Friday, September 29, 2006
Days of the Eucalyptus Numbered in Pakistan
Amjad Aslam, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pakistan spokesman, said that chopping down fully grown trees will deprive the country of the little forest cover it has. "What WWF suggests is for eucalyptus trees to be phased out gradually. Local authorities should start planting indigenous trees or plants of similar girth beside the eucalyptus trees." Without restoration, it seems like an immeasurable trade off between a falling water table and canopy cover/moisture retention -- are there other solutions?
Ecological vs. Environmental Economists?
Ecological economists tend to group themselves around the principle of strong sustainability. They share the opinion that natural capital can ultimately not be substituted by manmade capital, but that it is essential for the long-term existence of the economy and that a large variety of natural resources should be preserved (precautionary principle). The neoclassical environmental economists tend to conclude that resource use today does not have to be limited because once the resources are scarce this will lead to technological innovations finding other ways of satisfying human needs (technological optimism).
Is there scope for mutual understanding or are the fundamental differences intractable?
Is there scope for mutual understanding or are the fundamental differences intractable?
Thursday, September 28, 2006
New Trees to Reclaim Amazon Lands
A Brazilian state intends to make cattle ranchers reforest land which they have cleared for grazing. The government of Acre in the Amazon has established a nursery growing seedlings of species such as mahogany which they will issue to ranchers.Should restoration programs be voluntary?
Wetlands Mask China's Rising Role in Climate Change
Atmospheric levels of a potent greenhouse gas whose concentration levelled off in 1999 could rise in the near future, warns a study published in Nature today. Its authors say China's booming economy could be responsible for an increase in methane emissions, and that this trend has been masked by a simultaneous decline in natural emissions from wetlands. What role can wetland restoration play in future challenges posed by global climate change?
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Korea: Stream Restoration Improving Seoul’s Air Quality
It has been a year since Cheonggye Stream, also known as Cheonggyecheon, was restored. Since the restoration, the ecosystem in the center of Seoul is reviving. The amount of particulate matter in the air has decreased, and animals and plants have been returning to the city after the 5. 84km-long stream was restored from the Donga Media Center in Sejongno, Jongno-gu to the Shindap Railroad Bridge in Majang-dong, Seongdong-gu. Should pollution abatement and particulate reduction be included in the prescribed goals of ecological restoration projects?
Rebuilding Wetlands: Do Hurricanes Help?
A new study suggests that hurricanes themselves can do the job the projects are intended for, which is to spread new sediment across wetlands. The researchers estimated how much sediment Hurricanes Katrina and Rita washed ashore in 2005 and have concluded that hurricanes could supply all the silt and other inorganic sediment that healthy wetlands in this region need. Listen to the NPR report on this controversial study. Interior Official Urges Cooperation on Land Restoration
So when the talk turns to restoration of natural ecosystems, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Interior Lynn Scarlett said its time to search out the partnerships that will allow for those efforts to occur across the landscape. On Monday, Scarlett shared that vision as the keynote speaker of the 30th annual Public Land Law Conference at the University of Montana in a talk entitled “From Resource Damages to Restoration: An Evolution Toward Partnerships.” Can public and private sectors work together to restore degraded landscapes?
