News


 

At the beginning of our work on the site we decided to collect all the news and events connected with our topic happening during project time in our regions.

Ants reserved?

Existence of the only in region ant reserve 'Berezovskij' is in danger. One and half hectare of forest has been cut down and more than ten anthills died. And further cutting is planned on the territory of the reserve. Ecologists and scientist are worried. Reserve is located near village Barishevo, on the left hand of the river Taganicha and its main mission is to preserve the unique population of little forest ants. The total amount of ant's accounts of millions. Such colonies are rare but are of great value. Little ants eat larva of harmful insects so they protect forests. The reserve is situated in a suburb area where usage of chemicals is prohibited. And it was planned that ants would be settled in other forests of the region. The reserve was made in 1989 for ten years and it was mentioned that decision of abolishment should be taken only with consultation with specialists of biological institute of SBRAS. But scientists and ecologists forgot to enlarge the term. So, as a result, forest department began to cut down the trees. Special committee consisted of biologists, ecologists and representatives of Ministry of natural resourses examined the situation and advised to stop cutting the trees immediately and addressed the local government for support. But response hasn't been done yet.

‘Vechernij Novosibirsk’ 7.11.03

Conference

31 October, 1 November. Novosibirsk State University was a venue for international ecological students conference under name 'Ecology of Russia and neighbourhood territories. The organizers are NSU and committee of environment protection. The main goal of a conference is to involve students in research work connected with solution of actual ecological problems. The following sections worked: modern technologies of rational nature usage; medico-biological aspects of pollution and others. The students from Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine took part. All the reports were published in a special book.

‘Regiony’ 2.11.03

Four more reserves

Four more reserves appeared recently in Novosibirsk region. These are ‘Tailokovsky’, ‘Kuchum’, and two lake territories near Ubinsk. All man activities there are prohibited by law.
The question of taking five more territories under authority protection is being discussed.

Radio announcement, Uniton 100,7 FM, 70,88 UKV

The climate summit in Milan (Italy)
1-12 december 2003


Last December 2003, in Milan (Italy) has taken place the Climate Summit or COP 9. Governmental and non-governmental representatives from 180 countries were attending the summit.

The conference would promote stronger national action on climate change.

The year 2003 was one of the warmest on record in many parts of the world, since accurate weather statistics started being recorded in 1880.

The WWF warns that if global temperatures rise by four degrees over this century, most of the world's glaciers will disappear. As a result billions of people will be without water, as glaciers contain 70 per cent of the world's freshwater reserves. In addition, rising sea levels will destroy coastal communities. The rise in temperature will also have negative consequences on the biological equilibrium of the ecosystems, some of them already recorded.

Scientists are convinced that greenhouse gases are responsible for global warming. The main greenhouse gas is the carbon dioxide, produced mainly by cars, trucks and other forms of transportation and in the energy sector.
The national communications revealed that the emissions of the highly industrialized countries (mainly Europe, Japan and the United States) could grow by 8 % from 2000 to 2010 and to about 17% over 1990 levels, despite domestic measures taken to limit them.

The most important agenda item was to convince Russia to ratify the Kyoto Protocol designed to combat global warming. This protocol has been ratified by 119 countries, but the USA refused to sign it. The Kioto protocol entry into force depends on the ratification by the Russian federation, that has the intention to ratify it, but has delayed its signature.
One of the few meeting's results is the decision to support projects to "sequester" from the atmosphere the carbon dioxide.
Forests are considered the most efficient means of taking carbon out of the atmosphere and storing it for long term.

A lot of side-events looked at issues such as intelligent transport policies and the responsibility of the developed world to generate clean electricity. Deeply discussed was the question if the rich economies of the world need to change their life-styles in order to reduce greenhouse gasses, or whether technological solutions such as fuel-cell cars are the answer.

International project

Since 2001 complex investigations have been lead on lake Chany, within the international project “Preserving of water – swamp territories and their inhabitats in the West Siberia” The participants are scientific institutions and specialists from Holland and Romania. Recent years the ecological situation became worse, so it’s needed to find the most valuable territories and protect them. Lake Chany is of great importance as it’s home for many species of birds and Scientists reseach modern ecological situation and work out measures on rational usage of it’s resourses and protection of endangered species. It was a meeting last week where representatives of envoironmental organisations and Biology teachers odf a district took part. They discussed how to combine interests of people and preserving of biodiversity.

Vedomosty, 6.12.03

Parrots in Paradise

For the first time in history, ten captive-bred endangered Puerto Rican parrots were released to join the last 40 parrots existing in the wild.The release into the Caribbean National Forest of Puerto Rico is the result of a 32-year combined effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, and Puerto Rico's Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, to help bring this species back from the brink of extinction.
Source: southeast.fws.gov/prparrot/

News on Leatherback Turtle

Current Status:

Adverse impacts from coastal development and poaching continue to threaten the leatherback sea turtle in Puerto Rico.

Achievements:

Monitoring of nesting beaches and relocation of nests are being conducted cooperatively by the Fish and Wildlife Service, Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources, University of Puerto Rico, and Earthwatch. The Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources has a hatchery project for the turtle, and patrols beaches at Vieques, Humacao, and Pinones. Additionally, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources is making efforts to acquire and protect the coastal area adjacent to a leatherback nesting beach near Fajardo
.