Forestry Funding - Are we helping poorer countries or not?

Are we helping poorer nations with their forestry or causing more problems?

The Community Forest Management (CFM) scheme has attract billions of pounds of funding to protected forested areas, but research has shown that schemes to protect the forest biodiversity and people in poorer nations is ineffective.

A study by Bangor University in Wales has shown that local people resented the implementation of protected areas, as they considered the land “theirs”, then it suddenly belongs to the government. The CFM programmes were developed as an alternative, which ensured that governments devolved some of the decision making to local communities. This looked like a more ethical way of carrying out this type of change to protect the areas. But the research has shown that there were inconsistencies in how the CFM schemes were monitored and evaluated. 

The researchers state that we do need more protection for the forests and the people around those forests.

Study Trees for Rehabilitation with ACS Distance Education. http://www.acsedu.com/courses/trees-for-rehabilitation-landcare-reafforestation-771.aspx

Trees For Rehabilitation (Landcare Reafforestation)

Course Code	BHT205
Fee Code	S2
Duration (approx)	100 hours
Qualification	Statement of Attainment

LEARN TO PLANT AND GROW TREES -Distance Education Course

REAFFORESTATION

Develop a practical understanding of how trees can be used to stabilize degrading soils and improve land quality, usefulness and property value. This course has great value for all sorts of land managers and developers, from farmers to managers of public land and nature reserves. Horticulturists, agriculturists, foresters, etc can all benefit from this.

Amongst one of the most significant reasons for land degradation is the practice of clearing trees from the land, predominantly to provide grazing for cattle and sheep and areas for cropping. Agriculture is an important primary industry, which is largely responsible for feeding world populations, and as a result, economic prosperity for many nations. It has taken the very real threat of reduced yields, and such things as reduction in water quality, to provide the impetus for major land rehabilitation initiatives. Trees are seen as an integral part of a healthy environment, and it is for that reason that tree planting operations (to rehabilitate degraded land as well as prevent further damage) are being actively encouraged, by government, industry and community organisations.

Student Comment: 'I definitely learned a lot from [the course) but it was also beneficial in affirming [and raising my confidence] in what I already knew.' Katrina Merrifield, Masters Conservation Science, NZ, Trees for Rehabilitation course.

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Understanding Plant Health
2. Soils and Ecology
3. Basic Seed Propagation Techniques
4. Nursery Management
5. Propagation of Eucalypts and Acacias
6. Plant Care During Establishment
7. Plant Establishment Methods
8. Dealing with Erosion
9. Dealing with Chemical Degradation (Salinity, pesticides, industrial waste, fertility decline, etc).
10. Dealing with Structural Problems (Waterlogging, organic content, etc).

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Stress Can Shrink Your Brain

We have all known for some time that stress can have serious implications for our physical and mental health. It can cause confusion, worry, heart disease, reduced immune function and so on.  But now researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have found that stress can actually shrink your brain. 

When we are stressed, our body prepares us for fight or flight. So when we are about to be attacked by a wild animal, our blood pressure increases, our heart rates goes up, our blood goes to our essential organs and so on. We are ready to fight or run. With stress, we have the same responses, but we are not able to fight or run. We may become stressed because we are late with a report, we are revising for an exam, the kids are misbehaving. Our body prepares us for fight or flight, but this physical response has nowhere to go, so it can lead to stress.

In the fight and flight situation, our body produces corticosteroids.  But if the levels of corticosteroids remain high over a period of time, due to prolonged stress, it can suppress our immune system and increase the amount of sugar in the blood stream. 

The hippocampus area of the brain is particularly prone to the effects of this.

The doctors involved studied bosses from Wall Street firms who had been involved in the 9/11 attacks. They found that their hippocampuses had shrunk to the size of elderly people with dementia.

Although the sample studied was small, this does suggest that stress can actually shrink our brain.

Tracey Jones

Tutor

Study Stress Management by Distance Learning at http://www.acsedu.com/courses/stress-management-726.aspx

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

1. Body Changes
• The fight or flight response; the stress and immune system; long term problems; sources of stress
2. Easy Living
• Anxiety; panic; fear; controlling stress; goal setting; relaxation
3. Pills and Alcohol
• Drugs and alcohol; smoking; seeking help
4. Self Esteem
• Self esteem; social support;
5. Managing Your Own Career
• Career goals; career management
6. Security and Decision Making
• Self assurance; decision making; problem solving
7. Relaxation and Nutrition
• Relaxation; we are what we eat; nutrition, diet and weight loss
8. Personality and Stress
• Type A and Type B personalities; personality types and stress; personal style inventory

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.