Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Throughout the course of its meeting held on May 19, the Rochester Conservation Commission moved to address a number of Notices of Intent filed by applicants seeking approval by the commission in order to go forward with project planning.

Up second were Paul Shamoian of Civil & Environmental Consultants and Dan Peters of SEMASS Partnership, who came before the commission in order to represent a Notice of Intent meant to act as retroactive approval for emergency tree trimming and tree removal that took place in March.

The tree trimming took place in order to protect overhead wires and fiberoptic cables that connect the SEMASS and Eversource switchyards. Shamoian explained that the majority of the lines run through the 25-foot no touch wetlands buffer zone. With that, he explained that the trimming and removal of trees had to take place in order to prevent catastrophe. A damaged line would put the plant down for weeks, Shamoian explained.

Commission member Christopher Gerrior expressed confusion as to why no one anticipated that trees intentionally added to the area might interfere with the power lines.

The trees were initially installed as a decorative enhancement, but they have grown to be a substantial problem, said Peters. Since we were requesting emergency work, we could not work beyond trimming to eliminate the hazard.

Vice Chairman Daniel Gagne mirrored the concerns put forth by Gerrior and questioned why the powerlines were not moved to a less hazardous location. Gagnes primary concern was that if more significant action is not taken, then this will be a recurring problem. Eversource should plan to move these lines, so that this does not come before us again in a couple years, Gagne told Peters.

After discussion with Peters and Shamoian, Chairman Michael Conway agreed that a plan was necessary to permanently resolve the issue. He suggested the addition of maintenance plan for the overhead wires to the NOI.

I believe, as a condition for Notice of Intent, SEMASS should issue an operating plan talking about how it is going to inspect these trees on a semiannual basis. Then they can provide that inspection to the conservation agent. We should get this over and done with once and for all, Conway said to the commission members.

The commission voted in favor of a motion of continuance on the issue to June 16 to allow time for such a plan to be prepared by the applicants.

Norene Hartley, who was heard first, met with the commission to determine if a proposed repair to a subsurface, sewage-disposal system would require the submission of a Notice of Intent. The repair to the system would require work to be done within the 100-foot buffer zone of a vegetated wetland.

Brad Bertolo of JC Engineering, representing Hartley, explained that this is only a project requiring an upgrade to an already existing system. Though the system is in close proximity to a wetland area, the new leeching facility will be introduced in the gravel driveway on Hartleys property and will not impact the wetlands.

After clarifying that the project was strictly a repair to existing systems, Rochester Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon recommended that the commission put forth a motion of a negative determination of applicability, meaning that no NOI would be required for the project.

The commission passed the motion, allowing the project to go forward without any further input from the commission members.

Rick Charon of Charon Associates, representing David and Janet Kielty, expanded on a NOI filed to request installation of an in-ground pool on 30 Bates Road, Rochester. Charon noted that the house in question is within the Sippican River-front area. Charon submitted an alternative analysis that provided the reasoning for how the current construction plan was adopted.

We get no closer than any existing structures would be, said Charon. Priority habitats are to the south of the developed area of the lot so it leaves the area that we are dealing with outside of that priority zone.

Farinon displayed images of the property to better explain how the potential plan would affect the property and the surrounding areas.

I see no reason why this project cant be done without adverse impact, Farinon explained to the commission members. My recommendation is to issue a positive order of conditions with the stipulation that a preconstruction meeting be held.

Satisfied with the plan, the commission voted unanimously in favor of a positive order of conditions.

In other business, Brian Wallaceof JC Engineering, representinga project at the Village at Plumb Corner, requested a determination of non-significance for a proposed plan to construct a gas line.The gas-line work would not require any additional land clearing to be completed.

Wallace described how the planned gas line would run alongside the roadway and that previous plans did not accurately demonstrate how the gas line would feed into each unit. The determination by the commission was necessary for Wallace to proceed with his application for construction with Eversource.

I think Mr. Wallace summarized this well. The limit of work for installation of the gas line is nothing beyond what the commission has already approved. It is my opinion that this is a minor change, said Farinon.

The commission determined that the changes were insignificant and allowed the plans to go forward.

The final Notice of Intent to be addressed at the meeting dealt with the construction of new canals and a solar system at the Eldredge Bogs. Sarah Stearns of Beals and Thomas, Inc. represented the NOI filed by Hank Ouimet of Renewable Energy Development Partners.

Stearns outlined that the building of a new canal is an exempt activity under current Wetlands Protection Act laws. The goal of the project is to build canals to improve the cranberry bogs operations, said Stearns.

According to Stearns, the intention of the NOI is to install a new form of solar array canopy above the canal. The solar canopy does not impede on farm operations and provides a renewable energy source to the bog. The proposed solar canopy is advantageous, because it requires no tree removal or the occupation of land that could be used for agricultural use. The idea is to not constrain farming operation by the addition of the solar project, Stearns added.

Gerrior questioned the impact that these canopies would have on the local wildlife that occupy the areas surrounding the canals. He hoped to determine positive and negative outcomes for wildlife and vegetation in these areas.

Research says that the height (of the canopies) allows for indirect and direct solar radiation to support vegetative growth, and the shading effect decreases water temperature which is an agricultural benefit, Ouimet explained to Gerrior. With that, Ouimet admitted that the novelty of the technology meant that he could provide no empirical evidence to support those theories.

The commission voted to request continuance of the issue to June 16. This came after the decision that the commission would conduct an on-site visit to the bog in order to better understand plans for construction.

The next Rochester Conservation Commission Meeting is scheduled to take place on remotely on Tuesday, June 2, at 7:00 pm.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Matthew Donato

Go here to see the original:
Tree-Trimming Project Refocuses on Wires - Wanderer

Hokies land another Stroman

Another member of the Stroman family is going to be a Hokie.

Jalen Stroman, the younger brother of Washington Redskins cornerback and former Virginia Tech standout Greg Stroman, announced Friday on Twitter that he has committed to play football for the Hokies.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Stroman is a rising senior free safety and receiver at Patriot High School in Nokesville. He made the All-Region 6B first team at defensive back as a junior last season. He made the All-Cedar Run District first team at defensive back and made the second team as a receiver.

Stroman told Techlunchpail.com last month that his top three schools were Virginia Tech, Virginia and Duke. Hes rated the No. 49 safety in the high school class of 2021 by the 247 Sports composite rankings.

Greg Stroman made the All-ACC first team as a Tech cornerback in 2017. He was chosen by Washington in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft.

Jets bring in Flacco to back up Darnold

The New York Jets and quarterback Joe Flacco, the 2013 Super Bowl MVP with Baltimore, agreed to terms on a one-year deal.

The move to bring in Flacco gives third-year starter Sam Darnold a veteran backup, but one who is also coming off a herniated disk that cut short his only season in Denver and required surgery to repair.

Financial terms were not immediately disclosed, but ESPN reported the deal is worth $1.5 million and could reach $4.5 million with incentives.

Flacco, 35, spent his first 11 NFL seasons in Baltimore. He helped lead Baltimore to a Super Bowl victory over San Francisco to cap the 2012 season. Flacco was rewarded by the Ravens by becoming the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history at the time with a six-year contract worth $120.6 million.

Last winter, Flaccos time in Baltimore came to an end officially clearing the way for Lamar Jackson when the Ravens traded him to Denver for a fourth-round draft pick. Flacco started the first eight games for the Broncos, but injured his neck against Indianapolis in Week 8 and missed the rest of the season. He was waived in March.

Seahawks agree to terms with RB Hyde

The Seattle Seahawks pursuit of a veteran running back to add depth at a position that last year was decimated by injuries ended as the team agreed to a one-year deal with free agent Carlos Hyde, who gained 1,070 yards during a resurgent 2019 season with Houston.

The NFL Network reported that the 6-foot, 229-pound Hyde will get a a one-year contract worth up to $4 million, though likely also including some significant playing time incentives to get the entire amount.

Last season, Hyde made $2.8 million with Houston, playing in all 16 games as well as two playoff games, after spending the 2018 season with Cleveland and Jacksonville.

Hyde, who played for San Francisco from 2014 to 2017, gained just 571 yards on 172 carries in 2018 for a 3.3-yard per carry average before looking like his old self again last season after joining the Texans and averaging 4.4 per carry the same as Chris Carson did for the Seahawks.

The Seahawks have been searching since early in free agency for a veteran to reinforce their backfield with Carson and 2018 first-round pick Rashaad Penny coming off season-ending injuries.

Four-time Grand Slam winner Cooper dies

Ashley Cooper, who won four Grand Slam singles titles, including the Australian, Wimbledon and U.S. championships in 1958, died at 83.

A right-handed serve-and-volley player, Mr. Cooper added four Grand Slam doubles titles in the amateur era. In 1958, his only loss in the Grand Slams came in the semifinals at the French championships.

Osaka tops female earnings list

Naomi Osaka has been a Grand Slam champion and No. 1 in the WTA rankings and now shes No. 1 on another list: top-earning female athlete.

According to Forbes.com, the 22-year-old earned $37.4 million over the past 12 months from endorsements and prize money, eclipsing Serena Williams in that span.

Forbes said Osakas total is a one-year record for a female athlete, topping the previous mark of 29.7 million set by Maria Sharapova in 2015.

Osaka is No. 29 overall, with Williams at No. 33, on Forbes annual list of the 100 top-earning athletes.

Top recruit charged with attempted murder

A star high school football player is accused of trying to kill his ex-girlfriends boyfriend.

Luke Hill, 18, faces charges including attempted first-degree murder after allegedly firing gunshots that struck a home in Accokeek, Md., on Monday night, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post.

Hill, a defensive back who graduated from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, had committed to play at Oregon, but Ducks coach Mario Cristobal told The Oregonian that he was cut from their program this spring.

ESPN reported Hills alleged target was Ishmael Leggett, a former classmate of Hills. Leggett is a 6-foot-4 guard who has committed to Rhode Island.

From staff and wire reports

View post:
Sports briefs: Hokies land another Stroman | Sports | richmond.com - Richmond.com

The United Nations (UN) is planning to build a medical evacuation (MEDVAC) field hospital in Addis Ababa which will be used to treat COVID-19 patients.

The UN has secured a plot of land for the construction of the field hospital around Bole Bulbula area behind the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. A land clearing work has commenced on the plot of land.

A UN senior diplomat told The Reporter that the field hospital will be used to treat COVID-19 patients that would be airlifted. The hospital is for UN staff and their dependents, international organizations like the World Bank, IMF and AfDB staff and their dependents and international NGOs staff and their dependents, the diplomat said.

According to the UN diplomat, as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic the UN has considered to build six field hospitals globally. Locations in Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Panama and South East Asia have been considered. A final decision has not been made yet, he said.

However, The Reporter has confirmed that the UN has already secured a plot of land from the Addis Ababa City Administration and land preparation work has commenced. The contractor would be an Ethiopian construction firm that will build the hospital in Addis Ababa. It will be built with a pre-fabricated materials which will be imported from Norway, a source told The Reporter.

Dr. Liya Tadesse, the minister of health, confirmed that there is a plan by the UN to build a field hospital in Addis Ababa. There has been consultation with us. But the project is at an early stage, Dr. Liya told The Reporter.

Sources told The Reporter that the UN will be overseeing the overall operations but the hospital will be built by the WFP in collaboration with the WHO and other international NGOs. The hospital would primarily be used by the UN, international organizations and NGOs but in the long run it would be transferred to the Ethiopian government. The planned hospital would serve the east and North Africa region. The decision has to be made by the secretary general of the UN, Antnio Guterres, they said.

Boureima Sambo (PhD), country representative of the WHO, told The Reporter that the WHO will provide technical assistance if a decision is made to build the hospital. But the project is owned and run by the UN, Sambo said.

Sambo said that the WHO has been working with the Ministry of Health and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute on major pillars in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. I think after South Africa and Senegal, Ethiopia is the third country in Africa to be able to test COVID-19 locally. Then we have been increasing surveillance, training and risk communication and community engagement. Since we have the first confirmed case in Ethiopia 13 of March we have increased all approaches infection prevention and control case management and tracing of contacts to rapidly identify cases and able to contain the pandemic. And we have seen the effort has paid off. We have cases so far we identified all contacts trace them and be able and test them and keep the pandemic under control so far, he said.

Read the original post:
UN to build MEDVAC field hospital in Addis - The Reporter Ethiopia

Groundbreaking research has identified a new subspecies of one of Australia's most iconic birds, which experts say is unique to inland Western Australia and has been "hidden in plain sight".

The red-tailed black cockatoo is found across Australia with populations in almost all states and territories.

But a large-scale genetic study by researchers from the Australian Museum, University of Sydney, CSIRO and the University of Edinburgh has revealed WA is home to a newly recognised subspecies of the bird.

The newly identified subspecies lives in the regions spanning the Wheatbelt, east of Perth, to the Pilbara in the state's north-west.

Researcher Kyle Ewart said while the population of red-tailed black cockatoos resembled those in other states, its genetic makeup was distinctly different.

"It was previously thought that this West Australian population was going to be genetically exactly the same as the other inland red-tailed black cockatoos," he said.

"We think they were characterised as one subspecies because they all looked the same.

"Evolution is not that simple some things look different but are genetically very similar and vice versa.

"We've found that the WA red-tailed black cockatoo is much more closely related to the forest red-tailed black cockatoo, based around Perth, than it is to the other inland populations."

Mr Ewart said the new subspecies had been named Calyptorhynchus banksii escondidus, as distinct from its previous classification, Calyptorynchus banksii samueli

"Escondidas is new it's the subspecies' name and it basically means 'hidden' because it's been hidden in plain sight," he said.

"We knew this population was there, but we didn't know it was a different subspecies."

The genetic study involved the collection of new and old samples from across the country, including fresh tissue samples from roadkill, as well as old taxidermied birds displayed in Australian museums.

The samples were then painstakingly processed and analysed to determine if the genetics matched previously recognised subspecies.

Mr Ewart said the discovery was an important step in the preservation and protection of the red-tailed black cockatoo.

"Now we have to treat this as a different subspecies so the conservation of this subspecies becomes a priority," he said.

"We just don't know enough about it it's hard to tell if its vulnerable, threatened, endangered [or] critically endangered.

"What needs to be done now is figure out the ecology of the new subspecies where it's eating and nesting and how many there are because it's vital to conserve this distinct piece of genetic diversity.

"Categorising it will hopefully turn the wheel to find out more about it and its conservation status."

Northern Agricultural Catchments Council bushcare officer Jarna Kendle, who helps organise an annual count of cockatoos, has a soft spot for the black cockatoos and describes them as "beautiful" birds with "vibrant personalities".

But their populations have plummeted.

She said the new research would help generate interest in the Great Cocky Count and other projects aimed at protecting the birds and boosting their numbers.

"Habitat loss is one of the biggest threats to black cockatoos, and urban development and land clearing contribute to that," Ms Kendle said.

There is also a threat from other species including corellas, which are "thriving", she said

"Black cockatoos require nesting hollows and the nesting hollows are also being used by pest species such as feral bees and corellas so that limits their capacity to breed," she said.

Ms Kendle, whose work covered the Mid West and part of the Wheatbelt in Western Australia, said the black cockies were an iconic bird in the state.

"They definitely deserve our recognition and they deserve us to do everything we can to preserve them for the future," she said.

"They are vibrant personalities and when you hear them fly over you can recognise them instantly by their call."

The rest is here:
Researchers discover new subspecies of red-tailed black cockatoo in WA - ABC Science Online

Highlights

Community-driven development (CDD) programs, which put people at the center of designing their own solutions, are a critical part of the World Banks response to the global COVID-19 crisis.

The Bank is supporting countries in Horn of Africa and in Solomon Islands through CDD programs that are delivering cash and basic services to the most vulnerable.

To tackle a crisis of this magnitude and scale, our countries need an equitable, whole-of-society approach, which lies at the heart of CDD programs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended lives across the world. The crisis continues to have devasting impacts on people, with a disproportionate impact on the poor and the vulnerable, who are faced with job and income loss, uncertain food supply, and disruptions in health and education programs.

The most vulnerable lack the essential services they need to prevent or manage an outbreak, including migrants, persons living with disability, women, the elderly, LGBTI, indigenous peoples, and other marginalized groups will struggle. For example, refugees living in camps and settlements already battling overcrowding, limited water and sanitation facilities, and shortages of medical supplies could face disastrous outcomes. Similarly, persons with disabilities will face constraints in accessing basic necessities or critical medical appointments due to reduction of public transportation services.

The World Bank Group recognizes the urgency of the issue and is taking broad, fast action to help developing countries respond to COVID-19. In a health, social, and economic crisis of this scale, no single intervention is enough, and countries need to use every available platform and tool. As part of the World Banks operational response to the pandemic, community-driven development (CDD) programs, which put people at the center of designing their own solutions, have been effective in providing quick, large scale responses to tackle this crisis, including in remote and conflict ridden areas. These programs often complement traditional safety net systems by delivering cash transfers and basic services to the poorest and most vulnerable, including sanitation, water, and food through urban and rural programs that involve hundreds of thousands of communities and local civic leaders. CDD programs also protect the most marginalized by targeting livelihood support for women, persons with disabilities, unemployed youth, refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returned migrants.

During a crisis like this, trusted community leaders and local governments face enormous demands with limited administrative and financial capacity. In this context, CDD platforms are a critical part of the World Banks response by providing an opportunity to tap into productive partnerships between community groups, civil society, private sector and governments. These partnerships operate on the principles of transparency, participation, accountability, sustainability, and enhanced local capacity all of which are crucial to deliver essential services to people who need it most.

While this pandemic has the potential to fracture societies, it is the resilience, solidarity, strength, and ingenuity of communities at their best that will overcome this. Here are a few examples of World Bank operations are that using community-based approaches to get the vital resources to communities in the Horn of Africa and Solomon Islands.

Horn of Africa: Uganda, Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia

As the Horn of Africa was just starting to grapple with the displacement crisis, the largest in recorded history, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In response to the mass and protracted displacement of over four million refugees, the World Bank began to support Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda with the Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (DRDIP) aimed at improving access to basic social services, expanding economic opportunities, and enhancing environmental management for communities hosting refugees.. The DRDIP is a 428 million regional operation that has reached more than 1.5 million beneficiaries, including host communities and refugees. Today, this community-led platform is being adapted to meet the social demands brought on by COVID-19.

For both refugees and their host communities, a common set of challenges have emerged. For one, the relationship between the two can often be fragile and complex. False or misleading information on COVID-19 has the potential to polarize, and further any stigmatization between the two groups. With government lockdowns come the need to effectively and accurately disseminate information related to the virus as many are forced to follow stay-at-home orders and, as a result, may not otherwise come across this important information.

The disruption of informal sector livelihoods, which are a mainstay for refugees and host communities, is also reportedly causing social tensions. Since the lockdown began in several countries, there has also been a marked increase in instances and reporting of gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against children. The pandemic threatens to unravel the important progress made in recent years to improve womens and girls accumulation of human capital, economic empowerment, voice and agency.

In response to the pandemic, the World Bank will scale up the DRDIP project to help mitigate its social and economic risks. The mapping of health and WASH facilities is underway and will inform post-COVID infrastructure investments. Under Ugandas DRDIP, social and water conservation and land clearing activities are being implemented in small groups of five people working in rotation and following new protocols of social distancing. Individual agriculture cultivation and livestock rearing continue. The operation in Uganda is also refocusing its efforts by helping community organizations share prevention and basic hygiene messages through radio, short message services (SMS), and other digital means. The focus has also shifted to providing support to health centers, Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) related investments, doubling beneficiary numbers that will participate in LIPW, and increasing funding to support enterprise-based livelihoods like produce and livestock trading, cage fish farming, and grinding mills for women and youth. Furthermore, the operation will also monitor information on GBV and violence against children and support rapid and adequate referral of cases that have increased following COVID outbreak. Approximately 3 million beneficiaries will be reached across the DRDIP countries.

Solomon Islands

Like many Pacific Island nations, the Solomon Islands are home to a strong community-based culture. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the existing CDD project has been adapted to tackle immediate needs, and is already showing signs of progress. The World Bank-financed Community Access and Urban Services Enhancement (CAUSE) project in the Solomon Islands aims to improve the delivery of basic infrastructure and services through the provision of skills training, short-term job opportunities, and income generation for vulnerable populations, including unemployed youth and women, who may not otherwise have any other opportunities for formal employment.

As in the Horn of Africa, social unrest and violence have plagued the Solomon Islands. From 1998 to 2003, the country underwent a period of conflict known as Tensions, with additional periodic violence in 2006 and more recently in April 2019, following the elections. To offset the risk of violence and social unrest, the World Bank is scaling up short-term employment and training activities for vulnerable groups, especially women, youth, the urban poor and the majority of workers in the informal sector who many have lost their main source of income. The World Bank is also supporting the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in their effort to increase prevention and awareness efforts through the sanitation of public areas, construction of public hand washing stations, and training workers and communities on key symptoms and prevention measures.

CDD programs are often chosen because of their ability to adapt swiftly in responding to emergencies and disseminating resources to aid recovery efforts. The agility of the CAUSE project illustrates this point. Amid the government-issued closure of schools and certain businesses, this project is supporting COVID-19 prevention efforts by reinstating critical roads and access for frontline works. It is also delivering additional strategic investments to help stimulate the local economy and protect the livelihoods and incomes of vulnerable groups. The World Bank is coordinating with a range of development partners from the private, public and civil society sectors on investments ranging from the promotion of tourism-enabling infrastructure and services to the construction of markets to help to promote economic activity and create employment.

These are early days in the World Banks response to COVID-19. The operations are drawing lessons from previous pandemics, including the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak, which highlighted the importance of CDD programs in crisis management and recovery to complement medical efforts. In the case of COVID-19, partnerships between communities, healthcare systems, local governments, and the private sector can play a critical role in slowing the spread, mitigating impacts, enhancing ownership and sustainability, and supporting local recovery.

See original here:
Community Responses to COVID-19: From the Horn of Africa to the Solomon Islands - World - ReliefWeb

MEADOW GREEN, N.S.

If you are wise enough to find yourself wandering a river under old hardwoods over the coming days, look down.

Because while it is good to be wise, it is better to be lucky.

And if you are both, you will see a wide carpet of flowering blood root.

Out toward the fringe of the flowers, the dutchmans breeches may be swinging on their green line.

The nodding trillium, however, most likely wont be quite yet roused from its slumber to welcome the bees.

Give it another week.

Our man-made hybrids are just clumsy when compared to a wildflower, said Bruce Partridge on Tuesday.

Its like comparing a deer to a cow.

Small flowers are blooming now in our old forests.

It is a display of beauty made all the more precious for its being so fleeting.

A few more warm days and the blood root, which bleeds bright red when cut, and the dutchmans breeches, named by some forgotten soul who saw in their aspect a pair of shorts hung out to dry, will be done with flowering.

Because to be elegant is to be parsimonious in both form and presence.

They are just enough flower to attract the bumbling bees without exposing themselves unnecessarily to wind, rain and frost.

They are with us just long enough to get pollinated.

And their symmetrical beauty is enough to confoundthe arguments of Charles Darwins followers that survival is natures only polestar.

Next to bloom will be the nodding trilliums and the yellow violets, then the blue bead lily and the jack in the pulpits.

Then it will be June and the leaves of the elderly sugar maple and ash trees will be fully formed and stealing the sun.

Down where the East Pomquet River wends through Meadow Green, Antigonish County, the fiddleheads and sensitive ferns will unfurl themselves and grab whats left of the energy produced by a nuclear furnace 150 million kilometres away.

And the floor of this small copse of old forest will be shadowy and damp until winters return.

These are just the lowland flowers, said Partridge.

Theres also the flowers of the upland hardwoods, coniferous forest, the Guysborough bogs. Each has its own florae and each is just as amazing and just as complicated.

Partridge discovered this patch of wildflowers while out walking the Meadow Greens unpaved main three decades ago.

Trained as a botanist in Utah before lifes meandering path saw him building a homestead and raising children and plants in Antigonish County, he recognized the wildflower from a picture in a book.

When the first settlers came they were everywhere, said Partridge.

Theres only the tiniest fraction left after all our land clearing and cutting. Its not really fair to pin blame because hardly anyone pays attention to what their wheels drive over.

They arent just pretty flowers.

They are the now preciously rare signs of an untrammeled ecosystem.

These wildflowers spread primarily by their roots. This patch of blood root on this bend of the East Pomquet River could be a thousand years old.

So could the ferns whose root systems overlay and intertwine with that of the flowers and the towering hardwoods overhead.

Those like Partridge who make a life seeking to understand these places do not walk on the earth.

They walk between a living system for the gathering of water and nutrients and another for the inhaling of light and carbon dioxide.

He tried for years to breed these flowers from seed, failing season after season.

Then watching the ants carry the seeds, that have these fatty flaps to attract them, you realize its something they do or are involved in, said Partridge.

The find on that morning walk led to a rekindling of his fascination with these flowers.

It led him and his wife Mary to start Borealis Wildflowers a mail-order seed catalogue.

Though he survived a long battle with cancer, the company didnt.

And ever since beating the terminal prognosis of the disease, hes seen in these flowers a wisdom.

They are above the earth long enough to do what needs to be done.

They are beautiful while they are here.

And then they are gone.

They know where they stand, said Partridge, 72.

Read the original here:
Something beautiful is happening in Nova Scotias forests - TheChronicleHerald.ca

Photo by

Vsir/Icelandic Road Administration

All in all it took four days to break through a thick snowdrift which accumulated over the course of the winter on the road into Mjafjrur. The road is now open again after having been closed since around October.

Foreman at the Reyarfjrur service center of the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration Ari B. Gumundsson stated on the Administrations website, We started shoveling the snow away last Friday. We continued on Monday and a narrow path, complete with corners to pull over for oncoming cars, and were completed by the middle of the day on Wednesday.

After four days of hard work, the road into Mjafjrur has been opened, though it was not easy to clear through the thick snowdrift previously present there, Frttablai reports.

The road was first closed in October last year. It was cleared around the middle of the month for the emergency services, who had to move in equipment to place fiber-optic cables in Mjafjrur. It was cleared again at the end of November and beginning of December to transport the equipment back out of Mjafjrur. The road was left open just a little longer in order to allow the Minister of Transportation to inaugurate the cables and has been closed since shortly thereafter, until now.

About 14 people live in Mjafjrur all year around, and they have everything they need in Brekkuorp. In the winter the road is often closed, and the only way in or out is by boat, at which time the ferry Bjrgvin sails between Brekkuorp and Neskaupstaur twice a week.

According to locals there was an usually high quantity of snow this year. Work on the tunnel will continue over the next few days, but at first there will only be Jeeps on the road. Four-wheel drives should be able to get on the road by tomorrow, but smaller private cars are likely to pass only after the weekend.

According to Ari, weather conditions will greatly influence when the road in Mjafjrur is cleared. Sometimes when there is little snow, the road is only cleared a few times over the course of the winter. In worse years, the road has to continue to be cleared to allow vans to pass all the way into the fall.

He acknowledges that the population has increased in the last few years to complete the land route. Were a bit behind behind in clearing the road compared to last year, due to both the weather conditions and COVID-19.

These weather conditions differ starkly with the mild temperatures predicted by Vedur.is in much of the country today. Predicted high temperatures include 15C in Reykjavk, 11C in both Egilsstair in the far east and Patreksfjrur in the Westfjords, and 10C in Akureyri.

Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, its become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevines journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club.

See original here:
From Iceland Four-Day Battle With a Five-Meter-Deep Snowdrift - Reykjavk Grapevine

news, latest-news,

Political references aside, the unequivocal answer is 'no'. Inland and coastal swamps - wetlands - are ecosystems that support all life, including us. If rainforests are the lungs of the planet, wetlands are the kidneys. Trapping nutrients from runoff, they are immensely important filters of fresh and saltwater. This makes them extremely rich habitats, supporting fish, birds and other wildlife, which are integral to the food web. They are breeding grounds for fish and molluscs that are in turn, food for us. As human population climbs relentlessly towards 8 billion people and beyond, we cannot afford to undermine food production systems. Wetlands are also supremely good at capturing carbon dioxide. The remaining mangroves that currently cover 14-15 million hectares around the world, trap an estimated 31 to 34 billion kilograms of carbon every year. Researchers at Deakin University believe that this biosequestration is one of the single largest opportunities for reducing CO2 emissions in Australia. While wetlands cover only about 4 per cent of the earth's land surface, they are sequestering up to 33 per cent of the carbon in soils. In mangrove forests, tidal marshes and seagrass ecosystems, carbon is stored in the soil down to 3 metres. By clearing them, we remove the carbon sinks and also make coastlines vulnerable to storm damage. In inland waters, wetlands and healthy riparian zones also trap nutrients and preserve soil. Healthy rivers also store considerably more carbon than unhealthy ones. Concrete drains accelerate runoff, and the increased flow of nutrients exacerbates outbreaks of blue-green algae. These are examples of ecosystem services - work that nature does for us for free. Unfortunately, wetlands also occupy prime waterfront real estate where we like to build houses, hotels, marinas and dockyards. Humanity has an abysmal record of removing wetlands that once covered around 10 per cent of the earth's land surface. In only 50 years, half the world's mangrove forests have vanished. Our attitude to wetlands and other parts of the environment would be different if they were explicitly acknowledged as part of the economy, however, ecosystem services are completely ignored by GDP. In fact, their destruction ostensibly boosts GDP because of the economic activity involved in 'developing' them. Fortunately, many cities have programs to restore urban waterways, making them attractive places while improving the environment. They replace the hard, ugly concrete surfaces with places that are nice to visit. By replacing these, we create natural rainwater buffers, promoting places where amphibians, dragonflies and birds can thrive. The Fuzzy Logic Science Show is 11am Sundays on 2xx 98.3FM. Send your questions to AskFuzzy@Zoho.com Twitter @FuzzyLogicSci Podcast FuzzyLogicOn2xx.Podbean.com

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/Z4Q6sUEHdcmw72MBPYgZkU/2a2bc265-8742-4521-81c1-429a220b9306.JPG/r13_98_5484_3189_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

If rainforests are the lungs of the planet, wetlands are the kidneys. Picture: Supplied

Political references aside, the unequivocal answer is 'no'.

Inland and coastal swamps - wetlands - are ecosystems that support all life, including us. If rainforests are the lungs of the planet, wetlands are the kidneys. Trapping nutrients from runoff, they are immensely important filters of fresh and saltwater.

This makes them extremely rich habitats, supporting fish, birds and other wildlife, which are integral to the food web. They are breeding grounds for fish and molluscs that are in turn, food for us. As human population climbs relentlessly towards 8 billion people and beyond, we cannot afford to undermine food production systems.

Wetlands are also supremely good at capturing carbon dioxide. The remaining mangroves that currently cover 14-15 million hectares around the world, trap an estimated 31 to 34 billion kilograms of carbon every year.

Researchers at Deakin University believe that this biosequestration is one of the single largest opportunities for reducing CO2 emissions in Australia.

While wetlands cover only about 4 per cent of the earth's land surface, they are sequestering up to 33 per cent of the carbon in soils.

In mangrove forests, tidal marshes and seagrass ecosystems, carbon is stored in the soil down to 3 metres. By clearing them, we remove the carbon sinks and also make coastlines vulnerable to storm damage.

In inland waters, wetlands and healthy riparian zones also trap nutrients and preserve soil. Healthy rivers also store considerably more carbon than unhealthy ones. Concrete drains accelerate runoff, and the increased flow of nutrients exacerbates outbreaks of blue-green algae.

These are examples of ecosystem services - work that nature does for us for free.

Unfortunately, wetlands also occupy prime waterfront real estate where we like to build houses, hotels, marinas and dockyards.

Humanity has an abysmal record of removing wetlands that once covered around 10 per cent of the earth's land surface. In only 50 years, half the world's mangrove forests have vanished.

Our attitude to wetlands and other parts of the environment would be different if they were explicitly acknowledged as part of the economy, however, ecosystem services are completely ignored by GDP. In fact, their destruction ostensibly boosts GDP because of the economic activity involved in 'developing' them.

Fortunately, many cities have programs to restore urban waterways, making them attractive places while improving the environment. They replace the hard, ugly concrete surfaces with places that are nice to visit.

By replacing these, we create natural rainwater buffers, promoting places where amphibians, dragonflies and birds can thrive.

The Fuzzy Logic Science Show is 11am Sundays on 2xx 98.3FM.

Send your questions to AskFuzzy@Zoho.com Twitter @FuzzyLogicSci Podcast FuzzyLogicOn2xx.Podbean.com

View post:
Ask Fuzzy: Should we drain the swamp? - The Canberra Times

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "COVID-19 Economic Impact Report: Global Fiber Cement" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global fiber cement industry is facing a number of challenges as it deals with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. How has the macroeconomic environment changed and what does it mean for the global fiber cement industry going forward?

The "COVID-19 Economic Impact Report: Global Fiber Cement" report looks at how the expected impact of the pandemic on the current macroeconomic environment compares to other major events since 2000, including the bursting of technology bubble, the SARS outbreak, the 2009 global downturn, and the European financial crisis. It also provides a historical view of global industry sales since 2000, a look at how the industry is being currently impacted, and estimates for global industry sales through 2023.

Fiber cement applications include:

Key Topics Covered:

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/i7m15l

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Read the original:
COVID-19 Economic Impact Report on the Global Fiber Cement Industry - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

Some of the major players operating in this market areTOYOTA BOSHOKU CORPORATION, Adient plc, Lear Corporation, Celanese Corporation, APM Automotive Holdings Berhad, Robert Bosch GmbH, BASF SE, SABIC, Continental Corporation, Faurecia and others.

Get Sample Copy Of This Report @https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=malaysia-automotive-interior-materials-market&kb

The automotive interior materials market report includes the systematic investigation of current scenario of the market, which covers several market dynamics. This automotive interior materials market report also endows with an insightful overview of product specification, technology, product type and production analysis by taking into account most important factors such as Revenue, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin. To accomplish the same, this market research report offers an insightful market data and information about Chemical and Materialsindustry to businesses for making better decisions and defining business strategies. All these factors are very significant when it comes to achieving a success in the competitive marketplace.

Segmentation:Malaysia Automotive Interior Materials Market

Malaysia automotive interior materials market is segmented into three notable segments which are type, vehicle type and application:

Inquiry For Customize Report With Discount at :https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=malaysia-automotive-interior-materials-market&kb

About Us:

Data Bridge Market Researchset forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge Market Research provides appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.

Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. GetCustomizationandDiscounton Report by emailing[emailprotected]. We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rate.

Contact:

Data Bridge Market ResearchUS: +1 888 387 2818UK: +44 208 089 1725Hong Kong: +852 8192 7475Email:[emailprotected]

Read the original post:
Automotive Interior Materials Market Driven By increased demand for interior styling, cabin comfort and other convenient features in an...