The past decade has seen resurgence in interest in gathering wild plants and fungi in cities. In addition to gathering by individuals, dozens of groups have emerged in U.S., Canadian, and European cities to facilitate access to nontimber forest products (NTFPs), particularly fruits and nuts, in public and private spaces. Recent efforts within cities to encourage public orchards and food forests, and to incorporate more fruit and nut trees into street tree planting programs indicate a growing recognition among planners that gathering is an important urban activity.

In spring and summer of 2010 and 2011, sawmill production capacity and wood utilization information was collected from major wood manufacturers in southeast Alaska. The estimated mill capacity in southeast Alaska for calendar year (CY) 2009 was 249,350 thousand board feet (mbf) (log scale), and for CY 2010 was 155,850 mbf (log scale), including idle sawmills. Mill consumption in CY 2009 was estimated at 13,422 mbf (log scale), and for CY 2010 was 15,807 mbf (log scale). Wood products manufacturing employment in southeast Alaska increased from 57.5 full-time equivalent positions in 2009 to 63.5 in 2010 despite the loss of 23,500 mbf of capacity in two sawmills owing to fires, the decommissioning of one large sawmill (65,000 mbf), and equipment sales at two small mills (5,000 mbf).

This report documents the results from the first “5-year” round of understory responses to the Tongass-Wide Young-Growth Studies (TWYGS) treatments, especially in relation to their effects on food resources for black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis). Responses of understory vegetation to precommercial silviculture experiments after their first 4 to 8 years posttreatment were analyzed with the Forage Resource Evaluation System for Habitat (FRESH)-Deer model. The studies were conducted in western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)-Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) young-growth forests in southeast Alaska. All four TWYGS experiments were studied: (I) planting of red alder (Alnus rubra) within 1- to 5-year-old stands; (II) precommercial thinning at narrow and wide spacings (549 and 331 trees per hectare, respectively) in 15- to 25-year-old stands; (III) precommercial thinning at medium spacing (420 trees per hectare) with and without pruning in 25- to 35-yearold stands; and (IV) precommercial thinning at wide spacing (203 trees per hectare) with and without slash treatment versus thinning by girdling in >35-year-old stands. All experiments also included untreated control stands of identical age. FRESHDeer was used to evaluate the implications for deer habitat in terms of forage resources (species-specific biomass, digestible protein, and digestible dry matter) relative to deer metabolic requirements in summer (at two levels of requirements—maintenance only vs. lactation) and in winter (at six levels of snow depth).

This report is a compilation of six briefing papers based on literature reviews and syntheses, prepared for U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service policy analysts and decisionmakers about specific questions pertaining to climate change.

"Essential travel does not include visits to second homes, camp sites, caravan parks or similar"

Carbon storage and flux estimates for the two national forests in Alaska are provided using inventory data from permanent plots established in 1995–2003 and remeasured in 2004–2010. Estimates of change are reported separately for growth, sapling recruitment, harvest, mortality, snag recruitment, salvage, snag falldown, and decay. Although overall aboveground carbon mass in live trees did not change in the Tongass National Forest, the Chugach National Forest showed a 4.5 percent increase. For the Tongass National Forest, results differed substantially for managed and unmanaged forest: managed lands had higher per-acre rates of sequestration through growth and recruitment, and carbon stores per acre that were higher for decomposing downed wood, and lower for live trees and snags. The species composition of carbon stores is changing on managed lands, with a carbon mass loss for yellow-cedar but increases for red alder and Sitka spruce. On unmanaged lands, the Chugach National forest had carbon mass increases in Sitka spruce and white spruce, and the Tongass National Forest had increases in western redcedar and red alder.

Sitka, Alaska, has substantial hydroelectric resources, limited driving distances, and a conservation-minded community, all suggesting strong opportunities for achieving a low community carbon footprint.

This assessment evaluates the effects of future climate change on a select set of ecological systems and ecosystem services in Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula and Chugach National Forest regions. The focus of the assessment was established during a multi-agency/organization workshop that established the goal to conduct a rigorous evaluation of a limited range of topics rather than produce a broad overview.

Coal is the primary fuel source for electrical power generation in interior Alaska, with more than 600,000 tons burned annually at five different power plants. Woody biomass could be used as part of this fuel mix, offering potential environmental and economic benefits. In this research, debarked chips were cofired with locally mined coal at the Aurora Power Plant facility in downtown Fairbanks, Alaska. During two days of testing, aspen chips were successfully cofired with coal at average rates of 2.4 percent and 4.8 percent of total energy value. Combustion gases were analyzed during combustion of 100- percent coal, as well as at two different blends with aspen chips, for levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxygen, and nitrogen compounds. Carbon monoxide was suggested as the combustion gas most influenced by changes in woody biomass blend rate. The potential logistic and operational challenges when cofiring were also observed. Cofiring biomass at low levels in grate-combustion systems could be performed with relative ease, with only minor impacts on plant operations, including fuel storage, handling, and performance.

Forest managers are seeking practical guidance on how to adapt their current practices and, if necessary, their management goals, in response to climate change. Science-management collaboration was initiated on national forests in eastern Washington where resource managers showed a keen interest in science-based options for adapting to climate change at a 2-day workshop. Scientists and managers reviewed current climate change science and identified resources vulnerable to expected climate change. Vulnerabilities related to vegetation and habitat management included potential reductions in forest biodiversity and low forest resilience to changing disturbance regimes. The vulnerabilities related to aquatic and infrastructure resources included changing water quality and quantity, the risk to roads and other facilities from changes to hydrologic regimes, and the potential loss of at-risk aquatic species and habitats. Managers then worked in facilitated groups to identify adaptations that could be implemented through management and planning to reduce the vulnerability of key resources to climate change. The identified adaptations were grouped under two major headings: Increasing Ecological Resiliency to Climate Change, and Increasing Social and Economic Resiliency to Climate Change. The information generated from the science-management collaborative represents an initial and important step in identifying and prioritizing tangible steps to address climate change in forest management. Next would be the development of detailed implementation strategies that address the identified management adaptations..

Piers Morgan has given an update on GMB host Kate's husband Derek Draper who is battling coronavirus

The first phase of the multi million pound development in Durham city is under way and is expected to take 18 months to complete

Home Bargains says it is taking steps to ensure the safety of shoppers and staff just days after an incident at the store in South Shields

Garden lovers are welcoming new contactless delivery service from Southdene Nursery in Low Fell

Gateshead Rugby Football Club members swap Bank Holiday festival plans for a 554-mile fund-raising 'journey' to London and back

Within three days, 189 North East schoolchldren responded to an invitation to join a virtual singalong and this is the heartwarming result

Former Manchester United defender and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has given his opinion on the takeover at Newcastle

Once again we've doubled up on CONSULTANT TIPS at ALL ACCESS to help you steer your way through the not-even-close-to-normal world that we continue to operate in. This week MC MEDIA … more

SIDE COMMUNICATIONS WJJC/COMMERCE, GA has re-branded as "WHISPERIN' 95.1" to honor COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME member BILL ANDERSON, who was the first disc jockey for the classic … more

ALL ACCESS extends congratulations to BLACK RIVER ENTERTAINMENT artist ABBY ANDERSON, who got engaged to her longtime boyfriend, TYLER GRAHAM, last SATURDAY (5/2).  GRAHAM proposed to … more

SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING has signed singer/songwriter GABBY BARRETT to a global publishing administration deal, hot on the heels of her first #1 single, “I Hope,” on her WARNER … more

SAGA COMMUNICATIONS first quarter net revenue fell year-to-year from $27.8 million to $26.1 million but net income rose from $1.4 million to $1.7 million for the quarter. Gross political … more

iHEARTMEDIA's Board of Directors has approved its own poison-pill provision in the form of a "short-term stockholder rights plan" that would deter a third party from taking … more

The RADIO ADVERTISING BUREAU's next webinar in its "Business Unusual" program's "Open for Business" series, “Creating Audience Engagement,” will … more

Leading music and film organizations today sent a new letter to leaders of CONGRESS that highlights how they believe the implementation of the CARES Act has fallen short. The organizations … more

Aiken have today shared details about the future of the gigs, which featured Tom Jones, Sinead O'Connor, The National and Fontaines DC

Top class European football is set to return to our TV screens

The INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE PHONOGRAPHIC INDUSTRY's (IFPI) "Global Music Report 2020" states the global recorded music industry generated $20.2 billion in wholesale … more

DAVIS BROADCASTING Urban WFXE (FOXIE 105)/COLUMBUS GA will honor the COLUMBUS area High School Class of 2020. GM GENIECE GRANVILLE said, “Knowing that the Class of 2020 was facing a … more

The CLEVELAND INDIANS' 22-game winning streak in 2017 will get a replay on 22 straight nights starting MONDAY (5/4) on iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock WMMS/CLEVELAND and some of the INDIANS' … more

So legendary QUEEN guitarist BRIAN MAY, known for being very active on INSTAGRAM, revealed, "Reality check! For me. No - the Virus didn’t get me yet - thank God. Hope you’re … more

ALL ACCESS has learned that longtime LOS ANGELES radio executive GARY PRICE passed away on TUESDAY, MAY 5th.  PRICE was the GM for SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA stations KHJ, KROQ, KDAY, and KNAC … more

Best known for inventing the game of Life, John H. Conway is adept at finding the theorems hidden in simple puzzles

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Gamer Style is a media focused in covering the scope of the video game and film industries; aimed to achieve the highest prestige as an official source of information, opinion and original content.Gamer Style’s staff is integrated by passionate, committed...

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht oversees the conservation, preservation, protection and presentation of Ireland’s heritage and cultural assets. Our goals are to promote and protect Ireland’s heritage and culture, to advance the use of the Irish language,...

A non-profit anti-bullying website designed by Dean Voss, Wildstylez Website Design Studio. The modern, upscale design puts a positive spin on the bullying epidemic by offering events, services and programs for children, teens, adults and schools.

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 17, 2020 – By issuing a final rule requiring large, graphic health warnings on cigarette packs and advertising, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today has taken a critical and long-overdue step forward in the nation’s battle...

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 1, 2020 – After years of harmful delays by the FDA, a federal judge last July set a May 12, 2020, deadline for e-cigarette manufacturers to apply to the FDA and demonstrate a public health benefit in order to keep their products...

WASHINGTON, D.C., 1 de abril del 2020 – Después de años de demoras perjudiciales por parte de la FDA, en julio del año pasado un juez federal estableció como fecha límite el 12 de mayo del 2020 para que los fabricantes de cigarrillos electrónicos...

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule that threatens to undermine the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. The American Lung Association, Allergy & Asthma Network, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, American...

DALLAS, 2 de abril del 2020 – La American Heart Association, la organización voluntaria líder mundial dedicada a un mundo con vidas más duraderas y saludables, anunció hoy que se otorgarán más de $14 millones en becas de investigación científica a cuatro...

WASHINGTON, D. C., 3 de abril del 2020— Hoy, más de 200 organizaciones de protección de pacientes, médicas y de salud pública enviaron una carta a altos funcionarios de la administración de Donald Trump, en la cual se apela a la Administración para que...

Research Highlights: Young adults using e-cigarettes experienced arterial stiffness and blood vessel damage similar to those who smoke traditional cigarettes. There was no evidence that using e-cigarettes reduced the cardiovascular injury associated...

Puntos destacados de la investigación: En un estudio de más de 37 000 estadounidenses, aquellos que comieron la mayor cantidad de proteína vegetal tenían un 29% menos de probabilidades de morir de una enfermedad coronaria. Sustituir una porción por...