NatureNews

NatureNews for the week ending January 23, 2009. To subscribe to NatureNews, please write to Library.

Environment - General

7-foot wall to shield Ridge greens
After getting brickbats for many of its Commonwealth Games projects on the environment front, Delhi government has finally proposed a project that could get it kudos. For the first time, it is planning to build a wall around the Ridge area. The wall, which is to be 7 feet tall, will be the first such initiative to protect the green space. The move came after several strictures from the courts as well as environmental bodies on the rampant encroachment in the Ridge area. Said a senior government official, "The proposal was originally initiated some time ago, but no concrete decision had been taken on it till date.'' In a high level meeting by the CM, it was decided that the wall would come up before the commencement of the Games in 2010. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/7-foot_wall_to_shield_Ridge_greens/articleshow/3928279.cms

Climate Change & Energy

Tibetan glacial shrink to cut water supply by 2050
Nearly 2 billion people in Asia, from coastal city dwellers to yak-herding nomads, will begin suffering water shortages in coming decades as global warming shrinks glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau. The plateau has more than 45,000 glaciers that build up during the snowy season and then drain to the major rivers in Asia, including the Yangtze, Yellow, Brahmanputra and Mekong. Temperatures in the plateau, which some scientists call the "Third Pole" for its massive glacial ice sheets, are rising twice as fast as other parts of the world, said Lonnie Thompson, a glaciologist at Ohio State University, who has collected ice cores from glaciers around the world for decades. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Earth/Asia_in_water_crisis/
articleshow/3996496.cms

51 cos participate in carbon emission disclosure programme
It's a sign of the country's increasing eco-awareness. A recent voluntary carbon emissions disclosure programme had 51 companies participating, of which more than 40 per cent were from Maharashtra. In its second year in India, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) has partnered with the Confideration of Indian Industries (CII) and WWF India to administer an eight-page questionnaire about the companies' stand on climate change, their policies and finally, an accounting of their greenhouse gas emissions. City-based Thermax industries was part of the project, and voluntarily provided information on its carbon output. "Since it does not have greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting measures in place, the company was unable to share its emissions data, but shared information on what they perceive. Thermax said it would provide detailed disclosures in the next process," Shirish Sinha, director of the climate and energy programme of WWF, told TOI. For more:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pune/51_cos_participate_in_carbon_
emission_disclosure_programme/articleshow/3965031.cms

Computing industry CO2 emissions in the spotligh
The global computing industry is starting to rival aviation in its contribution to global warming, but not yet equaling its criticism as Britain gave the green light to expand London's Heathrow airport. The computing sector has come under increasing scrutiny over energy consumption and carbon emissions of data centers, in particular, as a climate debate widens beyond traditional targets including coal plants, heavy industry and planes. The information and communication technology (ICT) makes a similar contribution to global warming as aviation, and this is growing fast, analysts say. For more: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE50E5QO20090115?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews

Pakistan to be hit hardest by climate change
Pakistan is among countries that will be hit hardest by climate change though it contributes only a fraction to global warming, environmental experts including India's R K Pachauri have said. Pachauri, chairman of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, said Pakistan is witnessing severe pressures on its natural resources and environment. "Climatic changes are likely to exacerbate this trend. Water supply, already a serious concern in many parts of the country, will decline dramatically, affecting food production," he said. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Global_Warming/Pakistan_to_be_
hit_hardest_by_climate_change/articleshow/3981363.cms

Forestry & Biodiversity

Amazon being deforested at faster rate than before
Brazil's Amazon forests are being axed at a faster rate than ever before, according to new annual figures recently released by the country's space agency INPE. From August 2007 to July 2008, Brazil deforested 11,968 square kilometres of forests in the area designated as the Legal Amazon, a 3.8 per cent increase over the previous year and an unwelcome surprise following declines of 18 per cent over the previous period. From 2003-2004 to 2006-2007, annual deforestation totals from the agency fell from 27,423 sq km to 11,532 sq km. There were fears that the current trend could have been worse but for new measures introduced part way through the year when it became apparent that annual deforestation was accelerating towards a possible 15,000 hectare level. WWF-Brazil has lauded restraints on credit for properties not complying with environmental rules on deforestation licences, legal reserve and permanent preservation areas, strengthened land ownership rules, increased patrolling activity and a sharing of responsibility for halting deforestation with states and municipalities. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora__Fauna/Amazon_
being_deforested_at_faster_rate_than_before/articleshow/3945489.cms

Corporate support for biodiversity
Conservation of forests and wildlife in the rain-swept, biodiverse western Ghats is a national priority. Although these mountainous forests have been depleted owing largely to clear felling and conversion to plantations in colonial times, the remaining 15 per cent designated as protected areas host a grand assemblage of plant and animal species. Remarkably, even private agricultural plantations in the Ghats have well-preserved forest fragments stretching across several hectares. These, in fact, are a major trove of trees and rare animals. Such resplendent islands of life in a sea of tea and coffee monoculture are viable sites for conservation and restoration. What they need is policy support. Evidence underscoring the conservation potential of the fragments located in the 220 square kilometre Valparai plateau of the Anamalais is strong. Degraded land in the estates of this region has been restored through a research-based protocol. It is noteworthy that the healthy stands of endemic trees and the restoration sites managed by scientists owe their existence to active support from private plantations. For more: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/07/stories/2009010753811000.htm

Marine & Oceans

Illegal exports endanger box turtles in Malaysia
The box turtle is disappearing across Malaysia because of increased illegal hunting for its meat and use in traditional Chinese medicine, wildlife activists said. TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network, said in a new report that the Malayan Box Turtle "is in peril due to overexploitation" despite a Malaysian government ban on its export since 2005. Since the ban, export of turtles for the pet trade in Japan, Europe and the United States ceaseo the obvious conclusion: stop the over-exploitation of Malayan Box Turtles, before we lose them," she said. She said the vast majority of the illegally exported Malayan Box Turtles, distinguished by three yellow stripes on the head and a dark olive carpace, are adults. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora__Fauna/Illegal_exports_
endanger_box_turtles_in_Malaysia/articleshow/3945960.cms

Bush to establish largest marine protection area
Seeking to add an environmental boost to his legacy, President George W. Bush is to announce the creation of the world's largest oceanic protected area in three parts of the Pacific. In a bid to protect pristine coral reefs, rare fish and underwater volcanoes, Bush will mark out an area spanning some 195,000 square miles (505,000 sq km) in the Pacific Ocean as a trio of "marine national monuments," a spokesman said. The areas include the Mariana Trench and northern Mariana Islands, the Rose Atoll in American Samoa and a chain of remote islands in the Central Pacific. Fishing will be barred or limited in many island areas while the 21 volcanoes and hydrothermal vents along the ocean floor beneath the Mariana Islands will also be protected. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora__Fauna/Bush_to_
establish_largest_marine_protection_area/articleshow/3940645.cms

Acidification, climate change killing off corals
Ocean acidification and rising temperatures are gradually killing off the biggest and most robust corals on the Great Barrier Reef since 1990, the "tipping point" year, says a new study. The study, authored by Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) scientists Glenn De'ath, Janice Lough and Katharina Fabricius, is the most comprehensive one to date on calcification rates of Great Barrier Reef (GBR) corals. Calcification is how much skeleton the coral puts down each year. Reef corals create their hard skeletons from materials dissolved in seawater. When large amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide enter seawater, the resulting chemical changes effectively reduce the ability of marine organisms to form skeletons. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora__Fauna/Acidification_
climate_change_killing_off_corals/articleshow/3937175.cms

Barak turtles, last spotted in your neighbour’s soup
Freshwater turtles and tortoises that laze around on the sandy banks of the Barak are ending up in the chef’s pan, thanks to a group of unscrupulous hunters who don’t mind sullying their hands with the blood of an endangered species. In Assam, the Barak basin was considered the turtles’ last home where they sunbathed in swarms and swam back at leisure. That was till fishermen discovered how profitable their delicious meat could be. Every monsoon, as the reptiles leave the waters and crawl to the banks to lay eggs, fishermen wait with their nets, hooks and lines, and occasionally even spears for their “prize catch”. “The predators among men are the main enemy of the turtles. They continue to butcher the freshwater reptiles in Barak Valley districts in general and Cachar district in particular for pecuniary gains,” said Abhik Gupta, a professor of ecology in Assam University, 18km south of Silchar town. For more: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090116/jsp/northeast/story_10391789.jsp

Wildlife & Endangered Species

Tigers shining in Karnataka
The dwindling population of tigers in the country is a major concern. But Karnataka gives reason to smile: a recent study reveals that the state's tiger population is stable. The study, 'Distribution and dynamics of tiger and prey populations in Karnataka' by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Centre for Wildlife Studies, was done covering a 22,000 square km landscape - Malenad-Mysore Tiger Landscape (MMTL). A tiger abundance index was derived which shows there are about 200 adult/juvenile tigers in the MMTL region. Intensive monitoring in three prime tiger habitats - Nagarahole National Park, Bandipur National Park and Bhadra Tiger Reserve - indicate that tiger populations in Nagarahole and Bandipur are relatively high and stable with tiger densities ranging between 11 and 15 adults per 100 square km. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Earth/Tigers_shining_in_Karnataka/
articleshow/4014441.cms

Poaching poachers
The tiger, living flame of the Indian forest, is dying out. And there seems to be nothing we can do to prevent what would be a conservationist catastrophe. The statistics are damning. At the beginning of the 20th century there were an estimated 40,000-45,000 tigers on the Indian subcontinent. A little over a hundred years later, as of February 2008, there were just 1,411 of these magnificent animals surviving in their natural habitat. Between early 2008 and now, their numbers have almost certainly dwindled further. All efforts to protect the tiger including the most ambitious and concerted of such programmes, Project Tiger, launched in 1973 have failed. And the single cause of their failure has been poaching. Many strategies have been devised to curb this murderous menace which is pushing the great carnivores to the irreversible edge of extinction: recruit more forest guards, and arm and pay them better; involve villagers and forest dwellers in the task of conservation by highlighting the importance of the tiger, both as top-of-the-food-chain proof of a healthy, self-sustaining environment and as a source of tourism revenue and employment generation. Nothing has worked, and poaching continues to take its deadly toll. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3934618.cms

Tiger reserve waiting for some ‘cosy’ news
The Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan’s Alwar district awaits action from its two felines now roaming the 881 square km expanse as the rare feat of re-introducing wild tigers completed six months early. The cats -- one male and one female -- are reported to be comfortable in their new terrain after their transfer by air from the Ranthambhore National Park but to the consternation of the park lovers and the authorities they have not done much to help their tribe increase! “One welcome development is that now they are found together. Whether their proximity would deliver results is yet to be seen,” said the Field Director of the Park, P.S. Somashekar, talking to this correspondent on phone from Sariska over the weekend. A sense of relief in his voice was all too discernible considering that the tigers had kept away from themselves at least for the first three months after their re-introduction into the reserve, which had lost all its wild tigers some time in 2004-05. There is further good news with an enthusiastic Divisional Forest Officer, Sunayan Sharma, vouchsafing sighting them cosying up to each other a few days ago though Mr. Somashekar would like to play safe in this regard. For more: http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/18/stories/2009011857870700.htm

‘Project Snow Leopard’ launched
The government launched ‘Project Snow Leopard’ to safeguard and conserve India’s unique natural heritage of high-altitude wildlife populations and their habitats by promoting conservation through participatory policies and actions. The Project Snow Leopard is an initiative for strengthening wildlife conservation in the Himalayan high altitudes, covering Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. It aims at promoting a knowledge-based and adaptive conservation framework that fully involves the local communities, who share the snow leopard’s range, in conservation efforts. Launching the project, Minister of State for Forest and Wildlife S. Regupathy said predators such as the snow leopard — at the apex of ecological pyramid — suffered the most partly on account of their relatively smaller population and also because of man-animal conflict. This situation got aggravated by the hostile landscape forming its habitat. For more: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/21/stories/2009012160591300.htm

Sanctuary breeding endangered clouded leopards
The endangered clouded leopard seems to have got a new lease of life in the Sipaheejala Sanctuary which has witnessed two births annually of the species whose population has declined to just 31 in India. The sanctuary is the only conservation breeding project for clouded leopards, sanctuary veterinarian Dr Sajal Das said. Of the 31 of the species existing, named after the cloud-like spots on its coat to provide camouflage in its forest habitat, there are 17 in Tripura, district, five each in Dhalai and North Tripura districts and four in West Tripura district, according to the census report of the Forest Department. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Earth/Clouded_leopards_in_Tripura/
articleshow/4001646.cms

500th dancing bear rescued in India: UK charity
The International Animal Rescue (IAR) charity organisation has claimed to have rescued the 500th dancing bear from the streets of India. The Uckfield-based animal welfare organisation described the recent rescue as a 'major milestone' in the campaign to free all the dancing bears in the country and provide them with a safe haven. Alan Knight, chief executive of IAR, told the local media: "We are well on the way to end the trade in dancing bears in India altogether. "By nominating 2009 as International Animal Rescue's Year of the Bear we aim to give a new impetus to the campaign and rescue all the remaining bears off the streets. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora__Fauna/500th_dancing
_bear_rescued_in_India_UK_charity/articleshow/3945488.cms

Pink iguanas discovered on Galapagos Islands
A team of Ecuadoran and Italian researchers have discovered a unique species of pink land iguanas living on the Galapagos Islands, the scientist who wrote the report said. "It is surprising to have made a find of this magnitude in the 21st century," said Washington Tapia, head of research at the Galapagos National Park. Researchers at first thought that the iguanas, which are pink with black spots, simply had skin pigmentation problems, Tapia said. The first pink iguanas were discovered in 1986, and after years of research scientists concluded that it was a unique species. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora__Fauna/Pink_iguanas_
discovered_on_Galapagos_Islands/articleshow/3940646.cms

Wildlife rangers in Kashmir tackle man-animal conflict
The Wildlife wing of the Jammu and Kashmir government's Forest Department has been conducting a research on Asiatic black bears in the Srinagar region of the Dachigam National Park. Rangers and volunteers wildlife enthusiasts are studying the bears' home ranges, seasonal movements, habitat use, breeding nature and behavioural traits. In a bid to control rising incidents of man-animal conflict, particularly during the winter season when bears tend to move into human habitat, the rangers have launched a drive to fix radio collars on these majestic mammals. According to the rangers, this is the first time that bears are being fitted with radio collars. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora__Fauna/Wildlife_
rangers_in_Kashmir_tackle_man-animal_conflict/articleshow/3936678.cms
Central team finds shortcomings in tiger-combing operations in Ghazipur
Experts from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) are in Ghazipur district to assess the operations of catching a tiger that had strayed nearly a week ago. Experts found that the operations could not become successful because of several shortcomings. The experts ruled out the possibility of declaring the tiger as a maneater. “We are still assessing the situation but it has emerged the Forest Department could have done better,” said Rajesh Gopal, member secretary NTCA. For more: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/central-team-finds-shortcomings-in-tiger.../406434/

Bid to save endangered red panda from extinction in Sikkim
Sikkim is making efforts to save endangered Red Panda from extinction. The Himalayan Zoological Park (HZP), Gangtok in collaboration with the State Forest Department has initiated a programme for the conservation and breeding of Red Panda at a natural enclosure in the park." Red panda is an endangered species. We are in an initial stage now. We have already set up a small venture-breading centre for Red Panda. Presently, we have six animals, two females and four males. In the conservation breeding programme, we have been successful since 1999 when a male was brought from Darjeeling zoo and a female was brought from Holland," said Gut Lepcha, Additional Director of Forest, HZP. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Earth/Saving_red_panda_in_Sikkim/
articleshow/3982762.cms

More than 600 elephants found in Malaysian park
Researchers said they have found a surprisingly large elephant population in Malaysia's biggest national park after new survey techniques revealed a community of more than 600 animals. The New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society and Malaysia Department of Wildlife and National Parks estimated that there are 631 Asian elephants living in Taman Negara National Park in the center of peninsular Malaysia. The survey showed Taman Negara to be "one of the great strongholds for Asian elephants in Southeast Asia," said Melvin Gumal, director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's conservation programs in Malaysia. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Earth/600_elephants_found_in_Park/
articleshow/3983595.cms
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China's wild camels increasing: Report
The number of wild camels, rugged creatures living in a former nuclear test zone with increasingly scarce water, in China's western Xinjiang territory has grown to about 500, making up about half of the world's population of the animals, state-run media reported. Scientists estimated that in the 1990s, only about 400 wild Bactrian camels were living in a national nature reserve in Xinjiang's Lop Nur region, while another 400 or so were in Mongolia, the state-run news Web site quoted camel expert Yuan Lei as saying. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora__Fauna/Chinas_wild_
camels_increasing_Report/articleshow/3987057.cms

Dubai to crack the whip on animal smugglers
A crackdown on the smuggling of rare and endangered animals into the UAE was announced by Dubai Customs. The move comes as new figures reveal the number of cases brought against people trying to smuggle endangered species into the country increased by 20 per cent in 2008. Abdul Rahman Al Saleh, Senior Executive and Director of Corporate Affairs at Dubai Customs, said traffickers attempted to bring endangered lions, stuffed crocodiles, stuffed foxes and rare birds, deers and falcons into the UAE in 2008. For more: http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Environment/10275308.html

Vietnam police seize rare animal parts
Vietnamese police have seized two tonnes of rare animal remains including bear legs and tiger skins from a store in Hanoi, an official said. Nguyen Viet Tien, deputy head of Hanoi's environmental police, said the animal parts were found at a store in the capital's Dong Da district. These include seven frozen bear legs and gall bladders, six sets of tiger skins and the intestines of six porcupines. Police arrested the store's owner, Nguyen Thi Thanh Tam. She reportedly admitted to having traded in wild animals for the past ten years. "Each kilogram of animal remains sells for an average price of 300,000 dong ($17) on the black market," said Tien. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Flora__Fauna/Vietnam_police_
seize_rare_animal_parts/articleshow/3972630.cms

Scientists hope to resurrect extinct Indian Cheetah
The Indian Cheetah, which has gone extinct, may be resurrected if cell lines from their cousins in Iran could be procured, scientists say. A group of Indian scientists at Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, is working on the ambitious project of gathering and storing genetic material of the wildlife species in a DNA bank which later may be used to resurrect the extinct species like Indian Cheetah and increasing the population of endangered species. The Asiatic Cheetah, a variant of Indian Cheetah, is found in some pockets outside India, including in Iran. "If a cell line made from the Cheetah was available, it would have been possible to resurrect the species. It seems there are at present a few Cheetahs in Iran. If tissue or cell samples could be procured from Iran it should be possible to clone the Cheetah using Leopard as a surrogate mother," S. Shivaji, a scientist at CCMB, told PTI. For more: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200901131411.htm

Birds

Kerala conducts survey on birds
Kerala government has launched an ambitious ornithological survey, following the footprints of renowned ornithologist Salim Ali, who undertook the first ever mapping of birds' population in the state, 75 years back. The project, which would last for a year, was launched by the State Forest department along with Kerala Bio-Diversity Board at Marayur in Idukki District on January three. Ali had also started his journey of collecting details about birds from the same site in 1933 on an invitation from the then Maharaja of Travancore. Ornithologist and Ali's disciple R Sugathan, who drew up the chart for the endeavour, said 19 major spots explored by Ali would be revisited by the present team for one year. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora__Fauna/_Kerala_
conducts_survey_on_birds/articleshow/3955687.cms

Bustard makes a comeback
The great Indian bustard, believed to be on the verge of extinction, is suddenly proliferating. In 1998, only 29 birds were found in Gujarat and now its population registered a rise by 20 birds, majority of them female, which is an even more encouraging sign. According to a study conducted by Gujarat Ecological Education Research (GEER), bustards were distributed in Abdasa and Nalia taluka of Kutch district in Gujarat over a 996.4 sq km area. The study reveals that a total of 35 Indian bustards were counted in the winter population survey and they had hit 48 post monsoon in Gujarat. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Flora__Fauna/Bustard_makes_
a_comeback_/articleshow/3944886.cms

Nepal's 'birdman' spreads conservation message
In the centre of Kathmandu, Gautam Sapkota raises his hand to his mouth and emits a series of loud screeches. Within minutes, the sky above him is full of hundreds of crows answering his call. Sapkota can mimic the calls of 150 birds, and in 2008 was named a "young conservationist of the year" by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for his ability to entertain and educate young people about nature. "Right now I am saying in crow 'Come, I am your friend'," said the 26-year-old, as the noisy black birds wheeled overhead and settled in nearby trees. At the regular presentations he makes to schools, Sapkota astounds crowds with his bird calls, and encourages children to learn about wild animals and the importance of protecting the environment. For more: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20090109/tsc-nepal-s-birdman-spreads-conservation-c2ff8aa.html

Two-day Uttarayan festival grounds over 100 birds in Vadodara
The two-day kite extravaganza held during Uttarayan saw at least 106 birds sustaining injuries in the city. While nearly 20 of them succumbed to their injuries, the Forest Department and city-based NGOs expected the number to rise in the post-Uttarayan season. The dead birds included a huge number of pigeons, lapwings, egret, bats and kites. "Even though the wind velocity was less this year, we did not find much difference in the number of injured birds," said Vishal Thakur, who heads NGO Canine Group, which is involved in the bird rescue operation. While the Forest Department had received over 150 cases of injured bird last year, the department anticipates the number to go higher, as 106 cases have been reported in just two days this year. For more: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/twoday-uttarayan-festival-grounds-over-100-birds-in-vadodara/411302/

Reptiles & Amphibians

Govt steps in to save gharials
Fast vanishing crocodiles from Chambal wildlife sanctuary have forced the Department of Science and Technology to use science to monitor the endangered species in the area spread over three states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Close to 2,500 captively bred crocodiles have been released into the Chambal since 1983 but less than 1,000 are estimated to be surviving in the river. The department has asked the WII and forest departments of the three states to use radio collaring to monitor the crocodiles released into the river from captive centers. Radio collaring is a technology, which uses Global Positioning Response System to record movements of the animal on a daily basis after it is released in the wild. The WII will soon be starting a pilot project in this regard," a department official, who was not willing to be quoted, said. "There was a huge population of wild crocodiles in the river but nobody knows where so many of them have vanished," said Professor R J Rao, a crocodile expert with the Zoology Department of Gawalior University. For more: http://in.news.yahoo.com/32/20090123/1053/tnl-govt-steps-in-to-save-gharials.html

EVENTS

The Second Gulf Conference & Exhibition on Environment & Sustainability; 16 - 19 February 2009; State of Kuwait; http://www.wes.com.kw

Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2009; 4 - 7 February 2009; New Delhi, India.; http://dsds.teriin.org/2009/index.htm

Managing Waste in a Changing Climate; 4 - 6 March 2009; Launceston, Australia; http://www.taswasteandclimatechange.com.au

Ecosystem Services: Marketing Environmental Solutions; 12 - 13 March 2009; Virginia, United States; http://www.cpe.vt.edu/esmes/

AMERICANA 2009 - International Environmental Trade Show and Conference; 17 - 19 March 2009; Montreal, Canada; http://www.americana.org

CITES PC 18; 17 - 21 March 2009; Buenos Aires, Argentina; http://www.cites.org/

International Forest Biosecurity Conference; 18 - 20 March 2009; Rotorua, New Zealand; http://www.forestbiosecurity.com
Second World Congress On Agroforestry; 23 - 29 August 2009; Nairobi, Kenya; http://www.worldagroforestry.org/wca2009/