On:
In: Our Forests

Our Forests has issued a short response to the Independent Panel on Forestry’s report issued earlier today. Robin Maynard, coordinator, Our Forests said, “The Panel’s report offers reassurance on many, but not all, of the concerns of Our Forests and the many grassroots campaigners and forest community groups who stoodContinue Reading

On:
In: Our Forests

The much heralded report by the Independent Panel on Forestry on the future of forestry in England was released this morning. It is anticipated that the Government will take until January 2013 to consider the Panel’s recommendations and that the suspension on sales of public forests will be extended untilContinue Reading

On:
In: forestry, health

The fungus that wiped out 3.5 billion chestnut trees in the USA has been found for the first time in Britain. Chestnut blight, caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica (C. parasitica), has been confirmed by Forest Research scientists on trees in two small orchards of European sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa).Continue Reading

biochar

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In: science, technology

Biochar was one of those terms that when first heard left me none-the-wiser. You mean it’s charcoal but with a different name – why’s that? You bury it – that seems a waste, why not burn it? In case it’s a new term to you, here’s a brief overview ofContinue Reading

environmental consciousness UN COP17 Durban December 2011

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In: art, comment

I wrote a year ago about Environmental Consciousness, when I created this image to encourage reflection of our collective responsibility towards the future of mother Earth. The landmark United Nations climate conference at Durban that ended December 9th 2011, reached consensus to start negotiations on a new accord that wouldContinue Reading

Ecosia web search

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In: technology

I came across a clever new web search tool recently that aims to help sustain the Earth’s rainforests by collecting money through internet searches. Ecosia refer to themselves as a “social business”, and technically to their web search as a “search engine mask” as it is powered by Bing andContinue Reading

On:
In: forestry, policy

Investing in growing trees as a profitable venture is a challenging endeavour.  Perhaps today, more than ever before, there are a number of factors that are coinciding, with the potential to revolutionise forestry finances: after all, a forest reliant on Government handouts is not a sustainable forest.  Here a reviewContinue Reading

On:
In: feature, forestry, policy

Today is World Environment Day.  This year, the theme supports the UN’s International Year of Forests and is entitled Forests: Nature at Your Service. The UN says the day will emphasise “the many essential life-sustaining values that forests provide and the intrinsic link between our quality of life and theContinue Reading