Also Try Biochar Carbon Sequestration Hiking Soil Carbon Sequestration News -10-22-05 Rainforest Disappearing Twice As Fast (CBS News) "Brazil's Amazon rain forest - one of the most biologically productive regions on the planet - is disappearing twice as fast as scientists previously estimated." 10-05 04-15-04 Justice Department Attempts to Stop Dissent (Guardian Unlimited - Wilson) "A judge refused Thursday to throw out federal charges against Greenpeace for protesting a shipment of Amazon mahogany, setting up a trial that could serve as a test on the limits of political dissent." "The Justice Department charged the environmental group under an obscure 19th century law enacted to stop pimps from clambering aboard ships heading for port. The government has never successfully prosecuted an activist organization on criminal charges over protest methods." 4-04 05-11-04 Greenpeace Prosecuted for Peaceful Demonstration (Greenpeace) "A federal judge in Miami today granted Greenpeace's motion for a jury trial against unprecedented criminal charges, setting the stage for a courtroom battle that could have a significant impact on Americans’ right to peaceful protest. In July 2003, the Justice Department charged Greenpeace under an obscure 1872 law against 'sailormongering' for a 2002 protest. Judge Adalberto Jordan, agreeing with Greenpeace’s assertion, found that 'the indictment is a rare – and maybe unprecedented – prosecution of an advocacy group' for free speech-related conduct." 5-04 05-15-02 China Starts World's Largest Reforestation Effort (Guardian Unlimited) "After decades of logging that has left large swathes of the country looking like a desert wasteland, China embarked Tuesday on a $12 billion, 10-year program to plant 170,000 square miles of trees - an area roughly the size of California." "It is the largest reforestation project ever, forestry officials said, suggesting only an unprecedented effort can stop the expanding deserts, chronic droughts and deadly flooding blamed on wholesale logging." 06-28-03 "Lungs of the World" in Trouble (MSNBC) "The deforestation rate in Brazil’s Amazon, the world’s largest jungle, has jumped 40 percent, sparking alarm among environmentalists and a promise by the government to launch emergency measures." "The Amazon, an area of continuous tropical forest that is larger than Western Europe, has been described as the 'lungs of the world' because of its vast capacity to produce oxygen." "Environmentalists fear its destruction because it is home to up to 30 percent of the planet’s animal and plant species and is an important source of medicines." 6-03 07-04-03 Rainforests Set to Disappear (Independent) "The scale of deforestation is so great that some countries, such as Indonesia, could lose entire rainforests in the next 10 years." 7-03 09-10-02 Tropical Forests 100 Times More Economic Than Alternatives (Ananova.com) "A study has found wild ecosystems are around 100 times more economic than ones converted to human use." "The study by the American Association for the Advancement of Science also found half of an ecosystem's economic value is lost when it is converted to human use." "The case studies looked at included the logging of a Malaysian tropical forest and a tropical forest in Cameroon converted to agriculture and commercial plantations. They also looked at a mangrove system in Thailand converted for shrimp farming, a Canadian marsh drained for agriculture and a Philippine coral reef dynamited for fishing." 11-27-02 Bush Proposes Less Protection for Forests and Wildlife (CBS News) "The Bush administration is proposing giving managers of the nation's 155 national forests greater leeway to approve logging and commercial activities with less examination of potential environmental damages." "The Bush administration proposal also would eliminate specific standards and procedures for maintaining and monitoring wildlife populations that foresters had to comply with, substituting broad goals in their place." "Democrats accused the administration of attempting to 'undo most of the environmental safeguards that protect our nation's forests.' " Environment News (Environment News Service) Provides stories related to pollution, global warming, preservation of species, alternative energy, energy efficiency, saving forests, and similar topics. 11-02 Papers 500-Year Plan to Save the Rainforests (RAN.org) "The world's deforestation to date and its rate of increase have given rise to a state of global emergency. Yet an effective response to this problem could, more than anything else, help us build a sustainable society in our lifetime. The 500 year six fold approach is offered as a framework to halt deforestation and its consequences." The six-fold plan includes: Global Forest Protection, Certified Logging, Fiber Supply, Demand-Side Management, Transformation of Government & Corporation Policy, and Sustainable Economic Development. 11-04 7 Things You Can Do to Help Save the Rainforests (RAN.org) Suggests seven strategies. 11-04 Africa - Covers the Trek of Michael Fay Along the Congo River Basin (National Geographic) "For 15 months Wildlife Conservation Society biologist J. Michael Fay hiked across central Africa (map)—1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers) through dense forests and remote villages—to Africa’s Atlantic coast." 9-02 Africa - Top Rainforest Project in the World (CountryReports.org) "At this week's United Nations meeting on sustainable development, held in South Africa, Gabon announced that it would soon create 13 new national parks on roughly 10,000 square miles of land." "When these parks are up and running, Gabon will leap from last to first in an important environmental category: As a percentage of total land mass, this will be the largest park system in the world." Also covers the travels of Michael Fay, conservationist. Visitors sometimes misspell as Fey. Gabon is sometimes mispelled as Gabbon. 9-02 Alternatives to Old Growth Wood (Rainforest Action Network) Suggests ways to help reduce the use of old growth wood. 9-01 Animals - Cloud Forest Animals (CloudForestAlive.org) Provides pictures and interesting descriptions of animals that inhabit the cloud forests of Central America and the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. Includes, for example, the spider wasp, guan, olingo, toucanet, howler monkeys, gray fox, viper, fruit bats, bananaquit, cyclosa spider, solitaire, skink, spectacled owl, ant lion, thrush, tink frog, nocternal katydids, chunk-headed snake, anole, trogon, spiny lizard, oropendolas, marine toad, coati, two-toed sloth, mottled owl, army ants, deer, redstarts, and screech owl. 2-01 Arguments for Caution When Using Trees for Carbon Sequestration (Mongabay.com) "Overall, about 20 percent more of the water provided by precipitation was removed by current tree farming, the study estimated. And additional planting of trees for carbon mitigation will likely have large impacts on water resources of many nations that net less than 30 percent of what precipitation provides for their total annual supplies of fresh water, the authors predicted." 07-08 Bald Cypress Forests (MSNBC News) "A tree can inspire awe better than any man-made structure, particularly one that has eclipsed its brethren and thumbed its 'knees' at man’s efforts to turn it into something useful. On Day 12 of our two-week journey down the Mississippi River, we came face-to-trunk with one such forest monarch and met some locals who, while they have very different perspectives on the best uses for trees, share a deep love for a special piece of Louisiana swamp." 8-04 Basics of Carbon Sequestration (EPA.gov) "There are three general means by which agricultural and forestry practices can reduce greenhouse gases:" "(1) avoiding emissions by maintaining existing carbon storage in trees and soils;" "(2) increasing carbon storage by, e.g., tree planting, conversion from conventional to conservation tillage practices on agricultural lands;" "(3) substituting bio-based fuels and products for fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, and energy-intensive products that generate greater quantities of CO2 when used." "Forests and soils have a large influence on atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2)—the most important global warming gas emitted by human activities. Tropical deforestation is responsible for about 20% of the world's annual CO2 emissions (IPCC Special Report on LULUCF (2000)." 07-08 Bush Record on Forests (TWS.org) Describes how Bush administration policies have influenced protection of our forests and wilderness areas. 7-04 Bush Signs Bill for Thinning Forests (CNN News) "Rep. Scott McInnis, R-Colorado, who sponsored the House version of the legislation, compared the measure to President Theodore Roosevelt's call for the establishment of the National Forest system 99 years ago this week." "Critics, however, decried it as a payback to the timber industry, which will get greater access to pristine stands of old-growth trees." 12-03 Bush Strikes Out on the Environment (TWS.org) Presents evidence that President Bush has not protected our air, water, or forests effectively. 7-04 Corporations in the Rainforests (RAN.org) Describes the way corporations are involved with the rainforests. 11-04 Deforestation and Global Warming (ARIC) Describes how the loss of forests causes global warming. 12-00 Description of a Rainforest (Kellogg Canada) Describes the different ingredients of rainforests. 9-01 Description of a Rainforest (Persistent Vision and Foley) Describes the different ingredients of rainforests and introduces key terms. Uses a field trip format for presenting the materials. 9-01 Description of a Rainforest (Rainforest Action Network) Describes or defines rainforests. 9-01 Eat Less Beef (NewDream.org) Advocates that each of us eat one less beef meal per week. "If only 1,000 of us take this action, we will save over 70,000 pounds of grain, 70,000 pounds of topsoil and 40 million gallons of water each year!" 11-03 Fires - National Fire Plan (FirePlan.gov) Provides federal plans to manage forest fires. 8-02 Fires - National Fire Plan (Washington Post - Goldstein) "The administration, which has promoted a variety of land policies that have antagonized environmentalists, is hoping to capitalize on the heightened anxiety that has spread this season, along with the fires, across the western United States." "Specifically, the administration official and White House documents released tonight said that Congress should change land laws so government agencies could permit long-term 'stewardship contracts' with private companies, which would be permitted to keep wood products in exchange for thinning trees and removing brush and dead wood." "Environmentalists immediately characterized Bush’s proposals as misguided and unnecessary, because western governors have worked with conservation groups to finalize a new 10-year strategy to prevent wildfires and reduce the threat they pose to people and property near the edge of forests." 8-02 Fires - National Fire Plan (Washington Post - Llanos and Johnson) "The administration, which has promoted a variety of land policies that have antagonized environmentalists, is hoping to capitalize on the heightened anxiety that has spread this season, along with the fires, across the western United States." "Specifically, the administration official and White House documents released tonight said that Congress should change land laws so government agencies could permit long-term 'stewardship contracts' with private companies, which would be permitted to keep wood products in exchange for thinning trees and removing brush and dead wood." "Environmentalists immediately characterized Bush’s proposals as misguided and unnecessary, because western governors have worked with conservation groups to finalize a new 10-year strategy to prevent wildfires and reduce the threat they pose to people and property near the edge of forests." 8-02 Fires - Science of Wildfire Management (National Interagency Fire Center - Hall) Provides basic information about the need for fuel, oxygen, and heat in order to have a fire. 8-02 Forest Decline Causes (IUCN) Provides some of the causes for the decline in forests globally. 5-00 Forest Factsheet (PopulationAction.org) Provides facts about our loss of forests and what needs to be done. 9-01 Forest Lessons, Resources, and Outcomes (British Columbia Ministry of Education) Provides discussions, outcomes, and lessons on physics for the 11th and 12th grade levels. The materials are called an Integrated Resource Package. 2-01 Forest Protection (World Wide Fund for Nature) Provides information on the deforestation of the planet. 1-01 Forest Protection More than Doubled (CNN) Describes new federal regulations that protect 58.5 million acres, "roughly one-third of the national forest system from road building and commercial logging." This was later suspended by the Bush administration. 1-01 Forestry Officials on Urgent Beetle Mission (ABC News) "The Asian longhorned beetle is particularly troublesome because, unlike most insects that feed on one or two types of trees, it eats virtually all hardwoods. In New England, that puts a major part of the economy at risk: from lumber, to the cherished and very lucrative fall foliage that attracts visitors from around the world, to the maple trees that produce maple syrup." "So severe is the threat, that forestry officials in all six New England states, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as USDA, are studying camper registrations to find out where Worcester-area residents have been. Then, assuming that many brought their own potentially infested firewood, observers will head into the woods this summer to look for signs of the beetle." 05-09 Forests Reduce Global Warming (World Resources Institute) Forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in plants. Forests store about 40 percent of our carbon dioxide. Deforestation accounts for an equivalent of 25 percent of the emissions from fossil fuel combustion. 1-01 Global Patterns for a Sustainable Planet (Sustainable Development Information Database) Provides global patterns on key issues, such as deforestation, pollution, global warming, and water conservation. 12-00 Global Patterns of Forests (World Resources Institute) Provides maps and factsheets regarding forests and deforestation globally. 1-01 Greenpeace Provides information on activities and programs of Greenpeace, an organization committed to preserving forests. How to Pass a Local Resolution (RAN.org) Provides suggestions for making change in your community. 11-04 LaDuke, Winona (Seattle Times) Provides a profile of Winona LaDuke, candidate for Vice-President for the Green Party in 2000, known for her advocacy for preserving forests for future generations. Leave No Trace Locations of Rainforests People (CalTech) Provides a map showing where rainforests are present. 11-04 Logging - Advocates Against Logging Public Forests (National Forest Council) Argues against logging public forests. 1-01 Maathai, Wangari (CNN News) "Saying the planet is under threat from human activities, Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai urged democratic reforms and an end to corporate greed in a speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday." 12-04 Medicinal Plants in the Rainforests (RAN.org) Describes the plants available and why they need to be preserved. 11-04 Native Activists and the Future (Massa and Cascadia Planet - LaDuke) Provides statements from Winona LaDuke about "White" views of the environment compared to the Native views. She also discusses the difference between Native Activists and Environmentalists. Oregon Forest to be "Salvaged" (OregonLive.com - Kitzhaber) "After a yearlong study, the U.S. Forest Service has concluded that the Siskiyou National Forest land burned by last year's Biscuit Fire needs a massive restoration effort including reforestation, road and stream rehabilitation and timber salvage. If implemented, this will be one of the largest timber sales in Oregon history, more timber than has been produced from all the public lands in the Northwest in some years." "Unfortunately, the Forest Service's plan is misguided at its very foundation, and we will likely never see these benefits." 12-03 Plant a Tree...the Right Kind (ABC News) "Syracuse researchers found that if they could replant their city with trees that are great at sequestering carbon compounds, especially carbon dioxide, they could increase the removal of carbon by more than 300 percent. But they also found that air quality would actually suffer from an increase in volatile compounds." "So they looked at mixing the forest, emphasizing trees that are good performers when it comes to carbon sequestration and don't emit a lot of junk. They came up with a list of 31 species, including American basswood, dogwood, Eastern white pine, Eastern red cedar, gray birch, red maple and river birch. That combination, they found, would increase carbon sequestration by 86 percent, and reduce the emission of volatile compounds by 88 percent." 12-06 Plant the Right Trees for Better Carbon Sequestration (ABC News) ""Syracuse researchers found that if they could replant their city with trees that are great at sequestering carbon compounds, especially carbon dioxide, they could increase the removal of carbon by more than 300 percent. But they also found that air quality would actually suffer from an increase in volatile compounds." "So they looked at mixing the forest, emphasizing trees that are good performers when it comes to carbon sequestration and don't emit a lot of junk. They came up with a list of 31 species, including American basswood, dogwood, Eastern white pine, Eastern red cedar, gray birch, red maple and river birch. That combination, they found, would increase carbon sequestration by 86 percent, and reduce the emission of volatile compounds by 88 percent." Editor's Note: Trees also increase oxygen in the air, of course. 02-07 Rainforest Facts (Rain-Tree.com) Describes how rainforests are being lost and why they need to be preserved. 11-04 Rainforest People (ChristianAnswers.net) Provides information about the daily lives, such as food, clothes, and environment, of the rainforest people of South America near the Amazon River. 11-04 Rainforests - The Value (Raintree Nutrition) Provides a description of the benefits of rainforests. 12-00 Rainforests Are Full of Life (Rainforest Action Network) Provides reasons for keeping our rainforests and describes the rate of destruction. 12-00 Rainforests Factsheets (RAN.org) Provides basic facts about rainforests, why we should save them, and how we can help to save them. 11-04 Rates of Rainforest Loss (RAN.org) Provides rates for different locations. We are destroying "78 million acres (31 million hectares) per year: an area larger than Poland." 11-04 Research: Amazon Forest Crisis Can Create "Incalculable Consequences" for Earth (The Independent) "The vast Amazon rainforest is on the brink of being turned into desert, with catastrophic consequences for the world's climate, alarming research suggests. And the process, which would be irreversible, could begin as early as next year." "Scientists say that this would spread drought into the northern hemisphere, including Britain, and could massively accelerate global warming with incalculable consequences, spinning out of control, a process that might end in the world becoming uninhabitable." 07-06 Saving Forests (PBS - Bill Moyers Reports Earth on Edge) Discusses how forests, not just timber, can be promoted in ways that make sense economically. 11-01 Saving Forests of the World (Forests.org) Provides a search engine just for conservation topics, such as forests, rainforests, biodiversity, and climate change. Also provides discussions, papers, sources, and more. 3-00 Saving Soil and Trees While Fighting Hunger (Washington Post) "Dr. Pedro Sanchez loves dirt. The prize-winning soil scientist says that poor quality soil is the cause of many of the evils that plague poor countries, from hunger and poverty to environmental devastation caused by slash-and-burn farming." "...Sanchez has helped teach 150,000 small-scale African farmers how to boost grain production by bettering their dirt — that is, by replenishing soil nutrients with nitrogen from native vegetation and phosphates from rocks." "As a result, those farmers can feed their families without having to burn more forests to get fertile land." 8-02 Schwarzenegger Plan to Close 220 California Parks (ABC News) "California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed closing up to 220 state parks to help cut the state's $24.3 billion deficit, including popular attractions for millions of visitors each year, such as a park that is home to some of the tallest trees on Earth." " 'When you cut that much, you have to let go highly trained teams of biologists that you can't get back in a year or two,' Huffman said of the park cuts. 'It's a myth to think you can mothball the entire system. These cuts will cripple the park system for a decade or more.' " 05-09 Scientist: Man May Have Settled North America 50,000 Years Ago (CNN News) "Archaeologists say a site in South Carolina may rewrite the history of how the Americas were settled by pushing back the date of human settlement thousands of years." "An archaeologist from the University of South Carolina on Wednesday announced radiocarbon tests that dated the first human settlement in North America to 50,000 years ago -- at least 25,000 years before other known human sites on the continent." 11-04 Seed Project to Preserve Species (PlanetArk.org) Describes the British project to save many species of plants from extinction by development of a huge seed bank. 11-00 Seeds for Diversity (Journey to Forever) Describes projects to save the diversity of plants on our planet. 12-00 Solar Cooking Boxes (JourneytoForever.org) Shows how to build a solar cooker using a cardboard box. "Research has found that 36% of the world's fuelwood needs (or 350 million tonnes of wood per year, according to UNICEF) could be replaced by solar box cookers, saving 500 kg of wood per family per year, equalling millions of trees." "Indoor smoke pollution now ranks 8th in health burden worldwide (lost years of healthy life), and ranks fourth in the "least-developed" countries (which make up about 40% of the world population) according to the World Health Organization's World Health Report 2002." 10-04 Solar Cooking Facts (SolarCooking.org) Provides basic facts for efficient solar cooking and boiling water. (Water can also be made safe by heating it to only 150 degrees for 20 minutes, pasteurizing it rather than boiling it.) Solicitations - How to Remove Your Name from Phone and Mail Advertising Lists (NativeForest.org) Provides you with information to remove your name from mail and phone solicitations. Explains the limitations and conditions of removal. Other junk mail may also be reduced. 2-00 Solutions for the Environment (Awesome Library - Adams) Provides a summary of key activities necessary to reduce air and water pollution, reduce the rate of global warming, and more. 1-01 Tree Diseases (Forestry.About.com) Provides information from "the Forest Insect and Disease Leaflet Series, USDA Forest Service." 6-07 Tree Loss Responsible for Carbon Emissions (Time.com) "Tree loss accounts for at least 20% of global carbon emissions. What would help cap that output is an international market — similar to that in the power industry or manufacturing — that allows tropical nations to preserve their rainforests in exchange for selling the carbon emissions contained within them. That doesn't exist, in part because major tropical countries like Brazil and Indonesia have been reluctant to accept international carbon finance, for fear of losing control over their natural resources. But Indonesia — the world's third biggest carbon emitter, thanks chiefly to its high deforestation rates — now seems ready to open up. At California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's climate summit in November, Indonesian officials announced their government would set up a regulatory framework for carbon forestry programs, and signed an agreement with California to help shepherd those projects. Translation: Indonesia appears ready to help wealthy California help Indonesia preserve its rapidly dwindling rainforests — and the climate will benefit." 02-09 Tree Production of Oxygen (Captain Jack Communications) Claims that an acre of Christmas trees produce oxygen for 18 people. Does not provide the source for the claim. 12-00 Trees Save San Antonio Millions of Dollars (Environment News Service) "Tree cover around San Antonio is saving the city about $70 million a year in ecological services, shows a study released today by conservation group American Forests." "The study revealed the value of the area's tree cover for storm water management, air quality and energy conservation." 11-02 Trees, Water, and Soil (Journey to Forever) Shows how loss of trees destroys the topsoil and how the topsoil can be built again. 12-00 Wood as Fuel (World Resources Institute) Provides a summary of the known role that woodfuel plays in relationship to deforestation and poverty. 1-01 Projects Adopt a Tree (ILoveThatTeachingIdea.com) Provides a project to help children appreciate trees through getting to know one tree well. 2-02 National Wildlife Federation Provides programs to protect endangered habitats, wetlands, endangered species, and more. Rainforests (AtoZKidsStuff.com) Provides over a dozen projects for appreciation of rainforests. 1-02 Rainforests - Yagua Indians (Earthwatch.org) Provides a simulation for children to have a better appreciation of a different culture. 1-02 Saving Rainforests (GreaterGood.com) Displays a map showing how the rainforests are disappearing between the years of 1990 and 2011. Provides opportunities for schools to conduct online fund raising. Also supports other projects, such as protecting the rainforests. 7-00 Solar Cooking Design for Villages (SolarCooking.org) Provides the design for a very effective solar oven, using foil, cardboard, and plastic. Solar Cooking Designs for Villages (SolarCooking.org) Provides a variety of designs for a very effective solar ovens, using primarily foil, cardboard, and plastic. Tree Care in Cities (TreeLink.org - TreePeople) Provides instructions on the care of trees in cities. 12-00 Tree Destruction - Asian Longhorned Beetle (American Forests) Describes one of the most destructive insects (for trees). 9-01 Tree Planting (American Forests) Provides information on tree planting. Research suggests that urban areas need at least 40 percent coverage of trees for good quality of life. Trees reduce pollution, keep water in the soil, provide oxygen to the air, and provide shade from the sun during the summer to reduce air conditioning costs. 9-01 Tree Planting (American Forests) Provides information on tree planting. Research suggests that urban areas need at least 40 percent coverage of trees for good quality of life. Trees reduce pollution, keep water in the soil, provide oxygen to the air, and provide shade from the sun during the summer to reduce air conditioning costs. 9-01 Tree Planting (Times of India) Describes a program to increase the number of trees available in Mumbai, India. Gives information on how much trees provide oxygen to the air. 12-00 Tree Planting - Climate Change Calculator (American Forests) Shows how many trees are needed to counterbalance your use of fossil fuel energy. 7-02 Tree Production of Oxygen - Ancient Trees Changed the Atmosphere (Spacer.com) Provides the result of research that found trees to be the cause of a large change in the Earth's atmosphere by increasing the oxygen. 12-00 World's Oldest Tree (ScienceDaily.com) "The world's oldest recorded tree is a 9,550 year old spruce in the Dalarna province of Sweden. The spruce tree has shown to be a tenacious survivor that has endured by growing between erect trees and smaller bushes in pace with the dramatic climate changes over time." 07-09

Arabic, Chinese-Simple, Chinese-Traditional, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovenian, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese,   Index, New, Search Engines, Dictionary, Bookstore, Licenses, Email Us, About Us, Link to Us, Sponsorships, or Privacy Policy.