by Craig Brelsford
For Elaine and me, 2015 was the Year of the Crane and the Owl. This post is the story of our amazing year.
2015 was a year that saw us note 640 species of bird in Asia and North America. It was a year that saw us find 450 species in China, 305 species in the Shanghai region, and 227 species within the boundaries of Earth’s largest city.
It was a year in which, on 21 Jan., Elaine and I got married in the house in Heilongjiang in which she was born.
Days after our wedding, at my parents’ house in Florida in the United States, a pair of Sandhill Crane walked through my parents’ back yard. Throughout our weeks in Florida, they came again and again; the cranes are part of a non-migratory flock that is both fully wild and completely at home in suburban central Florida. No one disturbs them.
Elaine was astonished. To her, the cranes came to symbolize all that is good about birding in America.
In August, Elaine and I returned to her home in Heilongjiang. A pair of Eurasian Eagle-Owl came to her village night after night. They hooted from the rooftops of the farm buildings that Elaine’s father built. We saw the owls by day, at the nearby quarry where they had nested.
I was astonished. To me, the eagle-owls came to symbolize all that is good about birding in Asia.
In the year in which we were married, Elaine and I visited each other’s hometowns for the first time. At my home, cranes; at Elaine’s, eagle-owls. Forevermore, 2015 will be remembered for the powerful birds that visited our homes. In the Brelsford house, 2015 will go down as the Year of the Crane and the Owl.
WHERE DID WE GO IN 2015?
In China, Elaine and I stayed in the east, taking two major trips to Heilongjiang and neighboring Hulunbeier (Inner Mongolia), two trips to Emeifeng in Fujian, and an eventful five-day trip to Guangxi. We also spent a week in Beijing and Hebei. We birded with Jan-Erik Nilsén, Brian Ivon Jones, and Michael Grunwell, fine birders all.
In America, I am fortunate to be based in central Florida, one of the finest birding areas in one of the best states in the USA for birding. In Florida, the birding is so good, I take my binoculars even on a quick trip to the grocery store. My parents’ back yard alone attracted dozens of species, and we added more at local parks as well as major reserves such as Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Elaine and I also took a 15-day birding honeymoon to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, where we birded with noted American birder Chris Feeney.
2015 IN SHANGHAI
The bulk of our year was spent around Shanghai. Our 227 “city” species were noted while compiling two major reports, one covering the spring migration and the other covering the autumn and winter. Trips further afield to places in Jiangsu and Zhejiang brought our Shanghai regional list to 305 species. Accompanying us on many of those trips was Michael Grunwell as well as German birder Kai Pflug and the husband-and-wife team of Stephan Popp and Xueping Popp.
Our springtime expedition in the Shanghai region saw us note 243 species. The autumn-winter report contained 259 species by 31 Dec. Here is what we discovered in 2015 around Shanghai:
— Amid the unremitting transformation of the Jiangsu and Shanghai coast, we found several shorebird species on the brink, among them the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, the endangered Nordmann’s Greenshank, and the endangered Black-faced Spoonbill. Other threatened waders noted by us were Grey-tailed Tattler, Black-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Far Eastern Curlew, and Great Knot. Other at-risk coastal species were Oriental Stork, Chinese Egret, Saunders’s Gull, and Reed Parrotbill, as well as the elegant passage migrant Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
— The most notable extralimitals were Long-billed Dowitcher south of Yangkou, Black Redstart on Hengsha Island, and Dalmatian Pelican at Dongtai and Nanhui. Other interesting finds were Himalayan Swiftlet and Brown-eared Bulbul at Yangkou, Chestnut-cheeked Starling on Lesser Yangshan Island, and at Nanhui Common Goldeneye, Horned Grebe, Black Bittern, White-bellied Green Pigeon, Japanese Scops Owl, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, Middendorf’s Grasshopper Warbler, Black-collared Starling, and Common Rosefinch
— We noted 14 Emberiza species, among them three threatened species (Yellow-breasted Bunting, Yellow Bunting, and Japanese Reed Bunting), the beautiful Crested Bunting, East Asian favorites Meadow Bunting, Tristram’s Bunting, Chestnut-eared Bunting, Chestnut Bunting, Yellow-browed Bunting, and Yellow-throated Bunting, and Little Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Black-faced Bunting, and Pallas’s Reed Bunting
— We noted dozens of East Asian migrants, breeders, and residents, among them Grey-headed Lapwing, Pacific Golden Plover, Oriental Pratincole, Black-tailed Gull, Lesser Cuckoo, Northern Boobook, Oriental Dollarbird, Speckled Piculet, Swinhoe’s Minivet, Bull-headed Shrike, Chinese Grey Shrike, Yellow-bellied Tit, Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Thick-billed Warbler, Grey-backed Thrush, Japanese Thrush, Brown-headed Thrush, Blue-and-white Flycatcher, Siberian Blue Robin, Rufous-tailed Robin, Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, Narcissus Flycatcher, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Forest Wagtail, and Red-throated Pipit
— During two trips to the Tianmu Mountains 250 km SW of Shanghai in Zhejiang, we watched a Crested Bunting sing, found a pair of Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, were encouraged by the many Buffy Laughingthrush, saw Crested Serpent Eagle and Black Eagle, came face-to-face with Koklass Pheasant, and noted more Russet Sparrow than Eurasian Tree Sparrow. We appreciated the strong Indo-Malayan character of the avifauna, as evidenced by classic southern Chinese species such as Grey-chinned Minivet, Grey Treepie, Indochinese Yuhina, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Rufous-capped Babbler, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Little Forktail, and White-crowned Forktail
— At Yangkou, we found a reliable site for the elusive Brown-cheeked Rail
THE TRIPS TO EMEIFENG
In spring 2015, Elaine and I made two trips to Emeifeng in the mountains of northwest Fujian. We noted 103 species. Highlights:
— Finding the five key game birds: Elliot’s Pheasant, Cabot’s Tragopan, Koklass Pheasant, Silver Pheasant, and White-necklaced Partridge, as well as the beautiful Chinese Bamboo Partridge
— At Shuibu Reservoir, finding Blue-throated Bee-eater, a species unexpected around Emeifeng
— Closely studying three Phylloscopus warblers that breed in southern China: Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis, Sulphur-breasted Warbler P. ricketti, and Hartert’s Leaf Warbler P. goodsoni fokiensis, as well as having close encounters with White-spectacled Warbler Seicercus affinis intermedius
— Finding 4 of China’s 5 species of forktail: Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri, Slaty-backed Forktail E. schistaceus, White-crowned Forktail E. leschenaulti sinensis, and Spotted Forktail E. maculatus bacatus
— Hearing the many calls and songs of the accomplished vocalist Buffy Laughingthrush
— Hearing Spotted Elachura singing along a rushing stream and seeing Pygmy Wren-Babbler along that same stream
— Noting other key south-China species, among them Black Bittern, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Black Eagle, Crested Goshawk, Besra, Collared Owlet, Asian Barred Owlet, Great Barbet, Speckled Piculet, Bay Woodpecker, Grey-chinned Minivet, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Sultan Tit, Rufous-faced Warbler, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Brown Bush Warbler, Small Niltava, Verditer Flycatcher, Blyth’s Shrike-babbler, White-bellied Erpornis, Grey-sided Scimitar Babbler, Black-collared Starling, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Fork-tailed Sunbird, and Orange-bellied Leafbird
MAJOR DISCOVERIES IN HULUNBEIER & HEILONGJIANG
Our explorations in Heilongjiang and Hulunbeier were inspired by the words of John MacKinnon:
Instead of going to the familiar places in China to clock up new additions to life lists, why not get to some remote areas where you have a good chance of finding something new?
– John MacKinnon, A Field Guide to the Birds of China, p. 16
In Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang, Elaine and I noted 228 species. We visited the region twice: once in January, a short trip with Brian Ivon Jones; and a longer trip in July with Jan-Erik Nilsén and later Brian. There were also two brief stops in Hohhot in south-central Inner Mongolia.
The January trip to Hulunbeier, the U.K.-sized prefecture in northeast Inner Mongolia, was our introduction to the region. Elaine, Brian, and I experienced cold such as I had never felt before. The lowest temperature we had was -36°C (-33°F). Among our highlights were Northern Hawk-Owl, White-backed Woodpecker, Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker, Great Tit, and Arctic Redpoll.
Elaine and I then traveled to Dawucun, her home village in southeastern Heilongjiang. There, on 21 January 2015, Elaine and I were married. (We worked in some birding that day, noting Common Kestrel behind her house.) I was pleasantly surprised by the good birding around Dawucun. Never walking more than 2 km from Elaine’s house, we noted Rough-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, Siberian Accentor, and Eurasian Bullfinch.
In the summer, Elaine and I returned to the region with Jan-Erik. The three of us spent 11-24 July exploring Hulunbeier. We drove our rented Honda CR-V 2533 km, covering the main habitats of Hulunbeier, among them the northern-temperate and taiga forests of the Greater Khingan Range and the arid grasslands around Hulun Lake.
Among the 170 species we noted were breeding Scaly-sided Merganser at Yikesama Forest and Swan Goose at the excellent Modamuji wetland. Other highlights: Great Grey Owl and Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler at Wuerqihan; Demoiselle Crane, Oriental Plover, and Isabellline Shrike around Hulun Lake; breeding Arctic Warbler near Genhe and at Yikesama; Baikal Bush Warbler near Genhe and at Hanma Reserve; House Sparrow and Blyth’s Pipit at various locations; Hazel Grouse at various locations and Black Grouse at Hanma; nesting Common House Martin in Galaya; flocks of hundreds of Pacific Swift and Common Swift in the towns; banded Red-necked Stint near Modamuji; 5000 Sand Martin and Bearded Reedling at Modamuji; and Pallas’s Reed Bunting ssp. lydiae and Common Starling at Wulannuo’er.
Next came two weeks (26 July-8 Aug.) in eastern Heilongjiang with Brian Ivon Jones. The trip began and ended in Jiamusi and took us on a loop through areas along the border with Russia, principally along the Ussuri and Amur rivers. This part of the trip was somewhat of a disappointment, mainly because seas of maize have eaten up hundreds of square kilometers of habitat. Still, we managed to find Oriental Stork in unexpected places such as Tongjiang; at Qixing River we found breeding Red-necked Grebe and noted Red-crowned Crane, White-naped Crane, and Reed Parrotbill (ssp. polivanovi, “Northern Parrotbill”); and at Qindeli Farms we saw Black Woodpecker and Mountain Hare.
Elaine and I spent 9 Aug. to 8 Sept. at Dawucun. The month at Elaine’s parents’ house was a high point in my birding career and one of the most satisfying moments in my many years in China. The birding was excellent, even in late summer, and even better was combining birding with family. Elaine and I would bird in the morning and afternoon and in the evening have dinner with her parents, sisters, and nieces.
Elaine and I rediscovered the quiet hills 1.5 km south of her village, and we made a major discovery: Xidaquan National Forest, 9400 hectares of old-growth secondary woodland just 21 km from Dawucun. Xidaquan had never been properly birded before, and the park managers welcomed our research, giving us free admission in return for a list of the species we noted.
We made 12 visits to Xidaquan and submitted to the managers a list of 91 species noted around the park and Dawucun. Among the highlights were discovering the Eurasian Eagle-Owl while birding with Elaine’s young nieces at the quarry near Dawucun. We found Eurasian Eagle-Owl at two other locations, one of them in Xidaquan, where we also noted Ural Owl and Long-eared Owl. Eastern Crowned Warbler were singing loudly and defending territory deep into August, and Radde’s Warbler were behaving likewise into September.
We regularly noted classic northeast China taxa such as Coal Tit ssp. ater, Eurasian Nuthatch ssp. amurensis, Eurasian Jay ssp. brandtii, Willow Tit ssp. baicalensis, and Marsh Tit ssp. brevirostris. At Xidaquan we saw Mandarin Duck, Asian Stubtail, Thick-billed Warbler, Eurasian Treecreeper, Siberian Thrush, Pale Thrush, Siberian Rubythroat, and Long-tailed Rosefinch; in the hills behind Dawucun we had breeding White-throated Rock Thrush, Asian Brown Flycatcher, and Yellow-rumped Flycatcher as well as Northern Goshawk, Chinese Grey Shrike, Grey-backed Thrush, Blue-and-white Flycatcher, and Eurasian Red Squirrel; and in Elaine’s parents’ back garden we had Daurian Starling as well as the regular nighttime visits by the eagle-owls.
The hills behind Elaine’s house became like a second home to us. A message I sent on 4 Sept. to the Shanghai Birding WeChat group sums up my mood:
“WISH-YOU-WERE-HERE MOMENT: If crisp fall weather could be bottled up and sold, then today would be the day to harvest it. Brilliant blue sky, cool qiufeng (秋风, ‘autumn breeze’), temp. about 17°C. Speaking of harvests, Elaine and her father are nearby picking Honey Mushroom Armillaria mellea. Elaine just radioed me; she and baba found a mother lode and expect to collect about 8 kg of the tasty fungus. I just now was writing almost literally in the shadow of a White-backed Woodpecker, the largest pied woodpecker and a very inquisitive creature, curious even about the weak playback coming from my iPhone speaker. Before settling down, I startled a Hazel Grouse and heard the laughter of Black Woodpecker. A Pale Thrush gave itself away with its tzzt contact call, then viewed me from a high branch before darting off. … Thank you for waiting me out while I drink my fill of these northern forests. It’s been one of my sweetest China experiences, doing great birding by day and being welcomed by Elaine’s warmhearted family at night. Birding and family! Life doesn’t get much better than this.”
BEIJING & HEBEI IN OCTOBER
Jan-Erik was an excellent tour guide at Nanpu, a coastal site in Hebei and the major wintering site for Relict Gull. Our Swedish friend also introduced us to Miyun, where we noted Greater Spotted Eagle and Long-billed Plover.
LONGHENG, GUANGXI, HOME OF NONGGANG BABBLER
From 16-21 Dec., Michael, Elaine, and I were in Longheng, Guangxi. We noted 76 species, chief among them Nonggang Babbler. We had White-winged Magpie, savored close nighttime views of Collared Scops Owl, enjoyed views of the elusive Lesser Shortwing, and delighted in southern China favorites Sultan Tit, Buff-breasted Babbler, Streaked Wren-Babbler, and Black-breasted Thrush. Farther afield, driving in our rented Mitsubishi Pajero, we found Large Woodshrike in the heavily wooded valley near Longheng, White-browed Piculet and Chestnut-capped Babbler in the cane fields near Longheng, Slaty-bellied Tesia in a thicket along a farm road, Siberian Rubythroat along a stream near Nonggang village, and Red-headed Trogon, Long-tailed Broadbill, Grey-throated Babbler, and Pale-footed Bush Warbler near Nonggang National Nature Reserve. Pin-striped Tit-Babbler and Rufescent Prinia were seen at various points, and Crested Bunting were locally abundant on the road between Chongzuo and Longheng.
Bird Species Noted in 2015 by Craig Brelsford and Elaine Du
In 2015, Craig Brelsford and Elaine Du noted 305 species in the Shanghai region, 450 species in China, and 640 species worldwide.
Shanghai region: 305 (227 in Shanghai Shi)
Asia: 451 (includes China list plus Varied Tit, noted by Craig in Seoul)
World: 640 (includes Asia list plus all American species not on Asia list)
Featured image: In 2015, Elaine Du discovered Sandhill Crane (L) at my home in Florida; Craig discovered Eurasian Eagle-Owl (R) at Elaine’s home in Heilongjiang. 2015 was our Year of the Crane and the Owl.


Author: Carolyn Johns
Posted on: Theconversation | March 18th, 2018
Most Canadians think of World Water Day as just another international event on the calendar — when water becomes newsworthy for one day in March, on the 22nd.
Yet we would be hard-pressed to go without water for just a few hours, let alone one whole day. Depriving ourselves of water even for a short period of time would demonstrate to Canadians just how much we take our water for granted.
In the week ahead, there are many global, national and local events organized to discuss and take action related to water. The 8th World Water Forum, held this week in Brazil (the country with the most fresh water in the world) is the world’s largest conference on water, attracting more than 40,000 representatives from governments, NGOs and companies.
At the forum, the United Nations will launch the new International Decade for Action on Water (2018-2028) and release its annual World Water Report. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will also release its new Water Governance Indicators based on 12 Water Governance Principles.
These indicators will allow jurisdictions like Canada to gauge how well they are adapting their policies and governance systems to new realities and challenges.
Meeting our water challenges
The emphasis at these forums is on the need for innovation and investment in the water sector, water science, water technology and water infrastructure — the hard services required to meet our water challenges and cope with crises like drought, flooding and pollution.
These are important investments that will yield a significant return on investment in coming decades. However, what the OECD and UN have been increasingly emphasizing is the need for dialogue and action on water governance — to focus on changing water behaviours and decisions.
Indeed, even countries with an abundance of freshwater like Brazil and Canada will face significant water challenges in the coming decades. As drought, flooding and pollution across the globe and in communities across Canada has shown, water governance challenges are increasing in contexts of both abundance and scarcity.
In Canada, we have some very serious water challenges in Indigenous communities, new and enduring water pollution in many of our lakes, rivers and aquifers and aging infrastructure at a time when populations are urbanizing.
Evidence of water crises in Canada and water infrastructure needs have touched many Canadian communities, and surveys in the past 10 years indicate that Canadians consistently rank water as our most valuable natural resource. Yet our policies, decisions and conduct do not reflect the significance of water to our society and economy.
The need for water ‘thinkers’
In addition to improving our water policies and adapting our water governance institutions, Canada needs to place more emphasis on its future water thinkers, leaders and practitioners.
Investments in hard services and water infrastructure are very important. However, to be creative and innovative with these investments we need new approaches. New approaches come from investing in people focused on the social, economic and political challenges we increasingly face in governing our waters.
One such approach is encouraging governments, the private sector, NGOs and educational institutions to invest in Canada’s future water leaders – and the Geoffrey Bruce Fellowships in Canadian Freshwater Policy is a great example.
The fellowships were established in 2017, by Erika Bruce, to honour her late husband’s efforts to champion local and global efforts to protect Canada’s freshwater resources. They provide funding to encourage Canada’s best young minds to help improve water governance — at the local, national and international levels.
Katherine Minich and Edgardo Tovilla are the inaugural recipients of the fellowships at Ryerson University.
Minich, who is an Inuk PhD student in policy studies, is focusing her doctoral research on how traditional knowledge can be the foundation of new water governance approaches in Canada’s northern and Indigenous communities.
Tovilla, a PhD student in Ryerson’s environmental and applied science and management program, is examining how water and wastewater policies and management in Ontario can be integrated using a “One Water” approach at the municipal level.
The Bruce Fellowship program hopes to encourage and fund Canada’s future leaders to focus on freshwater policy and governance.
World Water Day reminds us that Canada’s next generation of water leaders must be able to understand complex governance challenges and make value-based decisions based on a new water ethic — a water ethic that Indigenous peoples and other jurisdictions have much to teach us.
Read at: http://theconversation.com/why-every-day-should-be-world-water-day-92561
Why every day should be World Water Day
Author: Carolyn Johns


Filtration is considered the most important point for keeping a Koi pond. All fish produce waste that must be filtered or purified from the water. A Trickle Filter is a filter for biological conversion of harmful substances and for enrichment with oxygen from the pond water.
The Trickle Filter is made up of several stacked reservoirs with the technology Triangle Water Flow Module introduced by VSZeeland. Through this system the water spreads through openings in the shape of a triangle pressureless over the first reservoir. Partly through this design, there is a wide range of energy efficient pumps possible without any changes to the Trickle Filter.
The bottoms of the reservoirs are each provided with a wire mesh. On these wire mesh a layer of porous filter material will lie, causing the pond water as a shower to fall into the next reservoir.
In this way the falling water can mix richly with oxygen.
A major advantage of this is that a huge development of bacteria takes place in this oxygen-rich environment.
In the porous material grow bacteria that contribute to the biodegradation of pollution which is in the pond water.
This allows the Trickle Filter to be used as a biological filter.
In addition, the pond water that is extra enriched with oxygen benefits Koi’s growth.
The maintenance of the Trickle Filter can be done in an easy way.each reservoir can be opened at the back so that the filter medium can be maintained or replaced without having to disassemble the Trickle Filter.
The Trickle Filter contributes to the water through the oxygen addition to a good water quality and Koi growth.
Thanks to the Triangle Water Flow Module and ease of maintenance, this Trickle Filter is a true asset to any Koi lover.


The first West Nile virus case in the state has been confirmed in Pittsburg County, the state Health Department said Thursday.
At least three mosquito sample pools were also confirmed as carrying the West Nile virus in Oklahoma County, a county health official said.
Oklahoma residents are asked to take extra precautions against the mosquito-borne illness by avoiding mosquito bites and reducing habitats where mosquitoes live and breed.
Avoid and/or drain standing water, protect homes by keeping window and door screens in good repair, and use larvicides to reduce or eliminate the need for ground or aerial application of pesticides to kill adult mosquitoes.
The OKC-County Health Department suggests preventing items such as buckets, cans, pool covers, flower pots and tires from holding standing water, and to empty and refill birdbaths and pet's outdoor water bowls daily.
West Nile symptoms include fever, headache, body ache and sometimes a rash. The most susceptible to the illness include infants and the elderly. If symptoms are severe, health officials say to contact your doctor immediately.
In 2015, there were 89 cases of West Nile virus and 10 people died from the illness.


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This is a fully functioning water fed pole window washing cart, which can be used standing upright, or laying down. You can get the Hydro Cart with a choice of a 25' or 35' telescoping pole and 14" brush. With the telescopic carbon fiber pole, this cart is perfect for washing windows on the 1st and 2nd floor of any building. The cart is very light, allowing you to easily wheel it to wherever you need to clean windows. The tap water pressure from a typical garden hose is more than enough to power this machine as it cleans windows up to 2 stories tall. The unit itself can power a 35' pole. Your facility should have a water pressure rating of at least 60 to 65 PSI, to adequately power this unit. If you are needing additional height, please give us a call at 888-722-5508 for additional options.
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Programs of the Colorado Climate Network, page 5
Fourth Network Workshop
State and Local Emissions Inventories - Better Tools for Better Decisions
April 30, 2013, 1-4 p.m., Denver Department of Environmental Health,
200 W. 14th Ave., Denver
Regularly updated inventories of heat-trapping pollution are essential for charting progress towards
emission-reduction goals of state and local governments and for guiding new policies. This workshop
brought together leading local and state government inventory specialists to focus on how to improve
and make better use of state and local inventories to shape better decisions. The workshop featured
an unique opportunity to see the preliminary results of a new state inventory and to discuss it with the
staff of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The workshop also offered
presentations on and exploration of the range of inventorymethodologies used by Colorado
local governments and discussions about moving toward more consistency between state and local inventories and
among local inventories. Other topics included how to get the most out of inventories to communicate
progress and shape policies.
See agenda here.
Workshop Presentations (Downloadable)
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Theresa Takushi, Air Quality Planner, Update of 2007 state inventory, presentation
Snapshots of Current Local Government Inventories:
Boulder County, Kealy Devoy, Sustainability and Energy Division, WSP Environment & Energy, presentation
City of Denver, Gregg Thomas, Manager of Air, Water and Climate Section, Denver Environmental Health, presentation
City of Fort Collins. Bonnie Pierce, Environmental Data Analyst, presentation
City of Boulder, Joe Castro, Facilities and Fleet Manager, presentation
City of Aspen, Elyse Hottel, Environmental Initiatives Project Coordinator, presentation
Third Network Workshop
Waste reduction - the forgotten solution to climate change
Friday, October 12, 2012, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. , City and County of Denver Webb Municipal Building,
201 W. Colfax Ave., Room 4.F.6
Reducing by three-quarters the waste going to Colorado’s landfills would do as much to meet the state’s
climate-protection goals as the recent strengthening of the renewable portfolio standards for the state’s power
plants. And local governments have the key role in waste reduction. But this opportunity is too often overlooked
in local climate action plans.
At this workshop both experts and local government colleagues explored waste reduction strategies that work. Considered were both what local governments can do and what the state government should do. As always with a Network workshop, the day featured open, give-and-take discussion
s, along with concise presentations on what has succeeded in the real world.
Featured topics included:
- The connections between waste management and climate change.
- Quantifying emissions of heat-trapping gases from from waste-stream organic materials and from qll components
of waste management operations.
- Local strategies that are getting results in Colorado.
- Measuring emission reductions and cost-effectiveness.
- Engaging residents and businesses in participation in waste prevention.
- Working with waste haulers to encourage customer participation.
- Key state policies for local governments to support.
See the full agenda here.
Workshop Presentations (downloadable):
Eco-Cycle: Smokestacks, Tailpipes and Trash Cans - the Waste-Climate Connection
Skumatz Economic Research Associates: Connections Between Climate Change and Waste Management
Fort Collins: Waste Reduction and Climate Mitigation in Fort Collins
Boulder County: Waste Reduction - The Forgotten Solution to Climate Change
Denver: Denver Solid Waste Management
Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability: Local Strategies that are Getting Results
EPA Resources: Sustainable Materials Management and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases
Second Members-Only Workshop of the Colorado Climate Network
The Network’s role on state policy
Friday, March 9, 2012, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
City and County of Denver Webb Municipal Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave., Room 4.i.5
All local government officials and climate program managers know that policies adopted by the state
are critical to the success of local governments in reducing their contribution and vulnerability to
climate disruption. And local governments play an important role in shaping state policies that will
enable the state to meet its climate action goals, strengthen the economy, and create green jobs.
The workshop featured open discussions with key policy leaders from the Governor's Policy Office, the Governor's Energy Office, state agencies, regional planning agencies, non-profits, and local programs. The goal was to identify and prioritize climate protection actions at the state level (including legislation, regulations, policies, technical support, funding, and partnerships) that the network can advance, especially in areas that cannot be fully addressed locally. Featured topics include:
• Current energy and climate issues of most importance to local communities;
• How local communities can help shape state policy;
• The Hickenlooper Administration’s plans to address climate and energy issues;
• Targeted actions that help local communities pursue their agendas for clean energy,
transportation and land use, and waste management;
• Pending federal legislation that could impact state and local options; and
• An initial cut at the Network’s top state policy action priorities, which the Network Steering Committee will use to update the Network's State Policies Agenda.
This was the second in a series of Network-member-only workshops, to be held quarterly. Workshops are open only to local officials, managers, and program staff representing current Colorado Climate Network members, each of whom are welcome to send multiple representatives.
The First Members-Only Workshop of the Colorado Climate Network
Demand side versus supply side: Which basket to put your eggs in?
An open discussion among Colorado Climate Network members
Friday, October 14, 2011, 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
City and County of Denver Webb Municipal Building, Room 4.i.5
Colorado Climate Network members shared their ideas and learned from their counterparts about a key question facing all local climate programs: how much to focus on demand-side programs (energy efficiency) and how much on supply-side programs (clean energy sources). The open discussion among workshop attendees was kicked off with short presentations by Lucinda Smith, senior environmental planner from the City of Fort Collins, and Kristen Bertuglia, sustainability coordinator from the Town of Vail. The purpose was to equip workshop participants with information and examples from other jurisdictions so that they may make better decisions about the best paths for achieving emissions reductions and other benefits.
The workshop also included an additional open discussion to learn more about a featured local program of a Network member—in this workshop, about the City of Boulder’s consideration of creating a new municipal utility. Jonathan Koehn, the city’s Regional Sustainability Director, will make a brief presentation and lead the discussion about what the city is doing and how it might apply to other Network members.


Pity the poor oil and gas companies. They have sunk thousands of straws into the Permian Basin to suck out the oil and methane buried there so it can be exported to countries around the world. But there’s a problem. The largest oil and LNG tankers can’t get into the ports along the Gulf Coast of Texas, and so the industry wants to build four pipelines that will carry them to offshore terminals in the Gulf of Mexico that will be able to service those gargantuan ships.
According to The Guardian, the federal government has quietly approved the Sea Port oil terminal project, a proposed offshore oil platform located 35 miles off the Texas coast south of Houston and will decide soon whether to allow three other oil terminals nearby. Taken together, the four terminals would expand US oil exports by nearly 7 million barrels a day, an amount equal to half of all current US oil exports.
Global Energy Monitor tracks fossil fuel activities around the world. Want to know if Timbuktu is using coal to make electricity? The people at GEM know and they have a lot to say about those four terminals in the Gulf of Mexico. They tell The Guardian that if all of these projects are completed and allowed to operate at full capacity for their expected 30-year lifespan, the result will be an incredible 24 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere once the transported oil is burned.
A Carbon Bomb In The Gulf Of Mexico
These huge “carbon bomb” projects will fatally undermine Biden’s image as a president who has acted decisively to stem the climate crisis. No new major fossil fuel infrastructure can be built if the world is to avoid dangerous global heating, the International Energy Agency has warned.
“The amount of oil going through these projects, and the resulting emissions, are pretty astounding,” said Baird Langenbrunner, an analyst at Global Energy Monitor, who added that the emissions total is likely a worst case scenario since it is unlikely all four terminals will be built and then operate at full capacity for decades. “But even if the emissions are a bit lower then, we are fast-forwarding ourselves to the date where we have to stop completely emitting. Any extra emissions are in direct conflict with climate goals and it’s hypocritical for the Biden administration to allow these things to get built and then say the US wants to decrease its own emissions.”
There is some political legerdemain going on here. The government says all that crud in the air won’t count as part of US emissions since it will be burned elsewhere. This is the same codswallop Australia has been peddling for years, saying its coal exports shouldn’t be counted as part of its emissions because most of it is exported. The fossil fuel companies pull the same stunt by saying they just pump the stuff. They have no control over where or how it is burned.
All Oil & Gas Emissions Are Global
The problem, as anyone with more than a fourth grade education can see, is that carbon emissions are a global problem and if we don’t slash them significantly — and pretty damn soon — the ability of humans to live on our beautiful planet will come to an abrupt halt. It makes no difference where the oil and gas originate. The fossil fuel companies are welcome to produce all they want but selling the stuff so it can be burned is akin to a crime against humanity. Surely Joe Biden understands this? It is beyond stupid to pour hundreds of billions of dollars into creating a green economy while simultaneously approving the addition of a possible 24 billion metric tons of crud into the atmosphere.
The Sea Port oil terminal, a joint venture between Enterprise, Enbridge, and Chevron, will be the largest oil export terminal in the US with a capacity of 2 million barrels a day. The project will link 140 miles of land-based and underwater pipelines to an onshore storage facility near the city of Freeport. Two underwater pipelines will run to the deep water port located offshore.
“It’s shocking the number of pipelines we already have and the dangers we face, such as explosions and oil spills, it’s just too much,” said Melanie Oldham, an air quality activist and Freeport resident who said that many of her neighbors suffer asthma and other health conditions from living next to a tangle of polluting facilities. “We are a low income community and this seems to be where they always want to build oil terminal projects. We are a sacrifice zone. It’s a constant worry and we just wonder when it will all stop.”
The National Security Oil Scam
In November, the maritime administration, an arm of the US Department of Transport, approved the construction of the Sea Port oil terminal, referencing the heightened demand for new oil and gas in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The project “is in the national interest because the project will benefit employment, economic growth, and US energy infrastructure resilience and security,” the agency wrote in its decision. “The port will provide a reliable source of crude oil to US allies in the event of market disruption.”
“These oil terminals will lock us into decades of greenhouse gas emissions and jeopardizes our ability to meet national and international climate goals,” Kelsey Crane, senior policy advocate at Earthworks, tells The Guardian. “The Biden administration’s continued fossil fuel expansion contradicts the science on what we need to do to avoid the most catastrophic consequences of climate change. We can’t invest in clean energy if we’re not phasing out fossil fuels. We need to reinstate the ban on oil exports and think about a managed decline for fossil fuels within this administration.”
Humans are like alcoholics or drug addicts. We rely on the energy that comes from burning oil and gas for our livelihoods and demand more. The fossil fuel companies will ride this train as long as they can; there’s just too much money to be made from extracting, refining, and burning fossil fuels to stop. The reactionaries in America act as though it is unpatriotic to oppose any expansion of the fossil fuel industry.
To hear people like Ted Cruz and Greg Abbott tell it, oil and gas are as American as apple pie and we should fall on our knees to thank the Almighty for creating all that lovely gunk for humans to exploit. It’s a shame they won’t be around when the waters of the Gulf of Mexico close over Houston and head inland toward Austin. In the meantime, they will attempt to imprison anyone who dares raise a voice in protest. There is always a chance the courts may yet block this plan, but with the US Supreme Court now controlled by fossil fuel stooges, that is a slim hope indeed.
There’s a lot of lip service being paid to the idea of cutting carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, but the truth is, despite all the happy talk, the push to continue our total dependence on fossil fuels continues and will continue until the cost of doing business is higher than the profits that are realized. Until we force oil and gas companies to pay for the damage they do, all the blather about 1.5º C and lowering emissions is just designed to blow sunshine up our skirts. There is no credible evidence that anyone is taking the need to stop burning fossil fuels seriously, or will any time in the foreseeable future.


Our 3 day Samana Peninsula tour from Santo Domingo takes you to the top nature destinations in the Peninsula of Samana. This marvelous tour takes you to amazing virgin beaches, spectacular waterfalls, breath taking caves, a vast mangrove forest, and some of the most amazing tropical rain forest in the Dominican Republic and the entire Caribbean. The contrast between picture perfect beaches and lush green mountains for a backdrop, have earned the peninsula the reputation for being one of the most beautiful spots in the region. Our Samaná package is an unforgettable experience for all of us who truly appreciate nature.
Package: Samaná Peninsula Tour *2 guest minimum
Duration of trip: 3 days, 2 nights
Visiting: Los Haitises National Park – Cayo Levantado Island – El Limon Waterfalls – Rincon Beach
Itinerary: Day 1: Travel to Samaná Peninsula, visit El Limon Waterfalls for the day, then stay the town of Santa Barbara de Samana for the night – Day 2:Visit to Rincon Beach and travel back to the town of Santa Barbara de Samana for the night Day 3: Visit Los Haitises National Park and Cayo Levantado Island, then drive back to Santo Domingo
Package Includes: Fully bilingual, certified ecological and cultural guides*, All meals (Dominican style cuisine), Comfortable transportation*, Comfortable lodging at small hotels, Snacks, Non-Alcoholic Beverages
*Guides are fully trained in first aid response by the Red Cross
Pricing: Pricing begins at USD $850 per person for 2 person groups. The bigger the group, the more economical our per person prices. For larger group pricing, please contact us. *Kids age 10 and under travel free.
*Transportation: Packages include transportation to and from Santo Domingo, but other arrangements can be made. Transportation to airports is available for a small fee. See our vehicles
On this tour you will be visiting the following nature preserves:
Rincon Beach – “The definition of paradise”
Our journey takes us to several unforgettable spots, including Rincon Beach, one of the top three beaches in the world, according to Condé Nast Magazine. Rincon Bay was also recently inducted into the prestigious “World’s Most Beautiful Bays Club”. This amazing beach will take your breath away. The lack of hotels or businesses on the shore give it the feeling of being totally wild and beautiful. This is one place you will keep reliving in your mind for years to come.
Los Haitises National Park – “Lush tropical rainforest and wildlife preserve”
Los Haitises National Park is the largest nature preserve in the Dominican Republic. It is home to more than 100 species of birds, nearly 800 species of plants, and lots of exotic animals that live in the hills, mangrove swamps, and waterways of this immense wildlife sanctuary. Some of these being the Ridgeway’s Hawk, Hispaniola Parrot, the Solenodon (a species more than 60 million years old), Jutia, and the Antillean Manatee, just to name a few.
Our journey takes us across beautiful Samaná Bay by boat for a tour of the park, this is the best way to see first hand the largest mangrove forest in all the Caribbean. Around us, it is hard not to notice very peculiar land formations, or small compact hills known as the karstic system in geology. These are typical of the region, and are the result of 40 million years of geological upheavals. This type of terrain is only seen in a few other places on the planet. These limestone hills or “mogotes” contain hundreds of caves, and underground rivers, mostly unexplored by man.
We are surrounded with evidence of indigenous life, as we visit several immense caves containing hundreds of pictographs and petroglyphs depicting Pre-Columbian life on the island, these having been studied by scientist from around the globe. Most of them date back 1500 to 500 years and give us a clear picture of Taino Indian life before Columbus arrived on our shores.
El Limon Waterfalls – “The Caribbean’s finest”
No trip to Samaná or the Dominican Republic would be complete without visiting “Salto El Limón” or El Limón Waterfalls. Many say this is the most beautiful waterfall in all the Caribbean. Nestled deep within the mountains of the Samaná Mountain Range, the falls are surrounded by lush green tropical rain forest, and small cacao plantations which produce some of the world’s finest chocolate. Our day begins with a light hike or horseback ridealong the banks of the Limón River. Our route takes us to several other smaller waterfalls along the river, none as big but just as beautiful as the 130 foot high El Limón Waterfall. This is just one of the countless natural wonders that can be found in the Peninsula of Samaná.
Reserving this tour
PLEASE VERIFY TOUR AVAILABILITY BY CONTACTING US FIRST. THEN PROCEED TO PAY 25% OF THE TOTAL BALANCE VIA PAYPAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO SECURE AVAILABILITY. THE REMAINING 75% IS PAID EITHER AT THE START OF THE TOUR IN CASH (USD, EUR, OR DOP), OR IF YOU PREFER, YOU CAN PAY THE FULL BALANCE ONLINE AT TIME OF BOOKING. (Simply let us know and we will send you a custom Pay Pal invoice via e-mail)


The City of Gold Coast has been a leader in coastal management for more than 50 years, driven by the need to protect the city and its shoreline from the impacts of storms. A suite of innovative policies, research, technologies and beach management techniques have been implemented on the Gold Coast and subsequently acknowledged and adopted as best practice throughout the world.
The Gold Coast's iconic beaches draw some 12 million visitors to the city every year. Such valuable assets need a special plan to make sure they are given the care and protection they need, which is why we have an Ocean Beaches Strategy, developed through widespread community consultation and endorsed by Council of the City of Gold Coast in August 2013.
We collaborate with a number of external agencies such as:
Activities completed under these partnerships include sand bypassing, wave buoy deployment, coastal data capture, dredging and beach nourishment works, and coastal research.
Our Surf Management Plan seeks to balance the interests of all beach and ocean users to ensure that our beaches are open, inclusive, and remain healthy and clean. The vision for the Surf Management Plan is to provide world's best practice coastal management strategies to preserve and enhance the surf amenity of the Gold Coast. The Surf Management Plan also recognises the key role surfing plays in the economy, culture, sporting life and social capital of the city.
We undertake an annual dredging campaign at Currumbin and Tallebudgera Creeks. This program provides many benefits including flood mitigation, improved water quality and minor beach nourishment to southern Palm Beach (Currumbin) and Burleigh Beach (Tallebudgera).
Clean beaches and waterways are synonymous with the Gold Coast. To ensure our beaches and foreshores retain their appeal, we invest in a range of cleaning and management services. Our mainland ocean beaches are swept (using a City-designed tractor sieve) every day of the year. We have 6 crews of 2 people who patrol the 860 kilometres of tidal waterways removing over 1000 tonnes per year of debris.
This is a sand transport system that collects drifting ocean sand at a jetty on the southern side of the Tweed River entrance and ‘delivers’ the sand, by underground pipe, back to the ocean on the northern side of the river. From here, the sand is transported by wave currents to nourish southern Gold Coast beaches. The Project is run by the New South Wales Government with support from the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast.
Gold Coast Shoreline Management Plan is a strategy with a 50 year horizon that focuses on coastal physical processes, coastal ecological processes, economic values, community values and beach management. The plan includes 77 recommendations to manage the Gold Coast's coastline, including measures to combat the threat of increasing storm events on Gold Coast beaches over the next 15 years.
Some of these projects are as follows:


Scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society, BirdLife International, and universities in Australia, California, and England are calling for greater international collaboration to save migratory birds, many of which are at risk of extinction due to loss of habitat along their flight paths.
More than 90 percent of all migratory birds are inadequately protected due to poorly coordinated conservation around the world, a new study published today in the journal Science reveals.
The research found huge gaps in the conservation of migratory birds, particularly across China, India, and parts of Africa and South America, but also in wealthier countries like the United States and Canada.
“More than half of migratory bird species travelling the world’s main flyways have suffered serious population declines in the past 30 years,” says lead author Claire Runge, of the University of Queensland, in Brisbane, Australia. “This is due mainly to unequal and ineffective protection across their migratory ranges and the places they stop to refuel along their routes.”
The study found that of 1,451 migratory bird species on Earth, 1,324, or 91 percent, had inadequate protection for at least one part of their migration pathway. Eighteen species had no protection in their breeding areas and two species had no protection at all along their whole route.
For example, less than four percent of the range of Brazil’s Red-spectacled Amazon, a migratory parrot, is protected. And the Great Knot, a once-abundant migratory shorebird of eastern Asia and Australia, is now classified as globally Vulnerable. Protected areas cover only seven percent of its distribution during migration, where the species congregates in high numbers.
For migratory species listed as Threatened by BirdLife International, less than three percent have sufficient protected areas. Similarly, only 3.3 percent of migratory seabird species receive enough protection.
The wealth of a nation was a poor indicator of the protection it offers migratory species, Runge reports. Many Central American countries with low gross domestic product were found to meet targets for more than 75 percent of their migratory species, but the same species receive less protection in the U.S. and Canada.
The team also examined more than 8,200 Important Bird Areas — places that have been identified as critical locations for bird populations. They found that just 22 percent are completely protected, and 41 percent only partially overlap with protected areas.
In Louisiana, for example, the Barataria Terrebonne Important Bird Area, south of New Orleans, supports an important wintering population of Piping Plover, but less than half of the site is protected. BirdLife lists it as an “IBA in Danger.”
And in far northern Canada, Lancaster Sound Polynya Important Bird Area, north of Baffin Island, is almost entirely unprotected. The sound — a stopover site for as many as 14 million Dovekies — is threatened by recreational activities, shipping lanes, and other disturbances.
“Establishing new reserves to protect the unprotected sites — and more effectively managing all protected areas for migratory species — is critical,” says co-author Stuart Butchart, head of science at BirdLife.
Richard Fuller, of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions at the University of Queensland, says the results highlight an urgent need to coordinate protected area designation along birds’ full migration routes.
“For instance, Germany has protected areas for over 98 percent of the migratory species that pass its borders, but fewer than 13 percent of its species are adequately protected across their global range,” he says. “It won’t matter what we do in Australia or in Europe if these birds are losing their habitat somewhere else. They will still perish. We need to work together far more effectively around the world if we want our migratory birds to survive into the future.” — Matt Mendenhall, Managing Editor
Red List update: Puffins, vultures, and shorebirds face higher extinction risk.
Eurasian songbird’s decline mirrors Passenger Pigeon’s collapse.
New on our bookshelf: Books about extinction, birding on both sides of the ocean, and the world’s birds.
Read the abstract
Claire A. Runge, James E. M. Watson, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Jeffrey O. Hanson, Hugh P. Possingham, Richard A. Fuller. Protected areas and global conservation of migratory birds. Science, December 4, 2015. Abstract.
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BOAT TRIPS TO VISIT RAMSEY ISLAND, SKOMER ISLAND AND GRASSHOLM ISLAND OFF THE PEMBROKESHIRE COAST IN WALES
Take a boat trip and visit the Pembrokeshire Islands of Ramsey, Skomer or Grassholm and witness some of the most powerful currents in Britain, pass beneath some of the highest sea cliffs in Wales, see spectacular breeding colonies of hundreds of nesting seabirds.
Discover a magical island wilderness coupled with the fun and excitement of a true marine adventure.
Ramsey Island is home to one of the UK's largest Atlantic Grey Seal colonies, hundreds of seal pups are born on Ramseys beaches from late August to October.
Harbour Porpoise feed in the fast currents in Ramsey Sound. Venture offshore to see the gannets on Grassholm Island, home to over 37,000 pairs of breeding gannets. Join our wildlife guide on a dolphin watching boat trip offshore and if you are lucky a sighting of a whale or take a trip over to Skomer Island to watch the Puffins.
Thousand Islands Expeditions wildlife adventure boat trips have been operating for over 40 years and has the sole landing rights to Ramsey Island RSPB Nature Reserve.
Boat trips leave from the RNLI Lifeboat Station at St Justinians which is also an interesting place to visit.
Our boat trip office is situated in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the smallest City in Britain, St Davids. There are plenty of hotels, guest houses, caravan parks and camp site. Lots of interesting restaurants and pubs and spectacular scenery, the Pembrokeshire Coastal path walks, St Davids Cathedral, outdoors activities, wildlife boat trips and fishing trips. Plenty for things to do for everyone.
Yesterday was a brilliant day for bird watching on Ramsey – Lots of breeding sea birds, also Chough, Raven, Groups […]
First Whale and Dolphin trip. It was a nice forecast and the Gannets on Grassholm Island put on a spectacular […]
Island people – Greg is now back from his ‘research trip’ to the Cayman Islands (he owes me big time) and […]


Matt insisted he saw a frog out in the garden a few weeks ago. I shrugged it off as an over-sized grasshopper (we have tons of them). But he found his proof and waited till I got home to show me our new resident!
Consoling our freaked out frog.
We put him back under the garden bed where he and at least one other frog live. Very cool! I had no idea we had them. :)


To understand the biotic processes that underlie and maintain the diversity of life in the tropics and to advance conservation efforts that protect species and their habitats.
Applications for the Betty and E.P. Franklin Grant in Tropical Biology and Conservation are now being accepted. UCLA graduate students planning tropical fieldwork are encouraged to apply before May 1, 2014. Please click here for more information.
The University of California, Los Angeles has officially joined the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). By doing so, UCLA affirms that their activities in Africa are consistent with the very principles within the cooperation framework of CBFP members to advance sustainable management of forest ecosystems and conservation of biodiversity in Central Africa.
The Center for Tropical Research published a paper in the peer-reviewed public health journal Emerging Infectious Diseases predicting likely hotspots for reassortment based on research locations where bird flu outbreaks, human flu outbreaks and swine populations overlapped.
UCLA Newsroom, March 2013.
UCLA-led team predicts China, Egypt could be new-flu hot spots. LA Times, March 2013.
(Tom Smith, CTR director is quoted.)
14 sick, 5 dead as new bird flu moves beyond birds, threatens people. LA Times, April 2013.
(Trevon Fuller, a CTR research fellow is quoted.)
Bridging the sciences and the humanities, UCLA scholars consider how we might counteract “business as usual” and imagine new possibilities for a more equitable and sustainable future. Kevin Njabo, Center for Tropical Research Africa Director, will be participating.
An Oppenheim Lecture featuring Dr. Thomas B. Smith Director, Professor and Director of the Center for Tropical Research, will be held on Wednesday, April 30, 2014 from 6:00 to 8:30 PM in the Lenart Auditorium of the Fowler Museum at UCLA. Click here to RSVP by April 23.
Center for Tropical Research scientists have developed a risk model using H7N9 outbreaks in eastern China from March-May 2013 along with satellite and transportation data, which correctly predicted the introduction of H7N9 into Guangxi autonomous region in southeastern China, Jilin province in northeastern China, and Macau in southeastern China in early 2014. We believe that by forecasting viral spread up to six months in advance, this approach gives decision-makers enough time to implement control measures such as closing live bird markets, potentially blocking transmission into susceptible areas.
A team of researchers from the Center for Tropical Research at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, led by Ryan Harrigan, Ph.D., has created the first North American model to help predict where the West Nile virus may occur under present and future climate change scenarios. Their analyses also identify current and future hotspots of West Nile virus transmission and present an important new approach for monitoring the risk of this and other vector-borne diseases.
The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation and Biotropica selected “Mating Behavior Drives Seed Dispersal by the Long-wattled Umbrellabird Cephalopterus penduliger” by Jordan Karubian, Renata Durães, Jenny Storey, & Thomas Smith for the honor.
CTR researchers have created a model to help predict where the disease may occur under future climate change. Their findings were published Feb. 27 in the journal Global Change Biology.
Thanks to Climate Change, West Nile Virus Could Be Your New Neighbor. Time Magazine, February 2014.
Study: West Nile virus cases likely to increase in Calif. 89.9 KPCC, February 2014.
(Ryan Harrigan, a CTR research fellow is interviewed.)
Birdsnews.com. October 2013. Tom Smith, CTR director is quoted.
The LA Times published an op-ed by Center for Tropical Research Director Tom Smith about the country's conservation challenges and actions needed to protect the region's natural resources.
The Guardian published a letter to the editor from Center for Tropical Research Director Tom Smith about biodiversity loss resulting from this illegal practice.
Dr. Thomas Smith sets up mist nets to catch birds at the Njuma Camp of the Ebo Forest.
A short introduction to the research of how the Reunion gray white-eye has diversified into different plumage forms in different parts of the small island of Reunion, in the South Indian Ocean.
Coverage from the National Cameroon TV station (CRTV) reporting on the goals and expectations of the Science and Policy Workshop, held as part of the National Science Foundation's (NSF, United States of America) Partnerships in Research and Education (PIRE).
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More polluting than cars
Gas powered leaf blowers use two-cycle and four-cycle gasoline engines which produce hundreds of times more hazardous pollutants than automobiles. The State of California estimates that small engines such as those in leaf blowers will be the number one source of air pollution by 2020.
Gas blowers create high levels of formaldehyde, benzine, fine particulate matter and smog forming chemicals which cause dizziness, headaches, asthma attacks, heart and lung disease and cancer.
Blowers can create clouds of industrial pollutants, demolition debris such as lead, asbestos, feces, pollens, fertilizers and dust, polluting the air we breathe.
Noise from gas powered leaf blowers penetrates homes, schools, parks, disturbs wildlife, and consistently violates Portland’s noise ordinance. Operating a gas leaf blower can cause permanent hearing loss in 2 hours and can impact 90 nearby homes.
Re-fueling spills contaminate soil and waterways and maintenance of gas powered blowers produces toxic waste like fuel filters and contaminated air filters. Blowers erode, compact and dry out soil and harm plants, microorganisms and pollinators.
Most at risk
Operators of the equipment are most at risk but the exhaust and dust is a danger to the general population, especially children, the elderly, people with chronic asthma and people exercising. Gas blowers are often used in parks and public spaces where many people are exposed to the dangers.


- This evening: Partly cloudy. A few flurries or even some light freezing drizzle. Temps in the upper teens to lower 20s.
- Tonight: A few flurries. Low near 19.
- Wednesday: Some light snow, then thinning clouds late in the day. High 30
- Thursday: Breezy, milder. High 35 to 40.
- Friday: Rain showers. Turning cooler in the evening. High 45.
- Saturday: Rain or snow. High 36.
- Sunday Rain and areas of fog. High 35 to 40. Possibly colder later in the day.
A brief period of Lake Effect
The air aloft over us is still cold enough for lake effect snow. However, winds down at the ground are not from the right direction. That may briefly change before sunrise Wednesday.
Lake effect should start right along the south or southeast shore of Lake Ontario tonight and into Wednesday morning, not extending very far inland. I should be light, except near the lake shore where several inches are possible by sunrise.
Then, during the day Wednesday, the wind will start to pick up a little. The lake effect should briefly extend inland over the counties east of the lake before swinging northward Wednesday evening. For several hours Wednesday afternoon, the lake snows should accumulate east of Lake Ontario
Warmer for the latter part of the week
This cold pattern over eastern North America is going to break down for a few days beginning Wednesday night.
Our weather will warm through mid-day Friday before cooler air over the Midwest nudges east over us later Friday.
We have a good shot at temperatures into the 40s by Friday.
Over the weekend, things will change. We need to keep a close eye on the weather toward the end of the weekend and into the start of next week.
The colder weather out west will eventually spread eastward over us later Sunday and Monday, but it will not arrive in one clean sweep. Rather, it will ease in which could leave us vulnerable to an icy mix for the start of next week.
To send in weather info, or especially photos: Use the Twitter or Instagram hashtag: #cnyweather Also, please let us know where the images are located. Thanks


Students will observe monthly satellite data of the North Atlantic to identify relationships among key science variables that include sea surface salinity (SS), air temperature at the ocean surface (AT), sea surface temperature (ST), evaporation (EV), precipitation (PT), and evaporation minus pre
Educational Resources - Search Tool
This activity is one of a series in the collection, The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change activities.
What is sea-level rise and how does it affect us? This "Teachable Moment" looks at the science behind sea-level rise and offers lessons and tools for teaching students about this important climate topic.
In this activity, students will use sea-level rise data to create models and compare short-term trends to long-term trends. They will then determine whether sea-level rise is occurring based on the data.
This story map is intended to be used with students who have access to a computing device in a 1:1 or 1:2 setting. Using various visualizations (i.e., images, charts, and graphs), students will explore changes in sea ice extent as it relates to other spheres within the Earth System.
In this activity, students use satellite images from the NASA Landsat team to quantify changes in glacier cover over time from 1986 to 2018.
The activities in this guide will help students understand variations in environmental parameters by examining connections among different phenomena measured on local, regional and global scales.
Students will examine a 2014-2015 El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event to identify relationships among sea surface height, sea surface temperature, precipitation, and wind vectors.
This story map lesson plan allows students to explore global phytoplankton distribution using chlorophyll concentration data in a 5 E-learning cycle.
This story map lesson plan allows students to explore ocean circulation patterns as they relate to the world's ocean garbage patches using NASA ocean currents data.


Advisory Visit Report: River Derwent, County Durham
On Behalf of Derwent Angling Association
29th March 2007
This report is the output of a site visit undertaken by the Wild Trout Trust on the Upper River Derwent on 29th March 2007.
Comments in this report are based on observations on the day of the site visit and discussions with Mr Alan Farbridge, Eric Peacock, of the River Derwent Angling Association (DAA) and Mr Gareth Pedley of the Environment Agency (EA) Fisheries Dept, Newcastle.
Normal convention is applied throughout the report with respect to bank identification, i.e., the banks are designated left hand bank (LHB) or right hand bank (RHB) whilst looking downstream.
DAA control 15 miles of mainly double bank fishing of the Upper Derwent. Coverage of the extensive length of river is clearly beyond the scope of a one day site visit. Therefore The AV focused on two stretches of the river that the club control:
1) Downstream of Allensford Bridge
2) Downstream of Eddy’s Bridge
Formed in 1865, DAA have some 200 members paying £47 per annum in subscriptions.
The river contains good populations of both trout and grayling, the later being introduced in the 1870’s. The EA are likely to classify the river as a Native Trout Water under the Trout & Grayling Fisheries Strategy, and consent the annual stocking of some 900 domesticated diploid brown trout each year.
Catch and release of wild trout is encouraged and a bag limit of two fish per day is a club rule (having recently been reduced from four).
The club would like to focus its attentions in the upper reaches in a bid improve the wild fishery through sustainable management and habitat improvement projects.
Fly life in the river appears excellent with various species of up-winged flies, stonefly and caddis all present. In both reaches freshwater shrimp appeared to be absent perhaps indicating very good water quality. They are known to be downstream below a sewage treatment works. There are some concerns about the decline in Large Dark Olives and Iron Blues.
2.0 – Site Description and Issues
2.1 – D/S Allensford Bridge
Habitat at the top end of this reach just below the bridge is characterised as being shallow and interspaced with boulders and large stones. This is excellent juvenile and parr habitat. The site flows through a public park and in one or two areas un-managed access is causing some localised erosion (nick points) of the banks.
Tree cover is good, but if left un-managed there is potential for some over-shading of the channel. Tree cover is mainly high canopy with very little in the way of low level cover in the form of boughs and bushes.
Moving downstream there is a series of shallow runs, pools and riffle areas. There is a mid-channel island which indicates active geomorphology (gravel movement) within the catchment.
However, there is an almost complete absence of Large Woody Debris (LWD), e.g. fallen trees and branches in the channel. The presence of LWD has been shown to be extremely important in several respects.
- An increase in mean flow, depths and velocities.
- Development of high in-channel physical habitat diversity
- LWD can have significant benefits to the control of run-off at the catchment scale. Woody Debris helps regulate the energy of running water by decreasing the velocity. Thus the ‘travel time’ of water across the catchment is increased.
Large Woody Debris (LWD) is a general term referring to all wood naturally occurring in streams including branches, stumps and logs. Almost all LWD in streams is derived from trees located within the riparian corridor. Streams with adequate LWD tend to have greater habitat diversity, a natural meandering shape and greater resistance to high water events. Therefore LWD is an essential component of a healthy stream’s ecology and is beneficial by maintaining the diversity of biological communities and physical habitat. Traditionally many land managers and riparian owners have treated LWD in streams as a nuisance and have removed it, often with uncertain consequences. This is often unnecessary and perhaps harmful to high quality streams such as the Derwent. Stream clearance can reduce the amount of organic material necessary to support the aquatic food web, remove vital in-stream habitats that fish will utilise for shelter and spawning and reduce the level of erosion resistance provided against high flows. In addition LWD improves the stream structure by enhancing the substrate and diverting the stream current in such a way that pools and riffles are likely to develop. A stream with a heterogeneous substrate and pools and riffles is ideal for benthic (bottom dwelling) organisms as well as for fish species like wild trout.
At the end of the reach there are two dams that were constructed by the club some years back. These were built in a bid to aerate the river in low summer flows. It is questionable if they actually fulfil this function and it appears that they are acting as silt traps due to the upstream ‘ponding’ of flows.
2.2 – Downstream Eddy’s Bridge
The river immediately downstream of the bridge is wide, shallow and inter-spaced with boulders. There is a general lack of pool habitat and large woody debris. However there is a particularly good example of ‘hinged’ LWD on the LHB
The river then narrows and goes through a delightful section of runs and pools, before widening out once more into a deep slow pool section. The landowner on the LHB has recently undertaken some tree work to ‘tidy-up’ the banks. This work was probably undertaken in good faith to assist the club with maintenance. However important low cover has been removed from the pool. Overhead cover is extremely important for trout both in-terms of regulation of stream temperatures (shade) avoidance of predators (shelter) and as a potential source of invertebrates (food). The challenge for fisheries managers is to achieve a balance between the needs of the trout and the needs of the fisherman for access.
Further downstream there has been some stone revetment work to protect the RHB from erosion. Large stones and boulders have been incorporated into the revetment and have been removed from the channel and deposited on the LHB. This has created a fairly uniform channel which provides very little in the way of in-stream cover. There is also a lack of low tree cover.
The bottom end of the reach runs through grazing pasture (horses and cattle). The cattle’s grazing is causing widespread poaching of the banks leading to a loss of marginal plants and low tree cover. The Club have also undertaken some limited tree work on both banks which may have removed an important future source LWD from the channel. This section of the river is again fairly uniform with very little diversity in terms of both in-stream and riparian habitat.
3.0 – Recommendations
The following are recommendations to improve both the status of the wild trout population and biodiversity in general.
It is a legal requirement that all the works to the river require written Environment Agency consent prior to undertaking any works, either in-channel or within 8 metres of the bank. It may also be a requirement under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 that all proposals are scrutinised by Natural England conservation officers.
Local EA Fisheries and Development Control staff should be contacted at the earliest opportunity to discuss any recommendations arising from this report that the club may wish to pursue.
The club should adopt a policy of leaving LWD in river unless it is causing significant problems. As a guide the following check list has been developed by the West Country Rivers Trust:
Note: If the debris dam needs to be removed but there is still a significant amount of the root system attached to the bank then it is recommended that the stump be retained for its wildlife habitat value and its stabilising effect on the bank.
In both reaches there is a predominance of high canopy tree growth, which may lead to problems of over-shading of the channel. It is recommended that the club undertakes a programme of selective coppicing to allow more light into the channel and promote low bankside cover in the form of overhanging bush growth. A little and often programme needs to be adopted with regard to tree management on the fishery to achieve a good balance of LWD, light and shade. Willows can be ‘trained’ to hang over the channel by nicking the trunks and pushing them over.
Arisings from this tree work could be used to install LWD. In the wide shallow reach d/s of Kenny’s Bridge it is recommended to introduce upstream facing submerged log deflectors (single or paired) to create localised scour pools in the margins and mid-channel. LWD will need to be securely ‘keyed’ into the bank and possibly the river bed using posts and wire to avoid problems of washout. Another option would be to ‘hinge’ trees, leaving them still connected to stumps, again for added security these can be secured to the bed of the river using posts and wire. Downstream of the flow gauging weir it is recommended that arisings from recent tree work undertaken by the club are bundled into ‘faggots’ and pinned into the margins, thus creating much needed overhangs for trout to use for refuge.
On the RHB downstream of Eddy’s Bridge the rock revetment work could do with planting-up with willows. This would create overhead cover and become a future source of LWD. The river in this short section appears to have been dredged and it is recommended that a proportion of the large boulders that are still on the bank are placed back into the channel. This will create good in-stream cover for all life stages of trout.
The fence line downstream of Eddy’s Bridge where the river runs through two grazing pastures (horses and cattle) needs to be re-installed as a matter of some urgency. Unhindered access by stock to the river is causing bank-side poaching which is leading to the loss of valuable vegetated margins. It is suggested that a buffer strip of at least 9 metres be created. Formalised ‘post and rail’ cattle drinks can be created to facilitate safe, clean access for stock.
The margins of the LHB downstream of Allensford Bridge are in places showing early signs of being eroded by the public / dogs at this popular recreational park. It is recommended that a wider strip of grass is left uncut to create a ‘conservation area’ which will hopefully have the net effect of directing the public to one or two ‘honey pot’ access points along the river. This minimal intervention may just be enough to reduce pressure on the banks whilst still allowing full access. An interpretation board explaining the change in management and the importance of good habitat for the rivers wildlife will hopefully reduce the likelihood of complaints.
It is also recommended that the two weirs at Allensford are modified or even removed to increase flow velocity and remove the build-up of silt above each structure.
The fence line should be placed well back from the bank in a straight line to avoid trash getting caught on wires (causing ‘blow-out’) during peak flows.
Lastly, it is vital that angling clubs understand what is happening to populations of riverflies in their streams and rivers. To this end WTT recommends that fisheries register their interest in taking part in the Riverfly Partnership monitoring and training initiative. The initiative aims to support fishing clubs to monitor and help conserve the environment. More details can be found on www.riverflies.org
The upper reaches of the Derwent have considerable potential to be developed and managed as a sustainable wild trout fishery. Fish populations, water quality and invertebrates all appear to be in good order. By undertaking the recommendations outlined in this report it is hoped that RDAA will able to sustain a wild fishery. To protect wild fish it is recommended that catch and release (C&R) and the use of barbless hooks are introduced as club rules in the upper ‘wild’ reaches. It may also be prudent to get stocked fish marked to aid anglers with identification of wild fish (C&R). Catch return log books could be introduced to gauge stocked vs wild components of the annual catch in the river that the club controls. The Environment Agency in the North East administers a catch log book scheme.
4.0 – Making it all happen!
This report makes a series of recommendations that will improve biodiversity and the status of the wild trout and grayling populations in the Derwent.
Physical enhancement works could be kick-started with the assistance of a WTT ‘Practical Visit’ (PV).
PV’s typically comprise a 1-3 day visit where an approved WTT ‘Wet-Work’ experts will complete a demonstration plot on the site to be restored. This will enable project leaders and teams to obtain on the ground training regarding the appropriate use of conservation techniques and materials, including Health & Safety equipment and requirements. This will then give projects the strongest possible start leading to successful completion of aims and objectives.
The WTT can fund the cost of labour (two-man team) and materials (max £1800). Recipients will be expected to cover travel and accommodation expenses of the contractor. The use of specialist plant will be by separate negotiation.
Wet-work experts will demonstrate one or more of the following techniques that are appropriate to the site.
- Tree management (coppice, pollard, sky-lighting)
- Tree Planting
- Fencing (Installation & Repair)
- Stream Narrowing (Faggots, Coir Rolls, Spilling)
- Flow Deflectors
- Introduction of spawning substrate
- Gravel Jetting
- Introduction / Management of Woody Debris
Recipient clubs will be expected to cover travel and accommodation expenses of the Wet-work Team. The use of specialist plant will be by separate negotiation.
Further assistance with project funding can be provided through the WTT’s ‘Rods for Conservation Scheme’. The WTT will donate a Sage XP rod for the club to raffle to raise funds for habitat conservation work. Clubs typically raise £750-1500 from these initiatives. Sage is particularly keen to work with clubs in upper reaches of rivers that are important for spawning fish.
Note: Recipients should have received a WTT AV and have obtained the appropriate consents from the relevant authorities, prior to arrangements being made to undertake the PV. WTT can advise on this.
Applications for all the above and the Rods for Conservation initiative should be made via firstname.lastname@example.org
Lastly, RDAA should discuss this report with local EA Fisheries Officer Gareth Pedley who was present at the AV. The EA will be able to provide further technical advice and possibly assistance with project funding. RDAA are reminded that all works within rivers and within 8m of the bank will require written permission from the Environment Agency.
5.0 – Disclaimer
This report is produced for guidance only and should not be used as a substitute for full professional advice. Accordingly, no liability or responsibility for any loss or damage can be accepted by the Wild Trout Trust as a result of any other person, company or organisation acting, or refraining from acting, upon comments made in this report.


Keep up with the latest news and events from Suzanne's campaign.
There is plenty of debate in the scientific community about global climate change. How fast it’s progressing, which parts of the world are most threatened, and how best to combat it are all open questions.
One question that has been definitively answered is whether climate change is happening. That case is closed. Climate change is real, it’s caused by human activity, and it’s an actual threat that requires action.
As a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee in the House of Representatives, I’m working hard to find solutions to the climate crisis. From investing in renewable energy, to helping Oregonians weatherize their older homes, there are a lot of good ideas out there that I’m supporting. But I keep running into a challenge with many of my colleagues.
Some members of the Science Committee simply don’t believe what the scientists are telling us – that humans contribute to climate change. Something about it doesn’t compute for them. Committee witnesses do their best to educate us about the dangers we face, and some smart bipartisan solutions that are on the table – but let me tell you, it’s an uphill climb.
To get a sense of what’s it’s like in our hearings, take a few minutes and watch this clip of Jon Stewart discussing the deniers. It’s worth it.
Rest assured that I’m going to keep working on this issue. Together, we can tackle climate change and create a better, healthier world for our children and grandchildren. Thank you for all of your support.
With appreciation, Suzanne


The rover collected its second scoop of Martian soil at the "Rocknest" site on Sol 66. More bright particles were found. Believing these particles were also tiny pieces of rover, the team decided not to run the dirt sample through Curiosity's analysis instrument to avoid contaminating the mechanism with Earth debris. The scoop was thrown away. That same day, however, Curiosity snapped an image showing part of the hole left when Curiosity took her first scoop.


The Co-operative Group is among the world’s leading businesses when it comes to taking up the challenge of tackling global climate change. We are doing this in three ways: firstly reducing our energy consumption; secondly through a renewable energy procurement strategy; and finally developing a pipeline of renewable generation projects throughout the UK. The Group has over 4,000 outlets powered by renewable energy procured from our energy suppliers and we are on track to achieve a 25% reduction in the amount of energy used across our family of businesses by 2012. We have 58 Megawatts of wind energy development built or consented which will enable us to generate 15% of our electricity usage from our own projects, on our own land and a further 32 Megawatts awaiting planning determination. To put this into context, once completed, these projects would generate the equivalent amount of electricity to power over 50,000 average homes . We have built the UK’s largest photovoltaic project at our head office complex in Manchester and going forward, we have a programme to develop further wind as well as micro hydro, biomass and anaerobic digestion projects on both our own and on third party owned land. Our approach to all development, with which we are involved, is close working with the local communities which has been a large part of our success to date. We have put in place innovative community funding and education programmes where the Co-operative has a long-term and active involvement. Our environmental education programme, “Energy Works” centred on our wind farm in Cambridgeshire, provides dedicated curriculum teaching on energy and is proving extremely popular with the many schools involved.
 Figure based on BWEA calculations.BWEA (2006) http://www.bwea.com/edu/calcs.html


New York State is set to offer a total of $30m to support solar photovoltaic installers and developers.
The move comes as authorities attempt to increase solar generating capacity in downstate New York, through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the state Public Service Commission (PSC).
It is the first year of funding under a $150m, five-year program intended to increase the amount of solar electricity used in the region where energy use is highest, Cleanenergyauthority.com reports.
The funds can cover up to $3m or 50 per cent of a large-scale onsite PV installation.
“This is the first time we’ve done something of this scale,” said NYSERDA spokesperson Alan Wechsler.
The funds are intended to support projects that are largely behind-the-meter projects, wherein all the power produced onsite is used there, rather than going back on the grid, although in some instances the site can net meter.
For all on-site power news


UV Wand Sterilizer
UV Wand Sterilizer utilizes UV-C light technology to kill virus and microbes on surfaces at the home, office or while travelling.Virus Free and Eco-friendly Environment:
Simply turn it ON and swipe the UV wand sterilizer and use it anywhere on surfaces such keyboard, sofa, pillows, toys, furniture, kitchen, steering wheel, headrest, doorknobs and much more. Quick, Easy & Hassle-Free Sterilization without the use of chemical and Irritants!
Fast and Effective: Simply remove debris if any from the surface and slowly wave the UV wand sterilizer over a period of seconds on the required surface to sterilize the area. Simple one-touch operation & its compact size makes the UV Wand Sterilizer a Perfect Cleansing Mate.
• What is the beneﬁt of using UV Wand over other UV surface sterilizers?
Wand is light weighted and portable and can emit UV Rays on all surface and areas where the other surface sterilizers can’t reach. eg. Key board, car steering, door knobs, drawer etc.
• Is UV Wand a reliable source of sterilization?
Yes wand is quite reliable source of sterilization. It uses Ultraviolet germicidal radiation which can kill or inactivate virus, bacteria, germs, moulds protozoa and all such microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellular functions.
• How long should we hold the UV Wand on a surface to sterilize it eﬀectively?
UV wand sterilizes all the areas wherever the UV rays are emitted. Ensure you clean the debris, greasy surface, dust and all such things which can block the UV Rays to fall on surface. If the surface is clear, UV wand will take 2-3 seconds to sterilize it eﬀectively.
CAUTION: Do Not Use The Wand Directly On Skin, Pets Or Plants. Do Not Look Directly at a ‘Lit’ UV Lamp with naked eyes.


Good environmental practices
Convensa, Contratas y Ventas, has set as a strategic objective the adoption of practices that respect the environment, beyond strict compliance with current regulations.
The practices are developed in the following areas: air, water, soil, atmosphere, environment and biodiversity.
For this, it has an environmental management system certified according to UNE-EN ISO 14.001-2015 and integrated into the company's general management system, applicable to all works and work centers, which has been registered in the General Registry of Intellectual Property, dated July 10, 2009, under the title of "System of evaluation of environmental behavior through good practices".
Good environmental practices respond to the following areas:


Join the April EcoQuest: Imprudent Pruning!
Find and map as many examples of improper pruning as possible, including trees and shrubs, palms, cactus and agaves. Be sure to use #imprudentpruning in the notes of your observation! This will help us sort through the observations on iNaturalist.
This month we’re looking at the top 5 NOT wanted list for pruning, including topping, lion tailing, shrub shapes, puny palms, and cactus and succulent chop. When pruning practices and methods aren’t carefully considered and executed, it can damage a plant for the rest of its life.
Sign up for iNaturalist and join the EcoQuest today!
CAZCA functions through extensive partnerships to stand together and further our conservation efforts.


156 solar panels make Nijhuis & Wigger premises even more sustainable
Let the sun shine! At the beginning of January 156 solar panels were installed on our premises. In the context of sustainability, these panels have been placed on top of the roof alongside an already existing heat pump and LED lighting.
In the first week of January 2020, the Dutch company Schulte Energie & Techniek has been busy installing all the panels on our roof, making the building increasingly sustainable. During the building of our new premises in 2012, the building was already equipped with a heat pump with which we use geothermal heat to heat and cool all areas and LED lighting was also installed inside and outside. 156 solar panels have now been added with which we save on our energy consumption.
The company Schulte took a good look at the location of our building and the position of the sun. The panels are therefore oriented both to the east and to the south, in order to obtain an optimum yield and therefore maximum efficiency from the panels.
“Quickly convinced of benefits”
“We are pleased with the installation of the 156 solar panels. We have already taken some EPC-decreasing measures during the construction of our new premises and we are making it more sustainable with the new solar panels! "We were quickly convinced of the benefits of this investment with which we are realizing an almost energy-neutral building. Sustainability is important for all of us and we believe it is important to give substance to this in this way”, said Frans Wigger, Managing Director.


First report of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus in Bulgaria
The NPPO of Bulgaria recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the first finding of potato ring rot (Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus – EPPO A2 list’) on its territory. During the official annual survey of potato crops (‘Phytosanitary control of potatoes – 2005), the presence of C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus was detected in samples collected in producers’ warehouses. This corresponded to 1 outbreak in seed potato production plots and 3 in ware potatoes. The presence of the bacterium was confirmed by two IF tests (using different antisera), biological tests on aubergine and PCR assays. Phytosanitary measures have immediately been taken to prevent any further spread and eradicate the disease. Infected plots (20.9 ha) have been placed under quarantine. All agricultural machinery, equipment, warehouses or any object which had been in contact with infected tubers were disinfected with formalin and sodium hypochloride solutions. Potato production on infested land is prohibited for 3 years. Infected crops (230 tons) were destroyed by deep burial or burning. Investigations are continuing to trace-back all potato lots which may be related to the infested ones.
The situation of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus in Bulgaria can be described as follows: Present, first found in 2005, few outbreaks in both seed and ware potatoes (4 outbreaks on 20.9 ha), under eradication.
NPPO of Bulgaria, 2006-09.


Wynne unveils Ontario's plan to sign cap-and-trade deal
Premier Kathleen Wynne announced Monday the province will bring in a cap-and-trade carbon-pricing system to tackle climate change, which will increase the cost of gas 2.5-3 cents per litre.
Wynne announced the plan before leaving for a premiers’ meeting in Quebec City where leaders will discuss climate change initiatives.
Neither Wynne nor Climate Change Minister Glen Murray could predict how much the plan would add to the cost of home heating.
Murray suggested only that new technologies would help keep costs down.
“There is a range of technology not yet widely deployed in Ontario,” he said.
Electricity prices tripled under the province’s Green Energy Act, which introduced wind turbines and solar farms to rural Ontario.
Wynne said details of the government’s overall direction on carbon pricing will be released after consultations with industry officials.
Across the country, different provinces have brought in different means of putting a price on emissions. Quebec, for example, introduced cap and trade two years ago, while British Columbia has a carbon tax.
Cap and trade allows companies that produce too much greenhouse gas to buy credits from other companies that are able to reduce or control their emissions.
The premier said money recouped through the controversial program would be reinvested in environmental programs and could be used for transit.
“This is all about how do you help business and families transition into a low-carbon economy,” Murray said.
Wynne said she wanted to tell her granddaughter, Olivia, that she did something positive about climate change.
She said doing nothing is not an option.
“That would be irresponsible because we cannot afford to put our heads in the sand,” she said.


Parking controls can play an important role in encouraging more sustainable modes of transport. This report makes the case for a more strategic approach to managing parking and the kerbside, and for reallocating street space to uses that Londoners value.
With increasing demand on our roads, and serious challenges including climate change, poor air quality, and road danger, the Mayor of London and London boroughs are committed to reducing reliance on private cars and to promoting public transport and active travel.
But while Londoners are increasingly concerned about climate change and local air quality, there are still some significant barriers to a less car-reliant city. Car ownership has hardly moved in London in recent years and the proportion of trips made by public transport, walking or cycling hasn’t changed for the last three years.
Yet Londoners want trees and green space, clutter-free pavements and children’s play spaces prioritised on their streets over on-street residential parking.
This report argues that while Londoners who need to drive also need to park, better use of street space would benefit everyone. It highlights that the opportunity to repurpose kerbsides and transform them into valuable public space is huge: cars parked on our streets take up space equivalent to 10 Hyde Parks.
Many London boroughs are already proactively using parking and kerbside policies to achieve wider transport objectives, but different boroughs are at different stages of this journey.
This report presents a menu of interventions that councils can use to encourage residents to think differently about car ownership and use, and to create a greener and safer city, to the benefit of everyone, including:
- Develop kerbside strategies that allocate road and kerb space in accordance with clear user hierarchies;
- Reallocate road space gradually through introducing a cap on the number of permits issued, and using waiting lists or limited eligibility for new residents;
- Set residential permit charges at a level that fully covers operating costs;
- Regularly review the coverage, size and operating hours of Controlled Parking Zones;
- Move towards an emission-based charging structure for resident permits, and escalating charges for additional vehicles.


How to attract more garden pollinators
February 21, 2024
Gardening is a wonderful way to connect with nature, and it's even better when you can use it to help support the local pollinator populations. Bees, butterflies and other insects play a crucial role in pollinating plants, which helps to ensure that we have a bountiful harvest of fruits, vegetables and flowers each year. By creating a garden that is welcoming to these creatures, you can not only help support their populations but also enjoy the beauty of your very own pollinator garden.
One of the best ways to attract pollinators is to plant flowers that are rich in nectar and pollen. Some of...