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Looks like Chimney Rock has been saved! Via Environment North Carolina: On January 29, Gov. Easley, Sen. Walter Dalton, and other state leaders announced an agreement to purchase and permanently protect Chimney Rock Park, the 1,000 acre centerpiece of Hickory Nut Gorge in Rutherford County. Of course, there is still a great deal to be…

[ California ] We know that sustainable forestry can help lower atmospheric carbon levels, a stated goal for those concerned with global climate change. Well-managed forests flush with rapidly growing trees remove (or “sequester”) carbon quite efficiently. But we don’t know yet whether markets can be established in this country to provide any economic incentive…

There is a new resource for families facing the challenge of passing their properties and land-based businesses from one generation to the next. The Ties to the Land website will help guide family landowners through ownership transition. Developed to address the needs of forest landowners, the site has relevance for families with agricultural or other…

As forests and the people that live and work in those forests are transformed through urbanization, environmental knowledge and awareness of the impacts of land use practices on the local environment is reduced. Residents of managed riparian watersheds and/or those who participated regularly in outdoor recreation activities were found to possess the highest degree of…

The two outfits plan to merge to form the No. 1 newsprint maker in an effort shave costs Making paper for the news media has been tough lately. The rise of the Internet has dented demand for newsprint. Rivals in countries like China have rushed into the market with more supply of cheaply-made pulp. But…

[Washington, DC] A group of ten major corporations has formed a partnership with four leading environmental groups to seek a U.S. cap on greenhouse gas emissions along with a reduction of up to 15 percent within 15 years. The broad coalition, known as U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), will unveil the most detailed and most…

This course brings anthropology and forestry together to look at the fascinating and complex world of nontimber forest product (e.g., mushrooms, floral greens, medicinal plants, seeds) harvesting and the implications for sustainable forest management. This course will be offered online through Oregon State University (OSU) Extended Campus (Ecampus). News notes are courtesy of Southern Forests…

Logan County, WV was just given the distinct honor horror of the largest MTR permit in WV history. The mine will clock in at an astonishing 2,278 acres. The “dredge-and-fill” permit will allow them to bury nearly 7 miles of streams. Only the Hobet 21 mine will exceed this site, and that is due to…

There is a need for a more solid international agreement on sustainable logging and forest resources usage, European Commission Director of International Affairs and Director of Environment, Madam Soledad Blanco,, said on Friday. “There is growing global concern about the legality of tropical timber, deforestation, sustainability of forest resources and issues affecting the local communities…

Last week, Dogwood Alliance kicked off its packaging campaign, which will target companies that use paper-packaging products sourced from endangered Southern forests. These forests, some of the most biodiverse in the world, are being harvested to make easily discarded packaging for many common products. Think about it: does the box that your Dove soap comes…