Polar Bears

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HISTORY POLAR BEARS

We can find polar bear near the arctic circle in the north which is better know as the nole pole which consists of areas of Alaska, canada Green land;you also find them near the south pole that is the Antartica cirlcle
you find them in the tundra type of climate and they are fur coated so that hey can resist themselves and survive in the extreme conditions.

FOOD PREFERENCES AND RESOURCES

Polar bears feed mainly On Ringed and bearded seals.thet also eat harp and hooded seals and scavenge on carcasses of beluga whales,walruses,narwhals,and bowhead whales.

On some Occasion polar bears kill beluga whales and young walruses.when food is unavailable polar bears will eat just about any animals they can get including reindeer,small rodents,seadieds,waterfowl,fish,eggs,vegetations berries,and human garbage...........

Average life span of a polar bear

They live Upto 25 to 35 Years in the wild.

Polar bear ban defeated at UN conservation meeting

A U.S. backed proposal to ban the international trade of polar bear skins, teeth and claws was defeated Thursday at a U.N. wildlife meeting over concerns it would hurt indigenous economies and arguments the practice didn't pose a significant threat to the animals.

Rising sea levels set to have major impacts around the world

Research presented today at the International Scientific Congress on Climate Change in Copenhagen shows that the upper range of sea level rise by 2100 could be in the range of about one meter, or possibly more. In the lower end of the spectrum it looks increasingly unlikely that sea level rise will be much less than 50 cm by 2100. This means that if emissions of greenhouse gases is not reduced quickly and substantially, even the best case scenario will hit low lying coastal areas housing one in ten humans on the planet hard.
Dr John Church of the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia and the lead speaker in the sea level session, told the conference, "The most recent satellite and ground based observations show that sea-level rise is continuing to rise at 3 mm/yr or more since 1993, a rate well above the 20th century average. The oceans are continuing to warm and expand, the melting of mountain glacier has increased and the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica are also contributing to sea level rise."
New insights reported include the loss of ice from the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets. "The ice loss in Greenland has accelerated over the last decade. The upper range of sea level rise by 2100 might be above 1m or more on a global average, with large regional differences depending where the source of ice loss occurs", says Konrad Steffen, Director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado, Boulder and co-chair of the congress session on sea level rise.
The last assessment report from the IPCC from 2007 projected a sea level rise of 18 - 59 centimeter. However the report also clearly stated that not all factors contributing to sea level rise could be calculated at that time. The uncertainty was centered on the ice sheets, how they react to the effects of a warmer climate and how they interact with the oceans, explains Eric Rignot, Professor of Earth System Science at the University of California Irvine and Senior Research Scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
"The numbers from the last IPCC are a lower bound because it was recognized at the time that there was a lot of uncertainty about ice sheets. The numerical models used at the time did not have a complete representation of outlet glaciers and their interactions with the ocean. The results gathered in the last 2-3 years show that these are fundamental aspects that cannot be overlooked. As a result of the acceleration of outlet glaciers over large regions, the ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are already contributing more and faster to sea level rise than anticipated. If this trend continues, we are likely to witness sea level rise one meter or more by year 2100", he says.
"Unless we undertake urgent and significant mitigation actions, the climate could cross a threshold during the 21st century committing the world to a sea level rise of metres", said John Church
"Measurements around the world show that sea level has risen almost 20 centimeters since 1880," explains Professor Stefan Rahmstorf of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, who will give the plenary speech on sea level rise at the congress. These data also reveal that the rate of sea level rise is closely linked to temperature: sea level rises faster the warmer it gets. "If sea level keeps rising at a constant pace, we will end up in the middle of that 18-59 cm IPCC range by 2100," says Rahmstorf. "But based on past experience I expect that sea level rise will accelerate as the planet gets hotter."
The impacts of sea level rise - even in the lower ranges of the current predictions - looks to be severe. Approximately ten percent of the worlds population - 600 million people - live in low lying areas in danger of being flooded (1). A previously released study led by John Church, shows that even a modest sea level rise of 50 centimeters will result in a major increase in the number of coastal flooding events.
"Our study centered on Australia showed that coastal flooding events that today we expect only once every hundred years will happen several times a year by 2100", says John Church.
John Church also brings new results of the current sea level rise to the congress, "Sea level is currently rising at a rate that is above any of the model projections of 18 to 59 cm".
"Different groups may come to slightly different projections, but differences in the details of the projections should not cloud the overall picture where even the lower end of the projections looks to have very serious effects," says Konrad Steffen.

Murkowski calls for national volcano monitoring

WASHINGTON (AP) — As Alaska's Mount Redoubt sends a steady stream of ash skyward, the state's Republican senator is calling for a national volcano monitoring system to ensure early warnings of volcanic activity.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski said the Mount Redoubt eruptions, which have forced flight cancellations at Anchorage International Airport 100 miles away, underscore the need for more and better volcano observation.
She also took a shot at fellow Republicans, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Arizona Sen. John McCain, who have criticized President Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill for spending $140 million on volcano monitoring.
"Recently there were some comments made about federal spending for volcano monitoring being wasteful," Murkowski said in a Senate speech. "I can assure you that monitoring volcanoes is critically important to the nation and especially to my home state of Alaska."
In giving the Republican response to Obama's Feb. 24 address to Congress, Jindal said parts of the federal stimulus package were "larded with wasteful spending." He cited $140 million "for something called 'volcano monitoring.' Instead of monitoring volcanoes, what Congress should be monitoring is the eruption of spending in Washington, D.C."
As the governor of a hurricane-prone state that benefits from extensive federal spending on weather monitoring and other programs, Jindal was widely derided for his comments. Weeks later, Redoubt began to erupt.
McCain listed volcano monitoring as an example of questionable spending in a lengthy critique of the stimulus bill, which authorized money to help rebuild and repair facilities run by the U.S. Geological Survey, including "seismic and volcano monitoring systems."
Jindal's spokeswoman, Melissa Sellers, said Tuesday that the governor wasn't criticizing volcano monitoring in his speech but cited it as an example of stimulus spending that was not about creating jobs.
"Whether or not money for volcano monitoring is important, and if so how much, is a legitimate issue for Congress to debate," she said. "But it has nothing to do with a stimulus bill. Failure to understand this is exactly what is wrong with Washington."
The U.S. Geological Survey and its university and state partners operate five volcanic observatories, including the Alaska Volcano Observatory in Anchorage and Fairbanks. The others are in Washington state, Hawaii, Yellowstone National Park and California.
Murkowski's legislation would establish a nationwide early warning system within USGS to monitor, warn and protect people from volcanic activity. The legislation would authorize $15 million a year to fund the system.
Murkowski said the Alaska observatory has been consistently underfunded since it opened in 1988, after an eruption of Alaska's Mount Augustine. The site monitors more than 30 active volcanoes, by far the busiest observatory in the world.
Even so, its modest annual budget is supplemented by earmarks obtained by Alaska lawmakers. Former Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, secured about $5 million for the observatory in recent years, but future funding is not guaranteed.
Murkowski said her legislation would set up a dedicated funding source for all five volcano observatories and better coordinate volcano monitoring nationally. She plans to introduce it this week.

Olo'upena Falls, United States

Olo'upena Falls, United States:

The fourth-highest waterfall in the world, Olo'upena Falls, is located in the united states, but you'd have to go out of your way to visit it -- it's located on the remote Hawaiian island of Molokai, known and celebrated as the "most Hawaiian island" because of its history of relative isolation.
Many people have never seen or heard of the Olo'upena Falls, and most waterfall enthusiasts who have gathered information about the falls have only done so through aerial photographs. Surrounded by huge mountains on either side, the waterfall doesn't have much water running through it -- its volume is extremely thin compared to the other falls on this list -- but it makes up for a lack of water with its massive height. At 2,953 feet (900 meters), the falls stand high above most other waterfalls in the United States; the closest ones are Pu'uka'oku Falls (2,756 feet/840 meters) and Waihilau Falls (2,600 feet/792 meters), both of which are also located in Hawaii.Olo'upena Falls is tiered and would most likely be classified as a ribbon waterfall because of its extremely thin appearance.

Three Sisters Falls, Peru:

Peru gets another spot on the list with the Three Sisters Falls (Cataratas las Tres Hermanas) in the country's Ayacucho region. This one is just as remote ­as the previous Olo'upena Falls -- its existence only really came to light while photographs for another tall Peruvian waterfall, Catarata Parijaro (877 feet/267 meters), were being taken.The waterfall is called the Three Sisters because of its three separate tiers. Two of the top tiers are visible from the air, and the water drops into a large basin of sorts where a third plunge emerges. The falls are nearly completely surrounded by forests, and trees around the Three Sisters Falls reach as high as 100 feet. The falls' height reaches about 3,000 feet (914 meters). For comparison, speculators believe the world's tallest free-standing structure, the Burj Dubai, will reach only 2,275 feet (693 meters) after it's finished in late 2008.

Tugela Falls(South Africa)

Tugela passes:
The tugela river (also known as Thukela) is the largest river in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The river originates in the Drakensberg Mountains, Mont-aux-Sources, (itself the source of tributaries of two other major South African rivers, the Orange River and the Vaal River) and plunges 947 metres down the Tugela Falls. From the Drakensberg range the river meanders for 502 kilometres (312 mi) through the KwaZulu-Natal midlands before flowing into the Indian Ocean. The total catchment area is approximately 29,100 square kilometres (11,200 sq mi). Land uses in the catchment are mainly rural subsistence farming and commercial forestry.
There are a number of large inter-basin transfer schemes responsible for transferring water from the Tugela basin across the escarpment into the Vaal River system. The main scheme is the Drakensberg Pumped Storage Scheme operated by Eskom. There is also the original pumping station at Jagersrus.
The Tugela passes Bergville and Colenso, the latter the site of an important battle in the Second Boer War and for many years the site of the first major power station in Natal. The power station was built by the South African Railways to electrify the railway line north from Pietermaritzburg. It was coal-fired and the cooling water came from the Tugela.
Below the Buffalo confluence the Tugela flows southeast in a deep channel between cliffs and valleys until it reaches the narrow coast belt. Its mouth is nearly closed by a sand bar, formed by the action of the ocean. The Tugela is thus not navigable.
About 10km above the mouth are two historic forts, Fort Pearson and Fort Tenedos, built by the British in 1879, during the war with the Zulus, to guard the passage of the river. Generally fordable in the winter months, the Tugela is, after the heavy rains of summer, a deep and rapid river.

Yumbilla Falls(Peru):

Our list starts off with one of South America's most recent discoveries, Yumbilla Falls in peru. Located in the Amazon region of the country, the waterfall's height is actually disputed by several officials -- Peru's National Geographical Institute (ING) claims a height of 2,937 feet (895.4 meters), but other sources say it's slightly shorter at 2,854 feet (870 meters) [source: World Waterfall Database]. At either height, Yumbilla Falls would still be taller than the next-highest waterfall, which is Vinnufossen, located in Norway. Yumbilla Falls is a tiered waterfall, with four large drops­Yumbilla Falls replaced what was previously thought of as Peru's highest waterfall: Gocta Falls, also located in the country's Amazon region. Gocta was clearly blown out of the water, since its height "only" reaches 2,531 feet (771 meters). The country was clearly excited to add such a monstrous waterfall onto the list of the world's highest, and soon after its discovery, Peru's Ministry of Tourism began planning two-day tours to visit the falls along with Gocta and Chinata Falls.

Location & Places In Himalayan Mountain

Himalayan Mountain

The Himalayas is one of the youngest mountain ranges in the world. Its revolution can be traced to the Jurassic Era (80 million years ago) when the world’s landmasses were split into two: Laurasia in the Northern hemisphere, and Gondwanaland in the southern hemisphere. The landmass which is now India broke away from Gondwanaland and floated across the earth’s surface until it collided with asia. The hard volcanic rocks of India were thrust against the soft sedimentary crust of Asia, creating the highest mountain range in the world.

The River System
It was a collision that formed mountain ranges right across asia, including the karakoram, the pamirs, the Hindukush, the Tien Shan and the Kun Lun. The Himalayan mountains, at the front of this continental collision, are still being formed, rising and assuming complex profiles. For the ancient geographer, the complexities of this vast mountain range were a constant source of speculation. From the earliest accounts, Mt. Kailash was believed to be the centre of the universe with the River systems of the Indus, the Brahmaputra, and the Sutlej all flowing from its snowy ridges and maintaining the courses which they had followed prior to the forming of the Himalaya.
The Sutlej was able to maintain its course flowing directly from Tibet through the main Himalaya range to the Indian subcontinent, while the huge gorges on both flanks of the Himalaya reflect the ability of the Indus and the Brahmaputra to follow their original courses. The Indus flows west until it rounds the Himalaya by the Nanga Parbat Massif, while the Brahmaputra flows eastwards for nearly 1000-kms around the Assam Himalayas and descends to the Bay of Bengal.
It was not surprising, therefore, that 19th century geographers experienced formidable difficulties n tracing the River systems, and defining the various mountain ranges that constitute the Himalaya. Even today, with the advent of satellite pictures and state-of-the-art ordnace maps, it is still difficult to appreciate the form and extent of some of the ranges that constitute the Himalaya.

Main Himalaya Range
This is the principal mountain range dividing the Indian subcontinent from Nanga Parbat in the west, the range stretches for over 2,000-km to the mountains bordering Sikkim and Bhutan in the east. The west Himalaya is the part of this range that divides Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh from Ladakh. The highest mountains here are Nun and Kun. In Kashmir the subsidiary ridges of the Himalaya include the North Sonarmarg, Kolahoi and Amarnath ranges.
Further east, the Himalaya extends across to the Baralacha range in Himachal Pradesh before merging with the Parbati range to the east of the Kullu valley. It then extends across kinnaur Kailas to the swargarohini and Bandarpunch ranges in Uttaranchal. Further east it is defined by the snow capped range North of the Gangotri glacier and by the huge peaks in the vicinity of Nanda Devi, the highest mountain in the Indian Himalaya. In Western Nepal the range is equally prominent across the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs, while in Eastern Nepal the main ridgeline frequently coincides with the political boundary between Nepal and Tibet.

Major Passes
The major passes over the main Himalaya range include the Zoji la, at the head of the Sindh valley; the Boktol pass, at the head of the Warvan valley; the Umasi la in the Kishtwar region; and Thekang la and the Shingo la between Lahaul and the Zanskar region of Ladakh. It also includes the Pin Parbati pass between Lahaul and the Zanskar region of Ladakh. It also includes the Pin Parbati pass between the Kullu valley and Spiti, while in Kinnaur it is traversed when crossing the charang la in the Kinnaur Kailash range.In Uttaranchal, roads are being constructed to the main places of pilgrimage in the heart of the Himalaya. These include Yamunotri and the source of the Yamuna River, Gangotri at the head of the Bhagirathi valley, Kedarnath at the head of the Mandakini valley, and Badrinath in the Alaknanda valley. There are, however, many trekking possibilities across the mountain ridges and glacial valleys including tose bordering the Nanda Devi sanctuary.The main Himalaya range extends east across central Sikkim from the huge Kangchenjunga massif, which includes Kangchenjunga I, the world’s third highest peak. The east Himalaya is breached by the headwaters of the Tista River, which forms the geographical divide between the verdant alpine valleys to the south and the more arid regions that extend North to Tibet. Trekking possibilities are at present confined to the vicinity of the Singali ridge, an impressive range that exxtends south from the main Himalaya and forms the border between India and Nepal.In Darjeeling the treks include the route along the southern extremity of the Singali range, while in Sikkim the trails out of Yuksom explore the ridges and valleys to the south to the Kangchenjunga massif.
Pir Panjal Range
The Pir Panjal Range lies south of the main Himalaya at an average elevation of 5,000m. From Gulmarg in the North west it follows the southern rim of the Kashmir valley to the Banihal pass. Here the Pir Panjal meets the ridgeline separating the Kashmir valley from the Warvan valley. From Banihal the Pir Panjal sweeps south-east to Kishtwar, where the combined waters of the Warvan and Chandra Rivers meet to form the Chenab River, one of the main tributaries of the Indus.
Passes In Pir Panjal
The Banihal is now tunnelled and another road has been made over the Sythen pass in Kashmir and the Sach pass in Himachal Pradesh. For trekkers there is still the attraction of the Kugti, Kalicho and Chobia passes between the Ravi valley and Lahaul, and the Hampta pass links the Kullu valley with Lahaul.

Bergamot (Monarda didyma)

DESCRIPTION

One of the sweetest-smelling herbs, bergamot is an attractive herbaceous perennial and grows to around 1.2m tall. The leaves are pointed and serrated. The appealingly ragged pom-pom clusters of tubular flowers are pink, mauve or red. They are very popular with bees and nectar-seeking birds.

ORIGIN: North America

CULTIVATION

Choose a shaded areas that receives a little early morning sun. The plant likes moist, but well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter added. Mulch well. Propagate by division or by seed sown in seed trays in spring. It will also grow from cuttings. Cut back to the ground after flowering. The plant will regenerate in spring.

USES

The leaves and flowers can be used in salads and the leaves make an aromatic tea. (Bergamot flavouring used in Earl Grey tea actually comes from the rind of the Bergamot Orange Citrus bergamia). Bergamot is also a valuable addition to pot pourri.

Angelica

Origin: Northern Europe

Cultivation: Angelica requires a sheltered, shaded position and rich, moist soil. Sow fresh seed in autumn, or as soon as seed becomes available. The tall flower stems may require staking.

Uses: All parts (including the roots) can be used, but the young stems are particularly flavoursome and aromatic in deserts and can add flavour interest to salads. Candied angelica stem is used in cakes and as a decoration, and angelica essence is used in making liqueurs such as Chartreuse. The plant was valued for its medicinal properties in Medieval times as a treatment for various infections, indigestion and flatulence.
Bay Tree (Laurus nobilis) also known as Sweet Bay or Bay Laurel

DESCRIPTION: The Bay Tree is a large evergreen tree which grows to approx. 15m. The leaves are dark green, tough and very aromatic. Sprays of little greenish-cream flowers appear in spring and are followed by small black berries.

Borage The Gift Of Nature

Name: Borage (Borago officinalis)

DESCRIPTION: A tall (to 1m) soft-stemmed herb with bristly stems and large hairy leaves. The flowers are brilliantly blue and star shaped.

ORIGIN: Syria

CULTIVATION: Borage is one of the few herbs that prefer a semi-shaded spot, though it will grow in full sun. It needs shelter from strong winds as it is easily blown over. Soil should be moist, loose and friable. Seeds germinate in all seasons except very cold winters. The plant is an annual but self-seeds easily.

USES: Leaves have a fresh cucumber flavour and can be used in salads (use young leaves), drinks and in soups. An infusion of the leaves makes a refreshing tea. The flowers can be added to salads and make beautiful crystallised decorations for cakes and desserts. The flowers are highly attractive to bees and traditionally were symbolic of courage. Embroidered bees and borage flowers were often used to decorate the scarves of knights going into battle

Aloe Vera

Description:

This mildly spiky succulent grows as a rosette. Clumps grow to about 60cm tall. The leaves are grey green and striated with pale markings. They are very thick and fleshy and ooze a clear, gel-like substance when cut or broken. It bears yellow tubular flowers in summer and is actually a member of the lily family.

Origin: Most probably North Africa

Cultivation: Aloe vera is easily propagated from offsets from an established plant. It is possible to raise plants from seed which is sown in spring. The plant requires a well-drained position, protected from hot late afternoon sun and needs more water than many succulents. However it cannot cope with being water-logged, so plant in a raised bed or in a freely-draining pot

USES: Aloe vera gel has always been highly prized as a treatment for minor burns. It can also be used to soothe sunburn and other skin afflictions. The gel is also used extensively in a wide range of cosmetics and skin-care products. While some claims are also made for its efficacy when taken internally, it is its use for healing and soothing the skin that is well documented.

Herbs To Maintain Good Health

Medicinal plants, herbs, spices and herbal remedies are known to Ayurveda in India since long times. The value of medicinal plants, herbs and spices as herbal remedies is being lost due to lack of awareness, and deforestation. The result is many valuable medicinal herbs are becoming rare and precious information is lost. Less pollution we make, more ecological balance we maintain, will add to happiness of humankind. Preserve the knowledge of medicinal plants, herbs, spices and herbal remedies, which humankind has received from the past generations, for posterity.

History of herbal remedies is very old. Since old times before modern medicine, people became ill and suffered from various ailments. In absent of modern medicinal remedies people relied on herbal remedies derived from herbs and spices. There are many medicinal herbs and spices, which find place in day-to-day uses, many of these, are used as herbal remedies. Many cooked foods contain spices. Some minor ailments like common cold, cough, etc. may be cured by herbal remedies with use of medicinal properties of spices. Herbal remedies can be taken in many forms. Infusions are steeping herbs or spices, with parts like leaves and flowers with boiling water for some time. Filtered or unfiltered use this water extracts of spices as herbal remedies. Decoction is boiling roots, bark and hard parts of herbs and spices with water for along time. Infusion and decoction both are known as herbal teas. Some times essential oil of herbs and spices are also used as herbal remedies. Action of herbal remedies may vary from human to human and care should be observed in using it. Always inform your healthcare professional while taking any of the herbal remedies
or consuming large quantity of medicinal herbs or spices as medicinal product.

An herb is a plant with no woody stem above ground distinguished from a tree or a shrub. However, that is meaning as per botany. In general, terms any part of the vegetable species that can be used for medicine, cosmetic, culinary or such purposes are known as herbs. The roots, leaves, bark, fruits, flowers, stem or any part of the plant can be used for such purposes. Herb seeds are equally important. Many of the chemicals of present day have been derived from the plants, studied and then such molecules have been synthesised.
The chemicals are product of last several hundred years. The humankind has relied on vegetable for thousands of years. The herbal information collected from the experience has been passed on from generations to generations. We have tried to put some of that herb information here

Medicinal herbs are much in demand. Herb gardens are taking place of ornamental gardens. Herbs and spices are different. Though spices are herbs, they are mainly used for culinary purpose. They enhance the food flavour or taste along with giving medicinal benefits of the herbs. They are herbs for cooking. Chinese herbs are the herbs native to china. Growing herbs is not very difficult; with little understanding of gardening, many herbs can be grown easily in backyard of the kitchen. Natural herbs are herbs found in the nature, such as found in the forest, along hillside etc. Vitamins and herbs have many correlations many synthetically produced vitamins and enzymes can be easily found and obtained from the herbs. Healing herbs have healing properties, some times which looks like a miracle. Drying herbs is very easy; most of the herbs are dried in sunlight. Weight loss herbs will make a person slim, only thing is that one must be prudent on how to use it. Bulk herbs and herbal supplements, herbal and much other herbal medicine are available through many herb stores

Prevent SandalWood trees

The wood scented by the gods 

Believed to be scented by the Gods, Sandalwood or Chanda as it is called in Hindi, is considered sacred by most of the Indians. It is the wood from which idols and prayer beads are made. The Parsis feed their sacred fires with it.

Being a wood with a heavenly smell, it is extensively used in cosmetic and soap manufacturing. The beauty-conscious Indian women used to rub their bodies with a sandal and turmeric paste for a blemish-free skin much before the western cosmetic industry made inroads into India. In many parts of the country, brides still have their ritual bath with sandalwood paste. 

Growing the Sandalwood 

Sandalwood grows mainly in India in the state of Karnataka. The state accounts for about 70 per cent of the production, the rest mainly coming from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The tree grows naturally in fertile tropical forestlands with abundant rainfall. It is also cultivated.

The tree is a root parasite. Soon after germination, the seedling finds a host and derives nourishment from it. It grows about 10 meters high, has a girth of one-and-a half- meters and lives for over a 100 years. 

Only trees older than 30 years are exploited for wood. India has over 70 varieties of this exotic species. About ten of them have been found to be hardy and are cultivated. A 30-year-old tree usually yields 100 to 250 kilograms of scented hardwood and the quantity increases if the tree is older.
History of Sandalwood Tree in India 

Till 1916, Karnataka, then the princely state of Mysore, was exporting sandalwood to France and other European countries for the extraction of oil. But during World War I when huge stocks of wood piled up in the state, an oil-extraction unit in Mysore and another one at Shimoga was set up. Since then, Mysore became synonymous with sandalwood oil.
Sandalwood Legends 

A popular saying is that no other tree can grow where the sandalwood does. The reason for this belief could be the fact that the root of the tree is supposed to suck in all the required nutrients needed for its growth from the nearby trees. Another belief says that the smell of the wood is so intoxicating that snakes are said to wrap themselves around the tree

800px-NamibNaukluftParkDunes

The Namib Naukluft Park is one of the largest national parks in Africa, covering much of the central Namib Desert and the Naukluft Mountains. It is home to some of the rarest and weirdest plant and animal species in the world, including the Welwitschia Mirabilis, large lichen fields and Hartmann's Mountain Zebra. The park's main attractions are Sossusvlei, Sandwich Harbour and the Naukluft hiking and four wheel drive trails.

The park is a combination of the Namib Desert Park and the Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park as well as sections of the Diamond Area the area of the park is just under 50 000 square kilometers.

Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert is the one attraction that should not be missed while you are in Namibia, the dunes are amazing and even though this is a popular tourist destination it is still easy to gain a sense of solitude while climbing one of the dunes or walking to dead or hidden vlei.

The Namib Desert section of the Namib-Naukluft park includes the Swakop and Kuiseb River canyons. For people wanting to experience a sense of Namibia's vastness a few nights at one of the camp site at Kuiseb Bridge, Homeb, Mirabib, Bloedkoppie, Ganab, Vogelfederberg or Kriess-se-Rus should prove to be very exhilarating. All of these camp sites offer very basic facilities, and as they do not have receptions or shops (or even game wardens) they must be booked in advance.

On the coast Sandwich Harbour is a paradise for ornithologists and nature lovers visiting Namibia. The lagoon is fed by fresh water and is a sanctuary for large numbers of coastal birds. Sandwich Harbour is only accessible by four wheel drive vehicles due to the large Namib Desert sand-dunes that meet the Atlantic Ocean. Angling is not permitted from January 25 to April 15, camping is not permitted in the area.

The Amazon

The Amazon: The World's Largest Rainforest:

The Amazon River Basin is home to the largest rainforest on Earth. The basin -- roughly the size of the forty-eight contiguous United States -- covers some 40% of the South American continent and includes parts of eight South American countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname, as well as French Guiana, a department of France.

Reflecting environmental conditions as well as past human influence, the Amazon is made up of a mosaic of ecosystems and vegetation types including rainforests, seasonal forests, deciduous forests, flooded forests, and savannas. The basin is drained by the Amazon River, the world's largest river in terms of discharge, and the second longest river in the world after the Nile. The river is made up of over 1,100 tributaries, 17 of which are longer than 1000 miles, and two of which (the Negro and the Madeira) are larger, in terms of volume, than the Congo (formerly the Zaire) river. The river system is the lifeline of the forest and its history plays an important part in the development of its rainforests.

At one time Amazon River flowed westward, perhaps as part of a proto-Congo (Zaire) river system from the interior of present day Africa when the continents were joined as part of Gondwana. Fifteen million years ago, the Andes were formed by the collision of the South Am At one time Amazon River flowed westward, perhaps as part of a proto-Congo (Zaire) river system from the interior of present day Africa when the continents were joined as part of Gondwana. Fifteen million years ago, the Andes were formed by the collision of the South American plate with the Nazca plate. The rise of the Andes and the linkage of the Brazilian and Guyana bedrock shields, blocked the river and caused the Amazon to become a vast inland sea. Gradually this inland sea became a massive swampy, freshwater lake and the marine inhabitants adapted to life in freshwater. For example, over 20 species of stingray, most closely related to those found in the Pacific Ocean, can be found today in the freshwaters of the Amazon.

About ten million years ago, waters worked through the sandstone to the west and the Amazon began to flow eastward. At this time the Amazon rainforest was born. During the Ice Age, sea levels dropped and the great Amazon lake rapidly drained and became a river. Three million years later, the ocean level receded enough to expose the Central American isthmus and allow mass migration of mammal species between the Americas.

The Ice Ages caused tropical rainforest around the world to retreat. Although debated, it is believed that much of the Amazon reverted to savanna and montane forest (see chapter 3-Ice Ages and Glaciation). Savanna divided patches of rainforest into "islands" and separated existing species for periods long enough to allow genetic differentiation (a similar rainforest retreat took place in Africa. Delta core samples suggest that even the mighty Congo watershed was void of rainforest at this time). When the ice ages ended, the forest was again joined and the species that were once one had diverged significantly enough to be constitute designation as separate species, adding to the tremendous diversity of the region. About 6000 years ago, sea levels rose about 130 meters, once again causing the river to be inundated like a long, giant freshwater lake. erican plate with the Nazca plate. The rise of the Andes and the linkage of the Brazilian and Guyana bedrock shields, blocked the river and caused the Amazon to become a vast inland sea. Gradually this inland sea became a massive swampy, freshwater lake and the marine inhabitants adapted to life in freshwater. For example, over 20 species of stingray, most closely related to those found in the Pacific Ocean, can be found today in the freshwaters of the Amazon.

About ten million years ago, waters worked through the sandstone to the west and the Amazon began to flow eastward. At this time the Amazon rainforest was born. During the Ice Age, sea levels dropped and the great Amazon lake rapidly drained and became a river. Three million years later, the ocean level receded enough to expose the Central American isthmus and allow mass migration of mammal species between the Americas.

The Ice Ages caused tropical rainforest around the world to retreat. Although debated, it is believed that much of the Amazon reverted to savanna and montane forest (see chapter 3-Ice Ages and Glaciation). Savanna divided patches of rainforest into "islands" and separated existing species for periods long enough to allow genetic differentiation (a similar rainforest retreat took place in Africa. Delta core samples suggest that even the mighty Congo watershed was void of rainforest at this time). When the ice ages ended, the forest was again joined and the species that were once one had diverged significantly enough to be constitute designation as separate species, adding to the tremendous diversity of the region. About 6000 years ago, sea levels rose about 130 meters, once again causing the river to be inundated like a long, giant freshwater lake.

State Forest

State Forest Practice Laws and Assistance:

Sustainable forest management policies, programs and regulations for private forest lands in the United States are primarily under the jurisdiction of state governments. Federal statutes such as the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act can impact private forestlands. A network of state forestry agencies, commissions, extension agents, consulting foresters, landowner assistance programs and others provide assistance to state agencies and to landowners to protect water quality or ensure reforestation.

State forest practices laws and regulations are varied around the country. States such as Oregon, Washington and California have enacted what are known as State Forest Practices Acts. The regulations are developed and revised by various state boards and agencies. Other states have relied more exclusively on a set of best management practices, or BMPs, that are designed to protect water quality during forestry operations.

State laws and regulations can address multiple forest management practices and procedures. Examples include:

• Administrative procedures;
• Enforcement and penalties;
• Planning;
• Reforestation;
• Water quality;
• Forestry practices;
• Fire;
• Chemical use;
• Forest land conversion.