FORESTRY & DEVELOPMENT

Each year, the global deforestation rate is equivalent to the land area of Portugal, resulting in the loss of numerous forest trees. Unfortunately, a significant portion of this deforestation occurs on Indigenous lands without their prior consent or knowledge. However, these communities are now advocating for change and actively resisting to safeguard their ancestral territories. Indigenous communities are employing various strategies to combat deforestation and preserve their valuable forests. They are actively engaged in effective conservation practices, conducting regular forest patrols to prevent illegal activities, and in some cases, resorting to legal action against governments and developers. Their collective aim is to safeguard these rapidly vanishing forests for future generations.…

In early May 2023, Western Canada experienced an alarming outbreak of forest fires due to extremely hot and dry weather conditions. The situation became so severe that the Alberta government declared a state of emergency, leading to the evacuation of nearly 30,000 individuals as of the time of writing this article. While it is still too early to determine the full extent of this unprecedented event, recent research provides valuable insights to help understand it within a wider historical context. In the vast expanse of North American boreal forests, millions of hectares can be engulfed by flames within a single year, while in other years, the fire activity may appear…

The Congo Basin forest, often referred to as the “second lung of the earth,” is a vital ecosystem that is often overshadowed by the more well-known Amazon rainforest. But what does this pristine forest mean for the health and well-being of our planet? The Congo Basin forest remains a mystery due to insufficient research and limited resources. Despite being the second largest rainforest on the planet, next to the Amazon, it lacks proper study and financial support. Professor Bonaventure Sonké from the University of Yaoundé emphasizes the significance of the Congo Basin forest, which is often overshadowed by the Amazon, but is equally vital in terms of its ecological importance.…

A recent study published in the scientific journal “Nature” shows that regional rainfall is reduced by deforestation. The Congo Basin is projected to experience a 10% reduction in rainfall by the end of this century due to deforestation. The interplay between deforestation and rainfall reduction is a vicious cycle, as revealed by a recent study published in the journal Nature. This mechanism was highlighted during the One Forest Summit, an international conference aimed at protecting the forests of the Congo Basin, which took place in Gabon. The study suggests that if deforestation rates continue as expected, the Congo Basin could experience a 10% decline in rainfall by the end of…

It is hard to imagine: the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var are two-thirds covered by forests. In these departments among the most wooded in France, 64% of the territory belongs to the kingdom of trees. They represent 400 million “stems”, at least 1.3 meters high and 7.5 centimeters in diameter. This resource is also the least exploited in France. Difficult access for cutting and transport, species that are less easy to recover, are the main causes. But the diversity of our forests, their resilience and a few changes in thinking can be game-changing. Extensive forests Forests are the pillar of rich ecosystems, threatened every summer by forest fires, in the southernmost…

The European Union has finally agreed on the draft regulation aimed at combating imported deforestation. The final text is hailed as “historic” by many observers, but several challenges remain unresolved. Deforestation has started to rise again in recent years, particularly in the Brazilian Amazon. To no longer participate in this disaster, the European Union has been working for more than a year on a draft regulation aimed at banning the import of products resulting from deforestation on its soil. After tough negotiations and compromises, a trilogue between the Parliament, the Commission and the Council was held on 5 and 6 December 2022. It resulted in an agreement, making Europe the…

Four types of birches grow in Germany. One of them – downy birch – became the German tree of 2023 Around the world, there are a total of about a hundred different types of birch. In the wild in Germany, four species are common – dwarf, low, drooping and fluffy birches. Now birches occupy only about five percent of the forest area here. Nowadays, the once widespread distribution of these trees is reminiscent of numerous place names – about five hundred German cities, villages and other places with birch roots on the map of Germany: Birkenfeld, Birkenhof, Birkendorf … A lot of different traditions are also associated with birches in…

Over the past year, Latvian forests have again become like local dumps. If for 8 months of last year 588 tons of waste were collected, then this year – already over a thousand tons. Today, the company Rīgas meži, in cooperation with the State Environmental Service, announced the launch of a social campaign, the purpose of which is to once again urge the people of Latvia to treat nature more carefully, informs lz.lv. In 8 months of this year, Rīgas meži has more than doubled its expenses related to the disposal of waste collected in the forests compared to last year: last year it cost about 49 thousand euros, this…

The 100-kilometer public forest in the Zambezi region is threatened daily by illegal loggers, with the main intruders entering the Namibian region from neighboring countries, in particular Zambia, Romeo Muyunda, spokesman for the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, said on Monday, 22 November, according to The Namibian newspaper. A spokesman for the ministry told the publication that regular patrols and targeted operations are carried out in the state forest to protect the country’s natural resources. “Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, illegal logging continues. We confiscated logs that had been cut down and left there to dry so the smugglers could come back for them. We also encourage our Zambian…

Every year, millions of tons of green waste are collected in recycling centers, in France as in other European countries. Danish researchers have calculated that by leaving garden waste in place, Denmark could store 600,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. While the figures in this study are only applicable to the case of Denmark, the practices to be put in place are nevertheless universal. In the fall, many gardeners rake up fallen leaves, pick up dead twigs and branches, and fill their trailers with them. In addition to being a chore, this practice is not the most virtuous, vis-à-vis biodiversity and the climate. It is urgent to let go In…