GFIS News Feed in English

Searching for nutritional security in the forests of Central Africa

Fri, 24 May 2013 03:06:00 GMT

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (24 May, 2013)_Ever more of Central Africa’s forests are being felled to clear space for high-calorie, low-nutrient staple and cash crops such as maize or cassava. But it seems that food and nutrition security in Central Africa may be getting back to its roots: forests. Forests have long been a crucial source of... Read more

Reforestation study shows trade-offs between water, carbon and timber

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:22:00 GMT

More than 13,000 ships per year transit the Panama Canal each year. Each time a ship passes through, more than 55 million gallons of water are used. The advent of large “super” cargo ships has demanded expansion of the canal, leaving the authority to consider how meet increased demand for water. One proposed measure is the reforestation of the watershed.

Orphaned Bonobos Indicate Pressure on the Congo's Forests

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:27:00 GMT

The Program on Forests (PROFOR) has examined and used the number of bonobo orphans arriving at a sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as an indication of pressure on rainforests in the country.

UNEP Launches Global Sustainable Consumption and Production Clearinghouse

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:24:00 GMT

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), in its role as Secretariat of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP 10YFP), has launched The Global SCP Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse uses social networking principles to create a “one-stop hub” for SCP knowledge and cooperation.

IR app

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:06:00 GMT

Stora Enso’s IR application is available for iPad. The application features content such as share price information, releases, financial reports and presentations, analyst consensus and an IR calendar. Also CFO Karl-Henrik Sundström’s blog is available in the application. The application is in English.

Download here: Stora Enso IR app for iPad

Indonesia’s forests: Logging the good news

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:05:00 GMT

UK Only Article: standard article Issue: The sleepwalkers Fly Title: Indonesia’s forests Rubric: The president has helped transform a debate about forest conservation Location: JAKARTA Main image: 20130525_ASP004_0.jpg INDONESIA’S president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, is not known as a conviction politician. Rather, his leadership has been characterised by compromise. On the environment, though, Mr Yudhoyono has been uncommonly courageous. In 2009, two years after world leaders met on the island of Bali to agree on a “road map” to slow climate change, Mr Yudhoyono pledged Indonesia to cutting its carbon emissions by at least 26% by 2020. Then, in 2011, he imposed a two-year moratorium on forest-clearing concessions under a $1 billion agreement with the Norwegian government. The money is meant to support a UN programme to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. On May 16th Mr Yudhoyono once again showed his ...

Grassy Narrows First Nation has filed their Supreme Court appeal

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:00 GMT

Lawyers for the Grassy Narrows First Nation have filed their appeal with the Supreme Court of Canada. The appeal is concerning the recent Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision that the province has authority to issue logging permits on all public lands and forests in the province, including First Nations’ traditional lands. “Grassy Narrows is determined to [...]

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Bryan Fire Department, Texas A&M Forest Service collaborate on first plan of its kind in Texas

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:16:00 GMT

May 23, 2013 – BRYAN, Texas – Bryan firefighters helped suppress almost 100 wildfires during the record-breaking 2011 fire season, prompting the chief to ensure his department is trained and prepared for the next big blaze. The Bryan Fire Department joined forces with Texas A&M Forest Service in late 2012 and spent months identifying wildfire risks and strategies to reduce those risks. The resulting product is the department’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), a national model for hazard mitigation. But Bryan Fire Chief Randy McGregor said it was important for his department to expand on the typical CWPP template. The chief felt compelled, he said, to make sure his firefighters were equipped for tactical wildfire response. BFD firefighters typically respond to a high volume of medical calls and single-structure fires, which require different response tactics than a wildfire that can burn hundreds of acres and multiple buildings in a single day. To address those needs, McGregor put his firefighters through a wildland training course and, with Texas A&M Forest Service, began crafting the first collaborative “Wildfire Pre-Attack Plan” in Texas. The pocket guide delves into specific tactics, outlining water sources, home construction materials and vegetation types for individual Bryan neighborhoods, particularly those that present high risks. “We owe it to our residents to ensure that we have the tools we need to protect them and their homes when the next wildfire ignites,” McGregor said. “This process has provided us an excellent resource for our responders as well as mutual aid firefighters who may not be familiar with Bryan.” The working group of Bryan firefighters and Texas A&M Forest Service officials didn’t stop there. During a meeting in March, McGregor tossed out another good idea: “What if we made the Pre-Attack Plan a smartphone app?” he asked. “If responders could download the plan to their phone, they could view maps and get all the information they need, even begin crafting an evacuation plan, before they arrive at the fire.” The rest is history – and available for free download at the iTunes store. For more information on Community Wildfire Protection Plans, visit texasfirewise.org. The media and public are invited to see Bryan Fire Chief Randy McGregor and TFS Regional Fire Coordinator Jared Karns present a brief overview of the CWPP and Bryan Fire Department Wildfire Pre-Attack Plan. A presentation will be held at the Bryan City Council workshop set for 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, at Bryan Municipal Building, 300 South Texas Ave., Bryan, Texas. The group will reconvene at a City Council meeting set for 6 p.m. June 11 to sign the CWPP. Contacts: Jared Karns, Regional Fire Coordinator (936) 202-0688, jkarns@tfs.tamu.edu Karen Stafford, Wildland Urban Interface Specialist (936) 545-6991, kstafford@tfs.tamu.edu Randy McGregor, Bryan Fire Chief (979) 209-5960, rmcgregor@bryantx.gov

The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada: An Extraordinary Conservation Opportunity Protecting Chimpanzees in Eastern DRC through Community-Centred Conservation

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:04:00 GMT

JGI’s contribution to the partnership is the implementation of community-centred conservation initiatives, including improvements to education and primary health care. The program is aimed at providing local communities with alternative livelihood opportunities and training in sustainable agriculture while also reducing population growth in the area, which lessens human impact on forest reserves. In combination with the other activities implemented by JGI and its partners in this landscape, the program plays a critical role in generating buy-in for the conservation work being done in the area

Nova Scotia summarizes public comments on Crown land use (including former Bowater Mersey lands)

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:02:00 GMT

Nova Scotia has released a report that summarizes what Nova Scotians said are the best ways to use the 1.5-million acres of Crown land in the province’s western region to ensure sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits for communities. The report summarizes comments received at nine open-house consultations in March and April, at stakeholder meetings, and [...]

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