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The eggs were leaving Monday from the Pittsburgh International Airport, flying by jet to Los Angeles, then to Seoul, then to Kakbarovsk, Russia. From there, it’s a nine-hour train ride to the Khinganski Nature Reserve, located near the Amur River and China.

The National A?iary has been leading the reintroduction program for a decade after taking it over from the International Crane Foundation.

"It’s wonderful because it’s really taking a captive institution (and) taking that next step and trying to release these animals back into the wild," said Ann Burke, spokeswoman for the foundation in Baraboo, Wis.

This year, zoos in Cincinnati, Houston, Birmingham, Ala., Oklahoma City, Seattle, Boston and South Bend, Ind., provided eggs.

Usually, the National Aviary also provides some eggs, but a female crane died two years ago and the aviary’s new female hasn’t mated yet, said Jim Dunster, the aviary’s curator of birds.

"They’re good friends, they’re not lovers yet," he said.

In all, about 150 eggs have made the trip in the past decade.

"The eggs are much tougher than you would think," Dunster said. "They’ve always been alive and kicking when we got them (to the reserve.)"

The eggs, about 4 1/2 inches long for the red-crown and about 3 1/2 inches for the white-naped, are placed in coolers atop foam rubber, which sits on hot water bottles to keep them at a steady 99 degrees Fahrenheit.

Eggs are easier to send than birds, which have the potential to carry disease and require more permits, Dunster said.

Numbering between 1,700 and 2,000 in the wild, the red-crowned crane is the third most endangered bird in the world, according to the aviary and the International Crane Foundation. It’s native to Russia, China and Japan. Between 4,900 and 5,400 white-naped cranes live in the wild. Both species are threatened by loss of habitat because of human encroachment.

The birds are banded in the Russian reserve, but once they leave, they can’t be tracked, Dunster said. The program has been seeking grants for satellite tracking, but that would cost between $6,000 to $7,000 a bird, he said.

[img]"%%dir[1]%%harta_delta_dunarii.jpg" border="0" alt="image" name="image" align="left" width="203" height="152" /[/img] Pregatirile pentru construirea canalului Bastroe au inceput zece ani mai tarziu, in octombrie 2001, o data cu largirea portiunii navigabile a carei marime s-a dublat, ajungand la aproape 6 metri.

Autoritatile ucrainene si-au motivat actiunea prin reducerea cheltuielilor de navigare si a somajului.

Ministerul transporturilor de la Kiev afirma atunci ca trecerea navelor prin Romania aduce pierderi statului, de peste un milion de dolari.

Dupa primele lucrari, au aparut o serie de reactii internationale.

Fondul mondial pentru natura, Birdlife international si Wetlands International s-au opus in nenumarate randuri sustinand ca largirea canalului va reduce cantitatea de apa potabila a Romaniei, iar poluarea va creste punand in pericol speciile existente din delta.

Fondul mondial pentru natura spunea ca Ucraina nu a tinut cont de expertizele stiintifice si de prevederile statutului de rezervatie naturala a biosferei Dunarii.

[img]"%%dir[1]%%delta_dunarii.jpg" border="0" alt="image" name="image" align="left" width="203" height="152" /[/img] Organizatiilor neguvernamentale si ecologiste care au protestat fata de aceasta decizie a guvernului, de la Kiev li s-au alaturat atat state precum Germania, SUA cat si Consiliul Europei, Uniunea Europeana.

Reactionand cu intarziere, Romania a cerut anul trecut efectuarea unei anchete cu privire la efectele construirii canalului.

Recent, ministerul afacerilor externe si-a declarat intentia de a actiona in instanta firma germana constructoare, careia ii poate cere despagubiri pentru actiuni in aduna biosferei din zona Marii Negre.

Pe langa beneficiile asteptate de partea ucraineana, aceasta are la randul ei de suferit de pe urma acestui proiect canalul va reduce delta ucraineana cu 5.600 de hectare.

Documentatia aferenta omite sa precizeze tipul de reactor ce va fi utilizat. Mitul securitatii energetice pune iarasi in pericol sanatatea populatiei si a mediului. Bulgarii se pare ca au uitat de mortii de la Cernobil, de leucemii, cancer tiroidian, relocari masive ale populatiei, radioactivitate letala pe decenii pe arii intinse. Ca sa nu mai spunem de minele de uraniu, deseurile radioactive, emisiile zilnice de elemente toxice si radioactive.

Se construieste o centrala nucleara, in conditiile in care costurile sunt gigantice, riscurile prea mari pentru a fi asumate iar pretul energiei electrice produse nu include unele costuri semnificative, precum cele de inchidere a centralei si minelor, costurile de depoluare.

Se spune insa ca emisiile centralei vor fi mai mici decat radioactivitatea ce exista in mod natural in mediu. Si daca se vor inregistra nivele peste cele declarate, vina va fi a poluarii istorice de la Cernobil.

Conform normelor europene, guvernul bulgar trebuie sa supuna si in Romania dezbaterilor publice studiul de impact asupra mediului pentru un astfel de proiect. Consultarea publica va avea loc in data de 8 septembrie a.c. la primaria orasului Turnu Magurele.

1) Cat de informati sunt cetatenii cu privire la riscurile nucleare?
2) Ce reactie au autoritatile romane in conditiile in care si noi avem centrala nucleara?
3) Cine va lua pozitie impotriva acestui nou pericol ce ne ameninta?

Acestea sunt numai cateva din intrebarile pe care TERRA Mileniul III, Asociatia Pro Democratia Alexandria si Radio SEMNAL Alexandria le transmit cu ingrijorare inainte de intalnirea din 8 septembrie de la Turnu Magurele.

Taking Action for Animals will offer a varied and dynamic program in complimentary tracks. On Day One panels and keynote speakers will address a future vision for our movement showcasing successful campaigns and setting an agenda for the future of animal protection. Day Two will build upon the lessons of the first day with specific skills training. Leaders of the animal protection movement and experienced campaigners will address the conference alongside external professionals and visionaries from other social justice movements and those providing services and support for the non profit sector.

More: [url=http://www.takingactionforanimals.com?www.takingactionforanimals.com[/url]

De asemenea, zona intra sub incidenta Conventiei Internationale Ramsar privind protectia zonelor umede.

Presedintele Comisiei Europene, Romano Prodi, si Comisarul pentru Relatii Externe, Chris Patten, si-au exprimat deja ingrijorarea in acest sens la ultimul Summit UE ? Ucraina, desfasurat pe 8 iulie a.c.. Cei doi oficiali s-au aratat preocupati si de lipsa unei evaluari complete a impactului asupra mediului inconjurator, care ar fi trebuit realizata pentru proiectul de constructie. Ca urmare, Comisia a solicitat Ucrainei sa opreasca lucrarile pana la realizarea unei evaluari complete. Preocuparea in legatura cu acest proiect a fost exprimata si in scris, de doua ori, de catre Comisarul pentru Mediu Margot Wallstrom, cat si cu ocazia recentei intalniri a Ministrilor de Externe, desfasurata in cadrul Procesului de Cooperare Dunareana, la Bucuresti.
Comisia Europeana isi reafirma pozitia si spera ca Guvernul Ucrainei sa-si confirme intentia de a nu continua derularea proiectului in absenta unei evaluari complete a impactului asupra mediului inconjurator, realizata la standarde internationale, care sa includa consultarea adecvata a opiniei publice, precum si o evaluare a impactului trans-frontalier.

Albumul, editat cu sustinerea Comisiei Uniunii Europene, prin REC-Moldova, in baza colectiei "Natura", contine 144 pagini. Prezentam prefata autorului si ilustram prima si ultima pagina a revistei "Natura" cu imagini din "Moldova Pitoreasca". Vom reveni la album în septembrie, prezentând imagini din patrimoniul si bogatia Moldovei.

Un pamant blagoslovit de Dumnezeu

Pastrez în suflet, vii si curate, frumusetile Patriei mici de acum aproape 5 decenii. Pe atunci buldozerele înca nu trecusera peste câmpiile, dealurile si imasurile îmbracate în matasurile diafane ale primaverii. Pamântul copilariei mai pastra respiratia de la începuturile genezei si toate erau înca foarte aproape de ceea ce crease Dumnezeu: si râul, si dealurile, si câmpiile. Distrugerile masive si agresive au început la bastina mea în anii 70, când Dunarea urma sa fie mânata în sus, pe Cogâlnic, pâna la Nisporeni. Tata visa cu voce tare: pe lânga gradina noastra vor trece vapoarele si apa fluviului va face minuni. Iar eu, în imaginatia mea de copil, vedeam cum valurile Dunarii loveau usurel în pragul casei parintesti.

Dar pofta omeneasca de-a îngenunchea natura a fost fatala si toate au mers pe dos. Cogâlnicul a fost scos din albia lui fireasca si îndreptat cu rigla, bulboanele si izvoarele s-au retras si au disparut definitiv, iar în câtiva ani râul copilariei mele a murit. Secetele au pus stapânire peste mosia satului nostru. Din peisajul transfigurat viata s-a retras treptat si imasurile fertile s-au umplut cu sare. Un fir de apa amaruie si tulbure, adunat între maluri artificiale, e cam tot ce a mai ramas din Cogâlnicul de odinioara. Din pacate, soarta bastinei mele este identica cu soarta Moldovei. Din cartea sfânta a naturii, în a doua jumatate a secolului XX, regimul sovietic a rupt cele mai frumoase file si le-a ars definitiv sau le-a aruncat la deseuri. Locuri si peisaje de un pitoresc fermecator au fost mutilate si transformate în complexe animaliere sau în mormane uriase de molozuri, dealurile preschimbate în terase s-au urnit din loc si au alunecat la vale cu tot cu sate si cimitire, solurile cele mai fertile din Europa au ajuns secatuite si lipsite de vlaga, lacurile pline cu peste s-au transformat în ape moarte, iar Nistrul si Prutul mai continua si astazi sa serpuiasca ranite pe harta Moldovei.

Şi totusi… peisajele si locurile cele mai inaccesibile au supravietuit ofensivei economiei sovietice. Dupa proclamarea independentei, R. Moldova orientându-se la tarile europene si-a schimbat atitudinea fata de mediul înconjurator, a luat sub protectia statului cele mai reprezentative landsafturi si monumente ale naturii, care au supravietuit, extinzându-si ariile protejate de la 0,5 procente pâna la 1,96 din teritoriul national. Comunitatea mondiala a întins o mâna de ajutor R. Moldova pentru a reface echilibrul ecologic si a conserva patrimoniul natural si cultural. Imaginile culese din locurile pitoresti si de suflet, adunate în albumul fotografic vin sa ne spuna ca avem ce proteja si cu ce ne mândri în fata lumii si a Europei. De la Palanca pâna la Criva, de la Naslavcea pâna la Abaclia, din Valea Rautului si pâna la Cetatea Alba, cartea sacra a naturii începe sa-si reîntoarca monumentele pângarite, peisajele, flora si fauna, izvoarele si dumbravile seculare. Avem o datorie istorica sa aparam ca lumina ochilor aceasta mostenire si s-o transmitem viitorului.

Atingându-te de albumul MOLDOVA PITOREASCĂ, poarta-ti vazul peste chipul naturii si asculta cum se naste firul de iarba, cum se desface floarea si cum se împrastie generoasa lumina din orice rasarit de soare peste casa si pamântul tau. Prin dragoste si fapte, contribuie si tu ca aceasta simfonie divina sa nu-si piarda din miracolul si eternitatea ei pe un pamânt blagoslovit de Dumnezeu.

Alecu RENIŢĂ
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As the shepherding group Earth Day Network points out, the relatively new holiday really makes a difference. "Earth Day broadens the base of support for environmental programs, rekindles public commitment and builds community activism around the world through a broad range of events and activities," concludes the organization.

This year’s theme is Protect Our Children and Our Future, and a number of events are planned to highlight the threats of air and water pollution, particularly in inner city communities. Kathleen Rogers, the president of Earth Day Network, explains, "While progress has been made, many of those problems still exist, especially among children, the poor and other vulnerable populations. On this important anniversary we are bringing people together to focus on those environmental concerns that threaten the environment our children are growing up in.

In fact, a lot has changed since more than 20 million people rallied around the first Earth Day in 1970. Many environmentalists were deeply disappointed at their failure to get green issues seriously considered in the course of the heated 2004 national elections. And as E reports in our upcoming May/June 2005 cover story "Trashing the Greens," in 1992, according to Canada-based Environics Research Group, 17 percent of Americans agreed with the statement that pollution [is] necessary to preserve jobs, whereas in 2004, a whopping 29 percent agreed with it. Even more disturbing are the controversial conclusions of Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, who argue in their hotly debated essay The Death of Environmentalism that only a quarter to a third of the American people are now firmly in the environmental camp a dramatic drop from previous numbers.

What’s going on? E’s upcoming cover story will investigate many of the underlying forces that have conspired to push the environment essentially to the back burner of most Americans’ lives, even though they literally can’t live without it. Some of the chief suspects include systemic problems with the media and with our electoral politics, as well as the heightened effectiveness of ultra-right-wing foundations who are pushing a special interest agenda. But there are other forces at work as well.

Environmentalists are largely fighting a war of public opinion on two fronts, which is not an enviable position, as any general will tell you. On one hand is the age-old enemy of any social movement, regardless if it is right or left, religious or secular, or revolutionary or reactionary, and that is the demon apathy. It takes a lot of intellectual and emotional convincing to get someone to change a behavior. In today’s world that often means people consume a lot of unnecessary and dirty products and services when better designed, more environmentally friendly options are readily available, from wind power over coal burning to high-tech hybrid cars over gas-guzzling behemoths to recycled-content toilet paper over the same product made from virgin fiber.

Let’s face it, in its history, the environmental movement has seen the biggest gains in support after big disasters and outrageous ?trocities, from the Exxon Valdez spill to rivers catching on fire and nuclear meltdowns. These big events can shock people into making a difference, but they shouldn’t be the only impetus.

The other front is the ongoing "culture war," in which the recently emboldened conservative power brokers in this country are leading a new crusade of anti-environmentalism. Whether it is motivated by a particular strain of religious zeal or pure pocketbook selfishness, big business and its allies in the Republican Party are working hard to roll back environmental protections and progress. At the grassroots, many people are not hearing the green message and fall in line with their peer groups, which take their cues from community leaders and on up the hierarchy to the White House, which is one of the most anti-environmental administrations in history.

Those waging a cultural backlash against environmentalism unfairly exploit the vagaries of scientific uncertainty and the complexity and perceived subtlety of today’s environmental problems. For instance, Ross Gelbspan recently wrote in Mother Jones that as a direct result of highly coordinated public relations efforts on global warming, "The press accorded the same weight to the industry-funded skeptics as it did to mainstream scientists, creating an enduring confusion in the public mind."

Thus, special interests can appeal to apathy and work to head off any discussion of sensible changes to address the threat of climate change by continually harping on over-inflated charges that the "scientific jury" is still out, when actually, "What we know about the climate comes from the largest and most rigorously peer-reviewed scientific collaboration in history–the findings of more than 2,000 scientists from 100 countries reporting to the United Nations as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change," as Gelbspan writes.

Similarly, naysayers of the environmental movement like to point out that the U.S.’s air and water are cleaner than they have been in decades, and that there are more trees. First, that speaks to the effectiveness of environmentalism. Second, while there may be more trees than 100 years ago in much of the country, there aren’t more virgin stands of timber, and any ecologist will tell you that you therefore are talking about very different ecosystems that have their own needs and "values." Further, as Shellenberger puts it, Thirty or 40 years ago the environmental problems were cleaning up the air and water, very straightforward and simple to deal with But now were talking about mass extinction, global warming, an oceans crisis In other words, just because the air and water may be cleaner by some measures doesn’t mean other threats aren’t on the horizon.

Earth Day Network helps coordinate more than 12,000 organizations in 174 countries, leading to a highly diverse range of local events and festivities each year. For example, this Earth Day will feature an historic environmental rally in Kiev, Ukraine, where leaders of the new democratic government will address more than 250,000 citizens. There will be actions in China and South America, and a conference on water issues in the Middle East.

In the U.S., a tremendous range of activities are planned. Take Austin, Texas, for instance, which has no fewer than 12 Earth Day 2005 events listed on Earth Day Network’s online calendar. More than 1,000 Austin volunteers are expected to help remove invasive species, pick up trash, build trails, plant native plants and more. If that sounds too strenuous, consider dining al fresco with The Progressive Potluckers, the Austin Parks Foundation and members of the AustinEcoNetwork Eat, Drink and Be Earthy. At this decidedly "low key" event, kite flying, Frisbee throwing, swimming in springs and other fun activities are encouraged.

In Chicago, Friends of the Parks will be organizing volunteer efforts all around the Windy City. In San Francisco, there will be beach cleanups; a special event with folk musician Joni Mitchell (who’s song "Big?Yellow Taxi" helped energize the first Earth Day events in 1970); a "Wild, Wild Wetland Jam" that features wetland restoration activities, bird tours, entertainment, a community talent show, a dessert contest and games; and a day of "green" films, art installations, live music and other activities at the Sony Metreon complex.

The natural products retailer Whole Foods will be hosting composting workshops and other programs at many of its stores, and natural cosmetics and hair-care company Aveda will host highlights of its "April is Earth Month" campaign, during which the company is working to raise $1 million for conservation and collect 100,000 signatures to support the Endangered Species Act.

Getting involved with Earth Day is a cinch, and it’s fun. Some people consider the holiday to be a prime opportunity to display an Earth Flag (with the globe on a blue field) or other symbol of their patriotism in the human species as a whole and our critical role as stewards (whether we like it or not) of the global environment.

Hopefully, this Earth Day will provide an opportunity for people of all stripes to debate the issues, make positive changes, get organized and get to know the world around them a little better. Earth Day is for all of us, as well as for every living thing.

By Brian C. Howard

Din pacate, monumentele naturii si ariile naturale protejate de stat au nu numai prieteni, ci si adversari înraiti, care în fel si chip se straduiesc sa smulga totul de la natura fara sa le pese de viitorul copiilor si al nepotilor. Un exemplu elocvent în aceasta privinta îl ofera furtul de 64 de hectare din cadrul rezervatiei "Plaiul Fagului", un furt în favoarea kolhozului "Frunze" si legalizat prin Hotarârea Guvernului din 22.02.1993. Desi HG este contrara legislatiei de mediu si Conventiilor internationale ratificate de R. Moldova, pâna în prezent terenurile rupte de la rezervatia "Plaiul Fagului" continua sa aiba alti proprietari. Problema e veche, dar nu a gasit o solutie în favoarea statului, fiindca lumea cunoaste ca în spatele acestui rapt s-a aflat fostul presedinte de kolhoz, ex-deputatul Dumitru Paladi, care a stiut sa-si foloseasca relatiile pentru a obtine si a nu ceda cele 64 de hectare. Timp de 10 ani aceasta palma de pamânt, înfipta ca o sulita în adâncul rezervatiei, constituie un puternic factor de dezechilibru ecologic si o sursa puternica de poluare, care aduce prejudicii imense întregului areal protejat. De fapt, aceasta suprafata este singura poarta necontrolata, prin care se patrunde în rezervatie si se practica taierile ilicite, braconajul si distrugerea florei si faunei. Contrar legislatiei ecologice, proprietarii de terenuri folosesc chimicalele si diferite pesticide, care afecteaza considerabil arealul si pun în pericol de disparitie totala speciile rare incluse în Cartea Rosie a R. Moldova. În prezent, cineva din proprietari intentioneaza sa construiasca o întreprindere de prelucrare a produselor agricole, un depozit si alte "nastrusnicii", care vor pune în mare pericol viitorul rezervatiei "Plaiul Fagului". În octombrie 2003 un grup de 15 oameni de stiinta, academicieni, doctori în stiinta au adresat o "Scrisoare deschisa" dlor V. Voronin, E. Ostapciuc, V. Tarlev dar… nici o reactie la propunerile savantilor de a readuce legea în capul mesei.
Evident, o asemenea stare de lucruri, când o fâsie de pamânt agricol ajunge în inima rezervatiei, nu mai poate fi tolerata. "Plaiul Fagului" este un areal de o importanta nationala si europeana, în care vietuiesc un numar mare de specii incluse în Cartea Rosie. Este necesar, ca în conformitate cu legislatia ecologica, cele 64 de ha sa fie reîntoarse rezervatiei "Plaiul Fagului", iar proprietarii de terenuri sa fie despagubiti ca victime ale unor jocuri de culise ale ex-deputatului Dumitru Paladi. Consideram ca conducerea serviciului de stat "Moldsilva", Academia de Ştiinte, Autoritatea Centrala de Mediu, ONG-urile de mediu au prea multe argumente ca sa convinga Guvernul sa abroge HG nr. 23 din 22.02.1993 si, în interes national, sa reîntoarca rezervatiei "Plaiul Fagului" terenurile luate nelegitim.

Pâna la 15 septembrie asteptam eseurile si povestioarele dvs. despre locurile pe care le-ati vizitat. Textele nu trebuie sa depaseasca 2 pagini A4. Vor fi acordate trei premii mari si trei mentiuni. Autorii celor mai bune texte vor primi ? diplome, abonamente gratuite la revista ?Natura?, un set din recentele afise editate de Miscarea Ecologista din Moldova, o mini-biblioteca cu opere ale clasicilor români, o mini-biblioteca de literatura ecologica.

New York, California, and 10 other states have joined forces with Greenpeace and other advocacy groups in arguing that the federal Clean Air Act gives the EPA the authority to regulate any air pollutant–including carbon dioxide–that may hurt public health or welfare.

While EPA officials have acknowledged the risks of global warming, they maintain that their agency does not regulate greenhouse gas emissions because Congress has not granted it such authority under the Clean Air Act.

Meanwhile, the court will also hear arguments from 10 other states, most notably Michigan where the automakers are headquartered, who say the EPA should stay out of the carbon dioxide regulation business, citing concerns about increased regulation leading to higher prices for automo?iles.
According to analysts watching the case, a decision from the court either turning the regulation of greenhouse gases over to the EPA or ruling in favor of the status quo could take several months.

Reporting by Roddy Schee