NEW STORIES

New stories are now being posted at a different site: www.hqinfo.com
This is a temporary situation as we get to grips with a much more robust
template for the blog that will allow us to expand and develop the site.
In the near future, the two sites will be merged and unified under one new address.
We'll keep you posted. Thanks for your interest.

john may

TASMANIA: NEWDEVELOPMENTS 3

Letters
Tasmanian action a threat to basic rights
Monday April 3, 2006
The Guardian

As British lawyers practising, advising and writing in the fields of international, constitutional, human rights and environmental law, we are writing to express our concern at the decision of Gunns, the Australian woodchip company, to sue 20 environmental campaigners, politicians and groups who have campaigned against its role in the logging of old-growth forests in Tasmania. Gunns seeks damages of A$6.8m for what it claims are the unlawful actions of the defendants in protesting about its alleged wrongdoing.

We believe that the use of legal proceedings against peaceful protesters amounts to an attack on basic civil liberties, in particular freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. If successful, the legal action would not only financially cripple the individual defendants, but would have a far-reaching and chilling impact upon the freedom of individuals to protest. We share the similar concerns of our fellow public-interest lawyers in Australia.
We also recommend that Gunns learn from the mistakes of another multinational corporation which sought to use litigation as a means of silencing protesters: McDonald's. Its libel action against a small protest group became the longest and perhaps most high-profile defamation claim in English legal history. The case was a PR disaster for McDonald's and served simply to underline the importance of the right to free speech and protest as a fundamental human right. We will continue to watch with concern Gunns' legal action.

Keir Starmer QC, Richard Hermer, John Beckley, Paul Bowen, Professor Bill Bowring, Ruth Brander, Nick Brown, Brenda Campbell, Professor Christine Chinkin, Stephen Cottle, Simon Cox, Owen Davies QC, Laura Dubinsky, Danny Friedman, Christopher Gibson QC, Richard J. Harvey, Phil Haywood, Henrietta Hill, David Hislop, John R.W.D. Jones, Robert Latham, Peter Lownds, Jeannie Mackie, Michael Mansfield QC, His Honour Bernard Marder QC,Rajiv Menon, Joseph Middleton, Peter Morris, Tublu K. Mukherjee, Andrew Nicol QC,Tim Owen QC, Stephen Reeder, Mai-Ling Savage, Smita Shah, Susan Sleeman, Michelle Strange, David Watkinson, Aswini Weereratne, Quincy Whitaker, David Wolfe

NATIONAL TRUST WOODLANDS CERTIFIED

(Left): Visitors at Stourhead enjoying the autumn colours with a magnificent tulip tree and the Pantheon in the background. Photo: Ian Shaw/NTPL. The grounds of Stourhead, billed by the Trust as 'one of the finest landscape gardens in the world', are open every day of the year from 9am-7pm. For full details about the house and grounds visit the National Trust site

The National Trust - the largest non-governmental owner of woodland in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - has successfully had its Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certification renewed, following a thorough inspection by the Soil Association. The Trust was first accredited by the FSC in February 2001. The Trust, which acquired its first wood - Brandelhow in Cumbria - in 1902, now has 25,000ha (61,776 acres) of woodland in its care, of which 5,000ha (12,350acres) is some of the most important surviving ancient woodland in Britain

Amongst their many other properties, they manage Hatfield Forest in Essex, an ancient pasture woodland and an almost perfectly intact medieval royal forest. Once the hunting preserve of the Norman kings, its open grasslands contain many ancient pollarded trees, and its forest continues to be regularly coppiced today, as it has been for hundreds of years. The cattle which graze the forest are excluded from the young coppices by fences, but they are allowed back in when the coppice has matured.

Many of the landscaped parks surrounding the Trust's mansions are also ancient pasture-woodlands, emparked and stocked with deer as early as Saxon times. There are also important ancient yews on National Trust land at Ankerwycke (Buckinghamshire), on the Thames near Runnymede (Surrey), at Crom (Co. Fermanagh) and in Borrowdale (Cumbria).

The Trust runs two sawmills, one at Ashridge, the other at Boon Crag near Coniston (Cumbria). Wherever possible they use their own timber in estate fencing and building maintenance and they also sell timber and other forest products worth about £300,000 each year.

You can read the National Trust’s forestry policy here: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-countrysideenvironment/w-woodland/w-woodland-management.htm

The Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, non-governmental organisation formed in 1993 to help offer independent and third party verification of forest management and timber products. There are national working groups in 28 countries including the UK. FSC UK is a registered charity. FSC certified forests are managed to ensure long term timber supplies while protecting the environment. The FSC does not conduct certification itself but accredits certifiers to undertake this work on their behalf. Organisations have to comply with the standards set out in the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme (UKWAS) if they are to be successful in gaining accreditation. More information can be found at: http://www.fsc-uk.org/

HOW ‘GREEN’ IS YOUR FLOOR?

The darker shades of exotic hardwoods are the new fashion in flooring and manufacturing companies are turning to tropical countries to satisfy consumer demand. One of the more popular species used for flooring is merbau.

This species, a valuable hardwood only commercially available in Indonesia’s Papua Province and the neighbouring country of Papua New Guinea, is being ruthlessly targeted by illegal loggers to supply the demand from the booming western flooring markets.

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Telapak conducted an investigation into the global merbau flooring trade, the results of which are documented in the report ‘Behind the Veneer’. For more information on this and how to buy ‘green’ wood, please visit: http://www.eia-international.org/ or www.telapak.org

Many of the world’s biggest flooring companies do not check that the merbau they use comes from legal sources. Until they do and can provide evidence of its legal origins, consumers are advised not to buy it.

Note: There is currently no merbau certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). If supplies of merbau which have been audited by credible, independent assessors become available in future, EIA will provide information on its website.

Huge volumes of illegal timber go into hardwood flooring. Incredibly, there is no law banning the import of illegal timber. So until such time as governments of western consuming countries stop stolen timber from reaching the shelves, the only incentive for companies to stop using illegal timber is if consumers refuse to buy it.

London Trees

Its a wonderful life - for Lambeth trees. A few days ago, I was sitting at my desk here at home in Streatham, South London, daydreaming in a freelance writerish kind of way, which generally involves staring catatonically out of the window for several minutes before wandering downstairs for another reckless overdose of fresh coffee and chocolate digestives.

My first-floor office affords me a panoptic view of two intersecting streets in what is generally considered (mistakenly in my opinion) "a leafy South London suburb." But just as I began pondering the singular absence of trees in our road, I realised that at some point during the last couple of weeks someone had discreetly planted a few spindly young trees in designated holes in the pavement. This daring piece of clandestine arboriculture by the enlightened folks at Lambeth Parks and Gardens Department must have been achieved in one of those all too frequent moments while I was downstairs raiding the biscuit tin.

Then I noticed something dangling from of one of these anaemic saplings and so ventured outside to take a closer look. Now there are parts of South London where you need full body armour and a .44 Magnum to get you safely to Waitrose, but my street is more like a set from a Frank Capra movie.

The sign on the tree said: "When the weather is hot I will require extra water (recycled water is fine!). Watering first thing in the morning or at dusk is best. I am being watered by Council contractors but need extra help in the summer months." Lambeth Parks & Greenspaces (Tree Section) How fantastic is that?

Now I can gaze absent-mindedly out of the window and instead of nipping downstairs for regular infusions of coffee and calorific munchies, I can stroll jauntily across the street like Jimmy Stewart, my watering-can full of recycled bath water, and irrigate the Streatham saplings. I see a long, hot, glorious summer stretching ahead. Life is good.
Tom Flynn


Westminster City Council's parks service is intending to beat this summer's drought by planting trees normally found in sunnier Mediterranean climates, bringing a touch of Tuscany and Provence to the heart of London. So far around twelve palm trees (Butia (from Brazil) and Trachycarpus (from China)) have been planted in large pots on the traffic roundabout next to Marble Arch, half a dozen olive trees in Brooks Mews, Mayfair and half a dozen mimosa or acacia trees in Marylebone. All of these species do not require much water and can survive in dry conditions. Fears that global warming is leading to drier, hotter climates could now accelerate the trend for planting flora more suited to southern Europe or beyond and make such species a more attractive option for local authorities.

David Kerrigan, Westminster Council’s Head of Parks and Leisure Services said: “Trees and shrubs like palms and olives are ideal for planting in the centre of London as they require relatively little care and attention and are extremely water efficient. However, this does not mean we will be abandoning our traditional native trees, which we will continue to plant in appropriate locations."

Carrefour International du Bois

The 9th biennial Carrefour International du Bois (International Timber Trade Show) is to be held from 31 May to 2 June 2006 at the La Beaujoire exhibition park in Nantes, in western France.

The event will feature a special Timber Techniques & Solutions area, showcasing semi-processed timber products designed for structural work, wall panels, interior and exterior fitting and will demonstrate the sweeping changes that have affected timber products and the timber market in general.

The event is for architects and other construction-industry principals, carpenters, furniture manufacturers, sawyers, manufacturers of panelling, flooring and furniture components, producers of industrial components for the construction sector, buyers for DIY retailers, wholesalers, importers and distributors.

The trade show will also include a series of talks to present examples of how different timber products can be used. In addition, an entire evening will be devoted to timber architecture on Thursday 1 June, starting at 6:00 pm, with an overview of the latest timber construction projects in Europe (organised with AMC-Le Moniteur).

There will also be a presentation of cutting-edge projects, including a project designed by the French team of R2K Architects (Véronique Klimine) in partnership with Jacques Anglade (a structural engineer specialised in timber), and an international project designed by Anders Svensson of the White Firm (Sweden).

Carrefour International du Bois was founded in 1990 by Atlanbois - the inter-professional association for the promotion of timber in the Pays de la Loire region of France - and the Port Authority of Nantes/Saint-Nazaire. It has become the only European event dedicated exclusively to timber as a material.

For further information:
www.timbershow.com or http://www.nantes.port.fr/

AMAZON 1: Conservation Challenge/Soya bean destruction

Left) Map of US overlaid on Amazon basin [Woods Hole Research Center]

A Challenge to Conservation: 'The Amazon emerges as a rare opportunity for comprehensive conservation, because it remains mostly undisturbed. Eighty percent of the forest is still standing, and forest-dependent economies have proven themselves to be competitive with forest-replacing economies. It is not too late to devise ways of managing the Amazon rainforest to protect its biological diversity, its hydrologic functions, and its critical role in climate regulation, while also addressing the needs and aspirations of its people. '



Find out more about the work being done in Amazonia and other major forest regions of the world by the Woods Hole Research Center



The Guardian/April 6, 2006
A handful of the world's largest food companies and commodity traders, including McDonald's in the UK, are driving illegal and rapid destruction of the Amazon rainforest, according to a six-year investigation of the Brazilian soya bean industry.Read the full story by John Vidal here:http://www.guardian.co.uk/globalisation/story/0,,1747904,00.html

Read the original Greenpeace report here:http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/MultimediaFiles/Live/FullReport/7556.pdf

WOODS UNDER THREAT: Pencoedtre Wood, Wales

The Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw), the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, has launched an eleventh hour bid to save Pencoedtre Wood, an irreplaceable ancient woodland situated just north of Barry in Wales from being bulldozed to make way for new housing and industrial units. If granted, the planning application would destroy 9.4 hectares (23 acres) of the wood as well as fragmenting and degrading the 6.3 hectares (15 acres) remaining.

The Welsh Assembly’s key planning document - Planning Policy Wales – which came into force in 2002, granted ancient woodland protection under planning regulations. Paragraph 5.2.8 of this document clearly states that: “Ancient and semi-natural woodlands are irreplaceable habitats of high biodiversity value which should be protected from development that would result in significant damage.”

The Vale of Glamorgan’s Unitary Development Plan appears to be at odds with this national policy, as it has allocated this area of Pencoedtre Wood for development so there is a high risk that it will be approved.

One glimmer of hope centres around an ecological report on Pencoedtre Wood which the Vale of Glamorgan Council commissioned at the end of 2005. This habitat survey found no less than 46 different plant species that are specifically associated with ancient woodland, including greater butterfly orchid, wood sorrel and dogs mercury. In total, 126 different species of vascular plants were found, as well as 71 different kinds of mosses and liverworts and 22 bird species. This confirms clearly that the wood is ancient and of very high ecological value, contrary to claims by the potential developers.

Coed Cadw is now undertaking an evaluation of the woodland’s importance in the national context, a process which may lead to its notification as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
This would be by far the greatest loss of ancient woodland in Wales since the Assembly

Rory Francis of the Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw) says: “We understand that Pencoedtre Wood has a complicated planning history, but the latest survey shows clearly how special it is in wildlife terms. To destroy ancient woodland like this to make way for housing and business units would be the worst kind of vandalism, particularly when alternative, brownfield sites exist.

The Trust is concerned that the local authority decision-makers may have the impression that people in the area are not greatly concerned about Pencoedtre Wood. They are urging locals to write to the Vale of Glamorgan Council to voice their opposition.

Further news from the Woodland Trust in Wales can be accessed at: www.treeforall.org.uk/wales
The Trust adopted a new Welsh language name in 2000: “Coed Cadw”. This is an old Welsh term, used in medieval laws to describe protected or preserved woodland.

WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR WOODLAND BIRDS?

'The Repeat Woodland Bird Survey', the most comprehensive survey of woodland birds in the UK for over 20 years, published by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), were unveiled yesterday by UK Biodiversity Minister Jim Knight,. Here are some of its key findings.

* 11 out of the 34 species surveyed [blackcap, blue tit, chiffchaff, coal tit, great spotted woodpecker, great tit, green woodpecker, goldcrest, robin, treecreeper and wren] showed large national increases in numbers (greater than 25%), while eight species [Lesser redpoll, Willow tit, Willow warbler, Spotted flycatcher, Tree pipit, Wood warbler, Lesser spotted woodpecker, Garden warbler, Hawfinch, and Redstart] showed large decreases (greater than 25%) [

* One of the most worrying trends was the decline in long distance migrants, confirmed for the first time in this survey. Among the declining species are: garden warbler, pied flycatcher, redstart, spotted flycatcher, tree pipit, willow warbler, wood warbler. Out of these, the tree pipit and spotted flycatcher showed declines of up to 70% in some areas.

* The report also highlights some resident species in decline: especially the hawfinch, jay, lesser spotted woodpecker (down 59%), lesser redpoll and willow tit. (down 70%). Success stories include the continued growth of more common birds such as coal, blue and great tits and a substantial increase in green woodpeckers [up 200%].

The report concludes that there is no over-arching hypothesis to explain the declines in woodland birds and a range of factors may be at work.

Changes in woodland structure were thought to be one of the key drivers to some of the changes, although factors behind this are unclear. Possible areas of research to develop this further include looking at changes in woodland age, and active management of woodland, and for some specific species further research into the impact and increases in deer browsing, and for some species the impact of grey squirrel populations..

The research was commissioned and funded by Defra, the Forestry Commission, RSPB, BTO, the Woodland Trust and English Nature. It was carried out with the support of the UK Woodland Bird Group – a forum that brings together a wide range of organisations concerned about the issue.

The study covered 406 woodland sites, and uniquely allows data comparison with similar surveys carried out in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. This enables the development of a comprehensive picture of the status and health of our woodland bird diversity, and to analyse trends and developing concerns. It also establishes a comprehensive benchmark for woodland bird population research. This is important because wild bird populations are one of the Government’s 15 headline indicators of sustainable development. The reverse of the long-term decline in the numbers of woodland birds is one of the key objectives of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

A PDF of the full report can be found here: www.forestry.gov.uk/woodlandbirdsurvey

The Woodland Birds conference will be held at the University of Leicester on 1 – 3 April 2006. Topics planned for discussion at the conference include the impact of climate change on populations, forest and woodland management, comparisons with European and wider international bird population developments, and specific species focuses on woodpeckers, willow and marsh tits, tree pipits and grouse. Further details of the agenda and events, and a booking form are available online at http://www.bou.org,uk/

WOOD RECYCLING UK

A Brighton-based wood recycling project, which recycles old timber from construction sites with the help of unemployed volunteers, has proved so succesful that it has become a national organisation.

The National Community Wood Recycling Project makes £100,000 a year recycling Brighton's estimated 30,000 tonnes of reusable waste wood and hopes to expand to 50 sites around the UK by 2007.

Here is their brief overview of Wood Recycling in the UK:

Although no definitive figures are available, estimates put the amount of wood in the waste stream at up to 10.6 million tonnes per annum.This is made up of wood from the construction, demolition, joinery and wood products manufacturing industries, wood packaging waste and pallets, green wastes and a substantial amount from the domestic waste stream.

The challenge is that wood recycling is generally concentrated around the few particleboard factories and is high volume and highly capital intensive. As there are only a relatively small number of high-volume wood re-processors, if it is to be recycled, waste wood has to be hauled long distances - in itself not a very good environmental option. In some parts of the country this is simply not economically viable so it ends up as landfill.

Unfortunately, at present, only a small proportion of all timber waste is recycled. Most is remanufactured into chipboard and MDF, although there is a growing demand for wood chip from some coal-fired power stations that are trying to reduce emissions of CO2 and other gasses by burning biomass to generate electricity.

There is also a growing mulch and animal bedding market that absorbs further tonnages and some wood is reclaimed by the demolition industry, sold to architectural salvage yards and is used to make traditional pine furniture, hand-built kitchens and for home renovations.And of course, more and more timber is being rescued by the increasing number of community - based wood recycling projects.

Recently the Government set up WRAP (Waste Resources Action Programme) to help create new and stable markets for waste wood, so eventually more of this versatile material will be seen not as waste but as a resource.

More details about this and affiliated projects around the country at: http://www.communitywoodrecycling.org.uk/index.htm

TREES OF THE WORLD: THE ARAAR TREE

The Araar Tree
(Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Masters)

It is called by various other names, including: Sandarac Gum Tree; Barbary Arbor-Vitae; Alerce; Mediterranean Alerce; Citron-Wood Tree; and African Juniper.

Maltese name: Known as Gharghar or Sigra tal-Gharghar.The origin of this name is Semitic, derived from the Arabic word 'ar'ar.

In Europe, this tree is confined to the island of Malta and the region of Murcia in Spain (in a small locality near Cartagena) but is widespread in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria & Tunisia, and reported from Libya).

On Malta where it is the national tree, it is found in the wild only on the main island and not on Gozo, Comino and the minor islets. It is very rare, with only some 100 trees still surviving in the wild, most in Northern Malta. Here the habitat is 'Mediterranean maquis', a type of community characterised by small evergreen trees like carob and olive. Also an evergreen, the araar tree has a reddish-brown scented trunk, bears distinctive cones and reaches a maximum height of about 15m, or 5m if it grows in rock fissures or on rocky slopes.

The resin of the tree, called sandarac has various industrial uses and is sometimes used instead of Canada Balsam in the preparation of microscope glasses It is also used as "toothpaste". Its wood/timber, called citron wood, is highly prized for fine woodwork such as cabinet-making and was extensively used by Romans as building material.

It was declared the Maltese National Tree from 16th January, 1992, and has been legally protected in the Maltese Islands since 1993.

Adapted from information compiled by Mr. D. Stevens, Environment Officer, Environment Protection Department of the Maltese government. Full text and references here.

TREE 37

Kerry Bennett, Community Projects Officer at the South Yorkshire Forest Partnership (SYFP) writes:

The Tree 37 project was inspired by the demise of a large root-damaged beech tree in public woodland in Sheffield, which was earmarked for felling as part of the City Council's sustainable woodland management scheme. The SYFP saw an opportunity: to create a working coalition of local independent artists and crafts people to use timber the tree to create furniture, sculptural pieces and other objects which will then be exhibited in a gallery - housed at a local authority owned sawmill - that the group has set up as a co-operative showroom for their work. Local people will be able to visit the gallery and order items made from locally sourced timber and the group has also created an online gallery at www.workingwoodlandsproducts.co.uk

It has been very exciting bringing together a range of creative individuals and seeing the development of a very supportive community that is bursting with ideas.! and also to connect local people with their woodlands. We hope to demonstrate the importance of using and managing trees as a sustainable resource and provide a fresh perspective on tree-felling, which can be a highly emotive subject. The launch event in Feb brought hundreds of local people into the woodland to watch the tree being felled and see wood-workers demonstrate their skills. Many even had a go at carving themselves!

FORESTS, WAR AND PEACE

Over the last 20 years forested areas have been a central staging ground for wars in some two dozen countries, which together house over 40 percent of the world’s tropical forests.

There are currently armed conflicts in the forested areas of Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Pakistan, Ivory Coast and Uganda.

In other countries that have recently come out of war, such as Cambodia, Liberia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, and Sudan, the way forested regions are governed in the future will be a crucial factor in determining whether violence breaks out again.

Forest-related tensions also are a factor in the social violence that plagues areas of Bolivia, Mexico, Peru, Laos, Papua New Guinea, and Brazil.

“There is so much about forested regions today that makes them perfectly primed to play host to war,” said Hosny El-Lakany, FAO Assistant Director-General of Forestry. “It is in the forest where one often finds poor, isolated populations who are either ignored or mistreated and may need little encouragement to take up arms, and where there is usually valuable timber, minerals, oil and land that can easily be the source of tension. There is also the simple fact that forests can provide refuge, funds and food for fighters.”

According to the report by Centre for International Forestry Research's Director General David Kaimowitz , dealing with the destructive relationship between wars and forests requires attention to the issues that make them such centers of conflict. The report notes that it is in governments’ self-interest to address the political, economic, social and cultural concerns of people who live in forested regions.

To avoid violence in forested areas or secure the peace after troubles have occurred, governments should bring local ethnic groups into the political system, provide them with basic services and recognize their rights over forest resources.

Internationally, policies to prevent forests from fueling wars could include sanctions that block armed groups from using timber exports to finance their operations.

“When wars do break out, forest issues can offer a path to peace,” says Kaimowitz.“ Even in the bitter Rwandan civil war both sides agreed to take steps to avoid killing endangered gorillas. When Colombia’s government negotiated with anti-government rebels several years ago, forestry and related environmental issues figured prominently in the talks.”

The precise role of forests can vary from war to war. In Aceh in Indonesia and Mindanao in the Philippines, separatist movements have successfully tapped into the political disenfranchisement of forest dwellers. (In fact the Indonesian military often refers to the Aceh separatists as “friends of the forest.”) Local discontent over forest issues also played a significant role in the recently ended conflicts in the north of Myanmar and areas of Nicaragua, among others.

Sometimes the forest contributes to violence by helping sustain and prolong war. In Cambodia, the Khmer Rogue was heavily dependent on timber sales. In Colombia, the forest environment has proven ideal for cultivating and processing illicit crops such as cocaine that help fund anti-government militias. In several other countries international agencies have imposed sanctions on timber sales to keep them from financing the purchase of arms.

As for the effect of wars on the forest themselves, Kaimowitz said that while they are almost always terrible for people, their environmental impact is decidedly mixed. Relatively unsurprising is the fact that military conflicts can result in destructive forest clearing. But what gets less attention, said Kaimowitz, is the fact that “wars can be good for forests.”

“No one is saying ‘lets start a war so we can save the forest’ but the fact remains that in many areas of conflict, forest ecosystems fare better in war time than they do in peace time,” he said. “Wars can discourage logging and other resource depleting activities. No one wants to enter a forest full of land mines or where there is a risk of being kidnapped. Look at Colombia. Largely because of years of conflict it has more forest acreage than it did several decades ago.”

Ironically, the arrival of peace can be especially destructive for forests. In a number of countries the push for rapid post-war economic recovery has led to excessive logging. Governments routinely use forested areas as places to settle demobilized soldiers and war refugees who are likely to take up destructive farming and resource extraction practices.

The international community would be wise to invest heavily in forested areas during post-conflict periods since such spending can do double duty by preventing a recurrence of fighting and protecting the forest itself.

This work forms a chapter of FAO's State of the World’s Forests 2005 report, which can be found at:
http://www.fao.org/forestry/index.jsp

GOOGLE EARTH 2: TASMANIAN CLEAR-CUTS

Clear images of clear-cuts in Tasmania, using Goggle Earth. Remember you are looking at a real model of the real earth. A powerful new vision. There are more Google Earth images of deforestation and other environmental damage at SPROL

GOOGLE EARTH: SANTA CRUZ LOGGING

Google Earth view of proposed logging area (coloured red) in the Santa Cruz Mountains by Rebecca Moore, who lives in the area and prepared this presentation. She believes Google Earth "has the potential not only to raise people's environmental consciousness but to raise their consciousness of humanity."

'Rebecca Moore is an environmentalist who now works as a software developer who works on Google Earth. She says: "Suddenly ordinary grassroots environmentalists have a tool that up until now only government agencies or commercial interests had. It's leveling the playing field."

'Shortly after Google Earth was released, Moore had a chance to put [the programme] to the test. A company wanted to log in the Santa Cruz Mountains, expecting little interference from the community. "They sent out a one-page map that was just a grainy sketch," says Moore. "It did not convey what was at stake -- it was difficult to decipher and people didn't understand it. So I put together a model in Google Earth. I drew the region and filled in the watershed -- the source of drinking water for over a million people in Silicon Valley. I mapped the whole thing, annotating the whole canyon."

'At a public presentation of more than three hundred residents, Moore "flew" in from outer space to the Santa Cruz Mountains, then turned on the swath of red that represented the proposed logging. "There was a gasp from the audience," she recalls. "It electrified the room."

This sophisticated presentation -- including a low-elevation flyover constructed from Google Earth's imagery that shows individual trees that were going to be cut and dozens of layers of information -- took Moore only a couple of days to put together. And it got results: The logging plan was withdrawn. '

Read full account of this case and others in which Goggle Earth has been used in this manner:
'Green Eyes in the Sky: Desktop satellite tools are changing the way environmentalists work'
by www.dicum.com/list

You can download the model, a fly-through video sequence and the programme Googgle Earth from http://www.mountainresource.org/node/52