Anhatomirim Environmental Protection Area

Anhatomirim Environmental Protection Area () is a protected area to the north of Florianópolis on the coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Formation.
The coastal marine reserve, with an area of , was created on 20 May 1992.
It is administered by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
The name comes from the island of Anhatomirim, on which a fortress was built by the Portuguese in 1735, later used as a political prison in the time of Floriano Peixoto.
It comprises an area of land opposite the Fortaleza de Santa Cruz de Anhatomirim and the surrounding water up to from the land.
It lies in the municipality of Governador Celso Ramos, Santa Catarina.
The area is IUCN protected area category V (protected landscape/seascape).
The purpose is to protect biological diversity and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources.
Specific goals include protecting the feeding and reproduction area of the resident population of Tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis) freshwater dolphins, and protecting remnants of the Atlantic Rain Forest and water sources needed for survival of local fishing communities.
Ecology.
The terrain is generally flat or undulating, with the highest point at
Most of the forest is secondary Atlantic Forest in different stages of regeneration, but there is some preserved dense forest, mainly on the slopes of the Serra da Armação.
There are also small mangroves and sandbanks.
Migratory species include southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), La Plata dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei), swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus), South American tern (Sterna hirundinacea) and rufous-thighed kite (Harpagus diodon).
Protected species include loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), La Plata dolphin and restinga tyrannulet (Phylloscartes kronei).
The numbers of tourists visiting the waters by boat for dolphin watching has disturbed these animals, and some researchers have suggested limits if not an outright ban on this activity.


Windmill Hill Cavern

Windmill Hill Cavern (also called Windmill Hill Cave, the Brixham Cave, Brixham Bone Cavern and Philp's Cave) is a limestone cave system in the town of Brixham, Devon. It was discovered in 1858 and later excavated by a team led by the geologist William Pengelly, who found proof that humans co-existed with extinct British fauna.
Discovery.
Windmill Hill Cavern was a chance discovery in 1858 by builder John Lane Philp, who was searching for a pickaxe that had fallen into a hole in the ground during construction of a house on Mount Pleasant Road in the northwestern part of Windmill Hill and incidentally came across the cave.
Upon hearing about Philp's discovery, the Geological Society of London drew up a lease to secure an excavation of the cavern. William Pengelly, a British geologist and paleontologist, was selected to lead the excavation of the cavern, with geologist Hugh Falconer, supervised by Pengelly, outlining the operation plans for the exploration before beginning.
Excavation.
In excavating the cave, the team used a grid system, an exploration technique that had never been used until that time. During the excavation, 36 Palaeolithic artifacts were discovered, the first being a flint knife. Some of the artifacts were associated with fossils of extinct animals, which prompted Pengelly and some of the more sceptical members of his team to dig deeper for proof that humans lived amongst extinct British animals. After studying the flint artifacts at the Somme River Valley's gravel terraces, the more sceptical members of Pengelly's team, such as Joseph Prestwich, found the proof that they sought that humans and extinct British animals had once lived amongst each other. Remains of animals found in the cave included those of extinct species such as aurochs and woolly mammoth, as well as still extant taxa now absent from Europe, such as the spotted hyena.
Operations.
Windmill Hill Cavern was open to the public at one point as a show cave, but later closed. The cavern is listed under Section 1 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.


Megaworld Lifestyle Malls

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls is the retail and commercial arm of Megaworld Corporation , and is one of the largest mall developers in the Philippines. It was founded in 2009, following the success of Megaworld’s first mall development, Eastwood Mall, in Quezon City.
Megaworld Lifestyle Malls epitomizes the ‘Play’ component in Megaworld’s Live-Work-Play-Learn concept, with its lifestyle properties serving as the center and point of convergence of the company’s township communities. It currently has 17 lifestyle malls, covering 710,000 square meters of floor space across Metro Manila, Luzon and Visayas region.
Widely recognized as the country’s pioneer of the lifestyle malls concept, the Megaworld Lifestyle Malls brand is characterized by unique designs and themes per mall, which such as the China-themed Lucky Chinatown and the Italianesque Venice Grand Canal
Recently, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls launched new logo following the release of a modernized and more streamlined Megaworld corporate logo. The logo was unveiled in line with the company’s 30th anniversary and features colorful and customizable design elements to portray the company’s Mission and Vision of “making happiness a lifestyle”.
The redesigned logo press event also coincided with Megaworld Lifestyle Malls announcement of its plans to launch 8 new malls in the next three years. The company has earmarked P10 billion for the new malls, which will open  in Cebu, Bacolod, Davao, Boracay, Cavite, and Pampanga by year 2022. These new malls will add another 54,000 square meters of fresh retail space, bringing the company’s GFA to more than 1.15 million square meters by 2022.
Flagship malls.
Full-scale Malls.
Megaworld Lifestyle Malls currently has 8 full-scale malls in Metro Manila, Laguna and Iloilo City in the Visayas region.
Dining and Community Malls.
Each community mall is a host to dining, shopping, wellness and convenience establishments to cater to the immediate community.


Pacific Centre

Pacific Centre (corporately styled as "CF Pacific Centre") is a shopping mall located in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and managed by Cadillac Fairview. Based on the number of stores, most of which are underground, it is the largest mall in Downtown Vancouver with over 100 stores and shops and the 7th busiest mall in Canada with 22.1 million annual visitors as of 2018. The mall is directly connected to the Hudson's Bay department store, Vancouver Centre Mall, two SkyTrain subway stations, and the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver.
History.
Built between 1971 and 1973, it was an unofficial Eaton Centre. The Pacific Centre was home to an Eaton's department store, succeeded by Sears Canada after 2002 and vacated in the fall of 2012. A Nordstrom store opened in its former space in 2015.
The City of Vancouver approved a 578,000 sq ft. expansion of Pacific Centre, including retail premises that will extend to the street on both sides of West Georgia Street, and a direct link connecting the shopping centre with the new Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain station on Granville Street. The link opened in the summer of 2009 in conjunction with the opening of the Canada Line.
In November 2012, B.C. attorney general Shirley Bond ordered an investigation into a Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) security guard, who had physically assaulted a person with a disability whom he had accused of shoplifting. During the altercation, which was recorded on security cameras and witnesses' cellphones, the guard was seen hitting the man, throwing him from his wheelchair, and yelling profanities at him. In January 2013, the Ministry of Justice ruled that the guard had used unnecessary force. He was fined $230, and had his security license suspended for two month with a condition requiring re-certification on use of force before he could receive his license.
On January 20, 2017, Cadillac Fairview announced an agreement to sell a 50 percent interest in its Vancouver properties, including Pacific Centre, to the Ontario Pension Board and Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, each to hold a 25% stake. Cadillac Fairview, itself a subsidiary of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, will retain the remaining 50% interest and continue to manage the properties.
Stores.
Anchor stores include Holt Renfrew, Harry Rosen, H&M, Apple Store, London Drugs, and Nordstrom. Food chains include A&W, Dairy Queen, Edo Japan, TacoTime, Thai Express, and New York Fries.
The rotunda glass dome at the northeast corner of the intersection of West Georgia Street and Howe Street, is in the process of being redeveloped. Cadillac Fairview will construct a new two-storey pavilion building with 14,000 sq. ft. of floor area which will include a new Apple flagship store.
Transportation.
Pacific Centre is located at the Granville Mall, which is a junction between the Expo and Canada Lines of Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system. Two stations service the mall, Granville and Vancouver City Centre station, respectively.


Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness

The Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area located in Riverside County in Southern California. The wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service in the San Bernardino National Forest.
The summit of Cahuilla Mountain sits at 5604 feet (1708 m) and provides an excellent view of the nearby Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. A trail to the top winds through the chaparral, as well as groves of live oak and Jeffrey pine. Local wildlife include mountain lion, mountain and California quail, and the rare red diamond rattlesnake.


Kashmiri Gate, Lahore

Kashmiri Gate (, "Kashmiri Darwaza") is one of the thirteen gates of Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The gate gets its name as it faces in the direction of Kashmir. Inside there is a shopping area and market that is called "Kashmiri Bazaar" and a girls' college. This college, built upon an old haveli belonging to a Shah, is a beautiful example of Mughal architecture.


Providence Town Center

Providence Town Center is a lifestyle center located near Collegeville in Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It is located at the interchange between U.S. Route 422 and Pennsylvania Route 29. The Providence Town Center has Wegmans, Movie Tavern, Best Buy, LA Fitness, Dick's Sporting Goods, Michaels, and PetSmart as anchors.
History.
The first phase of Providence Town Center opened in October 2009, consisting of Wegmans and several other large retailers.
At this time, the center was 73 percent leased and several retailers had pulled out of plans of opening stores at the center because of the Great Recession that was occurring. These issues caused the second phase of the Providence Town Center to be delayed.
Movie Tavern opened at the Providence Town Center in spring 2011. By this time, more retailers started showing interest in opening at Providence Town Center.
In 2012, work on the second phase of Providence Town Center took place, adding several new retailers and restaurants.


Karaca Cave

Karaca Cave () is a network of caves located near the town of Torul in Gümüşhane Province, Turkey.
Although the cave was known to the people living in that region, it became open to tourism as a result of the scientific research conducted by Sukru Eroz, a geological engineer from Cebeli Village, between the years 1983-1990. Prof. Dr. Remzi Dilek and his team from the Department of Geological Engineering at the (Karadeniz Technical University) contributed a lot of research and scientific studies of the cave. As a result of these studies, it was opened to tourism in 1996 after the Ministry of Culture and Tourism was informed and the cave was officially registered.
Location of the cave.
Karaca Cave is surrounded by the borders of the village Cebeli in Torul. It is far away from the city center at an elevation of high above sea level. The cave attracts the most tourists in Gumushane.
The cave can be reached by following the road, which branches off from the 12th km of the Gumushane-Trabzon highway D.885 / E97. There are restaurants and other small stores located near the cave.
Characteristics.
In the area extending between Gümüşhane and Torul, there are extensive formations consisting of various types of extrusive, igneous rock, including andesitic and basaltic lavas, tuffs and agglomerates. The total thickness of these deposits reaches . These igneous strata are interleaved with sedimentary layers, varying in thickness between and consisting of limestone and certain other types of sedimentary rock. The Karaca Cave formed in one of these layers of highly fissured, massive limestone sandwiched between volcanics.
Karaca Cave is rich in dripstone formations of many different shapes and colours, including stalactites, stalagmites, and travertines. There are also many cave roses located on certain of the travertines and stalagmites.
Some of the dripstone pools are very large - particularly those in the inner parts of the cave, which range up to in depth.
The travertines vary in colour from white to dark blue, revealing the presence of high levels of iron and magnesium minerals in the cave waters.
The cave system is disposed more or less in a level plane and consists of four interconnected caverns. Two of these caverns are further subdivided by 'walls' composed of dripstone, and it could thus be argued that Karaca comprises not four but six chambers.
The height of the cave entrance is about - the height of an average man - but, as one moves deeper into the interior increases steadily, the cave opening out into a funnel shape. The cave is roughly in length, averages in height and has a total floor area of .
There is no stream in Karaca, water percolating through fissures in the roof of the cave being responsible for the formation of the dripstones. Such water as persists within the cave is in the form of various ponds and pools. The ponds at the entrance of the third and fourth caverns contain a considerable volume of water.
There is no significant air circulation in the cave, with the result that the level of humidity in its atmosphere increases from around 65% at the entrance to up to 75% in the cave's interior. The air inside the cave is cooler than that outside it in summertime and warmer in winter. Because of this, it is considered to have a microclimate of its own.
The Karaca Cave has been open to visitors since 1996.
External links.
There are nice pictures of the cave in this link:


Barmah National Park

The Barmah National Park, formerly Barmah State Park, is a national park located in the Hume region of the Australian state of Victoria. The park is located adjacent to the Murray River near the town of Barmah, approximately north of Melbourne. The park consists of river red gum floodplain forest, interspersed with treeless freshwater marshes. The area is subject to seasonal flooding from natural and irrigation water flows.
The Barmah-Millewa Forest, consisting of the Barmah Forest (Victoria) and the Millewa group of forests (New South Wales), forms the largest river red gum forest in the world.
The Barmah Forest Ramsar site is an internationally recognised wetland, listed under the Ramsar Convention, and a number of bird species that utilise the Barmah National Park are part of the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) and the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA). Note that the areas of the Barmah National Park and the Barmah Forest Ramsar site mostly overlap, but are not identical, Barmah National Park site includes the western part of Ulupna Island in the north east, but not the Murray River Park to the south east. The Barmah Forest Ramsar site boundary does not include Ulupna Island, but does include the Murray River Park to the south east. The overall area of the red gum forest on the Victorian side is colloquially defined as the Barmah Forest.
Barmah National Park is a popular camping, walking, fishing, boating and canoeing and swimming destination.
Climate.
The Barmah National Park is known as a temperate semi-arid region, with low rainfall and high evaporation. Average temperature maximums for the year are around in January and February, with average minimum temperatures down to in July. Average rainfall for the year is , with the most rain falling in winter with an average monthly rainfall of .
History.
The Barmah Forest was originally utilised by Indigenous Australians, including the Yorta Yorta people, to find food, shelter and materials. Following the settlement of Europeans into the area, Barmah Forest became an important fishing and logging area, with surrounding land cleared for agriculture and grazing. Rabbits, foxes, sheep, cattle and horses were introduced into the area. Hardwood timber was harvested from the Barmah region from around 1870, and logging of river red gum and seasonal cattle grazing were important local industries until recently, ceasing when the national park was created. The Barmah muster yards, located in the southern end of the park, and used for management of cattle grazed in the surrounding river red gum forests, were heritage listed in 2009. Cattle grazing was banned in all river red gum national parks in 2015.
The park contains a large population of wild horses, which mainly originate from free roaming horses that either escaped or were purposely released for breeding stock in the mid 1800s. Stock released by a local trotting horse breeder after 1952 bolstered their population after the last great roundup of 1949, when approximately 70 wild horses remained in the Barmah Forest.
Barmah State Park was established in 1987, and was legislated as Barmah National Park in 2010. The park is one of four river red gum national parks established by the Victorian Government in 2010 to protect remnant river red gum forest.
The other river red gum national parks are the Gunbower National Park (created 2009), Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (1978), Lower Goulburn National Park (2009), Murray-Sunset National Park (1991) and the Warby-Ovens National Park (2009).
In July 2010, the Government of New South Wales declared the Millewa Forest, on the northern banks of the Murray River, as a national park. The forest was renamed as the Murray Valley National Park, making the combined reserves a crossborder national park, managed by both governments and the Traditional Owners. The combined parks are the largest continuous red gum forest in the world.
Changes to flooding.
The Barmah Choke and the Narrows, a section of the Murray River where flow is restricted by a geological fault (the Cadell Fault), naturally cause the overflow of water into the Barmah Forest when the river flow is high.
Historically, the Barmah National Park and surrounding river red gum forests would flood naturally in winter and spring in most years, and river flows were very low in late-summer and autumn. Since clearing for agriculture and the subsequent dam construction took place, the Murray River has undergone extensive flow regulation. The construction of dams upstream from the Barmah National Park, from the 1920s onwards, has had a vast impact on the water flowing in the Murray River and instances of flooding, the flow of water is now highly regulated.
The Hume Dam was operational from 1936, the Yarrawonga Weir in 1939, and the Dartmouth Dam from 1979.
As a consequence of flow regulation, the winter and spring floods are now reduced, and of shorter duration than previously, with more low level flooding occurring in summer and autumn. The increased incidences of smaller summer and autumn floods, which affect low-lying areas of Barmah National Park, are sometimes caused by heavy rains. More often, they occur because there is sufficient rainfall for irrigated farmland between the Hume Dam and the Barmah Forest, consequently river diverters do not choose to take allocated water, Lake Mulwala (Yarrawonga Weir) also has inadequate storage, resulting in high level river flows referred to as "rainfall rejections".
These unseasonal high level river flows result in unseasonal flooding in the Barmah-Millewa Forest, which has a significant effect on forest and wetland ecology, degrading wetlands by interfering with the natural drying-out phase and by disrupting nutrient cycling processes. In recent years, unseasonal flooding is being controlled, and "environmental water" is being released to offset some of the detrimental effects of river regulation on the ecosystems along the lower reaches of the Murray River. Management of environmental water supplied through the Murray-Darling basin to the Barmah–Millewa Forest is complex, and mainly under the control of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. In Victoria the Victorian Environmental Water Holder also manages environmental water allocations.
The supply of environmental water to Barmah Forest aims to:
Ecology.
The Barmah National Park is a river red gum forest, consisting of an upper storey of red gums, no shrub layer or middle storey, and a ground storey of native grasses, sedges and rushes. The edges of the forest merge into a eucalypt-box woodland.
The park is a large flood plain and wetland area, with flooding of the Murray River occurring sporadically, both naturally and due to flow regulation of the river.
Threatened species of flora found in Barmah National Park may be listed under the DELWP Advisory List of Rare or Threatened Plants in Victoria, the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG), or the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EBPC). Many listed plant species do not have Wikipedia pages, more information can be found on the Vicflora database
Fauna.
Threatened species of native fauna occurring in Barmah National Park may be listed under the DELWP Advisory List of Threatened Vertebrate Fauna, the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG), or the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EBPC).
Environmental threats.
Following European settlement of the area, land was extensively cleared to allow for farming and agriculture. Sheep and cattle grazing was a common sight around the Barmah region from the mid to late 1800s. The periodic burning previously undertaken by Indigenous Australians was also halted. Logging of the river red gum forests was an important part of the late 1800s and early 1900s.
A significant decrease in breeding and occurrence of waterbirds, particular woodland bird species and species of migratory birds has been reported in the Barmah National Park. This decrease has been attributed to the changes to the flood regimes occurring in the area.
A number of marsupial species are also no longer found within the park, including the rufous bettong, bridled nailtail wallaby, western barred bandicoot, and lesser stick-nest rat. Their absence has been attributed to the introduction of rabbits and foxes.
Though the future impact of climate change on river red gum forests is unknown, there has already been a significant dieback of trees in the area due to ongoing evapotranspiration deficits.
In the Murray-Darling Basin, prior to regulation of the Murray River, extensive Moira grass ("Pseudoraphis spinescens") dominated floodplain marshes existed in areas that were typically seasonally flooded for 5–9 months duration in most years, to a minimum water depth of 0.5 m, and completely dry during late summer and autumn. Floodplain areas previously dominated by aquatic species, such as Moira grass, common reed ("Phragmites australis"), and cumbungi ("Typha" spp.), are now covered with species adapted to lower levels of flooding, mainly river red gums and giant rush ("Juncus ingens").
The extent of the Moira grass-dominated plains has declined by 96 per cent over the last 80 years in the Barmah Forest, and they are predicted to be extinct in the Barmah Forest by 2026 without management intervention. Reductions in duration and depth of natural flooding due to regulation of the Murray River, grazing and trampling pressure by introduced animals, particularly by feral horses (and previously cattle), and invasive plant species are the main causes of this decline.
Management.
The Barmah Forest was declared as a national park by the Victorian Government in 2010 under the National Parks Act 1975. The park is managed as part of a collaboration between Parks Victoria and the Traditional Owners of the area, including the Yorta Yorta people.
Flow regulation of the Murray River to benefit the surrounding agricultural land, has been undertaken for many years. However, more recently the importance of environmental flows is becoming increasingly acknowledged. Scientific study has shown that river red gums rely on specific levels and durations of floods in order to survive and regenerate, similarly waterbird species also have very specific flood-related conditions in order to successfully breed and fledge chicks. Flow regimes are also very important for native fish species populations. Therefore, the alterations to the management of river red gum forests and regulation of water flows within the Murray River will be a very important area of study into the future.
The timing and frequency of ecological burns will also need to be carefully monitored for future management of the park, as the increase in fire frequency predicted under climate change models may adversely impact bird habitat and may favour invasive plant and animal species.
Parks Victoria's plan to reverse environmental degradation and definitively improve management of Barmah National Park prioritises timing of seasonal flooding to promote the growth of floodplain vegetation and provides habitat for breeding waterbirds, control of invasive plants, and the eradication of introduced grazing animals including horses, deer, pigs and goats. The aims of management plans are to protect the floodplain marshes, including increasing the extent of Moira grass plains, and to improve the quality of habitat for native flora and fauna in the Barmah National Park.
In the news.
In late 2018 and early 2019, during a nationwide drought, news reports began circulating about starving feral horses across Australia, including in Kosciuszko National Park, Guy Fawkes River National Park, and Barmah National Park. At Barmah, which at the time was flooded with environmental water, local activists the Barmah Brumby Preservation Group began feeding feral horses on properties adjacent to the national park. Within Barmah National Park, Parks Victoria began euthanising feral horses in very poor condition, under strict protocols, by shooting.
In April 2019, Parks Victoria announced a four year plan to cull an estimated more than 500 feral horses within the national park, along with controlling and eradicating other introduced plants and animals. Removal of 100-250 feral horses per year from the national park is proposed, with passive trapping and rehoming of some feral horses if homes can be pre-arranged, and the remainder to be shot by contracted professional shooters. After the fourth year, the plan will be reassessed, with the ultimate aim of removal of all feral horses from the national park.
Parks Victoria stated that:"the Victorian National Parks Act 1975 and other associated legislation does not allow for the ongoing presence of horses within the national park" ..."Failure to control and remove feral horses and other threats would fail to meet threatened species protection obligations under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the state Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988." and "Difficult choices need to be made to reduce the severe degradation to the significant environmental values of Barmah National Park, and to address the animal welfare risks created by a burgeoning feral horse population that the park cannot sustain."
The local activists have disputed Parks Victoria's estimations of large numbers of feral horses within the national park, and opposed the rehoming or culling of any horses, stating that environmental flooding rather than overpopulation was responsible for the problems with the feral horses in the national park.


Khingan Nature Reserve

Khingan Nature Reserve ( "Khinganskiy zapavyednik") (also Khingansky) is a Russian 'zapovednik' (strict nature reserve), located in the extreme south-east of the Amur River region of the Russian Far East. The reserve covers two types of habitat: the flat Arkharinskaya lowlands with abundant wetlands, and forested spurs of the Lesser Hinggan mountains. In particular, Khingan Reserve was created to protect steppe and forest-steppe landscapes, and nesting sites of the endangered Red-crowned crane (Ussuri crane) and the vulnerable White-naped crane. The reserve is situated in the Arkharinsky District of Amur Oblast.
Topography.
The Khingan Nature reserve is divided into two separate sections, one on the Amur-Zeya-Bureya intermountain plains (about 70% of the area), and one in the low rugged hills of the left bank of the Amur River (70% of the area). The lowlands are Quaternary lakes and rivers of alluvial and sedimentary rocks. The mountain section averages 200–400 meters in height, with the highest point (Mount Erakticha) being 504 meters in altitude.
Climate and Ecoregion.
Khingan is located in the "Amur meadow steppe" ecoregion. This is a low-lying fertile floodplain, with patches of deciduous subtaiga forests. Situated in the middle Amur River in the Russian Far East, and northeast China, trees are generally found only in the upland areas, due to the frequent flooding of the plains. Species endemism is low, in part because the area was not glaciated in the latest Ice Age.
The climate of Khingan is "Humid Continental Climate" (Köppen climate classification "(Dwb)"). High variation in temperature, both daily and seasonally; with dry winters and cool summers. January has an average temperature -27 C. July averages +21 C.
Flora and fauna.
The vegetation and animals of the Khingan Reserve is marked by the interpenetration of different floristic groups, with a wide variety of growing conditions and microclimate, in the intersection of plains grassland, wetlands (including sphagnum bogs), and larch and cedar-broad-leaf forest habitats. The plains section of the reserve exhibit Far Eastern forest-steppe type terrain, typically sedge, reed grass, and mixed grass meadows interspersed with islands of birch forest. The mountainous section exhibits Far East broad-leaf forest terrain.
Animals in the reserve are a mixture of the typical residents of both East Siberian forests and the Manchurian region: large ungulates (roe deer, wapiti, wild boar) and forest dwellers (chipmunk, squirrel, wolf, fox, brown bear, sable, elk). Over 290 species of birds have been recorded, both waterfowl for the wetland habitats and predators of the forests. The most common fish in the lakes are carp, minnow and loach, in the rivers the most common fish are grayling.
Ecotourism.
As a strict nature reserve, the reserve is mostly closed to the general public, although scientists and those with 'environmental education' purposes can make arrangements with park management for visits. There are 'ecotourist' routes, such as to 'White Bird Lake', however, that are open to the public, but arrangements must be made at the main office. Reserve staff give guided tours to the lakes to see the flowering of the Kormorov Lotus from mid-July to mid-August. Tour groups are welcome by arrangement and over a thousand visitors are received each year. There are rustic accommodations available in some of the buffer areas.
The reserve currently runs a volunteer program for groups willing to help with conservation activities in the field. The main office, which also has a small nature museum and wildlife nursery open to the public, is in the town of Arkhara.


California State Route 2

State Route 2 (SR 2) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that runs from the Los Angeles Basin and through the San Gabriel Mountains to the edge of the Victor Valley in the Mojave Desert. Officially, it begins at the intersection of Centinela Avenue in the City of Los Angeles limits adjacent to the city of Santa Monica and extends all the way to SR 138 east of Wrightwood. The highway currently is divided into three segments, and it briefly runs concurrently with U.S. Route 101 (US 101) and Interstate 210 (I-210) to connect the segments. The western section of the highway is an old routing of US 66; the eastern portion is known as the Angeles Crest Highway, while the middle section is known as the Glendale Freeway along with multiple surface streets around US 101.
Route description.
SR 2 is known as the Angeles Crest Scenic Byway, a National Forest Scenic Byway, from SR 2's east junction with I-210 in La Canada Flintridge to the Los Angeles–San Bernardino county line. The Big Pines Highway is routed along SR 2 from County Route N4 (CR N4, the northwest continuation of the designation) in Big Pines to the Los Angeles–San Bernardino county line.
SR 2 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System, and except for much of the mountain portion is part of the National Highway System, a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration. SR 2 is eligible to be included in the State Scenic Highway System; however, only the portion of SR 2 from a point north of the I-210 interchange to the San Bernardino County line is actually designated as a scenic highway by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), meaning that it is a substantial section of highway passing through a "memorable landscape" with no "visual intrusions", where the potential designation has gained popular favor with the community.
The California Legislature has relinquished state control of various segments of SR 2 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, and turned them over to local control.
SR 1 to the southeast junction with US 101.
The original official western terminus of SR 2 was at the junction of Lincoln Boulevard, SR 1, and I-10 in Santa Monica. SR 2 then proceeded northwest on Lincoln Boulevard before turning northeast on Santa Monica Boulevard. Since the California Legislature relinquished segments of the highway, state control of SR 2 now officially begins at the point where Santa Monica Boulevard crosses the Santa Monica–Los Angeles city limits at Centinela Avenue. From Centinela Avenue, SR 2 heads northeast on Santa Monica Boulevard, where it heads northeast through West Los Angeles, Westwood, Century City, and Beverly Hills before entering West Hollywood. Santa Monica Boulevard, as a major street, is for most of its length at least four lanes wide.
At its west end, Santa Monica Boulevard starts off Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. From there until Sepulveda Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard is a densely urban commercial street. Most of the Westside car dealerships are located on Santa Monica Boulevard. After Sepulveda, Santa Monica Boulevard passes Century City, and intersects Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.
The south roadway of Santa Monica Boulevard, often called Little Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills, runs parallel to the state highway (north) roadway of Santa Monica Boulevard from the city's west limit to Rexford Drive. After Rexford Drive, Little Santa Monica turns east, becoming Burton Way. Burton Way merges into San Vicente Boulevard at its intersection with La Cienega Boulevard. It is noted that the south roadway of Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills is a city street while the north roadway of Santa Monica Boulevard is a California state highway, each roadway handling bi-directional traffic.
After intersecting Wilshire, Santa Monica Boulevard continues northeast toward West Hollywood, spanning Beverly Boulevard and Melrose Avenue. At Holloway Drive, in the middle of West Hollywood, Santa Monica, now north of Melrose Avenue turns to the east. In West Hollywood, between Fairfax Avenue and Doheny Drive along Santa Monica Boulevard, bronze name plaques are embedded in the sidewalks as part of the West Hollywood Memorial Walk. SR 2 continues east through Hollywood on Santa Monica Boulevard to the Hollywood Freeway.
Route 2 then merges onto U.S. Route 101 (the Hollywood Freeway) and heads southeast leaving US 101 at the Alvarado Street exit.
Southeast junction with US 101 to I-210.
From US 101, Route 2 heads northeast on Alvarado Street through the community of Echo Park. The route then turns north onto Glendale Boulevard.
Glendale Freeway.
The route then branches northeast onto the Glendale Freeway, a north–south route. With five lanes each direction, the freeway is quite wide. It intersects the 5 Freeway (the Golden State Freeway) and then crosses the Los Angeles River, and runs through the communities of Glassell Park and Eagle Rock.
After its interchange with the eastern Ventura Freeway (SR 134), the Glendale Freeway route follows a ridge in the San Rafael Hills through eastern Glendale. The freeway ends in the Crescenta Valley, at Foothill Boulevard in La Cañada Flintridge. Just before reaching Foothill Boulevard, SR 2 turns off the Glendale Freeway onto the eastbound Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210) for a short distance until reaching the Angeles Crest Highway exit in La Cañada Flintridge.
The Glendale Freeway was originally proposed to continue through Echo Park all the way to Hollywood Freeway (101). Since that plan has been scrapped, the freeway is somewhat isolated from the remainder of the LA freeway system.
I-210 to Route 138.
Leaving La Cañada Flintridge at an altitude of , the route turns north onto the Angeles Crest Highway. This route winds generally east-northeast through the canyons of the San Gabriel Mountains for over , before descending through Big Pines and Wrightwood to the edge of the Victor Valley approximately west of Hesperia and ending at SR 138. The highway climbs to a high point of at Dawson Saddle. The eastern portions of the Angeles Crest Highway are notoriously dangerous, with many switchbacks and blind curves, and are often closed during occasions of heavy winter snowfall. The highway is generally closed between Islip Saddle and Vincent Gap from mid-December to mid-May due to snow and rockfall.
History.
Designation.
In 1964, Route 2 was defined as a single route from Santa Monica to Wrightwood with no discontinuities. The segment of former US 66 on Santa Monica Boulevard west of the Hollywood Freeway and Lincoln Boulevard was added to Route 2 at this time, since US 66 was truncated to Pasadena. Route 2 became discontinuous at Routes 101 and 210 in 1965 and 1990, respectively.
Before the segment of the Glendale Freeway was built between Glendale Boulevard and just west of the Los Angeles River, Route 2 began at the Hollywood Freeway on Santa Monica Boulevard, continued east to Myra Avenue, then north on Myra Avenue, east on Fountain Avenue, northeast on Hyperion Avenue, southeast on Rowena Avenue, southeast on Glendale Boulevard, and northeast on Fletcher Drive to just west of the Los Angeles River. From west of the Los Angeles River, Route 2 continued on the Glendale Freeway to its temporary connection with Fletcher Drive at Avenue 38 and then followed the routing described in the previous paragraph to Route 138 northeast of Wrightwood.
Before the segment of the Glendale Freeway was built north of Glassell Park, Route 2 continued north on Fletcher Drive to Eagle Rock Boulevard, then north on Eagle Rock Boulevard to Verdugo Road, north on Verdugo to Cañada, north on Cañada back to Verdugo, and north and east on Verdugo to the Angeles Crest Highway (then Haskell Street).
Beverly Hills Freeway.
Originally, it was to have been the Beverly Hills Freeway from Route 405 to Route 101 just east of Vermont Avenue, flowing onto the Glendale Freeway. In fact, the proposed freeway on Route 2 west of Route 101 was the original routing of the "Santa Monica Freeway" (a name which subsequently went to the distantly parallel Route 10). However, for a variety of political reasons, the department never reached agreement with Beverly Hills to build the segment through that city. At one time, the department considered building a cut-and-cover tunnel under Beverly Hills, but even this proved a non-starter, and the freeway plan west of Route 101 was quietly cancelled in 1975. Currently, the Glendale Freeway begins as a stub at Glendale Boulevard. A freeway-wide bridge was built over Glendale Boulevard in hopes that the freeway would be built further west. Today, the bridge serves as the westbound lanes of Route 2, connecting the southwestbound freeway lanes to southbound Glendale Boulevard. A more modest freeway/expressway extension to Route 101 has been discussed.
Planners originally intended for it to connect to the Hollywood Freeway with Route 101 near the Vermont Avenue interchange, but community opposition killed the project by the 1960s (which is why there is a huge median around the cancelled interchange today). The Glendale Freeway offers stunning vistas of the eastern San Fernando Valley, the Verdugo Mountains, the Crescenta Valley, and the San Gabriel Mountains.
In the 1960s, the city of Beverly Hills had begun a transition from a quasi-exurban retreat for the entertainment industry to its current status as one of the world's premier shopping and culinary destinations. Building a freeway along Santa Monica Boulevard, the northwestern border of the city's emergent "Golden Triangle" shopping district, did not fit into city fathers' vision for Beverly Hills' development. Moreover, it was feared that a freeway would exacerbate the already evident divisions between the fabulously wealthy residents of the hilly areas north of Santa Monica Boulevard and the merely affluent ones to the south. A proposed cut-and-cover tunnel for the freeway failed to generate sufficient political support, and by the mid-1970s the project was essentially dead.
California State Senator (later Congressman) Anthony Beilenson was one of the leading opponents of the project.
Caltrans' decision not to build the freeway was both harmful and beneficial to the areas along its proposed route. The massive Century City high-rise commercial development just west of the Beverly Hills city limits was built with freeway access in mind. For many Century City workers who live in Los Angeles' eastern suburbs, the quickest way home takes them through the residential district of Cheviot Hills, which has caused consternation among its well-heeled residents. For Beverly Hills, the decision helped preserve much of its emergent downtown, but at the cost of creating gridlock on Wilshire Boulevard and I-10.
Further construction.
The first segment of freeway was built in the 1950s and ran from just west of the Los Angeles River to Avenue 38 in Glassell Park. This portion was at one time named the Allesandro Freeway, because it runs next to Allesandro Street. The last segment of freeway, from Route 134 to Route 210, was built between 1972 and 1975.
Starting in July 1964, Route 2 began in Santa Monica at its junction with Routes 1 and 10. After heading a few blocks northwest on "Lincoln Boulevard", the route turned northeast on Santa Monica Boulevard, just several blocks from the Pacific Ocean. The route continued on "Santa Monica Boulevard" to Centinela Avenue.
For its entire length, until the tracks were removed, Santa Monica Boulevard followed the tracks of the Pacific Electric Railway. In the portion from Holloway Drive in West Hollywood to Sepulveda Boulevard in West Los Angeles, the tracks were in a separate right-of-way, with two roadways, one on each side of the tracks. For the rest of the route, the tracks ran in the traffic lanes.
Except for a short portion at its eastern end, Santa Monica Boulevard was adopted as a state highway in 1933. From 1934 to 1936, it was signed as State Route 2. Then it became U.S. Route 66. When U.S. Route 66 was truncated to Pasadena in 1964, Santa Monica Boulevard once again became State Route 2 as far east as the Hollywood Freeway. Today, the State Route 2 portion of Santa Monica Boulevard is defined from the Santa Monica/Los Angeles city limits to US 101.
From 1936 to 1964, U.S. Route 66 ran along Lincoln Boulevard from its junction with Alternate U. S. 101 (now California Route 1) and California Route 26 (now replaced by Interstate 10) to Santa Monica Boulevard and along Santa Monica Boulevard from Lincoln Boulevard to the Hollywood Freeway. US 66 turned southeast on the Hollywood Freeway with US 101. At that time, Route 2 began on Alvarado Street at the Hollywood Freeway. As is today, Route 2 traversed Alvarado Street and Glendale Boulevard to the Glendale Freeway. Route 2 continued on the Glendale Freeway to a temporary connection with Fletcher Drive at Avenue 38 in the Atwater district of Los Angeles. From the temporary connection, the route ran northeast on Fletcher Drive, and north on Verdugo Road to its south intersection with Cañada Boulevard in Glendale. From the south intersection, Route 2 headed north on Cañada Boulevard to its north intersection with Verdugo Road, north on Verdugo Road, and east on Verdugo Boulevard, before reaching Foothill Boulevard in La Canada Flintridge. Route 2 continued approximately one mile southeast on Foothill Boulevard with California Route 118 to Angeles Crest Highway. From Foothill Boulevard, Route 2 continued north on Angeles Crest Highway, where it continues to this day.
Today, the California Transportation Commission is relinquishing the street-running parts of Route 2 to local cities which it runs through. In 1996, state law was changed to permit the relinquishment of Route 2 in Santa Monica and West Hollywood. When the relinquishment in Santa Monica went through in 1998, the portion from Route 1 to Centinela Avenue was deleted. The law was changed again in 2001 to allow Route 2 from Route 405 to Moreno Drive to be relinquished to the City of Los Angeles. In 2003 California Senate Bill 315 was chaptered, acknowledging the relinquishments within Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and from Route 405 to Moreno Drive in Los Angeles, and permitting the relinquishment of Route 2 in Beverly Hills. Whether Route 2 west of Route 101 will stay as a paper route after relinquishment is yet to be determined.
Since the 1950s, proposals have been made to extend the Glendale Freeway to the Antelope Valley Freeway via a tunnel under the San Gabriels, relieving some of the latter freeway's notorious congestion. The difficulty of designing and building such a route through the mountains (designated SR 249) and the cost of insuring it against earthquakes and terrorism would undoubtedly make perpetually cash-strapped Caltrans unable to undertake such an ambitious project.
In popular culture.
The section of freeway between the Ventura Freeway (134) and the Foothill Freeway (210) was largely completed in late 1972, but not fully finished until late spring 1978. During this five year period, the section from just north of the 134 Ventura freeway to approximately Mountain St (Glendale College) was not built. During this time, the closed freeway and an on/off ramp at Verdugo Blvd in Montrose were used as a location for several films due to its relatively complete construction status, and its proximity to major movie studios in Southern California. Some of these productions included "Coffy", "Corvette Summer", "The Gumball Rally", "Death Race 2000", "Cannonball", "Hardcore", and several American television series including "Adam-12", "Emergency!" and "CHiPs". The transition overpass from the eastbound Ventura Freeway to the northbound Glendale Freeway was prominently featured in the notorious disaster film "Earthquake" when a livestock truck and two cars crash over the side of the overpass (a shot completed in miniature special effects). Ever since it was opened in 1978, this section of freeway is still relatively lightly traveled (especially on weekends), and is still utilized as a filming location.


Kin Tiel

Kin Tiel, also known as the Wide Ruins, is an historic site listed on the National Register of Historic Places, located about fifty miles north of Chambers, Arizona, in Apache County. It is the ruins of a large pueblo, which has undergone extensive exploration and excavation. It was added to the register on May 22, 1978.
History.
The pueblo was constructed in 1276 AD, and was constructed all at once, consisting of over 1300 rooms in 3 stories. Victor Mindeleff visited the ruins in the 1880s, at which point much of the outer wall was still extant, to a height of two stories. Pottery found at the site as become known as the "Kin Tiel focus" of the "Rio Puerco" pattern. The National Geographic Society excavated the site in 1929. Most of the stones which were still standing in walls were pulled down to construct a trading post nearby in about 1895. That trading post was subsequently torn down in the 1980s.
Currently, there is an excavation project underway on the site, under the joint auspices of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and Historic American Engineering Record (HAER). The project is utilizing numerous modern technologies to identify and catalog the ancient artifacts, including 3-D laser scanning, ground penetrating radar and magnetometers.
Description.
The pueblo is located approximately midway between the Tusayan and Cibola pueblos, about 23 miles north of Navajo Springs, and about 17 miles north of Chambers. The pueblo had an outer contiguous wall, 3 stories tall, with very small and sporadic openings near the ground. On the inside of the wall were terraces facing inclosed courts.
There are two wings of almost equal size, one on either side of a central wash, which runs from east to west. The houses inside the wall in the northern half run roughly parallel with the wall, with a single exception near the east. The houses on the southern half, however, were constructed at right angles to the wall. This was due to the geographical conditions: the rooms to the south are situated on two long ridges, while those to the north are also built on high ground which runs along the wall. There are only three entrances to the pueblo's interior: one just south of the east end of the arroyo, one near the northeastern corner, and the third in the north wall. While there might have been additional entrances, the current ruins do not indicate their existence. The site was populated for a significant amount of time, as evidenced by the large refuse heap to the south. The pueblo was self-contained, with no significant structures outside the wall. To the north there are rectangles which indicate a graveyard. It is built in the Chacoan style of pueblo, covering approximately 30 acres, making it one of the largest pueblo sites in the southwest.


Varuna River

The Varuna River is a minor tributary of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh, India. It originates at Phulpur in the Prayagraj district and merges into the Ganges near Sarai Mohana in the Varanasi district. The stretch between Sarai Mohana and Sadar , Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh is prone to flooding. The name 'Varanasi' is originated from the name of two rivers, Varuna and Assi.
According to the "Vamana Purana", the river was created by the gods alongside the Asi River. It is also mentioned in the "Mahabharata".


Alas Purwo National Park

Alas Purwo National Park is situated on Blambangan Peninsula in the Banyuwangi Regency, at the southeastern tip of East Java province. The park is famous for its wild Banteng and surfing location at Grajagan Bay.
The park's name means "first forest" or "ancient forest", in accordance with a Javanese legend that says the earth first emerged from the ocean here.
Geography.
The park is located in Blambangan Peninsula at the southeastern tip of Java island, along the shore of strait across Bali.
With an area of 434 km2, the park is made up of mangroves, savanna, lowland monsoon forests and coral-fringed beaches. An internationally renowned surf break peels along the edge of the park at Plengkung on Grajagan Bay. Mount Linggamanis (322m) is also located in this national park.
Flora and fauna.
The flora protected in this national park include: "Terminalia catappa", "Calophyllum inophyllum", "Sterculia foetida", "Barringtonia asiatica" and "Manilkara kauki".
It is home to some of Java’s endangered species, such as the banteng ("Bos javanicus"). In April 2004, there were only 57 bantengs found in the savanna of Sadengan, while the population in the previous year was estimated to be 80 to 100, but in August 2010, the scientists found 73 bantengs in the 80-hectare savanna area, a big increase in 6 years, although they faced threats of poaching and loss of habitat. Herds of bantengs usually come to Sadengan in the morning and afternoon in search of plants.
The biggest threat to the bantengs are humans. Poachers set traps outside the park during the dry season to snare bantengs wandering outside the park in search of water. The bantengs are slaughtered and the meat sold.
Other threatened animal species protected in Alas Purwo include the dhole, Javan langur, green peafowl, red junglefowl, olive ridley, hawksbill turtle and green turtle.
Surfing.
Between the months of March and November, thousands of surfers from all over the world visit the park for its surf break. The destination is Plengkung Beach in Grajagan bay, also known as G-Land, which is about half a day's travel from Bali.
The beach is considered one of the best surfing spots in Asia. With rideable waves up to 5 meters, it is considered a spot for experienced surfers only. The place is listed as Quicksilver World Tour Circuit.


Mandar Parvat

Mandar Parvat, also known as Mandar Hill is a small mountain situated in Banka district under Bhagalpur division of state of Bihar. It is about 700 ft high and approximately 45 km south of Bhagalpur city off Bausi, a place located on the state highway between Bhagalpur and Dumka. Mandar Hill is a great place of pilgrimage although it is not so well known now. On top of the hill are a Hindu and a Jain temple.
Religious Significance.
The mountain has many references in hindu mythology known as mandarachal parvat. As per references found from Puranas and Mahabharata this hill was used for churning the ocean to extract the nectar from its bosom (Samudra Manthan). There is, adjacent to this hill, a pond called "Paapharni". This holy pond has its own historical significance. It is a place where you can revive yourself after taking a bath in the pond that refreshes mentally and physically. In the middle of the pond is a temple of lord Vishnu and goddess Laxmi.
Many rare sculptures of Lord Shiva, Kamdhenu and Varaah, believed to be of 11-12th century AD, can be found to be scattered around Mandar Hill. These rare artifacts need to be conserved by Archaeological Survey of India.


Southadka

Southadka is a pilgrimage centre located at a distance of 3 km from Kokkada in Nellyadi Taluk of Dakshina Kannada district. The uniqueness of the place is Lord Maha Ganapathi is out in the open field without a 'Garbha gudi' and temple structure. It is surrounded by greenery and open round the clock for offering prayers.
About 35 km from Kukke Subramanya Temple is 'Southadka Shree Mahaganapathi Kshetra' in the interior of Kokkada. This is about 16 KM from Dharmasthala. The temple is decorated with lot of Bells mainly, offered by worshippers who have special wishes. One can find lot of monkeys inside the temple. The Mahapuja is performed every year in the month of January. The temple also serves food to all the devotees in the form of prasadam. The temple is 6 KM from Patrame on the banks of Netravati River.
Belthangady’s hidden gem, it’s a unique temple with vast expanses of lush greenery. Sitting cozily in the lap of nature amidst such a tranquil atmosphere is Lord Ganapati. Welcome to Southadka, the abode of Lord Ganapati.
Popularly known as Maha Ganapati Kshetra, Southadka in Belthangandy taluk of Dakshina Kannada district is hailed as one of the many siddhi kshetras of the district. Surprisingly, not many from outside the district are aware of the existence of this temple which is located just 20 km away from the pilgrim town of Dharmasthala. Away from the hustle and bustle of the main road, this temple with no formal structure surrounding it, offers a unique experience.
A spacious goshala (cow shed), a row of pretty shops vending pooja materials, a small temple office where seva tickets and prasada can be bought and a modest temple kitchen that dishes up tasty naivedya prasada is all that Southadka houses. The idol of Lord Ganesha, installed majestically under the bowers of an ancient tree, is spectacular, to say the least. A shining arch is all that surrounds the beautiful idol in black stone and, of course, huge brass lamps. Right in front of the Lord's idol are rows of brass bells tied to wooden beams for devotees to sound them during the pooja. These bells in various shapes and sizes are a great attraction among children.
The Name.
In Tulu language, SOWTHE means 'cucumber' and ADKA means 'field'. Cowherds in this place were growing cucumber and they offered the same to Lord Ganapathi of this place during their worship. Hence, this place gets the name as Southadka.
History.
According to the sthala purana of Southadka, a Ganapati temple revered by a royal family was once destroyed by enemies. Not to let the enemies destroy the beautiful idol of Ganapati that was at the temple, cow herds of the place carried it along with them and installed it in a place where cucumber was grown in plenty. Since southe means cucumber and adka means meadow in Tulu, the place soon gained popularity as Southadka. The farmers of the place reaped huge harvests of cucumber, offered it to Lord Ganapati and even wished to build a temple there. But, according to a popular belief, Ganapati graced their dreams and asked them not to build a temple for him at Southadka as that would mean restrictions on devotees visiting the place to seek his blessings. The Lord expressed his wish to remain in open air with no formal structure surrounding him so that devotees could access him round-the-clock. Lord Ganapati’s wish was the farmers’ command and to this day the Lord sits majestically in the lush green surroundings of Southadka, blessing his devotees 24/7.
According to temple authorities, of the many sevas offered at the temple, the most popular one is the avalakki panchakajjaya seva (a delicious mixture of beaten rice, jaggery, til (sesame), coconut, honey and banana) performed on a regular basis. The laddu prasada too shouldn’t be given a miss. One word of caution though: whoever performs the avalakki panchakajjaya seva has to share a fair amount of Lord’s prasada with the many cows around.


San Vito Wetland

San Vito Wetland (), is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area, it was created in 1994 by decree 22879.


Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust

Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that invests in shopping centers mostly in the Mid-Atlantic states.
History.
The company was founded by Sylvan M. Cohen in 1960 as one of the first equity REITs. In 1997, the company acquired the Rubin Organization for $260 million. In 2001, founder Sylvan Cohen died. In 2003, the company acquired 6 shopping malls from The Rouse Company. The company also acquired Crown American. In 2006, the company acquired Woodland Mall for $177.4 million. In 2012, Joseph Coradino was named chief executive officer of the company.
In 2013, the company sold Christiana Center and Commons at Magnolia for $87.3 million. In 2014, the company acquired a building in Philadelphia. In 2015, the company acquired Springfield Town Center for $465 million from Vornado Realty Trust. In 2016, the company sold 4 malls for $93 million. In 2019, the company turned Wyoming Valley Mall over to its mortgage holder, GS Mortgage Securities Trust, to avoid foreclosure after failing to find a buyer for the property. It owed $72.8 million on the loan, which had been in special servicing since July 2018. The mall had lost almost 75% of its 2014 $122 million value before being turned over.
PREIT filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 1, 2020 after previously anticipating an earlier protection filing due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on malls. The company exited bankruptcy on December 11, 2020.
Portfolio.
As of December 31, 2019, the company owned interest in 26 properties in 9 states containing 20.1 million square feet.
Notable properties owned by the company include the following:


Tongil Market

The Tongil Market (), or Unification Market, is a marketplace in Pyongyang, North Korea. It is the largest and best-known marketplace in the city. The two-story indoor market houses some 2,200 vendors selling agriculture produce, fish, food, clothes, and appliances – including luxury and counterfeit products. There are services such as foreign exchange and food courts in each three sections that comprise the marketplace. The market was opened in 2003 when North Korean leader Kim Jong-il ordered farmers' markets should be consolidated into larger units.
Unlike most other markets in the country, the Tongil Market is clearly visible from the street, and is also accessible by tourists. In addition to tourists, the market caters to the elites of Pyongyang, as prices of certain items are high. An unofficial market has existed just next to it.
History.
In March 2003, Kim Jong-il, the leader of North Korea, instructed that farmers' markets should be consolidated into larger units. On 3 May, the Cabinet of North Korea promulgated Directive 24, which stated (Article 2) that the Tongil Market shall be established "as an example for the whole country." Tongil Market was opened on 1 September. Since 2006, North Korea has restricted foreigners' access to markets, but the Tongil Market has remained open to them. The Tongil Market, along with other large official markets in Pyongyang, was temporarily closed down for a few weeks in 2009, leaving residents dependent on the informal economy.
Products and services.
Tongil Market is located in Pyongyang, near Rangrang Station, just off Tongil Street in a suburb of southern Pyongyang.
Tongil Market is the largest and best-known marketplace in Pyongyang. It has 1,500 booths in an area of more than . It is a covered market, and, unlike most other markets in the country, in two stories. The market has about 2,200 vendors, who pay an initial registration fee equivalent of $30 and a fixed fee every time they use their stall. The market consists of three areas: agriculture produce and fish, food and clothes, and metal utensils and appliances.
TV sets, exotic foods like, quail and turkey, and imported fruit like bananas and pineapples are also on sale. Counterfeit products, including of Western perfumes, are sold. Many women work as peddlers. Each area has an office and currency exchange booth – both on the upper floor – as well as a food court attached to it. The foreign exchange booths, run by the state-owned Foreign Trade Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, offer exchange at the normal rate and are open intermittently. There is parking for both cars and bikes.
The market is busy with customers. Prices are in North Korean won and haggling is commonplace. Some prices on par with those in Chinese markets, with vegetables being somewhat more expensive but seafood and clothes generally cheaper. The prices are, however, not particularly cheap in relation to average incomes of North Koreans. For instance, spinach costs 1,000 won at the Tongil Market, fifty times as much as its 20-won price tag at rural markets in North Korea. Because the market is well-stocked, it has been suspected of being a "showpiece", but in fact its wares are comparable to other markets in the country. Its customer base is, however, mainly foreign visitors and domestic elites. The market is open to foreign visitors, and many embassies in Pyongyang use it for shopping. Photography is not allowed. One foreigner, Pamela Bryant, a visiting professor at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology relates how one of her faculty members broke the rule resulting in the entire faculty being banned from the market for three months.
Unlike most other markets, the Tongil Market is clearly visible from the street with its distinct white walls and blue roof. The Tongil Market is an official one, in contrast to North Korea's informal markets ("Jangmadang"). There has however been an unofficial "frog market" near it, so named because vendors would "jump" like frogs if authorities showed up. According to a vendor interviewed by "Daily NK", "The size of a street-stand is approximately 50cm by 50cm [20 in x 20 in] large. There are also about 2,000 people selling outside of the market... The Tongil Market usually consists of people from the Tongil Street, so merchants from the other regions cannot do business there. In the Tongil Market alone, there are around 8,000 people [doing business]. Because the Market is so large, the cadres from the other regions frequently come to buy goods."


California State Route 88

State Route 88 (SR 88), also known as the Carson Pass Highway, is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It travels in an east–west direction from Stockton in the San Joaquin Valley, crossing the Sierra Nevada at Carson Pass, and ending at the Nevada state line, whereupon it becomes Nevada State Route 88, eventually terminating at U.S. Route 395.
Unlike other two-lane California highways through the mountains (Routes 4, 108 and 120), Route 88 stays open through winter, except during the worst snowstorms, making it the third major route through the mountains, after Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 50. In fact, Route 88 over the Carson Pass is designated as Alternate U.S. 50, such that it may be used during floods of the American River Canyon.
Route description.
SR 88 begins just outside Stockton as Waterloo Road, heading northeast towards Waterloo. The highway turns north at Waterloo, and SR 88 continues north to an intersection with SR 12, where the latter runs concurrently. SR 88 continues through Lockeford and Clements before continuing into Amador County. Continuing northeast, SR 88 intersects the southern terminus of SR 124 and is joined by SR 104 before passing through the town of Sunnybrook. SR 104 leaves SR 88 prior to the community of Martell, SR 88 continuing to Martell, where it joins with SR 49 and shortly thereafter turning south, running concurrently with SR 49 to the city of Jackson. In Jackson SR 88 turns northeast again leaving SR 49 at the intersection of SR 49, SR88 and Peek Street. The highway continues northeast through Pine Grove, Pioneer, Buckhorn, Cooks Station, and Ham's Station before entering the state game refuge. SR 88 continues paralleling the county line with El Dorado County in Eldorado National Forest before passing by Silver Lake and Kirkwood, where SR 88 crosses into Alpine County.
In Alpine County, SR 88 continues by Caples Lake before running concurrently with SR 89 until Woodfords. The highway continues through Paynesville before entering Nevada as Nevada State Route 88. Route 88 is one of only three routes to continue with the same route number after crossing into Nevada, the others being Routes 28 and 266.
SR 88 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System, and is part of the National Highway System, a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration. It is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System; however, it is only a scenic highway as designated by Caltrans from the Dew Drop ranger station to the Nevada state line, meaning that it is a substantial section of highway passing through a "memorable landscape" with no "visual intrusions", where the potential designation has gained popular favor with the community. The Carson Pass Highway is also designated as a National Forest Scenic Byway.
The road is kept open all winter but can be subject to restrictions or short-term closure due to snow (including avalanches) or ice.
Historical landmarks.
Listed in order from west to east.
History.
A portion of Route 88 (from Antelope Springs to the border) started as the Amador/Nevada Wagon Route, a toll road completed in 1862, which was a major thoroughfare through the mountains, as California sent timber, food, and particularly gold to the east during the Civil War. Completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 greatly decreased traffic on the wagon road.
The original highway number was 8 in Amador County. Old CA-8 overlaps present CA-88 from Alpine County to Jackson but continues south to Mokelumne Hill, then to Valley Springs and other points south. Present 88 follows a portion of old SR 104 but diverges just south of Ione.


List of New Jersey Scenic Byways

The New Jersey Scenic Byways system consists of roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey that have been recognized for their historical or natural qualities.
List of byways.
There are currently eight scenic byways in the state of New Jersey:
Bayshore Heritage Byway.
The Bayshore Heritage Byway runs along the Delaware Bay and Delaware River in Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem counties, providing access to natural and historical sites. The byway begins in Cape May Point, Cape May County, following CR 629, CR 606, CR 626, Route 162, CR 626, and Route 47. In Cumberland County, the Bayshore Heritage Byway continues along Route 47, CR 616 (with a spur along East Point Road that serves the East Point Light), Menhaden Road, River Road, CR 616, Route 47, CR 670, CR 744, CR 676, CR 633, CR 649, CR 553 (with spurs along CR 631 to Bivalve and along CR 656 and CR 637 to Fortescue), CR 609, Route 49, Fayette Street, CR 650, CR 607, and CR 623 (with a spur along CR 642 and Bayside Road to the Bayside Tract Preservation Site). In Salem County, the byway follows CR 623, CR 658, CR 624, CR 625, CR 661, Grieves Parkway, and South Front Street to Route 49 in Salem. At this point, a spur heads along Route 49, Freas Road, Supawna Road, Route 49, CR 632, and CR 630 to Fort Mott State Park. From Salem, the mainline continues along Route 49, Route 45, and CR 540 to its northern terminus in Mannington Township.
Delaware River Scenic Byway.
The Delaware River Scenic Byway follows Route 29 along the Delaware River between Trenton and Frenchtown. It provides scenic views of the Delaware River and passes through Washington Crossing State Park, Titusville, Lambertville, Stockton, and Raven Rock. This byway is also part of the national program.
Millstone Valley Scenic Byway.
The Millstone Valley Scenic Byway is a historic scenic route located in the Millstone River Valley which lies in north central New Jersey. The byway offers a glimpse into the past where skirmishes between the local militia and British troops played a key role in the American Revolutionary War. This byway has been designated by the National Scenic Byways Program of the Federal Highway Administration as of 2009.
The route travels along CR 605 (River Road) in Princeton, Montgomery Township, and Rocky Hill, Montgomery Road in Rocky Hill and Montgomery Township, and CR 533 along the west bank of the Millstone River. It travels along CR 603 (Kingston-Rocky Hill Road) and Canal Road on the east side of the Delaware and Raritan Canal. The route loops back on the south side at Route 27 in Princeton and Kingston and connects near the northern end via CR 514 between Millstone and East Millstone.
Attractions along the route include the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, the relocated Rockingham site in Kingston, a section of Franklin Township, Somerset County, and the 1860 House on Montgomery Road near Rocky Hill. The Kingston Village Historic District and the Kingston Mill Historic District are both located in the historic area of Kingston.
Palisades Scenic Byway.
The Palisades Scenic Byway follows the Palisades Interstate Parkway between Fort Lee and the New York border, running along the New Jersey Palisades on the Hudson River in Bergen County and offering scenic overlooks.
Pine Barrens Byway.
The Pine Barrens Byway consists of three routes that run through the Pine Barrens in southern New Jersey.
The northern route of the byway begins in Tuckerton in Ocean County and follows US 9 and Stage Road into Burlington County, where it continues along CR 653 and CR 542 to Green Bank. Here, the Pine Barrens Byway splits into a longer northern loop and a shorter northern loop. The longer northern loop follows CR 542 through Batsto into Mullica Township, Atlantic County. The shorter northern loop follows CR 563 into Mullica Township. The first leg of the northern loop begins at CR 542 in Mullica Township, following CR 643 and CR 612 to CR 563. From here, the final leg of the northern loop follows CR 563, CR 624, Mill Street, Riverside Drive, CR 575, CR 610, US 9, the Garden State Parkway into Burlington County, and US 9 back to Tuckerton, Ocean County.
The central connector of the Pine Barrens Byway begins at CR 542 in Mullica Township, Atlantic County and follows CR 542, CR 658, CR 623, CR 559, CR 616, CR 559, US 40/Route 50, Route 50, and CR 611 to Corbin City.
The southern route of the byway begins in Corbin City, Atlantic County and follows CR 611 and Route 50 into Tuckahoe, Cape May County. From here, the byway follows Route 49, CR 632, and Route 49 to an intersection with CR 548, where it splits into a longer southern loop and a shorter southern loop. The longer southern loop follows CR 548 into Cumberland County, where it heads south on Route 47 back into Cape May County. The byway continues along Route 47, CR 610, CR 550, CR 557, CR 550, and CR 605 back to CR 548. The shorter southern loop follows Route 49 into Estell Manor, Atlantic County and continues along Head of River Road and Aetna Drive to CR 611.
Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Byway.
The Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Byway runs through areas of farmland between Allentown and Walnford Mill in Monmouth County. The byway follows CR 539, CR 524, Chambers Road, Rues Road, CR 526, Red Valley Road, CR 27, Arneystown-Hornerstown Road, Hill Road, Waln's Mill Road, Walnford Road, Polhemustown Road, Holmes Mill Road, and Walnford Road.
Warren Heritage Scenic Byway.
The Warren Heritage Scenic Byway follows Route 57 through mountain and valley areas between Greenwich Township and Hackettstown in Warren County, following the route of the historic Morris Canal.
Western Highlands Scenic Byway.
The Western Highlands Scenic Byway runs through mountain areas in Sussex County. The main segment of the byway begins at Route 23 in Hardyston Township and follows CR 515 north to Vernon Township, where it follows Route 94 north to the New York border. A loop of the byway branches from Route 94 in Vernon Township and runs northwest on CR 644, southwest on CR 517, and northeast on Route 94.


Fish Lake Scenic Byway


Palm Bay shooting


Cabrillo Highway


Power center (retail)

Power center or big-box center (known in Canadian and Commonwealth English as power centre or big-box centre) is a term used by developers and retailers to describe a shopping center with typically of gross leasable area that usually contains three or more big box anchor tenants and various smaller retailers, where the anchors occupy 75–90% of the total area.
Origins and history.
280 Metro Center in Colma, California is credited as the world's first power center. Local real estate developer Merritt Sher opened 280 Metro Center in 1986 next to Interstate 280 as an open-air strip shopping center dominated by big-box stores and category killers. As originally constructed, 280 Metro Center featured of gross leasable area, which was home to seven anchor tenants, 27 smaller shops, and a six-screen movie theater. The original seven anchors were Federated Electronics, The Home Depot, Herman's Sporting Goods, Marshalls, Nordstrom Rack, Pier 1, and The Wherehouse.
280 Metro Center was a revolutionary development at a time when retail shopping in North America was dominated by enclosed shopping malls. Fed up with long hikes through shopping malls to visit relatively small boutique tenants, American shoppers flocked to power centers where they could conveniently park right in front of big-box stores. By 1998, there were 313 power centers in the United States with a combined gross leasable area of ; together, they accounted for over five percent of national shopping center sales. The highest numbers of power centers were in the states of California and Florida. By January 2017, there were 2,258 power centers in the United States with a combined gross leasable area of , which was 13% of the combined gross leasable area of all shopping centers in the United States.
Canada.
In Canada, South Edmonton Common in Edmonton is the largest power centre, and one of the largest open-air retail developments in North America. Spread over , South Edmonton Common has more than of gross leasable area.
Repurposing malls as power centers.
In recent years, it has become common for older, traditional shopping malls to:
Main Street theme.
Some new power center developments have attempted, as have lifestyle centers and regional outdoor malls (e.g. Otay Ranch Town Center, Atlantic Station), to recreate the atmosphere of an old-town Main Street. Stores line streets where cars may drive and where there is limited parking, with much more parking in lots or garages in the back. The "main street" particularly serves to house the smaller stores and chain stores once typically found in malls. An example is Woodbury Lakes in Woodbury, Minnesota—where, according to urbanist website "streets.mn", the developers "dispensed with the integrated anchors and instead plopped down 'Main Street' in the middle of what is otherwise a regional power center".
Vertical power centers.
Power centers are almost always in suburban areas, but occasionally redevelopment has brought them to densely populated urban areas. In environments where denser development is desirable, a power center may consist of multiple floors, with one or more big-box anchors on each floor, and floors of parking, all "stacked" vertically. Examples of such centers include:
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European terminology.
In Europe, any shopping center with mostly what are called "retail warehouse units" (U.K.) or "big box stores" or "superstores" (U.S.), or larger, is a retail park, according to the leading real estate company Cushman & Wakefield.
According to ICSC, what in Europe is classified as a "retail park" would, in the U.S., be classified thus:


Joslyn Castle

The George and Sarah Joslyn Home (officially named "Lynhurst," yet known locally as Joslyn Castle), is a mansion located at 3902 Davenport Street in the Gold Coast Historic District of Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Built in the Scottish Baronial style in 1903, the Castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It was designated as an Omaha landmark in 1979.
History.
George Joslyn made his fortune in the ready-print news business and owned the Western Newspaper Union. The Joslyns contributed to many Omaha-area organizations, including Sarah Joslyn's donation which made Omaha's Joslyn Art Museum possible.
Joslyn Castle was designed by John McDonald, an important local architect. Shortly after George Joslyn bought a farm outside of Omaha in 1893, he began landscaping it. Landscape architect Jens Jensen designed the grounds, as well as the rock work and pools for the conservatory inside the house.
Design.
The 35-room mansion has four stories, as well as a carriage house tower, built before the Castle in 1901, and of formal gardens and landscaping, including greenhouses, which were completed in 1899. George Joslyn spared little expense planting mature trees on the grounds, and Sarah collected rare botanicals from around the world, especially orchids. According to The Friends of Joslyn Castle, the home was built in just eleven months at a cost of $250,000.
The Castle includes a reception hall, music room, ballroom, a library and gold drawing room. The basement at one time had a bowling alley. With the addition of a music room in 1906, the house totaled .
The Castle and the carriage house were built of Kansas silverdale limestone. There is a wrought iron door on the Castle that weighs over a ton.
1913 tornado.
On March 23, 1913, a tornado demolished much of the central and north parts of Omaha. While the home was slightly damaged, inside some furniture, artwork, etchings, and statuary were ruined. A distraught George Joslyn stated that it would take fifteen years to restore the estate grounds to their previous state. The greenhouses were partially destroyed. The Joslyns decided not to rebuild, so they donated the frame to Hanscom Park, where it was used as a greenhouse for fifty years. In the conservatory, many of Sarah Joslyn's orchids and other tropical plants were killed by the cold and snow which followed the tornado. The storm also destroyed a small lake and bridge to the west of the Castle. Today the bridge remains, and an outline of the small lake is visible. The home was repaired and that fall, the Castle hosted a gala event for the wedding of their daughter, Violet.
Recent history.
In 1944, the Castle became the headquarters of the Omaha Public Schools district. In 1958, the district incorporated some of the walls of the original greenhouses into an office annex.
In 1989, the school system moved to a larger facility in the former Tech High School building. The Castle then became the property of the State of Nebraska. In 1996, the Joslyn Castle became home of the Joslyn Castle Institute for Sustainable Communities. The Institute was charged by the State of Nebraska with managing and preserving the estate. In December 2010, Joslyn Castle was sold by the State of Nebraska to the Joslyn Castle Trust, a private concern created for the purpose of maintaining the historic property.
Today, the Castle is the namesake of the surrounding Joslyn Castle neighborhood, and is a site in the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.
The Castle and its grounds are open to the public for tours, events, and private rental.


Brush Mountain East Wilderness

Brush Mountain East Wilderness is a U.S. wilderness area in the Eastern Divide Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. It was designated as wilderness area in 2009 by Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.
Traversed by the Appalachian Trail, the wilderness is rugged and steep with contrasting habitats containing dry table mountain pine on the southwest ridges and sugar maples, white oaks, and hemlock in wetter drainages. Small tracts of old-growth forest support bird species dependent on mature, deciduous forests for breeding.
The area is part of the "Craig Creek Cluster".
Location and Access.
The wilderness is about 8 miles southwest of New Castle, Virginia and extends into Craig, Roanoke, and Montgomery Counties. It is bounded on the northwest by VA 621, on the northeast by VA 620, on the southeast by FS Road 11060, and a powerline on the south.
The Appalachian Trail travels for 7.5 miles through the wilderness from the northern trailhead on VA 620 to the southern trailhead on VA 621. Many old access and logging roads, offering additional access to the area, have become overgrown, but others are kept open by hikers and hunters. An older part of the Appalachian Trail, now abandoned, stretches a few miles along the midslope of Brush Mountain.
Natural history.
The wilderness contains colluvial drainages, toeslopes and alluvial floodplains providing a rich environment that supports yellow poplar, northern red oak, white oak, basswood, cucumber tree, white ash, eastern hemlock, white pine and red maple. In the remaining land, white oak, northern red oak, and hickory are found to the north and west while chestnut oak, scarlet oak and yellow pine are found on ridgetops and slopes to the east and south. The area is one of the few sites in Virginia with table mountain pine and box huckleberry, species requiring fire to reproduce, and therefore becoming uncommon because of fire exclusion.
The 20-acre Brush Mountain Special Biological Area is located on the crest of the mountain. The wilderness also contains the Central Appalachian Shale Barrens which support rare plant species such as the Virginia white-haired leatherflower and other unique rare species of plants and butterflies.
The forest type found in the wilderness is a habitat for songbirds such as cerulean warblers, Swainson’s warblers, black-throated green warblers, and winter wrens.
Topography.
The area is part of the Ridge and Valley Subsection of the Northern Ridge and Valley Section with the Central Appalachian Broadleaf-Coniferous Forest-Meadow Province. This section is marked by ridges oriented along the northeast/southwest and composed of sandstone and shale. Wide valleys between the ridges are composed of limestone and shale. The drainage density is high with many tributaries feeding into Craig Creek on the north and Trout Creek on the east and south.
Craig Creek, part of the James River watershed, was once part of the New River watershed before being captured by the James River.
Elevations range from 1520 feet along Craig Creek to 3070 feet at the crest of Brush Mountain.
Cultural History.
Audie Murphy, a 2nd world war hero, died in a plane crash on Brush Mountain in 1971. The crash site, near the Appalachian Trail on the crest of Brush Mountain, is marked by a stone monument erected by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Management.
The wilderness is managed by the Forest Service. There are some regulations to maintain the integrity of the area as a wilderness. For example, motorized equipment, motor vehicles, and mountain bikes are prohibited, group size is limited to ten people, and limits are placed on camping.


Algarrobal El Moro Reserved Zone

The Algarrobal El Moro Reserved Zone is a protected area in Peru. Its purpose is to protect the natural forests of carobs and their associated fauna, as well as the archaeological sites of the cultures Chimú and Moche.


Robberg Marine Protected Area

The Robberg Marine Protected Area is an inshore conservation region in the territorial waters of South Africa, near Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape province.
History.
The Robberg Marine Protected Area was established on 2 September 1998 as a Marine Protected Area by Proclamation in Government Notice No. 18 of1998, and was proclaimed by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mohammed Valli Moosa, in Government Gazette No. 21948 of 29 December 2000 in terms section 43 of the Marine Living Resources Act, 18 of 1998.
Purpose.
A marine protected area is defined by the IUCN as "A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values".
Extent.
About 12.9 km of coastline comprising 1.85 km of sandy shores along Robberg beach and 11.05 km on the Robberg peninsula, and 42 km2 of ocean is protected by the MPA.
Boundaries.
The boundaries are:
Zonation.
The entire MPA is a controlled area.
Management.
The marine protected areas of South Africa are the responsibility of the national government, which has management agreements with a variety of MPA management authorities, in this case, CapeNature, which manages the MPA with funding from the SA Government through the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is responsible for issuing permits, quotas and law enforcement.
Use.
Several tourist activities are supported within the MPA including boat-based cetacean and seal watching, sea kayaking and scuba diving charters.
Activities requiring a permit.
Fishing.
Robberg MPA is open to recreational linefishing from the shore, but not to fishing from boats or spearfishing.
Scuba diving.
The MPA is open to recreational scuba diving.
Geography.
General topography.
The MPA contains sandy beaches and subtidal sandy benthos, rocky platforms, and subtidal rocky reefs.
Ecology.
The MPA is in the warm temperate Agulhas ecoregion to the east of Cape Point which extends eastwards to the Mbashe River. There are a large proportion of species endemic to South Africa along this coastline.
Four major habitats exist in the sea in this region, distinguished by the nature of the substrate. The substrate, or base material, is important in that it provides a base to which an organism can anchor itself, which is vitally important for those organisms which need to stay in one particular kind of place. Rocky shores and reefs provide a firm fixed substrate for the attachment of plants and animals. Some of these may have Kelp forests, which reduce the effect of waves and provide food and shelter for an extended range of organisms. Sandy beaches and bottoms are a relatively unstable substrate and cannot anchor kelp or many of the other benthic organisms. Finally there is open water, above the substrate and clear of the kelp forest, where the organisms must drift or swim. Mixed habitats are also frequently found, which are a combination of those mentioned above. There are no significant estuarine habitats in the MPA.
Rocky shores and reefs
There are rocky reefs and mixed rocky and sandy bottoms. For many marine organisms the substrate is another type of marine organism, and it is common for several layers to co-exist. Examples of this are red bait pods, which are usually encrusted with sponges, ascidians, bryozoans, anemones, and gastropods, and abalone, which are usually covered by similar seaweeds to those found on the surrounding rocks, usually with a variety of other organisms living on the seaweeds.
The type of rock of the reef is of some importance, as it influences the range of possibilities for the local topography, which in turn influences the range of habitats provided, and therefore the diversity of inhabitants. Sandstone and other sedimentary rocks erode and weather very differently, and depending on the direction of dip and strike, and steepness of the dip, may produce reefs which are relatively flat to very high profile and full of small crevices. These features may be at varying angles to the shoreline and wave fronts. There are fewer large holes, tunnels and crevices in sandstone reefs, but often many deep but low near-horizontal crevices.
Sandy beaches and bottoms (including shelly, pebble and gravel bottoms)
Sandy bottoms at first glance appear to be fairly barren areas, as they lack the stability to support many of the spectacular reef based species, and the variety of large organisms is relatively low. The sand is continually being moved around by wave action, to a greater or lesser degree depending on weather conditions and exposure of the area. This means that sessile organisms must be specifically adapted to areas of relatively loose substrate to thrive in them, and the variety of species found on a sandy or gravel bottom will depend on all these factors. Sandy bottoms have one important compensation for their instability, animals can burrow into the sand and move up and down within its layers, which can provide feeding opportunities and protection from predation. Other species can dig themselves holes in which to shelter, or may feed by filtering water drawn through the tunnel, or by extending body parts adapted to this function into the water above the sand.
The open sea
The pelagic water column is the major part of the living space at sea. This is the water between the surface and the top of the benthic zone, where living organisms swim, float or drift, and the food chain starts with phytoplankton, the mostly microscopic photosynthetic organisms that convert the energy of sunlight into organic material which feeds nearly everything else, directly or indirectly. In temperate seas there are distinct seasonal cycles of phytoplankton growth, based on the available nutrients and the available sunlight. Either can be a limiting factor. Phytoplankton tend to thrive where there is plenty of light, and they themselves are a major factor in restricting light penetration to greater depths, so the photosynthetic zone tends to be shallower in areas of high productivity. Zooplankton feed on the phytoplankton, and are in turn eaten by larger animals. The larger pelagic animals are generally faster moving and more mobile, giving them the option of changing depth to feed or to avoid predation, and to move to other places in search of a better food supply.
Marine species diversity.
Animals.
Marine mammals:
Birds:
Marine reptiles:
Fish:
Endemism.
The MPA is in the warm temperate Agulhas ecoregion to the east of Cape Point which extends eastwards to the Mbashe River. There are a large proportion of species endemic to South Africa along this coastline.
Slipways and harbours in the MPA.
There are no slipways or harbours in the MPA.