By Linda Sieg and Ruairidh Villar SAGAMIHARA, Japan (Reuters) – When Masayoshi Matsumoto joined the Japanese army in 1943 and was sent to occupied China as a medic, he thought he was taking part in a righteous war to free Asia from the yoke of Western imperialism. Seven decades later, the 91-year-old retired Christian pastor says it’s his mission to speak out about the injustice of the war and the sufferings of women, mostly Asian and many Korean, forced to work in Japanese wartime military brothels. “I feel like a war criminal. …

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/fit-nature-us-evolutions-2-way-street-154100418.html

More than half the wildlife species found in our islands are declining, under an assault of development, air pollution and chemical attack. Bumblebees, wildflowers, songbirds and butterflies are among the more obvious casualties.

Perhaps even more troubling than freefall declines in red squirrels, harbour seals, hedgehogs, starlings and all the others, is the fact that the crisis facing the living fabric of our environment is hardly mentioned in politics. And not only have ministers recently turned their attention away from the protection of nature, they have presented efforts to protect it as the enemy of growth, development and business.

George Osborne’s claim that laws to protect rare species are a ‘ridiculous burden on business’, Owen Paterson’s championing the cause of Bayer and Syngenta in opposing the moratorium on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides and Michael Gove’s attempts to downgrade education about our relationship with the natural environment are recent cases in point. With this in mind we can confidently guess that the government’s on-going review of EU environmental laws is not intended to strengthen the protection of nature in these islands.

And when it comes to how we approach specific decisions that affect the natural environment, it seems we must doubt the extent to which we can rely on evidence-based policy. Today, policy-based evidence gathering is more common, seen for example in the proposed cull of badgers. And so-called Zombie infrastructure schemes, such as the proposed M4 motorway extension across the Gwent Levels, killed more than a decade ago because of its unacceptable environmental cost, are now back on the agenda.

All of this is predicated on the idea that looking after nature is somehow against the interests of people and the economy. It would be sad, rather than bad, if they actually had a point, but the evidence says the opposite. Material presented in the UK National Ecosystem Assessment, a major study commissioned by government, is a good place to start.

Among many other things, this comprehensive stock-take of nature in our islands found the benefits derived from improved river water quality (mostly down to EU rules) were found to be about £1.1 billion per year, while the value of coastal protection provided by wetlands was estimated to be about £1.5 billion per year.

The amenity value of inland wetlands added a further £1.3 billion per year. Upland peat bogs were assigned multi-million pound value, seen in their contribution to flood risk reduction, water purification and huge carbon storage. The 2012 report of the Independent Panel on Forestry (established in the aftermath of doomed forestry privatization proposals) found that the value of the publicly-owned forestry estate in England was about £400 million per year, delivered on the back of an investment of £20 million. All these values have conservation benefits too.

As politics has gone into reverse on conservation, there are glimpses of good news, in the work of The Wildlife Trusts, RSPB and other conservation groups behind the State of Nature report, who through practical work on the ground support nature’s recovery and help people deepen their contact with it, and in ways that leaves us all the better for it, including economically.

But the positive impact is being overwhelmed, as nature is sucked into an ideological vortex based on a fundamental lack of understanding of our dependence on it. The deeply misjudged anti-nature narrative that has become embedded in political discourse is hard to fathom. Not only is it unscientific it is hard to see whom it is meant to appeal to. It’s certainly not progressive and forward-thinking companies.

Most ministers lack any serious scientific education, but perhaps they could at least use their classical training to compile the Latin names of the species declining on their watch.

• Tony Juniper is a campaigner, writer and environmental advisor. His latest book, What has nature ever done for us?, is published by Profile Books.

Article source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/22/nature-uk-politics-wildlife

BALLWIN, Mo. — Thirty volunteers from Greater St. Louis grabbed a shovel, wiped the sweat from their brows on a humid Missouri Sunday and gave something back that generations will value decades from now. Such was the teamwork to help restore native forests emanating from a partnership between The PGA of America, Lexmark International Inc., The Nature Conservancy Missouri, The Monsanto Company and St. Louis County Parks.

Together, the participants planted more than 200 native bottomland trees and shrubs to offset the impact of printing and paper products generated for the 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, May 21-26, at Bellerive Country Club. The environmental project is part of The PGA of America’s commitment to benefit the host communities that support its Championships. The PGA and Lexmark partnered for a similar event prior to the 2012 Ryder Cup near Chicago, by planting 50 large trees. The teamwork will continue in August prior to the 95th PGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y.

“This project is especially important to us because the plantings are alongside a freshwater stream, which ultimately flows into the Meramec River,” said Betsy LePoidevin, associate director of philanthropy for The Nature Conservancy Missouri. “It’s benefiting the health of an entire community. It’s not just about nature for nature’s sake. It’s about people getting fresh drinking water. It’s about people getting educated about the environment that affects them. This simply is not just a tree planting, or The Nature Conservancy would not be a part of it. It goes far beyond that, to benefit an entire community.”

The tree planting featured Gateway PGA Section President Joe Schwent of St. Charles, Mo., representing the 324 members of the Section. Schwent was joined by his wife, Laura, in the volunteer corps. “I was honored to be part of this event; nothing but good things going on all day,” said Schwent. “This is one great example to how we all can give something back to the environment, the community.”

The roots of the new trees in Queeny Park serve as a filtering system for ground water, and help prevent a clogging of the banks. “This tiny stream system will lead into the Meramec River and provide 250,000 individuals with drinking water in St. Louis County. It’s a small part, but you have to start somewhere. It will magnify positive effects for so many.”

Tom Ott of Spanish Lake, Mo., acting director of St. Louis County Parks, said the partnership helps enhance the ongoing campaign to benefit what he calls “one of our jewels of the country.” Edgar M. Queeny Park opened in 1974 and is named after the famed industrial-conservationist Edgar Monsanto Queeny. It is a 570-acre site and one of 70 similar sites encompassing 12,700 acres that are managed by St. Louis County Parks.

“It is great to see this partnership develop and help those who want to make the most of this park and many more like this,” said Ott. “The trees and shrubs planted today will help us eradicate bush honeysuckle, which grows like wildfire and doesn’t give anything else below a chance to grow under a tree canopy.”

The volunteers ranged in age from 9 to over 50, and were guided on proper planting methods by Angie Webber of Crestwood, Mo., community conservation planner for the Missouri Department of Conservation. “An event like this is so important today, considering the limited resources that state and governments are able to supply,” said Webber. “It is so important for volunteer support.”

Lexmark International, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., is the Official Printing Technology Provider of The PGA of America. Lexmark also is a founding member of The Nature Conservancy’s Corporate Sustainability Council.

“We had a great day and some outstanding support from those in the St. Louis area,” said Lee Ann Disponett, Lexmark’s global sustainability analyst. “We are encouraged by the effort being demonstrated in all host communities, beginning near Chicago last fall during the Ryder Cup and here. The Boys and Girls Club of America helped form our team prior to the Ryder Cup, and it was fun to see some youngsters on the team today. It all sets a great example.”

About The PGA of AmericaSince its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multi-billion dollar golf industry. By creating and delivering world-class championships and innovative programs, The PGA of America elevates the public’s interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. As The PGA nears its centennial, the PGA brand represents the very best in golf.

Article source: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/pga-teams-nature-conservancy-lexmark-191652107--golf.html

Yesterday’s tornado in Moore, Oklahoma was said to be at least two miles wide – the biggest are about three miles wide. The accumulated debris at its heart, including cars, simply adds to the devastating force with which it smashes through everything in its path.

Their speed across the ground and the duration of the ‘touchdown’ are other factors in how widespread the devastation will be. In Moore, where residents were hit in 1999 by another major tornado, they say yesterday’s twister stayed on the ground for a long while and moved across it comparatively slowly – covering up to 12 miles and lingering for 40 minutes.

It was a category 4 storm, one below the highest rating, with winds up to 200 mph.

Moore sits at the heart of what is know as Tornado Alley, an area between the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian Mountains. It is ripe for the unstable conditions that spawn tornadoes – with cold, dry air from Canada and the Rockies meets warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico.

Dr Steven Godby, an expert in natural hazards at Nottingham Trent University, said: “The tornado that struck Moore County in the suburbs of Oklahoma City was at least a mile wide and the US National Weather Service has rated it at least an EF-4 event on the Enhanced Fujita scale with winds at least 166-200 mph, although the scale of the damage suggests it may be upgraded to an EF-5 tornado eventually. The tornado was on the ground for 40 minutes and caused catastrophic damage across a wide area with many buildings swept away to their foundations – a tornado warning was provided 16 minutes before it touched down. There are reports that debris was carried over 100 miles from Moore.

He added: “Moore County already has an unenviable tornado history – on 3 May 1999 an EF-5 tornado following a very similar path to Monday’s tore through Moore County killing 36 people and injuring 583.  That tornado was one of the costliest in US history causing losses estimated at $1.4 billion and one of only six tornadoes to have losses exceeding $1 billion dollars. Aside from the deaths and injuries, experts in the United States are already suggesting that the losses from Monday’s tornado may approach that of the Joplin tornado of 22 May 2011, which is the costliest tornado on record at $2.8 billion – that storm claimed 158 lives.

“Lessons were learned from the Joplin tornado of 2011, especially in conveying to the public the sense of urgency needed to take life-saving action once a tornado warning is issued such as taking shelter in a basement or storm cellar. News reports are suggesting that many of the residential structures in the affected area did not have basements where people could have taken shelter.”

The website livescience.com asked in an article only last week: Is tornado intensity increasing?

“Global warming is making wet places wetter and dry places drier, and creating moisture-laden air that fuels hurricanes and snowstorms, making them much worse than they otherwise would be in a climate unchanged by human behaviours,” it reported.

But the position was less clear for tornadoes, said the article. “Climate change apparently affects the two major factors influencing tornadoes – energy and wind shear – in completely opposite ways.”

The article quoted Michael Wehner, a scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, saying: “With tornadoes, what we don’t know is as much as what we do know.”

He added: “We need bigger computers, and better models. But what we really need is time. We don’t yet have an answer. But, that doesn’t mean we aren’t thinking about it.”

Article source: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/natures-killer-fury-what-makes-a-tornado-8624896.html

About 150 students from 24 Northern California schools gathered Saturday at Sacramento State for the 29th annual Nature Bowl competition.

The environment-focused competition included a “Jeopardy”-style nature quiz, relay races and individual presentations.

“The kids are becoming stewards of our environment,” said Bruce Forman, a naturalist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the event sponsor. “This shows the kids that they, too, can make a difference in conservation.”

Dylan Ek, a third-grader from Lake Forest Elementary School in El Dorado Hills, was munching on a burrito after a long morning of competitions.

“It’s hard to hold onto your knowledge when you’re under pressure,” the 10-year-old said, relieved that he was done for the day.

The Nature Bowl is broken down into two divisions – one with third- and fourth-graders and the other with fifth- and sixth-graders. Students work in teams of three to seven children.

Even at the elementary level, the questions are challenging. At one “Jeopardy” session, Forman asked, “What is the origin of energy that drives the water cycle?”

The contestants huddled together discussing the answer before one shouted, “The sun.”

Parent Dale Cox said the competition got his daughter Madeline, 9, to “think on her feet.”

During the infomercial, where the kids are asked to make a 60-second pitch about an environmental issue, Madeline discussed the choice between paper and plastic bags at grocery stores.

“The answer is: None of them, bring your own bag,” she said.

Madeline has applied what she learned by making a special tag to put in the Cox family car reminding them to bring bags to the store.

Saturday’s contest was the culmination of three months of work, Forman said. The students had to conduct original research and study vocabulary terms extensively.

Workshops at the first of the year outlined the program, and eight regional semifinals occurred before the California State University, Sacramento, event.

According to Fish and Wildlife, the competitive aspect of the bowl is downplayed so that all students enjoy the activities, which are aligned with the state’s science standards.

In the 29 years Forman has organized the Nature Bowl, he said, the focus has shifted from international issues to local environmental problems, such as water, pollution and recycling.

“This is about getting involved and being good stewards of the environment,” Forman said.

For information on the Nature Bowl, go to www.dfg.ca .gov/regions/2/naturebowl.

Call The Bee’s Richard Chang, (916) 321-1018. Follow him on Twitter @RichardYChang.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

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Article source: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/19/5431444/elementary-students-gather-at.html

About 150 students from 24 Northern California schools gathered Saturday at Sacramento State for the 29th annual Nature Bowl competition.

The environment-focused competition included a “Jeopardy”-style nature quiz, relay races and individual presentations.

“The kids are becoming stewards of our environment,” said Bruce Forman, a naturalist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the event sponsor. “This shows the kids that they, too, can make a difference in conservation.”

Dylan Ek, a third-grader from Lake Forest Elementary School in El Dorado Hills, was munching on a burrito after a long morning of competitions.

“It’s hard to hold onto your knowledge when you’re under pressure,” the 10-year-old said, relieved that he was done for the day.

The Nature Bowl is broken down into two divisions – one with third- and fourth-graders and the other with fifth- and sixth-graders. Students work in teams of three to seven children.

Even at the elementary level, the questions are challenging. At one “Jeopardy” session, Forman asked, “What is the origin of energy that drives the water cycle?”

The contestants huddled together discussing the answer before one shouted, “The sun.”

Parent Dale Cox said the competition got his daughter Madeline, 9, to “think on her feet.”

During the infomercial, where the kids are asked to make a 60-second pitch about an environmental issue, Madeline discussed the choice between paper and plastic bags at grocery stores.

“The answer is: None of them, bring your own bag,” she said.

Madeline has applied what she learned by making a special tag to put in the Cox family car reminding them to bring bags to the store.

Saturday’s contest was the culmination of three months of work, Forman said. The students had to conduct original research and study vocabulary terms extensively.

Workshops at the first of the year outlined the program, and eight regional semifinals occurred before the California State University, Sacramento, event.

According to Fish and Wildlife, the competitive aspect of the bowl is downplayed so that all students enjoy the activities, which are aligned with the state’s science standards.

In the 29 years Forman has organized the Nature Bowl, he said, the focus has shifted from international issues to local environmental problems, such as water, pollution and recycling.

“This is about getting involved and being good stewards of the environment,” Forman said.

For information on the Nature Bowl, go to www.dfg.ca .gov/regions/2/naturebowl.

Call The Bee’s Richard Chang, (916) 321-1018. Follow him on Twitter @RichardYChang.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

• Read more articles by Richard Chang

Order Reprint

Article source: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/19/5431444/elementary-students-gather-at.html

SAN FRANCISCO, May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — In what could be coined a natural fit, Draftfcb San Francisco has been awarded the creative account for the California arm of The Nature Conservancy, the world’s leading conservation organization working to protect the environment.

Three other undisclosed agencies participated in the pitch, which marks the first time the California branch of The Nature Conservancy has enlisted a marketing communications agency partner.

According to Jordan Peavey, director of marketing at The Nature Conservancy, California, “The team at Draftfcb lives and breathes our mission and understands our vision to make our work in California a model for innovative conservation worldwide.”

The agency will develop messages that articulate why the work of The Nature Conservancy is critical in California, and then create a compelling and highly differentiating external marketing campaign designed to motivate the Conservancy’s target audience to help the organization achieve its mission.

The Conservancy, in partnership with industry, governments and communities, works to create economically and environmentally sustainable solutions for people and nature. Throughout California, The Nature Conservancy is involved in finding solutions for the state’s most pressing environmental challenges, which include how we respond to the impacts of climate change; how we ensure safe, reliable water for cities and farms; and how we meet the energy demands of a growing population with renewable sources.

“We are thrilled to have been chosen for this important job. It’s a big deal for us as Californians because the stakes are so high for our state,” said Dominic Whittles, president of Draftfcb San Francisco.  “The Conservancy exists to ensure that people prosper while protecting the lands and waters that sustain all life. Helping them achieve their mission is a huge responsibility, one we take very seriously.”

About Draftfcb

With an equal focus on creativity and accountability, Draftfcb is committed to producing brilliant ideas that change consumer behavior. As a global, fully integrated marketing communications agency operating against a single PL, Draftfcb provides clients with highly collaborative, channel-neutral thinking that delivers engagement and, most importantly, action. With nearly 140 years of combined expertise, Draftfcb has roots in both consumer advertising and behavioral, data-driven direct marketing. The Draftfcb network spans 150 offices in 90 countries and employs nearly 9,000 people. The agency is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG). For more information, visit www.draftfcb.com.

Article source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nature-conservancy-california-awards-marketing-175200263.html