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Transcript of Nektarina (S)pace March 2013 Issue
NEKTARINA
(S)PACE
ISS
N 1
847-6
694
M
arc
h 2
013
A Spring of
Water In this issue: The Danube Delta,
UNAOC Forum, Liveable Cities,
Connect Through Art, Photo Essay,
Earth Hour, The Happiness Project
Nektarina
(S)pace
NEKTARINA (S)PACE IS A WEBMAGAZINE PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY
NEKTARINA NON PROFIT, A NON PROFIT, NON GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION. WWW.NEKTARINANONPROFIT.COM ISSN 1847-6691
March
Snapshots
NEKTARINA (S)PACE IS A WEBMAGAZINE PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY
NEKTARINA NON PROFIT, A NON PROFIT, NON GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION. WWW.NEKTARINANONPROFIT.COM ISSN 1847-6691
Nektarina (S)pace, Web Magazine
Year 2, Issue # 7, March 2013
Published by Nektarina Non Profit
ISSN 1847 - 6694
Under Creative Commons Licence
Working together towards a sustainable future.
www.nektarinanonprofit.com
Nektarina Non Profit is a non governmental, non profit organization, and
most of our projects are based on volunteer work. Our articles are a compila-
tion of data (where we always provide the source) or articles / opinion pieces
(in which case there is a by-line). We come from different backgrounds, and
English is not the first language for any of us, so there might be an
occasional flop :). If you are using any of our content, it would be great if
you could link it back to us, and if you are using other people’s content (that
you found in this magazine) please make sure to copy the source links we
provided. Thank you!
Brought to
you by:
Publisher: Nektarina Non Profit
Creative Director & Editor-In-Chief: Sandra Antonovic
Lead Researcher & Contributing Editor: Livia Minca
Content Contributor: Yula Pannadopoulos
Journalist: Alyosha Melnychenko
Contributor for the March Issue: Karl Joerg
Photography: Sandra Antonovic
Contributors: This could be you!
If interested, email us to [email protected]
In this
issue:
World Nature Heritage Site:
The Danube Delta
Liveable Cities:
Graz, Austria
Connect Through Art:
Kunst Haus, Wien
Changing of Season:
Spring!
World Water Day:
Water Cooperation
5th UNAOC Forum
Earth Hour
The Bookshelf
The Happiness Project
International Day of Forests
From our desk:
20+
and much more
From our
desk:
By Yula Pannadopoulos
Seventh issue! Yay! It feels great, and we are looking forward to each
new issue, to every new month, eager to bring you more educational and use-
ful content. We hope you are enjoying Nektarina (S)pace, and we would like
your input and feedback. We also welcome all potential contributors - share
your stories and photos with us, we would love to publish you! How can you
do it? Simple. Just drop us an email to [email protected], and
don’t forget to add who you’d like (or who should be) credited.
This March we are bringing you 20+ more pages than usual (so over 180
pages of articles and photographs), as there was so much going on, and we
didn’t really want to miss (or to omit) anything. You’ll read about the amaz-
ing world of Danube delta, what went on at the UNAOC Forum in Vienna,
Austria. You will learn about the Austrian programme “Ecologisation of
Schools—Education for Sustainability” ECOLOG; you will read about livea-
ble cities Graz and Vienna, about KunstHaus in Vienna and how it connects
people and communities through art, about World Water Day and Earth
Hour, and much more.
We didn’t forget (even though we didn’t cover these days in detail) that
March is also a month of the International Women’s Day, of Pi Day, and, of
course, St Patrick’s Day.
Enjoy March issue! We are already busy working on the April one!
Liveable
Cities:
Graz,
Austria
By Karl Joerg
Graz is the second largest city in Austria, after Vienna, obviously. The
town itself is located in a green and heavily forested area.
The Alps form a natural shield for the city, and prevent wet North Atlan-
tic weather to reach Graz, which, in return, has much more sunny and dry
days than Vienna or Salzburg. Warm weather currents from the Mediterrane-
an also help Graz's weather.
All of the above impacts the flora in Graz. Plants are found in Graz that
normally grow much further south. This makes Graz a very particular habitat
for insects and fauna, and the biodiversity is, hence, very distinctive.
There is a downside to it all, though - such a climate, mild and less windy, neg-
atively affects the air quality, and makes the city very prone to smog during
winter months.
The car exhaust fumes are still the most significant source of air pollu-
tion and noise, but the city is already working on resolving / decreasing those
issues. Graz has easy-to-use extensive network of buses and trams, and more
and more people opt to use them rather than cars when out and about in the
city.
Others are choosing walking, or bicycles that are very popular. These
choices, together with low carbon public transport (trams) are helping with the
city's carbon footprint, noise and air pollution, but also with streets' congestion
and other common problems.
This is making a life in Graz healthier and better.
Liveable
Cities:
Vienna,
Austria
By Karl Joerg
The Economist Intelligence Unit did a study in 2005. The study encom-
passed 127 world cities, and its results ranked Vienna the world's most livable
city (well, actually it was tied with Vancouver, Canada).
The same study done in 2012 ranked Vienna second, right after Melbourne,
Australia.
Many other research and human resource companies rank Vienna first
or among top five cities when it comes to the quality of living, quality of life,
and similar categories.
The website www.austrianzimmers.com describes it almost perfectly:
"This could be because of the sheer style and culture of the city, but we
think it's because of the amount of greenery within the city. If you look at the
metropolitan area, about half of it is occupied by parks, making it the green-
est city of over one million inhabitants in the world. Vienna's 280 parks and
gardens are fantastic places to spend a little bit of relaxation time...
In the spring, summer, and fall, these leafy spaces offer fantastic place
to relax and escape the bustle of the city. It's not really surprising that Vien-
na is considered a great place to live; these woodlands, gardens, and parks al-
low you to escape from it all without leaving the city. Whether you cycle,
walk, or run through them, these parks are a great place to sit down and enjoy
a nice picnic. Even if you just want to take a quick break from your Austrian
zimmer or hotel, take a brief walk down one of these boulevards. You'll not
regret it."
Connect
Through
Art:
KunstHaus
Wien
The Museum
The Museum Hundertwasser presents a unique cross-section of the oeuvre
of the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000), including key
paintings as well as graphic works, applied art, architectural designs and exam-
ples of the artist's ecological commitment.
The Museum Hundertwasser is part of KUNST HAUS WIEN, which was
established in 1991 on the basis of the Hundertwasser's philosophy and artistic
principles. The architectural remodelling of the former Thonet furniture facto-
ry was effected in accordance with Hundertwasser's own designs.
Hundertwasser's Painting
Individuality and Significance
A major part of the effect of Hundertwasser's painting is colour. Hunder-
twasser uses colours instinctively, without associating them with a definite sym-
bolism of even his own invention. He prefers intensive, radiant colours and
loves to place complementary colours next to one another to emphasize the dou-
ble movement of the spiral, for instance. He also likes to use gold and silver,
which he pastes onto the picture in a thin foil.
Two large groups of motifs determine the content of Hundertwasser's
painting: one comprises a world of forms representing analogies to vegetative
growth and an animistic nature; the other is the repetitive use of architectural
code symbols: houses, windows, gables, fences, gates. It is one of the idiosyncra-
sies of Hundertwasser's art that both motif groups are inextricably linked: vege-
tative forms seem static, to solidify to architecture in order to last, whereas eve-
rything constructed seems to have grown organically, to have been produced by
nature herself.
His painting technique is also his very personal affair. Hundertwasser
likes best to use paints he has pulverised or prepared himself, which he applies
without mixing. Similarly, he prepares the priming ground himself; for prime
coating, paint mixture and varnish he has developed various recipes of his own,
all of which are designed to guarantee a long life for his pictures.
In many of his pictures he uses oil, tempera and watercolour techniques in one
picture to achieve a contrasting effect between the matte and radiant parts of
the picture.
Hundertwasser's colour! There is no limit to its sensuality; it grows richer and
richer, in a triumphant, exuberant warmth; greens, blues, and luminous violets
exalting the shrill carmines, vermilions, and yellows; and still more sumptuous
when the vividness is heightened by applying genuine gold and silver foils. Be-
fore such a feast for the eyes one forgets that up until 1957 he had been living on
the edge of survival, virtually deprived of everything, for all his meagre require-
ments and legendary sobriety. One forgets, too, that he had unfolded treasures of
ingenuity in the recovery of scraps and trash-can rakings and by painting on an-
ything, with anything, provided it would last – which indeed it has done, as well
as if not better than the newest and most costly materials.
Hundertwasser's Graphic Work
Hundertwasser mastered and innovated many graphic techniques, among
them lithograph, silk screen, etching, colour woodcut and many others. He was
one of the first to demand and practice complete transparency in terms of tech-
nique, dates of creation and editions for each sheet.
Hundertwasser never really created large editions of one and the same
graphic work. His graphic editions comprise several colour versions and vari-
ants, which are not numbered separately, but instead numbered throughout the
entire edition. It was his aim to make many different unique pieces within the
art of the graphic, thereby going beyond machine production.
Hundertwasser always took great care to provide exact information about
the work on each graphic sheet, in order to arrive at as complete a disclosure of
a work's techniques and creation dates as possible.
Hundertwasser's Tapestries
Hundertwasser's first tapestry 133 Pissing Boy with Sky-Scraper, was
created in 1952 as a result of a bet. Hundertwasser had asserted that it was pos-
sible to weave a tapestry without a template, i. e. a cardboard model of the im-
age in the size of the planned tapestry.
All Hundertwasser tapestries that have been executed afterwards by weav-
ers of Hundertwasser's choice have been created without cardboard templates.
When transforming his works into a tapestry, Hundertwasser's main con-
cern was to have this done freehand – a transmission of one of his works into a
different medium and the quality of the artistic interpretation by the weaver
without pattern or cardboard template. In Hundertwasser's opinion, only this
procedure, without a cardboard template, could breathe life into the work, thus
an authentic work of art could evolve and not just a soulless copy of the model.
This is the reason why all Hundertwasser's tapestries are unique works.
Hudertwasser’s Architecture
As early as 1958, Hundertwasser formulated in his „Mouldiness Manifes-
to Against Rationalism in Architecture" his denouncement of rationalism, the
straight line and functional architecture.
In 1968 Hundertwasser presented his manifesto „Los von Loos (Loose
from Loos) – A Law Permitting Individual Building Alterations or Architec-
ture-Boycott Manifesto". For Hundertwasser the tradition of rational, sterile
architecture with its deadly monotony begun by the Austrian architect Adolf
Loos was responsible for people's misery. He called for a boycott of this archi-
tecture and promoted creative freedom to build and the right to individualise
buildings.
In his architectural models from the 1970s he demonstrated the afforestation of
roofs, the tree tenant and the window right and created new architectonic forms
such as the spiral house, the eye-slit house, the pit-house or the terrace house.
As an architectural doctor he took on the responsibility of transforming ugly,
monotonous and sterile buildings.
In numerous exemplary architectural projects that Hundertwasser was able to
realise from the 1980s onwards, he drove a path out of the cul-de-sac of modern
architecture. His buildings are witness to his encouragement of diversity over
monotony, for romanticism, for the organic and for unregimented irregularity,
for spontaneous vegetation and for a life in harmony with nature.
Earth
Hour
Earth Hour is the single, largest, symbolic mass participation event in
the world. Born out of a hope that we could mobilize people to take action on
climate change, Earth Hour now inspires a global community of millions of
people in 7,001 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories to switch
lights off for an hour as a massive show of concern for the environment.
***********
Earth Hour is about collective impact, beyond the hour.
Earth Hour has now become much more than a symbolic action. It has
evolved into a continuous movement driving real actions, big and small, that
are changing the world we live in.
Now is the time for our interconnected global community to mobilize oth-
ers through each of our actions for change and build momentum and motiva-
tion for the next person. Sign up now to find out how you can become the inspi-
ration for the change you want to see in the world.
Earth Hour happens because of the committed teams around the world
that work tirelessly to get lights switched off. Coordinating their tremendous
efforts is a small team of people based in Singapore – the Earth Hour Global
Team.
www.earthhour.org
UN
Alliance
of
Civilizations
Forum
Promoting Responsible Leadership
in Diversity and Dialogue
Inspired by the vision that respect and tolerance among human beings
in all their diversity of belief, culture and language are fundamental values
for building inclusive societies as well as boosting peace and sustainable de-
velopment, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations operates in a field in
which choices and attitudes of a wide range of actors from all walks of life
matter to turn its goals into achievements.
Politics, business, civil society, religious communities as well as
academic circles, professional organizations, youth, and the media are all
jointly in a position to shape a new agenda for living together in a diversity
and dialogue. At a time of global changes when our world is more interde-
pendent than ever, it is crucial that such actors become further aware of
their shared responsibility in forging consensus in an environment where
economies are interconnected, power is diffuse, politics diversifying and var-
ious worldviews and conceptions of domestic and international order com-
pete.
Therefore, responsible leadership in all spheres and at all levels is
needed. A leadership that understands the complexity of the world we live in
and integrates value-based and ethical decision-making as well as the
cross-cultural bridge-building is imperative in a medium/longterm perspec-
tive. This is the specific angle or perspective that the Vienna Forum will
take.
More specifically, the Vienna Forum will focus on how responsible
leadership can make a difference in the following three major issues:
→ promotion, protection and full enjoyment of the right to religious freedom
in a context of religious pluralism which consists not only of greater diversi-
ty, but also of perceptions of that diversity and new patterns of interaction
among religious groups;
→ media pluralism and diversity of media content and their contribution to
fostering public debate, democracy and awareness of diverse opinions;
→ shaping a new narrative for migration, integration and mobility in the
global economy
In addition, the Vienna Forum will focus on the regional dimension of the
Alliance of Civilizations as integral to its mission since it has to translate
general prescriptions into local, regional settings and different cultures in
order to deliver action on the ground. Apart from looking at existing regional
initiatives within the UNAOC , the Vienna Forum will further explore the
possibilities of enhanced cross-cultural cooperation in the Danube and Black
Sea region, the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia.
Whenever appropriate, panel discussions will be supplemented with
small group discussions, offering participants an opportunity to focus on
more specific topics or to work together to take action on specific challenges.
Regional Perspectives
The Vienna Forum will dedicate two special sessions to regional per-
spectives.
One session will look at the regional developments of the work carried out
by the UNAOC over the past year. This session will bring together represent-
atives from a wide range of stakeholders engaged in regional action promot-
ed by the UNAOC in order to achieve its goals. Participants will address
some cross-cutting issues - such as education, youth, media, and migration
and/or minorities - and will discuss them from a regional perspective. They
will share best practices and discuss further possibilities of cooperation.
Some of the projects developed in South-East Europe, the Euro-
Mediterranean Region, Latin America, Asia and the South Pacific will be
presented and new commitments to action announced.
Another special session will be devoted to the Danube and Black Sea region,
the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia. For centuries, peoples in these
neighbouring regions have witnessed growing cultural diversity. Building
upon existing regional strategies the following questions will be discussed:
Where are the needs for more intercultural and interreligious dialogue in
these regions? Which existing cross-cultural projects in these regions dealing
with the themes of the Vienna Forum can be shared as best practice exam-
ples? Where are possibilities for new cross-cultural initiatives bringing the
citizens and peoples of the regions closer to each other?
World Nature
Heritage Site:
The Danube
Delta
The waters of the Danube, which flow into the Black Sea, form the largest and
best preserved of Europe's deltas. The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of
birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in its numerous lakes and marshes.
The waters of the Danube, which flow into the Black Sea, form the larg-
est and best preserved of Europe's deltas. The Danube delta hosts over 300 spe-
cies of birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in its numerous lakes and
marshes. The reserve is vast in European terms with numerous freshwater
Lakes interconnected by narrow channels featuring huge expanses of aquatic
vegetation. This is the largest continuous marshland on Europe and the sec-
ond-largest delta (the Volga being the largest), which includes the greatest
stretch of reedbeds in the world. The marsh vegetation is dominated by reeds
which form floating or fixed islands of decaying vegetation Reeds cover some
1,700 km2 and the floating reed islands (plaur ) 1,000 km2 , whereas the total
area not inundated is only 148 km2 . The Razelm-Sinoie complex to the south
comprises several large brackish lagoons separated from the sea by a sandbar.
The overall basic hydrological and ecological system of the delta, although
strongly degraded, is intact.
The higher ground supports stands of willow, popular, alder and oak.
There are also sandy areas covered with feather grass and other steppe species.
Forest elements are best observed in Letea Forest where a series of bands occur
along dunes up to 250 m long and 10 m wide. The delta has been classified into
12 habitat types as follows: aquatic, lakes covered with flooded reedbeds;
'plaur', flooded islets; flooded reeds and willows; riverine forest of willows and
poplars; cane-fields; sandy and muddy beaches; wet meadows; dry meadows
(arid); human settlements; sandy and rocky areas; steep banks; and forests on
high ground.
Over 300 species of bird have been recorded, of which over 176 species
breed, the most important being cormorant, pygmy cormorant, white pelican
and Dalmatian pelican. There are numerous multi-species heron colonies and
raptor species including white-tailed eagle. The marsh tern colonies are espe-
cially notable. The delta holds huge numbers of geese in the winter white-
fronted geese, red-breasted geese (a globally threatened species with almost all
the world wintering population present), teal, mallard and pochard. The delta
is very important for fish, with 45 fresh water species present. Otter and weasel
are to be found on the floating islands.
The Danube Delta is a remarkable alluvial feature constituting critical
habitat for migratory birds and other animals. It is the major remaining wet-
land on the flyway between central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean
and Middle East and Africa. It is exceptional for its contiguity of wetland eco-
system and currently supports endangered flora and fauna. The threats remain
numerous and include intensive fish farming, shooting, canal and dyke con-
struction and pollution and eutrophication.
The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of
birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in
its numerous lakes and marshes.
Historical Description
In 1938 the Council of Ministers passed Decision No 645 declaring
'Letea Forest' as a nature reserve. In 1961 it passed Decision No 891 declaring
Rosca-Buhaiova (14,60Oha), St George-Perisor -Zatoane (16,40Oha), Periteas-
ca-Gura Portitei (3,900ha) and Popina Island (98ha) as nature reserves. In
1971 the Management of Forestry declared the Caraorman Forest (840ha) and
Erenciuc Forest (41ha). In 1975 the Council of Ministers passed the Decision
No. 524 extending the Danube Delta protected areas to cover 41,500ha. In 1979
an area of 18,145ha combining Rosca-Buhaiova Reserve and Letea Forest was
designated as Rosca-Letea Biosphere Reserve.
An area of 500,000ha including all previous designations was declared a
biosphere reserve under National Decree No. 983 with supporting Articles 5,
and 6 on 27 August 1990. Further legislation is under preparation. This area
was further enlarged in early 1991 to cover 547,000ha. International recogni-
tion is imminent with submissions in May 1991 to Unesco for biosphere
reserve nomination and to the Ramsar Bureau for nomination as a Ramsar
site.
The latest legislation gives patrimony of the biosphere reserve to the Del-
ta Authority. Decree 264/91 passed on 12 April 1991 places all institute, agency
and inspectorate staff under the administration of the biosphere reserve. The
environment agency for Tulcea Judet is also subordinate. All public domain
and aquatic and natural resources generated are the ownership of the bio-
sphere reserve authority. Further legislation will significantly strengthen the
administration of the site.
World
Water
Day:
Water
Cooperation
World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing
attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable
management of freshwater resources. An international day to celebrate fresh-
water was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environ-
ment and Development (UNCED). Each year, World Water Day highlights a
specific aspect of freshwater. In 2013, in reflection of the International Year
of Water Cooperation. The fullfilment of basic human needs, our environ-
ment, socio-economic development and poverty reduction are all heavily de-
pendent on water.
Good management of water is especially challenging due to some of its
unique characteristics: it is unevenly distributed in time and space, the hydro-
logical cycle is highly complex and perturbations have multiple effects. Rapid
urbanization, pollution and climate change threaten the resource while de-
mands for water are increasing in order to satisfy the needs of a growing world
population, now at over seven billion people, for food production, energy, in-
dustrial and domestic uses. Water is a shared resource and its management
needs to take into account a wide variety of conflicting interests. This provides
opportunities for cooperation among users. In designating 2013 as the UN In-
ternational Year of Water Cooperation, the UNGA recognizes that cooperation
is essential to strike a balance between the different needs and priorities and
share this precious resource equitably, using water as an instrument of peace.
Promoting water cooperation implies an interdisciplinary approach bringing
in cultural, educational and scientific factors, as well as religious, ethical, so-
cial, political, legal, institutional and economic dimensions.
At the following address you can find out very useful facts and tips on resource
efficiency, including water saving advice: http://www.generationawake.eu/en
International
Day
Of Forests
The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 21 March the In-
ternational Day of Forests. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the im-
portance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries
are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organ-
ize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.
In this inspirational 1 minute clip the Food and Agriculture Organisa-
tion (FAO) invites people all over the planet to consider the extraourdinary
gift that represent our forests and to participate in their well being by planting
trees: http://www.fao.org/news/audio-video/detail-video/en/?uid=9697.
On the first International Day of Forests, celebrated by the United Na-
tions today, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva proposed that coun-
tries support a Zero Illegal Deforestation target in the context of the post-2015
debate. “In many countries, illegal deforestation is degrading ecosystems, di-
minishing water availability and limiting the supply of fuelwood – all of
which reduce food security, especially for the poor,” Graziano da Silva said at a
ceremony marking the International Day of Forests. “Stopping illegal defor-
estation and forest degradation would do much to end hunger, extreme poverty
and bring about sustainability.”
“This is why, I would like to encourage countries to promote tree planting and
to consider a Zero Illegal Deforestation target in the context of the post-2015
debate. These two goals should be closely linked. We can achieve positive re-
sults if countries, the international financial institutions, the UN, civil society
and the private sector join forces to tackle these issues.”
Mediterranean countries respond to forest threats
In parallel, the countries of the Mediterranean are meeting today at the Third
Mediterranean Forest Week, taking place in Tlemcen, Algeria (17-21 March),
to discuss the state of Mediterranean forests and adopt a Strategic Framework
on Mediterranean Forests.
The Mediterranean forests are expected to be hard hit by climate change and
are under severe pressure from population growth, according to the first FAO
report on The State of Mediterranean Forests, also published today. This re-
sults in ever-increasing competition for already scarce food and water resources
in the region.
Climate change and population growth
Temperatures in the Mediterranean increased by one degree during the twenti-
eth century while rainfall decreased by 20 percent in certain Mediterranean ar-
eas. By the end of this century, it is expected that temperatures will have risen
by a further two degrees, which is likely to put some forest species at risk of ex-
tinction and result in loss of biodiversity. Population growth is expected to rise
from around 500 million people currently living in the Mediterranean to 625
million by 2050. This will put additional pressure on forests as sources of food
and water.
“The Mediterranean region is undergoing many changes in their societies, life-
styles and climate”, said FAO Assistant Director-General for Forests Eduardo
Rojas-Briales. “If unmanaged, such changes could lead to negative impacts on
livelihoods, biodiversity, wildfire risks, watersheds or desertification. There is
an urgent need to regularly assess the state of Mediterranean forests using ob-
jective and reliable data and to manage endangered forest resources more sus-
tainably.”
New strategies to ensure environmental services
Mediterranean forests are a significant carbon sink. In 2010 they stocked al-
most 5 billion tons of carbon, which represent 1.6 percent of the global forest
carbon stock. They also provide valuable ecosystem services such as water and
climate regulation, the provision of wood and non-wood products, and biodiver-
sity conservation. The Mediterranean region is one of the world’s biodiversity
hotspots. There are more than 25,000 plant species in the Mediterranean re-
gion, compared with about 6,000 in central and northern Europe. The report
stresses that the value of Mediterranean forests and their vital role in climate
change adaptation and mitigation should be recognized at local, regional and
national levels. It calls upon governments and foresters to promote the use of
wood and non-wood forest products such as cork for long-term carbon storage,
and to reinforce the investment potential of smallholders working in wood and
non-wood, forest-based industries (pine nuts, esparto grass, mushrooms, honey,
etc.). The report urges foresters to use the variety of forest genetic resources in
their silvicultural practices and promote forest species best able to adapt to
changing climate conditions. On a local scale, foresters should also improve
forest planning to manage forest ecosystems with the optimal density of trees
and to deal with water scarcity, whereas the large scale activities should in-
clude systematic forest fire prevention.
Forest fire prevention
Climate change could lead to more frequent and more severe fires, the report
warned. Between 2006 and 2010, around two million hectares of forests were af-
fected by fires in the Mediterranean region. Without adequate fire prevention
measures, including fire hazard reduction and prescribed fires to burn biomass
during the winter season to reduce fuel levels, extreme weather conditions could
cause catastrophic forest fire events.
The report was developed by more than 20 scientific and technical institutions
and non-governmental organizations and nearly 50 authors and other contribu-
tors coordinated by FAO and Plan Bleu, the main support centre of the Medi-
terranean Commission on Sustainable Development. FAO intends to publish
The State of Mediterranean Forests every five years, providing further opportu-
nities to unify and mobilize partners in the management of Mediterranean for-
ests and other wooded lands.
Based on the key recommendations adopted in the Tlemcen Declaration during
its high-level segment, the future implementation of the Strategic Framework
on Mediterranean Forests could be a useful regional tool to adapt national for-
est policies in the face of ongoing global changes which are affecting the Medi-
terranean region.
Forests
and
Water
Photo
Essay
Changing
Of
Season:
Spring
Finally, after months of waiting and enduring the cold, the moment we
were all waiting for has come: spring is here at last. That is at least what the
calendar says, anyway. Even though in some places the winter is still trying to
impose its will, there is no turning back now. The sun will shine longer and
cast a warmer light upon us, the trees will blossom and the numb world will
come back to life.
This is what makes spring the most loved season of all: it is the symbol
of a new beginning, a new cycle of life that is starting, a new world full of
possibilities. Since ancient times, people have created special celebrations to
greet the arrival of spring. And even if many of them are lost today or have
been replaced by others, the joy of spring coming cannot be hidden and it is
still warming up our hearts just like every other year.
The equinox
This year, on March 20 at 11:02 a.m. Universal Time, the March Equinox
(also known as the Spring Equinox or Vernal Equinox) occured, meaning that
the sun was directly overhead the equator. On this day, there were twelve hours
of daylight and twelve hours of darkness at all points on the earth’s surface.
The sun rises at the North Pole to the horizon on the March Equinox and the
North Pole remains lit until the September Equinox. At the same time, at the
South Pole, the sun sets after the South Pole having been lit for the previous
six months (since the September Equinox).
It has been a tradition that spring “officially begins” on March 20, and
the three other seasons begin on their solstices or equinox. However, there is no
set scientific standard for the beginning of the seasons. March, April, and May
are most commonly thought to be the spring months. On March 20, most con-
sider that spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn begins in the
Southern Hemisphere.
The beginning of spring often represents a mild transitional climate be-
tween the extremes of winter and summer. Seasonal changes primarily impact
the higher latitudes (those above 23.5 degrees). The areas between the Tropic of
Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south effectively do not
have seasons because the sun is always high in the sky.
And now that the spring is here, the sun is shining and the birds are sing-
ing, what to do with all the energy that we have stored during the winter? We
think this is the best time to be outside, enjoy and connect to the nature. Here
are a few suggestions for you.
Planting a tree
After the autumn planting round, the next best period to plant a tree is in
early spring. At this point, trees are still dormant and the chances of their sur-
vival are better than when the weather turns warm. If you do decide to try tree
planting this spring, either with your school or in your own garden, here are
some steps that you should follow:
1. Choose location and tree species. Do some research to find out what trees are
best suited for your soil and moisture conditions. Don’t forget the tree’s eventu-
al height and spread, and plan for its size at maturity. If you have a restricted
planting area or overhead power lines or buried pipes, this will limit the size of
the tree you plant. Before getting started, give entire planting area a soaking
(the day before so you don’t work in muck) or plant after rain has moistened
the soil.
2. Dig the hole. Be careful at its size: too deep and the roots don’t have access to
sufficient oxygen to ensure proper growth; too narrow and the root structure
can’t expand sufficiently to nourish and properly anchor the tree. As a general
rule, trees should be transplanted no deeper than the soil in which they were
originally grown. The width of the hole should be at least 3 times the diameter
of the root ball or container or the spread of the roots in the case of bare root
trees. This will provide the tree with enough worked earth for its root struc-
ture to establish itself.
3. Place the tree in the hole. Balled and burlapped trees should always be lifted
by the ball, never by the trunk. The burlap surrounding the ball of earth and
roots should either be cut away completely (mandatory, in the case of synthetic
or plastic burlap) or at least pulled back from the top third of the ball (in the
case of natural burlap). Any string or twine should also be removed. In the
case of container trees, once carefully removed from the container, check the
roots. If they are tightly compressed or ‘pot bound’, use your fingers or a blunt
instrument to carefully tease the fine roots away from the tight mass and then
spread the roots prior to planting. For extremely woody compacted roots, it may
be necessary to use a spade to open up the bottom half of the root system. The
root system is then pulled apart or ‘butterflied’ prior to planting.
Loosening the root structure in this way is extremely important in the case of
container plants. Failure to do so may result in the roots ‘girdling’ and killing
the tree. Bare-rooted trees should be planted as soon as possible after purchas-
ing. Care should be taken to ensure that the roots are kept moist in the period
between purchase and planting. To plant, first build a cone of earth in the cen-
tre of the hole around which to splay the roots. Make sure that when properly
seated on this cone the tree is planted so that the ‘trunk flare’ is clearly visible
and the ‘crown’, where the roots and top meet, is about two inches above the soil
level. This is to allow for natural settling.
4. Fill the hole. Backfill soil (combinations of peat moss, composted manure,
topsoil, etc.) is then placed in the hole surrounding the tree just to the height of
the ball or the former container level to allow for some settling. Be careful not
to over-compress the backfill soil as this may prevent water from reaching the
roots and the roots from expanding inside the soil. Compress gently using your
hands instead of your feet.
5. Water well after planting, but don’t apply fertilizer until second growing sea-
son. If you don’t get regular rainfall, continue to water newly planted trees thor-
oughly (an inch of water once a week), in the first season. If you have the possi-
bility, apply a two- to four-inch layer of mulch to soil at tree base in a 3-foot
circle. This helps conserve moisture, reduces competition from grass and weeds
and encourages you to keep string trimmers away from trunk. Don’t heap mulch
up against trunk, as this can promote decay.
Riding the bike
The longer, sunny days and the warmer temperatures are certainly inviting
for a trip outdoors. Just hop on your bike (or roller-blades, skateboard or any
other un-motorised device that you know how to ride) and take it to the roads.
If your local conditions allow, you can expand from just an occasional ride
for fun to start riding your bike to work, to the shop, to meet your friends, in-
stead of using a car or a bus. This will keep your tonus high and your carbon
footprint low.
Spring Cleaning
Since it is spring again, the Spring Cleaning concept should not come as a sur-
prise for anyone. Whether we use it for cleaning our houses from top to bot-
tom or for tidying up our gardens in preparation for the summer, one thing
it’s for sure: it does take a lot of energy. So if you feel like putting those mus-
cles to work, this is the activity for you.
While you get busy, keep in mind the environment. Try to use environmental-
ly friendly detergents and cleaning products and use water efficiently. Don’t
just let that tap running; remember, we just celebrated World Water Day.
And if you find things that need to be disposed of, try to see if they match any
recycling options.
Positive
Examples:
Austria
ECOLOG, a key action programme and network on the ecologisation of
schools and education for sustainability, was developed by an Austrian team
of teachers working on the international project “Environment and School
Initiatives” (ENSI) in the 1990s as a national support system with the aim of
promoting and integrating the development of individual schools, and at-
tempts are being made to embed the programme in Austria’s federal states
through regional networks. Overall coordination is ensured by the Forum
Umweltbildung, which operates as a contractor with the Federal Ministry of
Education, Sciences and Culture and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and
Environment. In this setting, the ECOLOG programme may itself become
sustainable and be seen as an interface between environmental education and
school development.
The Austrian programme
“Ecologisation of Schools
Education for Sustainability”
(ECOLOG)
ECOLOG is based upon an ENSI approach: Schools – so called ESDSchools –
define the ecological, technical and social conditions of their environment
and, on the basis of these results, define objectives, targets and/or concrete ac-
tivities and quality criteria, to be implemented and evaluated. Students as
well as all the other actors at school should be involved in a participatory way
and collaboration with authorities, business and other interested parties is
encouraged. The measures concern, among others, areas like saving of re-
sources (energy, water etc.), reduction of the emissions (i.e. waste, traffic),
spatial arrangement (from the classroom to the campus), learning culture
(communication culture, organisational structure) and health promotion as
well as opening of the school to the community. All in all, over 300 schools
with about 70,000 students are currently in the network. Many others are
reached by the web site, teacher inservice-training seminars and newsletters.
What has been achieved in relation to the goals and objectives of the
ECOLOG network:
→ The pilot phase of the network (1996–1998) successfully achieved its main
goals of supporting ecological awareness and fostering school development
through environmental projects.
→ The nationwide contest (Phase II, 1997–1999) called “The Slightly Differ-
ent Contest—Ecologising Schools”, with 200 participating schools, was a
striking success. What made the contest innovative was that it was not the
product that was examined but the growth in experience and change achieved
in the schools.
→ In Phase III (since 1999), which focused on the development of regional
support networks, the cooperation with school authorities and environmental
departments of the regional governments has been successfully established
and has been working well in most Austrian provinces.
→ Some federal states—such as Upper Austria and Styria—are repeatedly
mentioned in the interviews as good practice models for this cooperation.
→ Beside these forms of knowledge management there are also opportunities
of gaining new knowledge: regular training workshops (e.g. team formation,
curriculum, environmental topics) are offered to network members.
→ A considerable number of school-development consultants showed a lively
interest in participating in the network. These consultants are supposed to
provide valuable knowledge and support concerning the further development
of the network.
Problems were identified in relation to cooperation and the flow of infor-
mation within the network, time pressures, tight deadlines and excessive
workloads as a result, varying levels of commitment by staff in the coordi-
nation groups, and a lack of material and other resources for coordinators
and schools. In the immediate future, keeping a balance between bottom-up
and top-down developments, together with the introduction of some new or-
ganisational features (i.e. more team-oriented work and more horizontal
connections between the network partners), will be the key challenges of the
network Ecologising Schools—Education for Sustainable Development.
Crucial questions for a sustainable development of the network include how
to keep up funding, how to develop local advisory support further, and how
to find structural links and cooperation to quality assessment and educa-
tional standards development.
Good practice Example of an ECOLOG School
Sustainable development is an important part of the school culture at the
Upper secondary technical School (HTL) Donaustadt in Vienna. Aspects
of sustainability are reflected in numerous projects, diploma thesis and by
the certification through environment management systems (Eco-
Management and Audit Scheme - EMAS). In addition to high quality
technical training, students acquire specialised knowledge in the area of
company environment protection by getting qualified as waste-, environ-
ment- and sustainability agents as well as by acquiring social competencies.
Through this practice relevant and modern training, alumni are sought as
valuable employees in companies.
Throughout the year the school organises film and discussion days focusing on
sustainability themes. These events have been well attended by students. The
selection of topics for diploma theses and projects ranges from optimising
waste management to the development of a “reminder-calendar” for vaccination
shots in companies. The “HTL Donaustadt” and its highly motivated students
also support regional nature protection projects like the resettling of tawny
owls with helpful technical solutions.
Modern company culture also needs to take into account the satisfaction of its
staff and of the students. For this the HTL Donaustadt has a communication
platform “we for us”. In a technical school with a high percentage of male staff
members and students an active approach to gender mainstreaming is a logic
consequence; for this the network called “women-technology-future” has been
developed.
The “HTL Donaustadt“ sees itself also as a cultural impulse transmitter in the
region and organises events to which people of the surrounding district are in-
vited. Highlights of this impulse activity are the “long night of sustainability”
and the cooperation with a local business Agenda 21 initiative. Since 2005 this
variety of projects and activities has been documented in “sustainability re-
ports“. This documentation allows to analyse strengths and to give room for im-
provement and helps to act accordingly. The continued improvement has led to
numerous awards like the “Environment Award of the City of Vienna”, the
Austrian Sustainability Reporting Award, the Mobility Award and the Eco
Profit Award.
Seminars for heads and coordinators to enhance quality of ESD schools
In November 2007 and April 2008 a two-part seminar was offered to heads of
Austrian ECOLOG schools. In May 2009 a further seminar was held for co-
ordinators at the ECOLOG schools. The seminars aimed to spread innovative
ideas to the ECOLOG schools through an organised framework in which
school representatives could discuss their work and which facilitated a system-
atic confrontation with the “Quality Criteria for ESD-Schools”.
The intention of the seminar was to enhance innovative potentials at the
schools and it was the aspect of ESD being “part of everyday school life” or
part of the mission statement for the schools that led the Austrian ENSI Team
to think of innovative approaches. The task was to keep what was there alive,
leading on to intrinsically motivated further development through the genera-
tion of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the creative mind between
existing ideas or concepts. When school initiatives are recognised as positive
and have become institutionalised, there is simply a danger that they may be-
come purely an “institution”, suffer from a loss of impetus and also become the
task or even burden of a small group – or at worst, one person – rather than a
living part of everyday school life.
All in all the feedback from the seminars was very good. An interesting aspect
was that the participants were not daunted but inspired by excellent school
examples. It was clear that it takes time to reach such a level, that it can only
be achieved in a team and step-by-step. A further aspect was that it was the
practical examples that clarified the quality criteria. Beyond seminar pro-
grammes, the aim is the integration of the quality criteria as a framework for
ESD within regular teacher education.
The
Bookshelf:
The
Happiness
Project
Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books, including the #1 New
York Times and international bestseller, The Happiness Project—an account
of the year she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific
studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. On her
popular blog, The Happiness Project, she reports on her daily adventures in
the pursuit of happiness.
In her next book, Happier at Home, Rubin embarks on a new project to
explore how to make home a happier place. Starting in September (the new
January), Gretchen dedicates a school year—from September through May—
to concentrating on the factors that matter most for home, such as possessions,
marriage, time, parenthood, body, neighborhood. The book’s title was inspired
by a line from Samuel Johnson: “To be happy at home is the ultimate result of
all ambition.”
Rubin has emerged as one of the most thought-provoking and influential
writers on happiness to have emerged from the recent explosion of interest in
the subject. Though her conclusions are sometimes counter-intuitive—for ex-
ample, she finds that true simplicity is far from simple to attain, and that used
rightly, money can do a lot to buy happiness—her insights resonate with read-
ers of all backgrounds.
http://www.happiness-project.com
Response to Rubin’s writing on happiness has been overwhelming. The
Happiness Project is more than books and a blog, it’s a movement. Happiness
Project groups have sprung up across the country—and across the world. Rights
to The Happiness Project have been sold for more than 35 territories. Dozens of
blogs have been launched by people following Gretchen’s example. Psychiatrists
tell their patients to read it, professors assign it to their students, book groups
discuss it it, families pass it around, and people do Happiness Projects together.
Exhausted parents and college students, senior citizens and professionals, clergy
and social workers, people facing divorce, illness, and drift have written to tell
her how she’s influenced them. The Happiness Project was even an answer on
the game-show Jeopardy!
Rubin, an enthusiastic proponent of using technology to engage with read-
ers about ideas, has a wide, active following on Twitter, on Facebook, and on
her YouTube channel—not to mention her monthly newsletter and her daily
email of happiness quotations. Rubin is a notable example of a traditional au-
thor using a blog and social media to create discussion around a subject and a
book, even before publication. Rubin’s online presence set the stage for The
Happiness Project to rocket to the top of the bestseller list, and to stay there for
months. In traditional media, Rubin has a monthly column in Good House-
keeping.
A graduate of Yale and Yale Law School, where she was Editor-in-Chief
of the Yale Law Journal and winner of the Edgar M. Cullen Prize, Rubin start-
ed her career in law, and she was clerking for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
when she realized she really wanted to be a writer.
Her bestselling Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill and Forty Ways to
Look at JFK are succinct, provocative biographies. Power Money Fame Sex: A
User’s Guide is biting social criticism in the form of a user’s manual. Profane
Waste, a collaboration with artist Dana Hoey, examines the question of why
owners choose to destroy their own possessions. She also has three terrible nov-
els safely locked in a desk drawer.
Raised in Kansas City, she lives in New York City with her husband and two
daughters.
Notes and Acknowledgments
Content /
Positive Examples / The Netherlands (we omitted these
links in our February Issue, and we apologize for any
inconvenience caused)
http://www.lerenvoorduurzameontwikkeling.nl/sites/default/
files/downloads/
lvdo_programmabrochure_engelstalig_tcm24-290166.pdf
http://www.lerenvoorduurzameontwikkeling.nl/sites/default/
files/downloads/learning_sstnbl_dvlpm_tcm24-298876_0.pdf
http://www.slo.nl/downloads/2008/sustainable_development-
def.pdf/
Positive Examples / Austria
http://seri.at/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/
CEER_A_152761.pdf
http://seri.at/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/ESD-in-
Austria_proofed.pdf
Connect Through Art / KunstHaus Wien
www.kunsthauswien.com
Earth Hour
www.earthhour.org
UN Alliance of Civilizations
www.vienna5unaoc.org
World Nature Heritage Site / The Danube Delta
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/588
World Water Day
http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/home/en/
Changing of Season / Spring
http://geography.about.com/od/timeandtimezones/a/marchequinox.htm
http://www.tree-planting.com/tree-planting-4.htm
http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/how-to-plant-a-
tree.html
Notes and Acknowledgments
Content /
The Happiness Project
www.happiness-project.com
Notes and Acknowledgments
Photos /
The Happiness Project
http://gurpreetlife.blogspot.com
www.katiecouric.com
World Nature Heritage Site / The Danube Delta
www.trekking-tours.ro
http://danubedelta.wordpress.com
birdlife.org
www.transilvaniatours.ro
www.theeposhtimes.com
Positive Examples / Austria
www.dyndy.net
danosky.wikispaces.com
Pi Day
www.edison.k12.nj.us
Missed an issue? Nektarina (S)pace January Issue Nektarina (S)pace February Issue
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Coming up
in April
World Nature Heritage Site:
The Plitvice Lakes
Liveable Cities:
Belgrade, Serbia
Earth Day
The Balkans:
Connecting Point
Sustainable Agriculture
The pains and laughs of fundraising
SuperNatural Festival
Positive Examples:
Montenegro
The Bookshelf
Our Blockbuster
Delish!
Recipe of the Month
and much more
Nektarina (S)pace is a web magazine published monthly
by Nektarina Non Profit, a non governmental,
non profit organization registred in Croatia.
ISSN 1847-6694
www.nektarinanonprofit.com
www.education4sustainability.org