Full Coverage: Forests

06.11.2009 Prospects for a robust agreement to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries (REDD) are on a knife-edge, according to the Ecosystems Climate Alliance.

06.11.2009 Campaigners have appealed to the UN to intervene to halt the evictions of thousands of families from their ancestral home in a Kenyan forest.

03.11.2009 Certifying palm oil is not a solution to the environmental damage and human rights violations caused by oil palm plantations, an international environmental group said at a meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil in Malaysia.

02.11.2009 The future of the world's remaining rainforests may inch closer to resolution when UN climate change negotiations resume in Barcelona today as delegates from 190 countries try to decide on the fate of the forest component of the proposed Copenhagen climate treaty.

27.10.2009 A handful of companies are showing progress in their commitments to buy and use sustainable palm oil, yet the majority - contrary to their commitments - are failing to buy the product in spite of its availability, according to a Palm Oil Buyers’ scorecard.

07.04.2009 The US has flipped the switch on its new declaration system for plant product imports, a groundbreaking initiative established to collect information on what wood products are coming into the country and from where they are harvested.
+ Honey project 'symbolises commitment to sustainable use of forest resources'

23.02.2009 In Costa Rica, municipal authorities compete with each other to plant the most trees. UK cities seem to be more concerned about removal of chewing gum from the pavements. Does this reflect cultural diversity or just muddled priorities?

06.05.2008 UNITED NATIONS, May 5 (OneWorld) - The United Nations is facing scathing criticism from the world's indigenous communities for its attempts to promote carbon trading as a tool to address climate change concerns.

10.04.2008 Despite the ban on hunting since 1991, rampant corruption and poor law enforcement have made it possible for poachers and forest dwellers to feast on some of India's endangered species. The craze for bushmeat is leading many creatures to near-extinction, says Shruti Ravindran

08.04.2008 Hundreds of Cogolese villagers - mostly hunter-gatherers or subsistence farmers - will use high-tech GPS (Global Positioning System) devices to produce digital maps to prove their existence to the government and to loggers.

31.03.2008 A state level tribal women leaderÂ’s summit was organised by Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD) at Bhubanewar, Orissa in eastern India. Several women tribal leaders and stakeholders representing government and civil society emphasised the need to empower tribal women with decision-making and elevate their social status.

31.03.2008 To mark its 25th anniversary, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) along with Mountain Forum, is organising a Global Digital Photo Contest on the theme ‘For Mountains and People’. The deadline for submission of entries is May 9, 2008.

27.03.2008 NEW YORK, Mar 27 (OneWorld) - There will likely be fewer wildfires and more trees for future generations if loggers abide by a set of international rules on forest management, says a new study by independent environmentalists.

24.03.2008 Concerned citizens in India feel that many will not be able to claim their rights in the tribal dominated Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, if a forest rights related Act is implemented under present circumstances. Violence perpetrated by Maoist and Salwa Judum activists have forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

25.02.2008 Struggles against Special Economic Zones are labeled as ‘anti-development’ by middle class India. Yet Goa’s recent anti-SEZ campaign was led by educated professionals, activists, the church and media, forcing the state government to backtrack. The SEZ is an independent foreign territory with no local or government control, say Goa’s champion campaigners.

18.02.2008 A young tribal has helped the women in his village become successful entrepreneurs by realising the true potential of traditional medicines. Haribol is an all-women self-help group in Chhattisgarh in central India that profits from the stateÂ’s abundance of herbs and medicinal plants.

15.02.2008 An unusual corporate environmental programme by a global bank draws over a hundred bird enthusiasts each year in India. The annual bird races promote awareness of natural habitats and help collect data. The last race at Bangalore spotted 277 bird species – a quarter of all birds found on the Indian subcontinent.

11.02.2008 Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have agreed to work together to crack down on illegal wildlife trade in the region. South Asia, home to rare and prized species, is one of the prime operating areas of international organised wildlife crime networks.

30.01.2008 PUCALLPA, Peru, Jan 30 (IPS) - Residents of the Amazon jungle town of Orellana in Peru have filed a complaint against a logging company for using their identity documents to commit tax fraud in illegal timber sales worth more than $200,000.

11.01.2008 Habitat destructions in India are forcing the shy, solitary leopard into closer proximity to humans, leading to deadly conflicts. Persecuted and feared by people and cursed by its beauty, natureÂ’s most elusive predator has precious little to help protect itself, writes Prerna Singh Bindra.