Forest Monitoring News
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ESA investigates new methods of mapping tropical forest from space
Tropical rainforests play a crucial role in Earth's carbon cycle by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in biomass. However, mapping these carbon stocks from space poses a huge technical challenge. An airborne campaign, being carried out in South America, is showing how spaceborne radar could be an answer. In order to improve our understanding of the carbon cycle, more accurate ...
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WWF rewards Pakistan for tree planting world record
Pakistan set the Guinness World Record for tree planting, beating India in a healthy and productive international competition contributing to preserving fragile and endangered forests. With 541,176 young mangroves trees planted by 300 volunteers from the local fishermen communities just in one day, the country broke the previous 447,874 record held by historical rival India. In response to the ...
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Selective breeding could save trees from drought
Trees with high wood density tend to survive better under drought conditions. In a new study on Douglas-fir tree populations, research suggests that the trees could be selectively bred for high density wood to increase resistance to drought. With predictions that the frequency of droughts could increase over the coming century, such strategies to protect tree populations could aid climate change ...
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Loss of flowering plants: higher risks with non-random extinction
A recent study has shown that among flowering plants, species-loss does not occur randomly, but is clustered in families that contain only a small number of species. This suggests that the impact of biodiversity loss will be greater than previously thought and that resources should be targeted on particular plant families. Genetic relationships between flowering plant species (angiosperms) can ...
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Growth-oriented logging: a new concept in forest management
Deforestation in the tropics has both local and global effects, but conservation remains a major challenge. New research describes a method for measuring tree growth and timber harvesting, which can lead to sustainable management of tropical timber resources. The method tailors cutting cycles according to accurate growth rates of different tree species. Research explored the Mamirauá Sustainable ...
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Unlocking the water held by US forests not so easy, say experts
Can forests, which process nearly two-thirds of the nation’s water supply, be managed to help slake our growing demand for water and avert the worst consequences of climate change? A new report from the National Research Council suggests a need for caution in trying to tap greater water output from forests, and recommends more research and citizen involvement to help protect water quality and ...
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FAO place the spotlight on forest monitoring
With global concern growing over deforestation, loss of carbon stored in forests and the role of forests in climate change, the spotlight has been turned on forest monitoring in a bid to safeguard forests and monitor emissions from deforestation. Earlier this year, countries and FAO reconfirmed their commitment to jointly prepare the next Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), a comprehensive ...
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Preserving biodiversity in European forests
At present, to safeguard biodiversity around a quarter of Europe’s forests is not harvested. Between 2000 and 2005, protected forest areas were increased by almost 40 per cent in area. In addition, farmers have converted significant areas of agricultural land to forests. However, this can sometimes have negative effects: intensification measures such as peat land drainage, fertilisation, genetic ...
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Controlled forest fires could kill invasive tree disease
In a new study, researchers examined the potential influence of human-driven changes in land-use on disease establishment in forests. The research suggests that changes in forest management, which encourage greater and more dense forest cover, are creating environmental conditions that promote disease. The invasive, fungal-like Phytophthora ramorum causes Sudden Oak Death (SOD), which is ...
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Australia Invites Nations to Monitor Forests for Climate`s Sake
SYDNEY, Australia, July 23, 2007 (ENS) - Australia will establish a new global system to monitor changes in forest cover and forest carbon levels as part of its A$200 million Global Initiative on Forests and Climate, government officials announced today. Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer, and Environment and Water Resources Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced the initiative at a ...
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No Climate Benefit Gained by Planting Temperate Forests
SAN FRANCISCO, California, (ENS) - Planting forests in temperate regions such as the United States and Europe may not yield any benefit for the global climate, and may instead contribute to warming, according to a new study set for presentation Saturday at the American Geophysical Society annual meeting in San Francisco. By contrast, trees planted in tropical rainforests could indeed help to ...
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