Biodiversity

NUEVA LOJA, Ecuador, Mar 29, 2011 (Tierramérica) - When the trunks of the trees move with every step you take, you know you are in a swamp. This is what happens when you walk over the seemingly firm and vegetation-covered ground over what was once a pit used to dump oil sludge in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest.

The extent and impact of oil contamination on the environment and human health in northeastern Ecuador are much worse than anyone could imagine, as Tierramérica discovered during an extensive tour of the area.

The Nature Conservancy in Missouri announced last week it purchased 175 acres near Hartshorn, including nearly 1.5 miles of land along the Current River - the largest stretch of private frontage remaining in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.

AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN THE FINNISH MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND UPM ON PROTECTING FORESTS IN KAINUU

The results are now available of the public consultation on the EC Green Paper on Forest Protection and Information in the EU: Preparing forests for climate change. The consultation was opened on 1 March 2010, and at the closure of the consultation on 31 July 2010, 261 responses had been received.