell them to the government.

Earlier, North Imenti Member of Parliament Mr Silas Muriuki had raised

concern with the forest minister over the destruction of Mt Kenya

forest. Muriuki had insisted that illegal logging was going on in

areas of Timau and Meru sides of the mountains.

http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=54038

 

26) Alarm bells are ringing in Kakamega East District over the wanton

destruction of the biodiversity of Kakamega forest. Local villagers

seem unaware of the looming danger and continue to scramble for the

dwindling resources for survival. The villagers have been piling

pressure on the forest by the day as they engage in illegal charcoal

burning and indiscriminate felling of trees. The villagers are pitted

in a cat and mouse game with the forest guards as their cattle roam

the forest grassland for pasture, while the women sneak into the

forest to gather firewood. The youth engaging in illegal charcoal

burning to earn a living remain the biggest threat to the forest. War

cries have rent the air each time forest guards have raided villages

to arrest the charcoal burners and other suspects engaging in

activities that endanger the forest. At Shamiloli Village, organised

gangs of charcoal burners have laid bare a large area of the forest.

Mr Sylvester Lutiali Mambili, 58, is lucky to be alive after he

crossed the path of the charcoal burners seven months ago. When he

spoke out against the plunder at a public meeting called by the

district commissioner to address the menace, an armed gang raided his

home at night and left his house in ruins after destroying his

property. The gang of youth pulled down his house, beat up members of

the family and left everything in ruins before fleeing. The

destruction of his house and property was meant to send a message to

Mr Mambili and others deemed to be siding with authorities to block

villagers from benefiting from the forest resources. But the attack

has fortified Mr Mambili's resolve to carry on with the campaign to

sensitise villagers on the need to protect the forest. As the chairman

of the Community Forest Association, Mr Mambili goes about his work

with renewed vigour to try and win the support of villagers. The

Community Forest Association, which was formed to work with the Kenya

Forest Service and other players involved in the management of the

forest, covers Kakamega municipality, Ileho and Shinyalu divisions. Mr

Mambili is disappointed that the police have not investigated the

attack and arrested any suspects. " Although I have put the attack

behind me and would want to see the forest conserved and protected, it

is difficult to tell what could happen to you next, " said MrMambili.

http://www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?refID=104491

 

Zimbabwe:

 

27) I was trained as an ecologist, going into ecology because of the

enthusiasm of a mentor who really believed in the ability of

individuals to make a difference in the world. But after moving to

Zimbabwe and initiating work in the tropical savannas, where humans

have had an impact for 1000s of years, I found that a purely

ecological perspective limited my ability to grapple with complex

conservation issues. So I branched out into resource economics, and

into institutional arrangements for common property management - I did

this by reading basic texts, but more importantly, by working closely

with some world-class resource economists and sociologists - they were

important in shaping my career. For about twenty years I focussed

mainly on African tropical woodlands and savannas, but then joined the

Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) based in Indonesia,

and started work in the humid tropics on three continents. CIFOR, with

sites throughout the tropics, offers a wonderful environment for

in-depth cases studies combined with synthesis based on a global

perspective. Now at Charles Darwin University [Editor's note: Prof.

Campbell has recently returned full time to CIFOR although he still

collaborates with colleagues at Charles Darwin University], I have

started work on Aboriginal natural resource management, while still

working with teams of researchers in some 20 developing countries. My

work currently covers household economics (can natural resources lead

to pathways out of poverty?), conservation and development dynamics

(can there be win-win situations for forests and livelihoods?), and

common property management (can collective action and community-based

management lead to improved outcomes for forests and livelihoods?).

http://conservationbytes.com/2008/11/19/conservation-scholars-bruce-campbell/

 

 

South Africa:

 

28) Greenpeace Africa opened its first office in Johannesburg

today(1), announcing a long-term commitment to building a strong

presence in Africa dedicated to tackling the most urgent environmental

problems facing the continent - climate change, deforestation and

overfishing. A second office will be opened on 24 November in

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (2) and a third in Dakar,

Senegal, next year. These areas are central to tackling climate

change, deforestation and overfishing. " While the environmental

threats facing Africans are urgent and critical, Africa is in a

position to leapfrog dirty development and become a leader in helping

to avert catastrophic climate change and protect the natural

environment. We are here to help make that happen, " said Amadou

Kanoute, Executive Director of Greenpeace Africa. The launch comes

just weeks ahead of the United Nations climate change talks in Poznan,

Poland (1-13 December) where agreements will be made to set the world

on a path to cut greenhouse gas emissions and prevent human induced

climate change. While Africa contributes very little to global

warming, the region will be one of the hardest hit by its effects.

Over 180 million people in sub-Saharan Africa could die as a result of

climate change by the end of the century (3). Unpredictable rainfall,

lower crop yields and dwindling resources are causing mass migration,

increased tension and conflict. " South Africa needs to take a strong

stand at the UN climate talks for a deal that includes substantial

funding from the industrialised world for developing countries to

adapt to and mitigate the devastating effects of climate change. The

South African government should also support Central African countries

by backing moves to create a funding mechanism that makes protecting

tropical forests and the climate more economical than logging, "

continued Kanoute. Tropical forest destruction accounts for about 20

percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Industrial logging

threatens the Congo Basin rainforest and the 40 million people who

depend on it for their livelihoods. It plays a vital role in

regulating the global climate and is the fourth largest forest carbon

reservoir in the world. Yet if logging is allowed to continue at the

projected rate, the DRC risks losing 40 percent of its forest within

40 years. Greenpeace is calling for the adoption of an international

financing mechanism, Forests for Climate, that makes the Congo Basin

rainforest and others like it, more economically valuable intact than

as timber.

http://7thspace.com/headlines/297690/greenpeace_opens_african_office____focusing\

_on_climate_change_deforestation_and_overfishing.html

 

Jordan:

 

29) In a bid to protect the area's forests, Ajloun Agriculture

Department Director Mohammad Shurman said four monitoring stations

with watchtowers have been established across the governorate. The

stations, located in Arjan, Sakhra, Ain Janneh and Rajeb, were set up

at the highest points in their respective forest reserves in order to

monitor movement on the ground. With temperatures dropping and winter

approaching, the Kingdom's northern governorates are stepping up

efforts to curb logging in the Kingdom's diminishing forests. With

over half of their areas covered with trees, agriculture directorates

in the Ajloun and Jerash governorates have announced new procedures to

reduce illegal logging, a practice that increases during the winter.

Basically, officials said, dealers of this illegal business target

Amman customers who use the lumber for fireplaces, but an estimated 10

per cent of loggers are villagers who cannot afford regular fuel. This

fact poses a great challenge in itself, according to Jerash

Agriculture Department Director Jaafar Arabiyat.He said that despite

the fact that his agency is granting local residents free licences to

collect dry timber from forests, under the supervision of the

department's forest rangers, the money-making factor will always drive

loggers to break the law. The relatively huge area of forests makes

logistics a big hurdle to law enforcement, he said, noting that a

total of 91,000 out of the Jerash governorate's 400,000 dunums are

covered with forests. Logging is destroying trees that took over 100

years to grow, he said. Hundreds of licences have been issued to

people since the start of last month, Arabiyat told The Jordan Times

over phone yesterday, adding that the licences are for domestic use

only. " Even if we deployed more patrols and rangers, we would still

witness violations, " the official added. Since the beginning of the

year, ranger patrols have arrested several violators who cut down

trees during the night and transfer the lumber to the capital, where

each tonne is sold for over JD120, according to Arabiyat. " The traders

were referred to courts for legal action, while the seized timber was

confiscated by the department and then sold to the public for JD60 per

tonne, half the price at local markets, " he said. In Ajloun, officials

say the governorate is concerned with a wide array of violations

ranging from forest fires in the summer to illegal logging during the

winter. http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=12167

 

Iran:

 

30) The Hara forests is the common name for mangrove forests on the

southern coast of Iran, particularly on and near the island of Qeshm

in the Persian Gulf. Dominated by the species Avicennia marina, known

locally as the " hara " or " harra " tree, the forests represent an

important ecological resource. The " Hara Protected Area " on Quesm and

the nearly mainland is a biosphere reserve where commercial use is

restricted to fishing (mainly shrimp), tourist boat trips, and limited

mangrove cutting for animal feed. Qeshm is an island situated in the

Strait of Hormuz off the south coast of Iran and east of the Persian

Gulf (26°50′N 56°0′E / 26.833, 56). Qeshm Island is located a few

kilometers off the southern coast of Iran, opposite the port cities of

Bandar Abbas and Bandar Khamir. Qeshm is part of Hormozgan Province on

the southern coast of Iran. The island, which hosts a 300 square

kilometer free zone jurisdiction, is 135 km long, and lies

strategically in the Strait of Hormuz, just 60 kilometers from the

Omani port of Khosab and about 180 kilometers from the UAE port of

Rashia. http://www.payvand.com/news/08/nov/1164.html