Region Archives: International

Geneticist Zhang Huarong walks through the forest near his Hong Kong research lab, gesturing towards a rotting incense tree stump that is one of over a dozen illegally felled for the valuable wood inside. A stone’s throw from the city’s urban centre are forests home to trees that produce fragrant — and valuable — agarwood, used in a number of high-end products from incense and perfume to traditional Chinese medicine. Environmentalists say illegal incense tree felling is on the rise in Hong Kong, fueled by black market demand. Scientists like Zhang are fighting back by taking DNA samples from each plant and creating a database that can help authorities crack down — as well as offer insights into how the trees can be better conserved …Hong Kong has long been a hub for sweet-smelling aromatic products. The city’s name — translating to “fragrant harbour” — is commonly linked to the area’s history of incense production and sale.

This could almost be part of Lapland, up here,” says retired researcher John Spence, approaching a clearing in the Correl Glen nature reserve in Fermanagh, near Northern Ireland’s land border with the county of Leitrim. Spence pauses to point out oak, hazel, birch, ash and alder trees, along with a series of rare “filmy” ferns, wild strawberry bushes and honeysuckle. There are well over 100 species of lichen in this small patch of temperate rainforest alone. These are the “gnarled oakwood remnants of the ancient Irish rainforests”, says Spence, who spent his career researching aquatic ecosystems. Tiny patches of them are scattered over this region, falling on both sides of the border. Today, this fragment is encircled by stretches of tightly packed coniferous plantations. “When I was young in the 50s, there was none of this coniferous forest,” he says, gesturing towards one darkening, square grid of pine. “It was all moorland.”

The General Directorate of Forestry (OGM), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, has developed prevention and response models and prepared emergency evacuation plans for 10 selected villages as part of its wildfire prevention efforts. A significant portion of Türkiye’s forests, located within the Mediterranean climate zone, are at risk of wildfires. The ministry continues its fight against forest fires with a strategy focused on prevention, extinguishing and reforestation. In this scope, new vehicles, technologies and projects have been added to the inventory to prevent fires and minimize losses. Taking a new step in wildfire prevention, OGM has collaborated with local governments and the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) to finalize a project to strengthen the resilience of forest villages to wildfires.

Australian researchers have documented the tallest and most massive living trees in Tasmania, a “global hotspot of gigantism in plants”, including 18 examples over 90 metres. Most of the largest and tallest were Eucalyptus regnans, commonly known as mountain ash, including a tree known as “Centurion”, measuring 96 metres, according to new research in the Australian Journal of Botany. Located in the state’s Huon Valley, Centurion was once the world’s second tallest specimen, behind “Hyperion”, a coastal redwood in California measuring 115.6 metres. This made Australia, and especially Tasmania, a “global hotspot of gigantism in plants”, according to co-author Dr David Bowman, a professor of fire science at the University of Tasmania with a background in eucalypt ecology. Bowman said Tasmanian eucalypts were the “kings and queens of the forest” that were achieving “the physiological limit of what a giant tree can be”.

Related content from Yahoo!News: Hunters of Australia’s rare ‘giant trees’ warn time running out to visit them

An international survey of frogs and toads has revealed that global warming and drought are more likely to affect the animals in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforests. The research published in Nature Climate Change is the most comprehensive study predicting these effects across the planet. “The Amazon and the Atlantic Rainforest are the biomes with the most anuran species and the highest probability of an increase in both the frequency and intensity or duration of drought events,” said Rafael Bovo, a researcher at the University of California, Riverside. “This will be harmful to the physiology and behavior of countless species. These biomes are among the regions of the planet with the greatest diversity of amphibians. Many species only occur in these places.” The researchers also discovered that between 6.6% and 33.6% of frog and toad habitats will suffer from drought by 2080-2100 based on the level of greenhouse gas emissions. 

In a darkened forest of northern Ecuador, a “long”-limbed creature perched on a bush and called out. Its “copper” eyes scanned the shadowy landscape, but it wasn’t the only one looking around. Passing scientists spotted the lurking animal — and discovered a new species. Researchers hiked into the mountainous forests around the Mira River several times in 2023 to survey wildlife, according to a study published Jan. 29 in the peer-reviewed journal Zoological Science. They were primarily looking for some “cryptic” and hard-to-identify frogs. During the nighttime hikes, researchers found several reddish-brown frogs. They took a closer look at the bumpy animals, tested their DNA and soon realized they’d discovered a new species: Pristimantis praemortuus, or Praemortuus’ rainfrog.

After a forest is logged, that land is often re-planted with new saplings. Within a few decades, those trees will have grown pretty big, and the forest will look much like a forest once again, with birds singing among the shade of the boughs. But a new study finds that, despite this apparent rebirth, younger forests may not offer those birds the same quality of habitat as an old-growth forest—with differences between the two forest types stretching all the way down to a cellular level. Researchers in Latvia compared wild forests more than 100 years old with managed pine forests just 40-50 years old. They studied how many insects were living in each forest type by measuring the amount of frass (insect poop and other droppings) that fell from trees. They also took blood samples from 15 day-old great tits—a common European songbird—to measure the birds’ stress levels.

The man in charge of the tallest tree in Edinburgh said he is “devastated” it has been felled by Storm Éowyn – 166 years after it was planted during a visit by Queen Victoria’s eldest son, Albert. Simon Milne, Regius Keeper at The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said his “heart sank” when he walked over the hill and saw the 100ft (30m) Himalayan cedar lying on the ground. He told BBC Scotland News it was one of 15 trees uprooted or broken beyond recovery in Scotland’s national botanical collection, with a further 25 others badly damaged. The species of tree is known to live for 600 years in its native habitat so it was not in its later stages of life.

Meredith Stanton has an undeniable love for the forests within her local community. …The long-time conservationist has resided next to Clouds Creek State Forest on the NSW Mid North Coast for more than 40 years. While logging in Clouds Creek was suspended early last year, Ms Stanton has watched operations continue in nearby forests such as Sheas Nob State Forest. Clouds Creek and Sheas Nob are among multiple state forests in the region earmarked for the Great Koala National Park. … However, ecologists have expressed frustration over the slow progress and the continuation of logging by Forestry Corporation. …Forestry Corporation rejected the findings that there had been accelerated logging. “There has been no increase in timber harvesting in the area subject to assessment for the park,” a spokesperson said.

Sweden and Finland are not doing enough to protect their primary and old-growth forests, falling short of EU commitments, the World Wildlife Fund said in a report. “Thousands of hectares of forests with high conservation value are logged each year, despite their importance for climate stability, biodiversity, and long-term ecological health,” said the WWF. …Private forest owners insist they are complying with current legislation and that their felling of trees is sensible. “Nobody cuts down trees just for the fun of it,” Magnus Kindbom, forestry director at the Federation of Swedish Farmers said. “It’s because there’s a need in society. “And if we didn’t use wood products, which have no negative impact on the climate, then we would have to use more fossil fuels,” he added. “That’s the dilemma we face: how to find the best compromise between having access to more biomass and understanding its impact on biodiversity.”

Indonesia aims to limit emissions growth to 23% by 2035 from 2019 levels through conserving forests and peatlands to mitigate pollution, according to a top official. The nation expects its total greenhouse gas emissions will reach between about 1.3 billion and 1.4 billion tons a year in a decade, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said in an interview this week, affirming draft targets released in August. Indonesia will submit its goals to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by mid-February, he said. The plan has attracted criticism for its heavy reliance on forests as potential carbon sinks and its limited ambition to cut emissions in polluting industries in the near term. Large ecosystems can absorb more carbon dioxide than they release but Indonesia’s forests have historically been a net carbon source due to deforestation, emitting more than 300 million tons a year on average between 2001 and 2023, according to Global Forest Watch. 

Nearly half of the global boreal forests — spanning Canada, Alaska and Siberia — are undergoing major transitions due to climate change, making them increasingly vulnerable to forest fires and altering their role as a key carbon sink, a new study has revealed.  These forests are vast and found in the cold, northern regions. However, they are warming four times faster than the global average and are expected to shift into a new ecological regime. This transformation could impact global climate regulation by triggering biome shifts and changes in tree cover dynamics, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)… It suggested that the boreal biome shifting to an open state indicates that its current distribution is unstable and temporary.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch its Biomass mission in 2025, providing more accurate measurements of forest biomass to enhance our understanding of the carbon cycle. We spoke to Biomass Project Manager, Michael Fehringer, to learn more. As a major carbon sink, forests play a crucial role in the carbon cycle and climate system. However, due to factors such as forest degradation and deforestation, much of this otherwise stored carbon is being released back into the atmosphere, causing a detrimental impact on the environment. To understand the rapid changes that forests are undergoing, and therefore tackle the implications this has for our climate, quantifying the global carbon cycle is vital. However, current measurements of forest biomass are poor in many parts of the world. …Editor Georgie Purcell spoke to ESA’s Biomass Project Manager, Michael Fehringer, to find out how the mission will clear up questions surrounding forest biomass and the carbon cycle.

Almost half a million trees are being planted in England this winter in a partnership between the National Trust and a UK-government funded project, creating woodlands, wood pasture, hedgerows and orchards. Some of the schemes are relatively modest, such as orchards planted with heritage varieties of fruit and nut trees, while others are much grander, thousands of trees linking up existing patches of woodland to create nature-rich forests. One of the most eye-catching schemes is at Buckland Abbey near Plymouth in Devon, where more than 30,000 trees are being planted. Broadleaved trees such as sessile oak, elm, blackthorn, birch, rowan and wild cherry are being planted close to ancient woodlands across the estate, and the hope is that as well as benefiting insects, mammals and birds, it will improve conditions for rare lichens, liverworts and mosses to flourish.

Timbeter, AI-powered digital timber measurement solution provider, starts collaboration with Polish State Forest (PGL LP) to support the forestry operations. A project that is transforming the whole timber industry in Poland is being carried out in Regional Directorates in Piła and Poznań. Launched under General director’s order No. 92/2024 issued on July 24, 2024, by the Director General of State Forests, the initiative aims to integrate Timbeter’s digital measurement solutions into everyday forestry operations. The project’s goals include reducing the workload of foresters, simplifying timber measurement processes, and enhancing objectivity of results. This transition will also provide additional insights for stakeholders, from contractors to timber purchasers, enabling better decision-making and operational efficiency.

AUSTRALIA — A new green policy offering cash to plant more natives aims to thicken Perth’s ailing tree canopy. In a bid to turn around Perth’s tree coverage – the worst of all Australian capitals – Labor announced on Tuesday it would plant one million trees across the metropolitan region by 2035 if re-elected in March. The $16.9 million commitment includes a Western Australia-first “treebate”, allowing 10,000 households a year to receive $150 to plant native trees on their property. The “treebates” would be available to all WA residents 18 and over, redeemable via the ServiceWA app, and would help fund the purchase of native trees from WA nurseries and other retailers. …Environment Minister Reece Whitby said the “treebate” would help the state government get Perth’s canopy coverage to 30 per cent by 2040, bringing the city in line with Melbourne’s current coverage and above Adelaide’s.

AUSTRALIA — A war of words – and glossy brochures – has flared up in the scientific world over whether Western Australia’s major prescribed-burning program across the forests of its south-west is doing more harm than good. The South-West Forests Defence Foundation launched its publication Prescribed Burning Fact Sheets – August 2024 outlining scientific research arguing current prescribed burning practices in the south-west forest regions does not give effective protection from wildfires, is hazardous to people’s health and is causing irreversible loss of biodiversity. The foundation favours a rapid detection and suppression response to bushfires. …In response, the Bushfire Front advocacy group has released its own pamphlet critiquing the foundation’s “flawed” proposal, saying it’s not based on sound science and would have disastrous outcomes in the event of a major bushfire. It states… that the response-only method was trialled and failed in the early 1900s.

Global deforestation rates have declined, but forests remain under significant pressure. Rising demands for forest products and climate-related challenges have led to calls for better conservation measures. The European Union had 160 million hectares of forest in 2022, covering 39 per cent of its land, an increase of 8.3 million hectares since 2000. The largest forest areas are in Sweden, Finland, and Spain. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), the EU’s average forest connectivity, a crucial indicator for supporting biodiversity, was 80.6 per cent in 2021, a slight decline of 0.8 per cent compared to 2018. Larger forest areas, such as those in Slovenia, Romania, Finland, and Sweden, contribute significantly to higher connectivity, while smaller fragmented forests rely on forest strips to maintain connectivity. …Initiatives such as the Nature Restoration regulation, forest and biodiversity strategies for 2030, and a pledge to plant three billion trees by 2030, aim to enhance connectivity.

Nicholas Winston Ong

The Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) program has served as a gateway for Nicholas Winston Ong, a student from Universitas Airlangga’s (UNAIR) Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, to expand his academic horizons. This prestigious initiative enabled him to study at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. Known as Winston, he chose UBC to further his commitment to enhancing Indonesia’s natural ecosystems by specializing in forestry at one of the world’s premier institutions in the field. “I selected the University of British Columbia because I am deeply committed to advancing Indonesia’s natural ecosystems. UBC, with its globally renowned forestry research, aligns perfectly with this vision,” Winston explained. …Winston acknowledged the rigorous academic environment at UBC, noting the university’s reputation as Canada’s largest research institution. He described UBC students as highly competitive, with coursework often centered on critical reasoning and case studies.

Before the Industrial Revolution, coppicing, a method of harvesting wood on a multi-year cycle by cutting trees back to a stump, helped meet Britain’s energy needs. After the tree, usually hazel, hornbeam or oak, is cut, new shoots spring to life. …Shadow Woods, a coppice in West Sussex, England, was largely abandoned after the second world war and many of the trees are now “overstood” … shading the ground and preventing the growth of any new saplings. …Since early humans first kindled firewood until Britain’s Industrial Revolution, energy typically came from renewable sources like wind, water and the sun, not from fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. Vertical windmills were used to grind flour in ancient Persia. Chinese water power pulped paper and hammered iron. The Romans combined their aqueducts with complexes of watermills. All of this was renewable. [A subscription to the Economist is required to access the full story]

The Forestry Agency is calling on local governments to conduct 3D forest surveys employing aircraft laser to get terrain information. Data obtained by such surveys can be used for disaster responses by analyzing terrain changes after earthquakes or heavy rain, in addition to forest and road management. The agency worked with the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan to conduct a laser survey for a terrain analysis of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture after a powerful earthquake caused landslides in a wide swath of the area in January last year. A laser survey provides information about collapsed roads and ground fissures in places covered with woods, which are hard to observe visually. Such a survey “allows us to detect possible locations of secondary disasters and take preventive measures,” a Forestry Agency official said.

IRELAND — More young people are looking towards the forestry and wood sector as a career, according to the findings of a new Coillte commissioned survey, which revealed that 60% of respondents believed it to be an attractive option. Coillte said this growing interest aligns with the industry’s pivotal role in addressing Ireland’s climate and housing challenges while meeting the increasing demand for sustainable timber. Public sentiment also strongly supports forestry’s role in addressing these challenges: Nearly 70% of the survey respondents favoured increased timber frame housing, while 80% believed Ireland should be self-sufficient in timber production. The forestry sector is recognised as a key driver of Ireland’s climate action objectives, requiring more than 1,700 skilled professionals by 2030 to meet the ambitions of the forest strategy. Coillte released the findings at the launch of its 2025 Forestry Scholarship Programme, which offers up to €20,000 per recipient across their degree, alongside paid summer placements and career opportunities with the company.