The International Forest List Weekly News Digest - August 30, 2024

[IFL Owner]

“In Kenya women are the first victims of environmental degradation, because they are the ones who walk for hours looking for water, who fetch firewood, who provide food for their families.” - Wangari Maathai

Redwood forest with Sonoma County’s most famous tree is now protected forever
A 394-acre tract of land along the Russian River that is home to a rare old-growth coast redwood will forever be protected from development, in a victory for century-long efforts to conserve the endangered giants…
https://sfstandard.com/2024/08/22/sonoma-tallest-redwood-tree-forever-protected/

What’s at stake for forests in November’s elections
In the Trump administration, trees were crops. In the Biden administration, they’re guardians of the climate. This fall’s election will determine which label wins, though the Forest Service’s work on the ground may not change all that much…
https://www.eenews.net/articles/whats-at-stake-for-forests-in-novembers-elections/

Ortega-Murillo Regime Causes Systematic Forest Destruction, while China Exacerbates Problem
Nicaragua, a nation rich in biodiversity and home to vast forests, is facing an unprecedented environmental crisis. Between 2015 and 2022, the destruction of natural areas facilitated by the Daniel Ortega-Rosario Murillo regime reduced the country’s…
https://dialogo-americas.com/articles/ortega-murillo-regime-causes-systematic-forest-destruction-while-china-exacerbates-problem/

Study explores how active management relates to Australian forest management
Acting President of Forestry Australia Dr. Bill Jackson says "active management" is a common term in Government and forest stakeholder reports, policies, and strategies in Australia and around the world, but up until now, it has not been well defined…
https://phys.org/news/2024-08-explores-australian-forest.html

Climate change will exacerbate land conflict between agriculture and timber production
Timber and agricultural production must both increase throughout this century to meet rising demand. Understanding how climate-induced shifts in agricultural suitability will trigger competition with timber for productive land is crucial. Here, we combine…
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-024-02113-z

Stora Suspends Forest Harvesting After Thousands of Mussels Die
Finnish forestry company Stora Enso Oyj suspended some logging activities after thousands of endangered freshwater pearl mussels died at one of its sites. Harvesting was stopped in all areas across Finland that fall under environment-law restrictions…
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2024/08/26/789893.htm

Mexico’s National Forestry Commission joining forces with India to fight fires with satellite monitoring
Mexico’s National Forestry Commission (Conafor) will work with India to fight forest fires with satellite monitoring. During a recent two-day meeting, both countries discussed the benefits of the technology. The meeting was held in coordination with the Secretariat…
https://riviera-maya-news.com/mexicos-national-forestry-commission-joining-forces-with-india-to-fight-fires-with-satellite-monitoring/2024.html

Invasive insect could accelerate release of climate pollution from forests
As climate change has caused warmer winters, an invasive insect called the hemlock woolly adelgid has spread across forests in the Eastern U.S., killing hemlock trees from Maine to Alabama. And scientists are worried that this insect’s spread could also…
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/08/invasive-insect-could-accelerate-release-of-climate-pollution-from-forests/

Carbon emissions from forest soil will likely grow with rising temperatures
The soils of northern forests are key reservoirs that help keep the carbon dioxide that trees inhale and use for photosynthesis from making it back into the atmosphere. But a unique experiment led by Peter Reich of the University of Michigan is showing that, on a warming…
https://phys.org/news/2024-08-carbon-emissions-forest-soil-temperatures.html

Hawaiʻi will soon see new urban forest projects: What to know
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) has announced that seven forestry projects across four islands will receive funding to boost community engagement with trees…
https://www.khon2.com/local-news/hawai%CA%BBi-will-soon-see-new-urban-forest-projects-what-to-know/

Vietnam approves ambitious National Forest Plan through 2030
The Prime Minister of Vietnam has approved the National Forest Plan through 2030, with a vision extending to 2050. The decision, officially signed on August 24, 2024, sets comprehensive targets aimed at transforming forestry into a crucial economic and…
https://www.lesprom.com/en/news/Vietnam_approves_ambitious_National_Forest_Plan_through_2030_114769/

Emissions from Canada’s 2023 wildfires higher than all but 3 countries: Study
Last year’s Canadian wildfires, which blanketed much of the eastern U.S. in smog, released more carbon emissions than all but three countries worldwide, according to research published Wednesday. Not only did the fires burn nearly 4 percent of the…
https://thehill.com/homenews/4852297-emissions-canadas-2023-wildfires-study/

Resilient Urban Forests: How Tipuana Trees Could Revolutionize City Planning
As cities across the globe grapple with climate challenges, innovative approaches to urban planning are becoming increasingly crucial. With projections indicating that 68% of the world’s population will reside in urban areas by 2050, the need for resilient cities has…
https://www.environmentenergyleader.com/2024/08/resilient-urban-forests-how-tipuana-trees-could-revolutionize-city-planning/

Tree-planting plans to help protect rainforest
Plans to plant thousands of trees to help conserve a temperate rainforest have been announced. Naddle Forest, near Bampton in the Lake District, is one of England's few remaining examples of the habitat. The "ambitious" scheme was announced by the…
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyjw9gzrp1o

People in Brazil’s Amazon are choking on smoke and feeling the heat from rainforest wildfires
Smoke from wildfires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest Wednesday was causing people in the region to cough, burning their throats and reddening their eyes. Large swaths of the country have been draped in smoke in recent days, resulting from fires raging across the Amazon…
https://apnews.com/article/brazil-wildfires-amazon-smoke-d0e9dea8b6b6834e012e2f51065672bb

The world's second-biggest rainforest 5,000 miles from the Amazon
More than 5,000 miles away from the infamous Amazon Rainforest, the Congo Basin sits in Central Africa as one of the most important wilderness areas that remain on Earth. The massive ecological hub is the world's second-largest tropical forest, and sitting at over…
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1938524/worlds-second-biggest-rainforest-5000

Energy-hungry Singapore eyes Malaysia’s rainforests, Australia’s deserts, for clean power
With huge data centres set to drive up its already large demand for energy, the tiny city state of Singapore is looking to Australia’s deserts and Malaysia’s rainforests for clean power. This week Australia announced a massive solar farm that it hopes will…
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3275746/energy-hungry-singapore-eyes-malaysias-rainforests-australias-deserts-clean-power

Saving Scotland’s Rainforest: The Road will be Long, but the Signs are Good
Scotland’s bewitching temperate rainforest clings on, in the face of massive threats and pressures, as jewel-like fragments across our sinuous Western seaboard. These are the largest remaining rainforest fragments in Europe and they harbour unique wildlife…
https://www.holyrood.com/comment/view,associate-feature-saving-scotlands-rainforest-the-road-will-be-long-but-the-signs-are-good

Brazil is on fire, and both crime and climate change are to blame
As Cristiane Mazzetti flew over the Brazilian Amazon this month surveying wildfire damage, she couldn't help but feel frustrated. Mazzetti is a forest campaigner for Greenpeace in Brazil. For years, the environmental group has been trying to curb the deforestation and…
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/brazil-fires-climate-crime-1.7307415

Giant 'living tractors' are bringing nature back to post-industrial wastelands
Each autumn, as tadpoles outgrow their tails, the Kizilirmak Delta on Turkey's Black Sea erupts into chaotic commotion with the emergence of marsh frogs. While the fist-sized frogs are at home in the delta's wetlands, dozens can be seen hopping out of the…
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240827-how-water-buffalo-can-bring-back-nature-to-abandoned-land

In fight over wetland development, Mexico City residents turn to international court
Claudia Sheinbaum spent years as a climate scientist before entering Mexican politics. As she prepares to take the reins from Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, some commentators have gushed at the possibility that she could become “the most…
https://www.courthousenews.com/in-fight-over-wetland-development-mexico-city-residents-turn-to-international-court/

What is ‘blue carbon’? Inside USC’s research on carbon capture in Upper Newport Bay
Despite covering just 2% of the ocean, coastal wetlands — such as tidal salt marshes, mangrove forests and seagrass beds — are responsible for storing nearly half of all carbon found in ocean sediment. These “blue carbon” ecosystems naturally absorb vast…
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1056048

Costa Rica’s Wetlands Threatened by Fast-Tracked Real Estate Project in Samara
Once again, Costa Rica’s natural heritage is under threat. Neighbors of Samara and environmental groups have denounced that a real estate megaproject called Vistas de Samara obtained approval for environmental viability from the National Technical…
https://ticotimes.net/2024/08/25/costa-ricas-wetlands-threatened-by-fast-tracked-real-estate-project-in-samara

Climate change feedbacks lead to surge in natural methane emissions
A 2021 pledge by more than 100 nations to cut methane emissions from anthropogenic sources 30 percent by 2030 might not slow global warming as much as projected, as new research shows that feedbacks in the climate system are boosting methane emissions…
https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/08/climate-change-feedbacks-lead-to-surge-in-natural-methane-emissions/

Assessment of the physicochemical properties of the sediment from the Gangetic floodplain wetlands of West Bengal, India, with GIS and a statistical approach
Bottom sediments play a pivotal role in wetland productivity, and here, eight Gangetic floodplain wetlands of India were studied to assess the sediment physicochemical characteristics and textural analysis…
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-science/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1397715/full

Seize the opportunity: multi-criteria decision analysis to identify and prioritise blue carbon wetland restoration sites
The emergence of voluntary carbon markets is creating new opportunities to sustainably finance Natural Climate Solution (NCS) projects. In Australia, the federal government recently enacted the Tidal Restoration of Blue Carbon Ecosystems Methodology…
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-science/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1431027/full

Educating to Protect: Audubon Americas and the Exhibition on Panama’s Mangroves
Mangroves, those dense and enigmatic forests found at the boundary between land and sea, play a crucial role in the fight against climate change. Through photosynthesis, these plants capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, storing it as carbon in their…
https://www.audubon.org/news/educating-protect-audubon-americas-and-exhibition-panamas-mangroves

'Sauna' mangrove sanctuaries pose risk for stingrays
A new study from James Cook University has revealed that mangrove habitats may serve as temporary sanctuaries for stingrays, but scientists fear the "saunas" could become too hot to handle with climate change accelerating. The study is published in the Journal of…
https://phys.org/news/2024-08-sauna-mangrove-sanctuaries-pose-stingrays.html

Helping protect Caribbean region’s coastal zones an exciting adventure
NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management’s Aranzazu Lascurain leads a technicolor life.
Her position frequently takes her to the Caribbean, where she networks and shares information about funding opportunities and technical assistance — all to support the…
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/aug24/caribbean-region-coastal-zones.html

Fostering Climate Resilience: with Mangroves against Floods and Storms
Malteser International has long been active in supporting people affected by the consequences of climate change, both in the context of emergency relief and with projects focused on disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change. These activities…
https://www.malteser-international.org/en/current-issues/climate-change/with-mangroves-against-floods-and-storms.html

The dirt on biocrusts: Why scientists are working to save Earth’s living skin
Under the dry, piercing heat of the Utah sun, Sasha Reed is growing plots of plants — and bacteria, lichen and fungi, too. But Reed is no farmer, and at first glance, her fields look to be mostly dirt. She’s an ecologist, and what she is growing is cryptobiotic soil…
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/food-environment/2024/what-are-biocrusts-why-are-they-worth-protecting

Machine learning and computer vision technology to analyze and discriminate soil samples
Soil texture is one of the most important elements to consider before planting and tillage. These features affect the product selection and regulate its water permeability. Discrimination of soils by determining soil texture features requires an intense workload…
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-69464-7

The higher the environmental stress, the lower the resistance to global change
An international study led by Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Seville (IRNAS-CSIC), of the Spanish National Research Council (CISC), has shown that as the number of global change factors increases, terrestrial ecosystems become more…
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1055503

AI and remote sensing data sets advance sustainable mining and Earth observation
Three studies conducted with the collaboration of the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, an institute of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), show significant progress in monitoring mining areas…
https://phys.org/news/2024-08-ai-remote-advance-sustainable-earth.html

Insights from satellite data pave the way to better solar power generation
Amidst the ongoing energy crisis and under the threat of climate change, exploiting renewable energy sources has quickly become a global necessity. Though our options are varied, solar energy seems to be our best bet—experts estimate that it may become our…
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1055633

Biases in Measuring Vegetation Greenness with Satellite Imagery
In remote sensing, greenness is measured using indices like the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which measures the difference between visible and near-infrared light reflected by vegetation. Higher NDVI values indicate healthier, more vigorous plant…
https://www.geographyrealm.com/vegetation-greenness-satellite-imagery/

Landsat-based spatiotemporal estimation of subtropical forest aboveground carbon storage using machine learning algorithms with hyperparameter tuning
The aboveground carbon storage (AGC) in forests serves as a crucial metric for evaluating both the composition of the forest ecosystem and the quality of the forest. It also plays a significant role in assessing the quality of regional ecosystems. However, current…
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1421567/full

Ozone monitoring continues to improve, researchers report
The troposphere comprises the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, stretching from the planet's surface to a little over eight miles into the sky. It also contains about 10% of the ozone in the atmosphere, but that 10% is heavily influenced by human activity and plays…
https://phys.org/news/2024-08-ozone.html

The Effect of Land Cover Change on Soil Erosion in Awach Kibuon Sub-basin, Kenya
Land cover change is a significant driver of soil erosion. While soil erosion is a natural process, human activities can significantly alter the landscape, making soil more vulnerable to erosion. This erosion reduces a watershed's capacity to sustain vital…
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383315952_The_Effect_of_Land_Cover_Change_on_Soil_Erosion_in_Awach_Kibuon_Sub-basin_Kenya

UK may unveil tougher emissions targets at Cop29 climate summit
The UK government is considering making further commitments on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, likely to be announced at the UN climate summit this year. It is hoped the plan will help kickstart global ambitions on cutting emissions and encourage other countries…
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/29/uk-emissions-targets-cop29-climate-summit-labour

Talk isn’t enough: Pacific nations say Australia must end new fossil fuel projects
This week, one of the world’s largest fossil fuel exporters went to a meeting of island states strongly affected by human-induced climate change. Or, in more conventional language, Australian leaders attended the annual Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga…
https://theconversation.com/talk-isnt-enough-pacific-nations-say-australia-must-end-new-fossil-fuel-projects-237749

Mozambique forest stores huge amounts of carbon: laser technique puts new value on miombo woodlands
Dry, tropical forests are often overshadowed in popular and scientific perception by wet and tall rainforests. They are less obviously charismatic or exotic and so may seem less important. But dry tropical forests are vital ecosystems that support the livelihoods of…
https://theconversation.com/mozambique-forest-stores-huge-amounts-of-carbon-laser-technique-puts-new-value-on-miombo-woodlands-236115

Pacific sea levels are rising faster than global average, says WMO
Sea levels in the Pacific Ocean are rising more rapidly than the global average, endangering low-lying island nations, a World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) report revealed on Tuesday. While global sea levels have increased by an average of 3.4 millimeters…
https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20240826-sea-levels-rises-in-pacific-outstripping-global-average-wmo-report-says

Solar panels and crops could meet 68% of central Europe’s energy demand
Deploying solar panels and growing crops on the same land could be a solution to boost renewable electricity in Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, reaching the equivalent of 68% of today’s energy demand in the countries, according to new research…
https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/08/29/solar-panels-and-crops-could-meet-68-of-central-europes-energy-demand

Will sustainable aviation fuels take off?
In a building on the edge of a business park outside Sheffield, researcher Ihab Ahmed is preparing to fire up a small jet engine. Originally used as an auxiliary power unit for a commercial airliner, it has been turned into a testbed for new fuels developed in a…
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg64pwxzln4o

Countries still far apart on COP29 finance goal
With less than three months until this year's COP29 UN climate negotiations, countries remain far from agreement on the summit's biggest task: to agree a new funding target to help developing countries cope with climate change…
https://www.reuters.com/world/countries-still-far-apart-cop29-finance-goal-2024-08-30/

Complex supply chains and climate change make “clean beauty” near impossible, but some keep trying
Julie Thurgood-Burnett had no idea that her COVID-19 lockdown whim of starting a lavender patch on her husband’s family farm outside Toronto would turn into a small business. She had never been a farmer, but before long she had a bright purple field and…
https://apnews.com/article/skincare-clean-beauty-cosmetics-supply-chain-sustainability-c2f15deede243c28c973a9791d532905

Compiled by Nelson Wong

IFL Owner