Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Biodiversity Mentor Training Course Outline- Canada

Biodiversity Mentor Training Course Outline
Ottawa, Ontario- St-Laurent Academy, Notre Dame Catholic School, and Devonshire Public School (Youth aged 12 to 24)

Module 1: The Tree of Life (2 hours)
The concept of a tree of life as a multi-branched trunk illustrates the 4 billion year evolution of all life on earth.  This concept is continually changing as more genetic information shows us how closely we are related to all living things.  The purpose of this class is to broaden the student’s concept of how life functions within diverse ecosystems and on a planetary scale. 

We will use our outdoor study area in the center of urban Ottawa.  Our Macoun Marsh project in Beechwood Cemetery continues to be our core biodiversity project. To date, almost 1350 species have been recorded here.  A personal nature journal will be used to record discoveries. 

Module 2: Our Human Need for Biodiversity (2 hours)
Biodiversity is used in medical research and in our food industry.  It is directly connected to the purification of the air and water, decomposition of wastes, recycling of nutrients, the pollination of crops, and the regulation of our climate.  Many cultural services are to be considered here.  Our global economy cannot function without biodiversity.       

We need more protected areas, not just outside human cities, but inside as well.  We need connections between protected spaces so species can move from one area to the next.  We need to learn how to live with wildlife in our backyards. 

The students will partake in various activities that connect seemingly unrelated everyday products to their biological sources. 

Module 3: Political Action (2 hours)

Dr Djoghlaf, Executive Director of the CBD is quoted as saying "We are experiencing the greatest wave of extinctions since the disappearance of the dinosaurs. Extinction rates are rising by a factor of up to 1,000 above natural rates. Every hour, three species disappear. Every day, up to 150 species are lost. Every year, between 18,000 and 55,000 species become extinct.” 

Our planet’s future rests on the conservation of our irreplaceable natural heritage- our biodiversity.  Species are being lost at an unprecedented rate with massive consequences for our planet, the economy, and our health. 

Understanding our place in the global community is key to this process. The students will meet face-to-face with youth that have been active in the formation of the International Youth Accord for Biodiversity and its presentation in Nagoya, Japan at COP10 in October 2010.  Students will be made aware of local, national, and international opportunities as possible venues for involvement.   

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Today's Macoun Marsh visit (Ottawa, Canada)

Eastern Garter snake hiding in the rocks

Solitary Sandpiper

Blue-spotted salamander

Cottontail

Images by Mike Leveille

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Call for Nominations for the Equator Prize 2012

The Equator Initiative is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the Equator Prize 2012, which will recognize 25 outstanding local initiatives that are working to advance sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities.

All winning initiatives will receive US $5,000, with 10 selected for “special recognition” and a total of US $20,000 each. Representatives of all winning communities will participate in Rio+20, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, in Brazil in June 2012.

On its 10-year anniversary, and in recognition of the new and emerging challenges that face local and indigenous communities the world over, the Equator Prize 2012 will have an expanded thematic scope and geographical eligibility.

To nominate an initiative for the Equator Prize 2012 (or to self-nominate), visit our website: www.equatorinitiative.org.
Nomination forms must be submitted by 31 October 2011. Nominations may be completed online or sent via email, fax, or post to:
Equator Initiative
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
304 East 45th Street, Room 640
New York, NY 10017
Tel: +1 212 906-5104 / Fax: +1 212 906-6642
Email: prize@equatorinitiative.org

Nominations may be submitted in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Indonesian, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
The Equator Prize 2012 promotional video is available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Friday, August 26, 2011

A WONDERFUL DISCOVERY AT MACOUN MARSH IN OTTAWA, CANADA!


Yesterday, a small group of youth witnessed the emergence of a teeny tiny baby turtle! While we were observing a disturbed painted turtle nest one young biologist said that he saw movement- and Voi-la, a baby hatchling coming out of the ground! This is the perfect example of being at the right place at the right time! This is the first time this has ever been witnessed at the Macoun Marsh. Another miracle of nature! We then released it into the main marsh- it swam like a professional!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

How many species on Earth? 8.7 million give or take


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Scientists have yet to discover, or classify, about 90 percent of the plant and animal species on Earth, which is estimated to be home to just under 9 million species, a study says.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/many-species-earth-8-7-million-091322662.html

International Greening Education Event 2011 | Karlsruhe – Germany

A three-day International Greening Education Event will be held from 19th to 21st of October, 2011 in the green city of Karlsruhe , Germany . This event will take academia, education, environmental and sustainable development policy makers, senior members of academic institutions, representatives of government and non-governmental organisations and international development agencies, administrators and teachers, sustainable development practitioners and environmental management professionals through the need for greening education and then discuss effective initiatives that educational institutions need to take to make sustainability an integral part of teaching and learning.

The event provides an exclusive forum to examine how global warming, climate change and other environmental concerns are reshaping education globally, deliberate on the role of academia in making world cleaner, greener and more sustainable, discuss cutting-edge issues in greening education and share best practices from around the world in respect to education for sustainability.

Further to the knowledge sharing on greening education including topics such as ecologizing curriculum (incorporating sustainability), greening of courses and creating low carbon education institutions; the upcoming event also provides an excellent networking opportunity with academia, sustainable development practitioners and other stakeholders in Europe and beyond. An excursion (optional) on Saturday the 22nd of October, 2011 is planned which will also provide an additional and informal networking opportunity. 

2011 Special Recognition Award to the Parties to the CBD

 
Montreal 24 August 2011. The Society for Ecological Restoration has conferred its 2011 Special Recognition Award to the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the Gala Awards Banquet on 23 August 2011 in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, on the margins of the 4th World Conference on Ecological Restoration.
 
The award recognizes the extraordinary commitment shown by the 193 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2020, inter alia, through reducing pressures on biodiversity and restoring ecosystems, by adopting the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, at its tenth meeting held in Nagoya, Japan in 2010, adopted the new Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 containing 20 headline targets. Under Targets 14 and 15, Parties have agreed that by 2020, they would restore ecosystems of particular importance to water security, human health, livelihoods and well-being and enhance ecosystem resilience and the contribution of biodiversity to carbon stocks, through conservation and restoration. This target includes the restoration of at least 15 per cent of degraded ecosystems.
 
It is estimated that ecosystems deliver essential services worth between $21 trillion and up to $72 trillion a year, comparable to the 2008 World Gross National Income of $58 trillion. Yet in 2010, nearly two-thirds of the globe’s ecosystems were considered degraded as a result of damage and mismanagement and a failure to invest and reinvest in their productivity, health and sustainability. Thus restoration of degraded ecosystems is highly important for realizing the vision of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 “living in harmony with nature”, and for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
 

Our “Inspiring Youth For Change” Summit- GA, USA

Here is the official statement issued by the IS Foundation: We have just been notified that the event has to be rescheduled. For contractual reasons outside of his control, Ian Somerhalder must regretfully withdraw his participation in the OMG 2011 “Inspiring Youth for Change” Summit set to take place September 10th. Considering his great admiration for the One More Generation organization as well as the panel of inspiring guest speakers, Ian would like to emphasize his desire to participate in future events and his deepest apologies for his unfortunate absence.
Ian is being asked to attend a last minute event in CA on Sept 10th which he is contractually obligated to participate in. When you are as popular as Ian, things like this are bound to happen. We have a conference call scheduled with the Ian Somerhalder Foundation for Monday evening where we will solidify a postponement date. We are working on establishing a new date for the summit that works for all our guest speakers and we will post the details as soon as they are worked out.

We are deeply sorry for any inconvenience. If you one of the under 300 folks who already purchased a ticket, rest assured we will be issuing full refunds this week. We fully understand that this is a situation which is out of Ian’s (and his foundations) control and we hope all our fans will understand as well. I have met Ian and know that he is deeply sorry that this happened and he will do everything in his power to make the rescheduled event a huge success.
Should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to send me an email at info@onemoregeneration.org and I will get back with you as soon as possible.
Thanks for your understanding and continued support.

Best regards from the entire OMG Team

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

A NIGHT WALK AT MACOUN MARSH- OTTAWA, CANADA

An evening nature walk will always surprise you.  A little raccoon comes out for a peek!
UV light set up to attract night insects.

The Grape Leaffolder (Desmia funeralis)

Catocola moth

Another amazing moth

Another Catocola moth

Plume moth that looks like an airplane

The "Sweetheart" (Catocala amatrix)

Images by Michael Leveille 2011

Monday, August 22, 2011

Biodiversity community comes together in Geneva to launch the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity

Montreal, 19 August 2011 – In conjunction with the 61st meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Government of Switzerland, in partnership with the Japanese presidency of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) hosted the official launch of the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity for Europe with the participation of the secretariats of CITES, CBD and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The meeting was attended by the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

In welcoming the participants, HE Mr. Kenichi Suganuma, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, speaking on behalf of the President of the Conference of the Parties stated that “The Decade is intended to extend the mandate of the International Year of Biodiversity of 2010 to the next ten years, and to implement the Aichi Biodiversity Targets under a more universal framework. We, as the COP10 presidency for the initial two years of the decade, wish to take the lead, and your support would be highly appreciated.”

Mr. Franz Perrez, the Ambassador of Switzerland for the Environment and the host of the event, announced the intention of the Government of Switzerland to establish the post of Liaison Officer for the CBD in Geneva with a view to promoting the coordination of the secretariats of the biodiversity conventions for the implementation of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

The Secretary-General of CITES, Mr. John E. Scanlon, stated: “The joint European launch of the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity highlights the significant contribution that CITES can make towards the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets through the conservation and sustainable use of species.”

Mr. Anada Tiéga, Secretary-General of the Ramsar Convention, stressed the importance of the biodiversity liaison group in promoting, in a mutually supportive manner, the objectives of the biodiversity conventions.
 
Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary to the CBD, stated that the announcement of the establishment of the post of Liaison Officer for the CBD in Geneva is yet another demonstration of the unique and creative ways to promote synergy among the biodiversity-related conventions.

The launch of the United Nations Decade by the General Assembly will take place on 20 September in New York at the margins of its sixty-sixth session and it will be followed on 17-19 December by the global launch hosted by Japan in its capacity as president of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

Fishing endangers local fish- Pakistan-Himalaya

Ruthless fishing, using electric current, gunpowder and chemicals, have threatened the indigenous Mallah fish in the rivers and streams of Hazara, northwest Pakistan. Owing to its shortage in the local rivers and streams, the price of Mallah has jumped to Rs 300 – 400 per kg.
August 15
http://www.dawn.com/2011/08/15/extensive-fishing-endangers-local-species.html

A highway in ‘no-go’ tiger area- Bhutan-Himalaya

Once the 67- km Shingkhar-Gorgan Secondary Highway will be constructed in Thrumshingla National Park, some 36 km road will pass through core tiger habitat. This is also the place where the first picture of tigers living above 4,000 m, was photographed. The 108th session of Lhengye Zhuntshog,  the highest executive body in Bhutan,  approved construction of the Shingkhar- Gorgan Secondary Highway. This move contradicts with Bhutan’s pledge to double tiger population and all core tiger habitats as ‘no-go’ area at the St Petersburg Declaration last year.
August 15

China wildlife scheme endanger Indian tigers

There has been a sudden jump in online sale of tiger and leopard skins since China reopened the trade for registered wildlife body parts in 2007. China first allowed registration of tiger and leopard body-parts under its registration scheme from authorized sources and now has allowed its trade, raising fears in India. The Scheme allows for tiger and leopard skins from ‘legal origins’, including those from captive-bred big cats, to be registered, labeled and sold. Several tiger and leopard skins were being traded online and origin of most of these skins was said to be China, which has just 50 tigers in wild and 5,000 in tiger farms
August 12, 14
http://www.hindustantimes.com/China-wildlife-scheme-endanger-Indian-tigers/Article1-732686.aspx; http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0814-hance_tigerskins.html

Flood-related loss in the India Himalaya

In eastern Himalaya, over 5,000 people were displaced with monsoonal flood in three Garo Hills districts, Meghalaya state. In adjoining Assam state, 80 % areas of the district is submerged under flood waters. Over 326,000 people are affected and crops in 69,667 ha is lost. In western Himalaya, rainfall related damages have been estimated at INR 550 million.
August 18, 19
Assam Tribune, Daily Excelsior

Pangolin scales fly from forest office store- Tibet

Last year, police had seized 46 kg pangolin scales which were being smuggled to Khasa, Tibet and they were handed over to the Sindhupalchowk district forest office, north central Nepal. This week, the forest office informed police that all pangolin scales are stolen.
August 17
Himalayan Times

Sunday, August 21, 2011

MACOUN MARSH UPDATE- OTTAWA, CANADA

Here are some images from Saturday.

Solitary sandpiper

Mouse in bird feeder

Butter-and-eggs

Monarch

Cottontail

Images by Michael Leveille 2011

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Adopt an animal at Durrell


Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is an international charity working globally towards their mission of saving species from the brink of extinction. Headquartered in Jersey, Channel Islands in the UK, Durrell has developed a worldwide reputation for its pioneering conservation techniques.

There are many animals that you can adopt at Durrell. Click here to see some of the animals they work with.
http://www.durrell.org/How-to-help/Animal-adoption/

Image above of a Slender-tailed Meerkat from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

Thursday, August 18, 2011

ONE MORE GENERATION NEWS

UEBT and CBD sign MOU to help stop biodiversity loss

Montreal, 18 August 2011 – In the context of the launching of the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that seeks to contribute to the implementation of the CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020.

The CBD Strategic Plan contains twenty targets designed to halt the loss of biodiversity and ensure that by 2020 ecosystems are resilient and continue to provide essential services. With this MOU, UEBT and the CBD Secretariat will work together on key issues of this strategic plan, particularly on increasing public awareness of biodiversity, promoting the engagement of the business community in biodiversity protection and putting in practice the equitable sharing of benefits that result from biodiversity use.

The MOU was signed by the CBD Executive Secretary Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf and UEBT’s Executive Director Rik Kutsch Lojenga at a signing ceremony held in Geneva, Switzerland on 18 August, 2011.

Activities under the MOU will include UEBT providing regular inputs on biodiversity awareness using its
annual biodiversity awareness study, the Biodiversity Barometer. In addition, the two organisations will work together to communicate on the value of biodiversity to target groups such as the business community. The United Nations Decade on Biodiversity should prove, as did the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, an opportunity for increased business awareness and engagement in biodiversity issues. The UEBT 2011 Biodiversity Barometer revealed that one out of three consumers surveyed had heard about the International Year of Biodiversity.

Engaging the private sector in biodiversity protection is another important element in the collaboration between the CBD Secretariat and UEBT.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

We Canada- Meeting in Ottawa, CANADA


Are you a dedicated individual with a passion for creating community change and protecting our environment? If you have a skill you would like to contribute and a little bit of time to give to your community by building the sustainability movement, join us!  Learn more about We Canada here: http://earthsummit.ca/ 

Monday, August 15, 2011

A WALK IN A LEBANESE GARDEN

Greek tortoise

Pair of pears

Sunbird (Cinnyris oseus)

Lebanon lizard (Lacerta)

Bird chick

Banana


CAN BHUTAN DISSUADE INDIA FROM ITS NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM?

In an effort to discourage expansion of nuclear power generation by the government of India, Bhutan’s Prime Minister is encouraging Nepal to increase exploitation of its hydropower potential for India. Bhutan will supply 10,000 MW to India by 2020. During peak load, India’s electricity demand is over 120,000MW. About three percent of India’s electric consumption is fed by nuclear energy.

August 13-http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20419

CLIMATE CHANGE, MALARIA AND INDIAN HIMALAYA

Climate change is likely to spread malaria to new areas in the Indian Himalayas, and lengthen the periods in which the infection is spread in a number of districts, according to projections from malaria researchers in India. A study indicated that malaria could spread to districts in three states where it is currently absent — Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir — during the next 20 years. In the eastern Himalayas, in north-eastern India, the window of malaria transmission would increase from 7–9 to 10–12 months in length. The region is humid and wet, with mild winters, which makes it "highly conducive for mosquito breeding, survival and transmission" of vector-borne diseases.

August 12- http://www.scidev.net/en/south-asia/news/climate-change-to-increase-malaria-in-indian-himalayas.html

MOTHER AND CALF ELEPHANTS RESCUED- India-Himalaya

An elephant, after damaging four huts and crops, attacked a forest department vehicle in Patkapara, north Bengal, when the foresters were trying to send the animal back into wild.  In another report, a female elephant and its two-year-old calf of a 60-animal herd, were rescued from a water reservoir after a five-hour joint operation by the army and the forest department in the Bengdubi forest, north Bengal.

August 8 Telegraph

COPS CAUGHT SMUGGLING TIMBER- NEPAL-HIMALAYA

In Koielabhar of Parsa district, local forest groups arrested three policemen and two tractor drivers who were allegedly smuggling out timber from the forest. Although the district forests office admits that policemen have been found colluding with timber smugglers, arrested policemen said they had gone there to collect firewood for their kitchen.

August 8 Republica

BIODIVERSITY IN A BACKYARD GARDEN (PRESCOTT, ONTARIO, CANADA)

Pumpkin flower

Enjoying the garden!

Idia americalis moth

Tomatoes

Green frog

Tree hopper

Molly the family friend!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

TODAY AT MACOUN MARSH, OTTAWA, CANADA

Chickadee eating sumac 

Disturbed painted turtle nest

Swallowtail on bull thistle

Baby American Toad



Tapir Back

Mr. Panamá
Tapir photo by Eric G.

There are not many tapirs in the wild now in Panama this one is in captivity.
The Tapir Preservation Fund is one of our partners and Sheryl Todd is the founder.
For a lot of interesting information the website of the fund is www.tapirback.com

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Fighting Against Chytrid


The Chytrid fungus has been killing frogs in Panama and other countries.
It's effects are devastating, it kills many frogs each year.
Chytrid is also known as "Bd" or Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.
This basically translates to "frog chytrid"
They call the basic infectious disease chitridiomycosis.
The word "Mycosis" means disease caused by a fungus.

For More information about the topic click the link  Read More>>

               Mr. Panamá

We Canada

Dear Partners and Sustainability Enthusiasts,

It is with great pleasure that We Canada wishes to invite you to our We Can_ Network event. The event aims to discuss and share ideas regarding sustainability in an informal and open setting. Our team members from across central Canada will be in attendance in order to help you learn more about our initiative. We also wish to draw on your experience in order to deepen our knowledge of projects you are leading and further our quest for a sustainable Canada.

We Can_ Network will take place in the evening of Tuesday, August 16th at 7:30 pmWe invite you to come to the Royal Oak basement - 161, Laurier Ave. East, Ottawa, Ontario - for drinks and lively discussions. Please RSVP to this event to marie-pierre@earthsummit.ca before Friday, the 12th of August.

Sincerely,
The We Canada Family

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Northern leopard frog conservation in Alberta, Canada


For the third consecutive year, Calgary Zoo Centre for Conservation Research (CCR) biologists are weaving through masses of giant cattail, boot-sucking sloughs and the occasional herd of cattle to gain a better understanding of northern leopard frog ecology in western Canada.

In the last three decades for unknown reasons, the leopard frog has been disappearing from Alberta and the Pacific Northwest. There is a real concern among conservationists that the decline in the west could be hinting at the beginning of a larger continental decline. Attempts to stop this trend have been unsuccessful and it is widely accepted that a better understanding of the ecology of this species is needed.


Using intensive fieldwork and highly focused science, CCR researchers have been surveying for leopard frogs through 69 wetland sites across 90,000 square kilometres of southern Alberta. As they are sparsely distributed over a broad geographical range, leopard frogs can be difficult to detect in some habitats, making accurate population counts difficult. The survey information and measurements on water, climatic conditions and vegetation will be used in a mathematical model to develop a new high accuracy survey technique. Development of such a methodology will be essential for establishing the relationship between factors such as disease prevalence, habitat loss and fragmentation, water quality and leopard frog demographic parameters in Alberta and western Canada.

Preliminary results suggest that one-off site surveys historically used to monitor frogs in Alberta are likely to miss many of the individuals that are present at those sites. Survey accuracy can be improved by avoiding strong winds, wind chill and cold temperatures which limit frog activity and affect their detectability.

The five year study will help determine whether and to what extent northern leopard frogs are declining in the province, identify key habitats, find the best conditions to survey in and determine the amount of management necessary to ensure their long term survival.


Images from the Calgary Zoo, Alberta Canada

For more news on the Calgary Zoo see http://www.calgaryzoo.org/#axzz1Ug05YIgB

Next Biodiversitymatters Youth Meeting- Ottawa, Canada

It is an exciting time to work on biodiversity issues!  Our next meeting will be at 641 Sladen on Saturday, August 27, 2011 (10 to noon).  Hope to see you there! Please let us know if you are attending or skyping with us.     Mike Leveille (Director)

Guard post for uncontacted Indians over-run by “drug traffickers”

Bad news for the uncontacted Indians who were filmed from the air earlier this year: the Brazilian guard post protecting their lands has been over-run by heavily-armed men, suspected to be drug-traffickers.
Read more »

Antigua and Barbuda becomes twenty-sixth signatory

Montreal, 10 August 2011 – Yesterday, Antigua and Barbuda became the twenty-sixth Party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and the first small island developing State, to sign the Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Welcoming the new signature by Antigua and Barbuda, Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, said: “Antigua and Barbuda has further demonstrated its commitment to contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity by supporting the international rules and procedures in the field of liability and redress relating to living modified organisms.”

H.E. John W. Ashe, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, said: “As a signatory Antigua and Barbuda intends to cooperate with other signatory States to develop further international law regarding liability and compensation for adverse effects of environmental damage caused by activities within its jurisdiction or control. We therefore call on all Parties to the Cartagena Protocol to join us in signing and subsequently ratifying this Supplementary Protocol so that we can collectively contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, by providing international rules and procedures in the field of liability and redress relating to living modified organisms.”

The list of signatories to the Nagoya Protocol is available on the CBD website at:
www.cbd.int/abs/nagoya-protocol/signatories/; and the list of signatories to the Nagoya - Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol is available at: http://bch.cbd.int/protocol/parties/#tab=1

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Ninety per cent rate achieved in submissions of fourth national reports

Montreal, 8 August 2011 – Ninety per cent of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have submitted their fourth national reports. The Convention Secretariat has to date received 175 fourth national reports. Submitting a national report is an obligation that needs to be implemented by all 193 Parties without exception.

Speaking in his capacity as the President of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 10), held in Nagoya in October 2010, the Minister of the Environment of Japan, H.E. Mr. Satsuki Eda, stated: “Japan is very pleased of having made its contribution in ensuring a submission of a maximum number of fourth national reports, as the information provided by the Parties greatly assisted in designing and adopting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.”

Ahmed Djoghlaf, CBD Executive Secretary, welcomed the contribution of the 175th Party to submit its report, stating that: “By completing their reports, Parties are not only fulfilling their obligations under the Convention, they are also providing an analysis for their updated national biodiversity strategies and action plans to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, as well as a baseline against which future progress can be assessed. I call upon the remaining 18 Parties that have not done so to submit their fourth national reports as soon as possible.”

All final versions of the fourth national reports are available on the Convention’s website at: www.cbd.int/reports/search/

Monday, August 8, 2011

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES


MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
ON THE OCCASION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WORLD’S
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
9 August 2011 (CBD)

On the occasion of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, we pay tribute to the indigenous peoples for their contributions to knowledge, innovations and practices in the conservation of biodiversity on Earth. In its preamble and articles, the Convention on Biological Diversity recognizes the pivotal role of indigenous peoples and local communities and their traditional knowledge in the conservation of life on Earth.

For indigenous peoples, the relationship with biodiversity, which the Quechua and Aymara call Pachamama (Mother Earth) has developed valuable skills that are manifested in the form of stories, songs, art, cultural values, beliefs, rituals, languages, agricultural practices, among others. These cultural expressions, from traditional oral tradition to rich artistic expressions such as singing, dancing, painting, sculpting and carving have taken place over millennia. This traditional knowledge is expressed in a way that preserves biodiversity and its continuation is very important in achieving the objectives of the Convention.

Manas estimated with 25-35 tigers (Bhutan)

Some 60 park staff  have estimated 25 -35 tigers in the Royal Manas National Park (1,057 km2)  through 88 camera stations. In entire Bhutan, tigers killed 543 livestock between 2003 -2011 and the forest management is required to compensate villagers with  Nu 2,352,250.
July 30
http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20267

Tibetan endemic fishes

Over 330, 000 endemic fishes like schizothorax o'connori, oxygymnocypris stewartii, schizopygopsis younghusbandi and others were released into the Nyang River in southeast Tibet's Nyingchi.  The Nyang River, the longest tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo River, is of great significance to the protection of Tibet’s native fishes and ecological environment of highland waters.

August 3