IN NEWS

Birds, mammals & a frog found at 14000 feet

- Researchers find wealth of bio-diversity for the first time during a survey in an Arunachal wetland

ROOPAK GOSWAMI

Guwahati, Sept. 26: Wildlife researchers have discovered an amazing range of bio-diversity, including a toad at 4,200 metres (nearly 14,000 feet), tucked away among the high altitude wetland complex of Nagula in Tawang.Field researchers of WWF-India (western Arunachal landscape), G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development of North East Unit (Itanagar), ornithologists along with local guides and forest department officials, who had carried out a baseline survey of Nagula wetland complex, have found nearly 70 birds and three species of mammals and an amphibian.The survey, under the Saving Wetland Sky High project for documentation and conservation of high altitude wetlands, was conducted from …………………

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100927/jsp/northeast/story_12984275.jsp

On the road to extinction

MADHUMITHA SRINIVASAN

Although it is home to some of the most exotic flora and fauna, India's list of endangered species is a sad long one! On World Wildlife Week — October 1 to 7 — we look at some of these threatened species.

Look out of your window. Do you see something missing? The house sparrow which was a rather common sight is hardly spotted these days, thanks to human encroachment and urban lifestyles that do not give these feathered friends a chance .If this is the fate of a species that co-existed with humans, imagine the chance of the ones that need their own habitat. We humans threaten this with our growing population and urbanisation. Home to some of the exotic flora and fauna that our government has been flaunting to attract tourists, the reality of India's rich wildlife reads like this: According to the Government of India, there are 91, 307 species in the animal kingdom (7.46 per cent of the global total), 1232 species of birds out of the global total of 9026, 99 national parks, 513 wildlife sanctuaries, 3 community reserves and 43 conservation reserves in India and yet the list of endangered species is quite a long one.According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red-list, 413 species of animals and 246 species of plants are listed in various degrees of the “endangered” category……

http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/kids/article798798.ece?homepage=true

Living with Gajah

The death of seven elephants in a train hit in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district is a grim reminder that little has been done to stop such slaughter in various States. Assam and West Bengal account for two-thirds of elephant mortality in train hits, followed by Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Orissa. Only a month ago, a comprehensive report of the Elephant Task Force of the Ministry of Environment and Forests titled “Gajah: Securing the Future for Elephants in India” presented a road map to reduce elephant mortality in train accidents. Aided by extensive research, it identified key factors that raise the risk for the animals. These include dispersed water sources, steep embankments along rail tracks, sharp turnings, and sheer speed of trains. Scientists have empirically tested the evidence in Rajaji National Park, Uttarakhand, and achieved excellent results in saving elephants.Overall, elephants may be doing better than tigers in India going by their estimated populations. But their long-term future depends on a science-based conservation plan. Gajah's historical range may have shrunk but the fact that 18 States host elephant populations making up an estimated national total of 26,000 (not counting the 3,500 in captivity) is cause for some optimism……………………

 http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article797347.ece

Readying North East India for REDD+

SEP 24, 2010

The article is a primer on the opportunity and potential of REDD+ and summarizes the proceedings of a recently concluded workshop on deforestation drivers in the north east and the roles REDD+ financing can play in forestry conservationEighty percent of the Earth’s above-ground terrestrial carbon and forty percent of below-ground terrestrial carbon is captured by forests acting as carbon sinks. Deforestation and degradation has made these forests active sources of carbon emissions responsible for 15% of global carbon emissions. The current global deforestation rate has been estimated to be at 13 million ha/yr for 1990-2005 as per the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD), a relatively new market-based mechanism in the carbon markets aims to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from deforestation and forest degradation. REDD+ was initially introduced as a part of Kyoto Protocol negotiations but was dropped from the main agenda to reappear again in 2005. Now it has become a key part of forthcoming global climate change negotiations…………………………………………

http://india.carbon-outlook.com/content/readying-north-east-india-redd

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010, 6:14 PM IST

Greenpeace Takes Heart From Vedanta

By Shruti Chakraborty

About a month after Vedanta’s mining project in Niyamgiri, in eastern Orissa, was brought to a halt after failing to clear government environmental approvals, environmental group Greenpeace is alleging that the Ministry of Environment and Forests has double standards because it is letting a port project in the same state proceed as planned.For the past six years Greenpeace has been somewhat unsuccessfully spearheading a campaign against a deep-water port along the coast of Orissa. The first one, Dhamra Port, a joint venture between Tata Steel Ltd. and Larsen & Toubro, is scheduled to begin operations at the end of the year. (One of their efforts involves a Pacman-style video game, over which Tata is now suing them for trademark violation).

In a press conference held Thursday, Greenpeace activist Ashish Fernandes said that the “government is selectively applying forest and environmental laws to corporations,” implying that the Government was being partial to Tata………………………….

http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2010/09/27/greenpeace-takes-heart-from-vedanta/

Intellectual Property Watch
27 September 2010

The Realities Of Traditional Knowledge And Patents

Disclaimer: the views expressed in this column are solely those of the authors and are not associated with Intellectual Property Watch. IP-Watch expressly disclaims and refuses any responsibility or liability for the content, style or form of any posts made to this forum, which remain solely the responsibility of their authors.

By Mohan Dewan

In India, laws acknowledge the fact that traditional knowledge cannot be protected by intellectual property rights and that if documented the knowledge would be lost by the communities to which it belongs through expropriation. Putting the laws into reality reveals some interesting- and sometimes painful – lessons.

A little publicised fact about India is that there are around 100 million forest dwellers in India, most of whom belong to tribal communities. The forests provide them with sustenance, providing both timber and non- timber forest produce. In turn, the forest dwellers have over the centuries gathered knowledge from the natural environment around their community. This community has in one sense been thankfully insulated from the ways of modern man and have carried on the traditions of their ancestors. As a whole, the forests and its dwellers gives to India an abundant knowledge about the traditional value of various forest products………..

http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2010/09/27/the-realities-of-traditional-knowledge-and-patents/

CSR India Conclave 2010 in Bhopal on October 23

Event Date: October 23, 2010

Location: Indian Institute of Forest Management, Nehru Nagar Bhopal

Organized By : Student Fraternity, IIFM Bhopal

The student fraternity of Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) Bhopal is coming up with the 'CSR India Conclave 2010', a one day conclave, on 23rd October 2010. The conclave aims to bring the various stakeholders (policy makers, corporate houses, PSUs, NGOs and the academia) under one single roof and to align the business activities with CSR initiatives to create an equitable environment of partnership between business and the society.
It also encourages national and international NGOs to come up with well drafted development proposals which shall be presented before the corporate heads for implementation……….
http://www.indiacsr.in/article.php?article_id=1144

Stuffed lasagne with forest mushroom and truffle, anybody?

Mon, Sep 27 09:14 AM

Chennai, Sep 27 (IANS) A famous Garfield quote goes, 'I never met a Lasagna I didn't like!' And you'll have all the reason to agree with the incorrigible cat after indulging in the sinful pleasures of lasagne stuffed with exotic fillings at the Rhapsody restaurant here.

'We decided to offer lots of choices in pastas to our guests by showcasing eight to ten choices of fillings with lots of chefs' creativity going into it,' executive chef Suresh Thampy tells IANS on the idea behind the 13-day Italian Cannelloni and Lasagna festival at Rhapsody in Courtyard Marriott hotel here……………

. http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20100927/812/tnl-stuffed-lasagne-with-forest-mushroom.html