One down, only three tigers remain (Nepal)

The tiger population in Parsa Wildlife Reserve is reduced to three after locals of Churiyamai VDC of Makawanpur district killed one tiger by feeding a carcass of a cow laced with pesticide. Four tigers were found at the reserve during the nationwide tiger census some two years ago. Meanwhile, police arrested three persons along with 15 kilograms of tiger´s bone from Birgunj, 22 km south from Parsa.

August 1

Republica

A HOT DRY SUMMER AT MACOUN MARSH IN OTTAWA, CANADA

Here are some images from today.

New England Aster

Leafhopper (Coelidia olitoria?) female

Dry spell in the marsh

Cottontail resting in the heat



Panama Canal Expansion

                                                        Panama Canal Locks In Colon

The impact environmentally of the Panama Canal expansion. It is very cool you might like to check it out. It is the official report of environmental impact. http://www.pancanal.com/eng/expansion/eisa/index.html

Mr. Panamá

Are protected areas enough to save life on Earth?

The IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, defines a protected area as:

A protected area is a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.  Here is our question- Are protected areas enough to save life on Earth? 

We know that the global number and extent of nationally designated protected areas has increased dramatically over the past century. By 2008, there were over 120,000 protected areas covering a total of about 21 million square kilometres of land and sea, an area more than twice the size of Canada.  While that sounds like a lot, it really isn’t.  Most of the areas being protected are on land.  Ocean areas are beginning to be protected more now. 

Dr Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the CBD is quoted to have said, "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.” 

So protected areas are up and species extinctions are up.  Our conservation strategy is not yet working.  With human populations also going up what is the solution?  We are consumers.  We have created a global society that is not sustainable with our finite resources.  We all know that!  Those who have- do not want to give anything up, and those who do not have- want more.  There is only one really positive solution for the long term good of all life.  Education, education, and more education!  Education of teachers to know what the conservation issues really are.  Education of students of all ages to know what needs to be done for a better tomorrow for all life on Earth.  

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.  Education is required for all of this to happen.

Youth are making a big difference today.  Just speak to youth involved in TUNZA, GYBO (Global Youth and Biodiversity Organisation) or Biodiversitymatters youth.  They are involved with governments and NGOs.  They are looking at biodiversity success stories and building from this knowledge.  This could really be our greatest hour.  The time has come to slow down this modern extinction event.   

Mike Leveille

Biodiversitymatters 

Image above of a blue-jeans frog from Costa Rica by Michael Leveille

Expanding scientific expertise for implementation of Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020

Montreal, 3 August 2011– The Consortium of Scientific Partners to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) continues to grow with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Agropolis International and the Convention Secretariat. Agropolis International thus becomes the eighteenth member of the Consortium.

Founded in 1986 and based in Montpellier, France, Agropolis International gathers skills and expertise in the fields of agriculture, food, biodiversity and environment, with a focus on the development of Mediterranean and tropical regions. It also gathers a large range of stakeholders and partners involved in economic development.

Bernard Hubert, President of Agropolis International, said: “Agropolis International is pleased to become a member of the Consortium of Scientific Partners to the CBD and is honoured to join such a prestigious panel of scientific organizations. Gathering more than 600 scientists from numerous disciplines, all working on biodiversity related issues in different higher education and research bodies, Agropolis International can contribute to the Consortium by favouring multidisciplinary standpoints and contributions, especially those concerning interactions between biodiversity, agricultural activities and food and health issues. Such challenges seem to be at stake in our world when one considers the necessity of properly feeding (with regards to quantity, safety, diversity and quality) an increasing global human population as well as maintaining a functioning earth based on a diversity of landscapes, ecosystems and animal and plant populations. We are very happy to participate in international debates regarding such critical issues.”

Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, said: “We at the CBD are very excited to see an increasing interest from respected scientific institutions to join the Consortium of Scientific Partners in support of biodiversity. Agropolis International, with its impressive track record of scientific cooperation within the Mediterranean and tropical regions, will no doubt contribute significantly to our efforts.”

Struggle against invasive species remains important goal for global Strategic Plan for Biodiversity

Montreal, 1 August 2011 – The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity has expressed support for a recent call from conservation organizations for continued action against invasive species.

On 22 July, the magazine Science published a letter from senior leaders of the world most authoritative conservation organizations entitled “Invasives: A Major Conservation Threat”. The purpose of the letter was to respond to recent positions that have argued against the struggle against invasive species.

In the letter, the leaders of IUCN, Birdlife, WWF, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fauna and Flora International, and Island Conservation indicated that recent discussions on alternative strategies to the management of invasive species should not undermine ongoing efforts to prevent and mitigate the impacts of invasive species.

The authors of the letter stress that as invasive species are indeed a major cause of biodiversity loss continued aggressive intervention is needed to capitalize on recent successes. Therefore, conservation leaders call the global community to work together to control the most harmful invasive species, and to meet target 9 of Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, which calls for action to control invasives.

“Invasive species are a subtle threat to the natural balance of species and ecosystems, but can suddenly occur in explosive outbreaks. For this reason, the global Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 includes a specific target on this issue” said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary to the Convention on Biological Diversity. He added that: “We warmly welcome the letter published in Science – signed by an impressive list of leaders of conservation organizations – because it confirms the commitment of the conservation community to address this threat. Preventing and mitigating the negative effects of invasions is indeed a huge challenge, and the cooperation of the NGOs is of crucial importance.”

For additional information, please contact: David Ainsworth on +1 514 287 7025 or at david.ainsworth@cbd.int; or Johan Hedlund on +1 514 287 6670 or at johan.hedlund@cbd.int.

BANANAS TO SAVE SCHOOL

A 15 year old, primary school, Chandeu in Kanchanpur, farwest Nepal has started banana farm on leased land to generate school income so that it can pay salary to its three teachers.

July 22

Himalayan Times