GUWAHATI: A workshop on ‘National Environment Awareness Campaign, 2011-2012’ on the theme ‘Forests for sustainable livelihood’ was organized by Environmental Watch and Management Institute (EWMI) very recently with support from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The workshop stressed the need of proper management of waste disposal near the banks of wetlands and other water bodies. The programme was held at Chakardeo Deshbhakta Tarunram Phukan ME School near Deepar Beel. The programme was inaugurated by Bhupen Chandra Thakuria, head master of Chakardeo Deshbhakta Tarunram Phukan ME School by planting a Neem sapling.

After drawing international acclaim, Indonesia's moratorium on forest clearing has proved hard to implement, as special interests whittle down the area protected under the agreement, environmental groups say.

Guwahati: A Kaziranga Green Marathon, coinciding with World Environment Day on June 5, has been planned at the world famous national park by environmentalists and district administration.

Aaranyak, a society for biodiversity conservation in northeast India, which is collaborating with Bokakhat District Master Athletic Association, Assam Forest Department and Bokakhat Civil Administration to organise the run, said here on Wednesday the half Marathon from Bokakhat to Kohora will be held in the early morning of June 5.

The UPA II government on Tuesday showcased several initiatives that have helped in sustaining the environment during its three-year rule despite the fact that delay in environmental approvals have hurt project implementation and overall industrial growth. The report to the people outlined the major steps taken to preserve the environment. It talked about the National Action Plan on Climate Change, forest conservation, mission clean Ganga, the setting up of the National Green Tribunal and tiger conservation.

Indonesia's government said on Monday it would protect a strip of peatland in Aceh province at the centre of an international storm over palm oil development, in a case that had become a test of the country's commitment to halt deforestation.

Indonesia imposed a two-year moratorium on clearing forest last May under a $1 billion climate deal with Norway aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation, but the former governor of the country's westernmost Aceh province breached the ban by issuing a permit to a palm oil firm to develop the peatland.

Notice Served For Construction In Nathupur Bund. Gurgaon: The district forest department has issued notice to Ambience Group’s Raj Singh Gehlot asking for “retrieval of forest land” in Nathupur bund—a protected forest area—which has been used for developing Ambience Island Lagun Apartment.

President Dilma Rousseff is facing one of the defining moments of her presidency as pressure builds on her to veto a bill that would open vast protected areas of forests to ranching and farming, potentially reversing Brazil’s major gains in slowing Amazon deforestation.

Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa granted approval to declare 17 jungles in seven districts as national forest reserves through a gazette notification as per the provisions of the Wildlife Act No 3.

Those declared as national forest reserves are in Mannar, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Colombo districts.

The raging debate over viability of mega dams in the seismologically sensitive North-east notwithstanding, the Centre has clarified that no conclusive study on non-suitability of construction of large dams in Brahmaputra region has come to the notice. Altogether 165 power projects were granted environmental clearance and 143 power projects were granted forest clearance by the Ministry of Environment and Forests during the past three years.

JAIPUR: Even though a good two years have passed since the state government announced its first-ever forest policy in 2010, the notification is still awaiting active implementation.

The Rajasthan State Forest Policy 2010 had acknowledged the importance of Orans that are considered repositories of rich biodiversity and an excellent example of people's religious faith linked with conservation. The aim of the forest policy was to preserve ecological balance through increasing vegetal cover which would help in reducing soil erosion and consequently dust particle in upper stratosphere.