El Sira Communal Reserve

El Sira Communal Reserve () is a protected area in Peru created to preserve the biodiversity of the Sira Mountains and the ancestral sustainable use of the area's resources by the nearby native peoples. It also protects the headwaters of the Pachitea river basin. The reserve covers an area of within the regions of Huánuco, Pasco and Ucayali. The reserve was created in 2001 and in 2010, UNESCO recognized it as part of the Oxapampa-Asháninka-Yánesha Biosphere Reserve.
Geography.
It is located and located in three regions: the Huánuco Region (Puerto Inca Province), the Pasco Region (Oxapampa Province) and the Ucayali Region (Atalaya Province and Coronel Portillo Province). El Sira Communal Reserve is located in the east-central area of Peru, part of the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes, within the sub-Andean belt; between latitudes 09º 03' and 10º 22' and longitudes 74º 05' and 74º 48'. The SCR presents an altitudinal gradient from 130 to 2250 meters above sea level and is influenced by the basins of the Ucayali, Pachitea and Pichis rivers.
Climate.
The average annual temperature is 25.5 °C. Average monthly temperatures fluctuate between 24.6 °C and 25.8 °C. The lowest temperatures occur in the third quarter of the year and the highest in the last quarter. Extreme temperatures fluctuate between 15 °C (the lowest) and 33 °C (the highest), with 15 °C being the average oscillation between extreme maximum and minimum temperatures.
The lower parts at less than 1000 masl are warm and rainy. The highlands that exceed 1000 masl present a climate that varies from semi-dry to very humid. The last and first trimester of each year have the highest rainfall. The dry season corresponds to the second and third trimesters, reaching 107 mm of precipitation in August. On the western flank of the mountain range there are phenomena that favor greater condensation of cloud bodies, unlike the east side (Ucayali basin). The values recorded for Puerto Bermúdez indicate an annual total of 3312.9 mm, unlike the values recorded for Pucallpa and Atalaya, which do not exceed records of 2500 mm per year. In the south of the reserve the landscape known as is less hot and humid, with average temperature values of 18.5 °C.
Hydrography and hydrology.
The Reserve is located mainly in the upper or middle sectors of the tributaries of the Ucayali river basins (on the left bank), Pachitea and Pichis (on the right bank). The southern part of the reserve is located between the upper sectors of the tributaries of the Pichis, Ucayali and Unini rivers. The eastern sector of the buffer zone is made up of the Ucayali River; while the western sector is in the basin of the Pachitea and Pichis rivers.
The Ucayali River, originating in the Peruvian Andes, borders the eastern part of the El Sira mountain range, with a south - north route. It is characterized by being meandering with few lentic environments in the area adjacent to the aforementioned Cordillera. Its water course has a great lateral migratory activity, which causes the formation of lentic environments - locally known as "tipishcas". These environments are the product of a meander that has been abandoned by the course of the river. The flow of the Ucayali river at the height of Pucallpa is 11,599 m3/s, and at the height of Atalaya 6613 m3/s.
The Pachitea River is a tributary of the Ucayali River, flowing into the left bank downstream of the village of Santa Rosa. Its waters come from the Peruvian Andes. It is formed from the union of the Pichis and Palcazu rivers. In its south - north route it borders the western part of the northern sector of the El Sira mountain range. It is also a meandering river with scarce lentic environments in the area adjacent to the aforementioned Cordillera. According to ONERN in 1980, the flow of the Pachitea River at its confluence with the Ucayali River is 2412 m3/s.
The Pichis River, born in the Peruvian Andes, borders the western part of the center - south sector of the Cordillera El Sira with a south-north route. It is a winding river with scarce lentic environments in the area adjacent to the aforementioned Cordillera. When uniting with the Palcazu it gives origin to the Pachitea river. The navigability of these rivers is an important factor that makes them the primary communication channel for the area. One of the main means of fluvial communication for the reserve is the Ucayali River. This river is navigable from the main port of Pucallpa to the confluence of the Tambo and Urubamba rivers, where the provincial capital of Atalaya is located. The Pichis and Pachitea rivers allow the navigation of boats with outboard motors from their confluence to Puerto Bermúdez. In general, navigability improves in rainy seasons.
Flora.
The type of vegetation in the reserve is tropical forest and highland rainforest. More than 500 species of trees can be found in the reserve including: "Sapium glandulosum, Bunchosia armeniaca," "Iriartea deltoidea, Weinmannia" spp., "Manilkara bidentata", "Pourouma cecropiifolia," "Ilex" spp., "Theobroma cacao", "Nectandra" spp., "Ceiba pentandra, Pouteria caimito, Brosimum alicastrum, Inga" spp. etc.
Fauna.
Mammals found in the area include: the brown woolly monkey, the brown-mantled tamarin, the southern two-toed sloth, the nine-banded armadillo, the Brazilian cottontail, the Bolivian squirrel, the pacarana, the paca, the spectacled bear, the puma, the jaguar, the South American tapir, the collared peccary, the red brocket, the giant otter, the capybara, etc.
Birds protected in the reserve include: the red-and-green macaw, the fiery-throated fruiteater, the Sira tanager, the Sira curassow, the Andean cock-of-the-rock, the Peruvian tyrannulet, the violet-fronted brilliant, the sickle-winged guan, black-streaked puffbird, the scarlet-breasted fruiteater, the southern mealy amazon, Koepcke's hermit, etc.
In addition, some 105 species of reptiles have been reported, of the families of the Amphisbaenidae, saurians and especially snakes. Also 68 species of amphibians, mostly toads and frogs of the families Hylidae and Leptodactylidae, are known from the reserve. Finally, 111 species of bony fish have been reported, the most diverse being Characiformes.


Aleutian Islands Wilderness

The Aleutian Islands Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Aleutian Islands of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is about in area and was designated by the United States Congress in 1980. It is part of the Aleutian Islands unit of Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.
External links.


Ballons des Vosges Nature Park

The Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park (French: "Parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges") is a protected area of woodland, pasture, wetland, farmland and historical sites in the regions of Grand Est and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in northeastern France. The area was officially designated as a regional natural park in 1989.
187 communes belonging to the departments of Haut-Rhin, Vosges, Haute-Saône and Territoire de Belfort are members of the park, which hosts 238,000 inhabitants. It is one of the largest and most populated French regional parks. A wide range of habitats available in the park benefit a variety of wildlife such as boreal owl, lynx, peregrine falcon, western capercaillie, "Dianthus superbus", cranberry and "Drosera".


Lower Goulburn National Park

The Lower Goulburn National Park is a national park located in the Goulburn Valley district of Victoria, Australia. The linear national park protects the lower Goulburn River from Shepparton to its river mouth near Echuca where it forms confluence with the Murray River.
The park is renowned for its "Eucalyptus camaldulensis" (River Red Gums) that line much of the course of the river and the national park.


Swept from the Sea

Swept from the Sea (known as Amy Foster in the UK) is a 1997 drama film directed by Beeban Kidron and starring Vincent Perez, Rachel Weisz, and Ian McKellen. Based on the 1901 short story "Amy Foster" by Joseph Conrad, the film is about a doomed love affair between a simple country girl and a Ukrainian peasant who is swept onto the Cornish shore in 1888 after his emigrant ship sinks on its way to America.
Plot.
Yanko Góral (Vincent Perez), a Ukrainian peasant, is swept ashore on the coast of Cornwall, England, after his emigrant ship sinks on its way to America in 1888. The bodies of his fellow passengers wash ashore and are soon buried in a mass grave. Yanko makes his way to the Swaffer farm, where his dishevelled appearance frightens the family. Amy Foster (Rachel Weisz), however, is not frightened by the stranger. Amy is a loner who visits her parents, Mary and Isaac Foster (Zoë Wanamaker and Tom Bell), every Sunday, despite receiving very little love from them. Her father calls her a "queer sort" who collects things that wash ashore, and blames her for his scandalous marriage—Mary was already pregnant before they were married. Amy attends to Yanko—washing, feeding, and caring for him. The next morning, Yanko is taken away by the townspeople to work as slave labour.
A few months later, Dr. Kennedy (Ian McKellen) and Mr. Swaffer (Joss Ackland) are playing chess when Yanko approaches and shows the men a series of brilliant chess moves. Dr. Kennedy soon determines that the man is in fact Ukrainian. Having gained a newfound respect for the stranger, the Swaffers take him in, start paying him for his labor, and give him normal working hours. Yanko learns from the doctor that Miss Swaffer (Kathy Bates), on the eve of her wedding day, had a horse-riding accident and broke her spine. The doctor also reveals that he lost his wife and son to typhus "many lifetimes ago." The doctor's fatherly affection for Yanko is evident in their meetings, where Yanko learns English and the doctor learns chess. Yanko purchases a new suit of clothes with the wages he's saved up, which gives him the courage to visit Amy and ask her to walk out with him.
When Mr. Swaffer learns of Yanko's interest in Amy, he tries to dissuade her from any romantic involvement. Amy's parents also urge her to stay away—her mother warning her that love is "God's trick upon women." When Yanko goes to church, he encounters a hostility in the congregation that bewilders him. "Their eyes are like glass," he later tells Amy, who finds him at the obelisk memorial for the ship's dead. There he learns for the first time what happened to his fellow passengers. To escape the hate, Amy takes Yanko to her secret cave filled with treasures she found on the shore, which she calls "gifts from the sea." Yanko and Amy dance and embrace in the cave.
Soon after, while walking alone in town, Yanko is set upon by Amy's father and his thuggish friends, beaten up, and nearly drowned before being saved by Amy, who takes care of him in the coming days. Meanwhile, Dr. Kennedy has little sympathy for Amy, whom he considers "a little strange" and "slow of the mind". Kennedy chastises the father and his thuggish friends for their actions. Amy's father, however, retains his hatred for Amy whom Mary reveals to be in fact the child of "his" father, saying, "Not a tear. Bad you were conceived and bad you've remained." Mary had been employed by Isaac's father.
After someone sets fire to Amy's cave, Miss Swaffer arranges for the cottage to be given to Amy and Yanko, who are soon married in church. Afterwards, they make love in the cave pool, with Yanko saying, "We are the lucky ones." Later that year they have a son, who is delivered by the doctor. Amy asks Yanko to show the child the sea, and he does, while the doctor looks on approvingly. Amy's new-found happiness, however, is soon cut short by the town's children who taunt her and call her a witch. When Yanko learns of this, he is angry and shares his feelings with Dr. Kennedy, who tries to console him. Believing he cannot leave because Amy has found a home in Cornwall, Yanko's greater concern is for his child and his future. Yanko tells the doctor, "I want him to be like you ... I want him to have the learning of great men. I want him to love the mystery of our universe." The doctor pledges to help his son.
One day Yanko becomes sick with a fever. Dr. Kennedy arrives and treats him, gives Amy medicine to give to Yanko, and urges her to stay with him while the doctor continues his rounds. Unfortunately, Yanko's condition worsens and he becomes delirious—seeing a vision of his sinking ship. Unable to understand what he's saying, Amy doesn't know what to do, and when Yanko loses control, Amy flees the cottage with the child in a rainstorm in search of help. Her first stop is at her parents' house, but her mother turns her away. On the road she stops a neighbor and pleads for help, but is also rejected. Finally, she makes it to the Swaffers' house, and Miss Swaffer agrees to watch the baby while Mr. Swaffer accompanies Amy back to her cottage. Meanwhile, Dr. Kennedy returns to the cottage and discovers Yanko lying on the floor near death. Shortly after, Amy arrives and takes her dying husband in her arms as he says, "I would change nothing, my love, my gold—we are the lucky ones."
In the coming weeks, Dr. Kennedy complains to Miss Swaffer about Amy not showing appropriate grief for her deceased husband. He wonders how she could wipe Yanko's memory from her mind so easily, but Miss Swaffer points out that the doctor has wiped from his memory his own ghosts of his dead wife and son. Soon after, Dr. Kennedy visits Amy and apologizes for wronging her, asks to be forgiven, and the two embrace. Amy declares, "I will love him until the end of the world." Dr. Kennedy concludes his story to Miss Swaffer saying, "He came across the world to love and be loved by Amy Foster."
Production.
It was produced by "Tapson Steel Films" and Phoenix Pictures, in association with Canal+. The production received further help from "The Greenlight Fund," the Arts Council of England, and British Screen.
Filming locations.
"Swept from the Sea" was filmed on location in Cornwall and West Yorkshire, England.
Reception.
The film received mixed reviews. In his review in the "Chicago Sun-Times", Roger Ebert gave the film two stars, calling it "a disappointment, a film in which good and evil dutifully go through their paces, while the character who could have added complexity and intrigue remains, unfortunately, unrealized."
In their review in "Spirituality & Practice", Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat wrote, "Screenplay writer Tim Willocks has done a masterful job delineating the passionate love affair between these two outsiders who find in each other all they need. Even more impressive is director Beeban Kidron's respect for the mystery of human personality."
Terence Davies later cast Rachel Weisz in "The Deep Blue Sea" after seeing her performance in this film.


La Ensenada Mixed Wildlife Refuge

La Ensenada Mixed Wildlife Refuge (), is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Central Pacific Conservation Area, it was created in 1998 by decree 27211-MINAE.


South Las Vegas Strip


Gorokhovets, Vladimir Oblast

Gorokhovets () is a town and the administrative center of Gorokhovetsky District in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the highway from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod. It also serves as a river port on the Klyazma River. Population:
Etymology.
The name of the town originates from the Russian word "" ("gorokh", "peas").
History.
Gorokhovets was first mentioned in a 1239 chronicle, when it was sacked by the Mongols. It is believed that a minor fortress had existed there for several preceding decades.
In 1539, the Tatars of Kazan were about to burn it but retreated upon allegedly seeing a ghost in a shape of a gigantic knight with a sword. After that, the mount where the apparition was seen came to be known as "Puzhalovo" ("frightening one").
The golden age of Gorokhovets is associated with the 17th century, when it was a merchandise center for a large area, which comprised today's Vladimir and Ivanovo Oblasts. A number of churches, monasteries, and chambers were commissioned by the local merchants at that time. The 17th-century belfries of Gorokhovets are particularly noteworthy.
Administrative and municipal status.
Within the framework of administrative divisions, Gorokhovets serves as the administrative center of Gorokhovetsky District, to which it is directly subordinated. As a municipal division, the town of Gorokhovets is incorporated within Gorokhovetsky Municipal District as Gorokhovets Urban Settlement.
Coat of arms.
Gorokhovets' coat of arms combines Vladimir's heraldic lion with peas, alluding to the plant which gave rise to the town's name.
Trivia.
According to the Soviet TV series "Seventeen Moments of Spring", Gorokhovets was a native town of Stierlitz, a fictional Soviet spy in Nazi Germany, played by Vyacheslav Tikhonov.


Bogd Khan Uul Biosphere Reserve

Bogd Khan Uul Biosphere Reserve is a nature reserve in Mongolia, situated to the south of Ulan-Bator. It is in the southern part of the forest steppe zone and is in the Khentii Mountains area. It includes Bogd Khan Mountain, and was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1996.
Description.
Bogd Khan has a total area of and is located between 47°43' to 47°54'N and 106°46' to 107°10'E. Its altitudinal range is between above sea level. It consists of a core area of about surrounded by a buffer zone and certain transition areas. The northern slopes of Bogd Khan Mountain are covered with dense coniferous forests while the southern side is bare rock.
History.
Environmental protection on Bogd Khan Mountain dates back at least to the thirteenth century when the Tooril Khan ruler of the Keraites, forbade logging and hunting there, claiming that Bogd Khan was a holy mountain. Since then, the mountain has been venerated, and local people neither hunted on the mountain nor harvested the timber. In 1778 the Mongolian governor of what is now Ulan-Bator, petitioned the Qianlong Emperor requesting approval to hold twice yearly ceremonies dedicated to Mount Bogd Khan Uul. Permission was granted eight days later for ceremonies to be held twice annually. In 1783, the local government of the Qing dynasty declared the Bogd Khan a protected site, to be preserved for its beauty, making it the oldest national park in the world.
Bogd Khan Uul was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1996. A biosphere reserve aims to "develop and implement sustainable development approaches" and encourage "ecological and cultural diversity", by integrating the needs of local communities with the preservation of the environment. The core area is strictly protected, the buffer zone is used for activities that are compatible with good ecological practices and the transition zone allows ecologically sustainable activities to take place.
Flora and fauna.
The reserve has a number of habitat types including grassland, taiga vegetation, Alpine tundra and bare rock. In some areas there are mixed forest with larch ("Larix sibirica"), birch ("Betula" spp.), "Pinus sibirica" ("cedar" common Russian name) ("Pinus" spp.), pine ("Pinus" spp.) and poplar ("Populus" spp.).
Some of the most threatened mammals in the reserve are the musk deer ("Moschus moschiferus"), the roe deer ("Capreolus capreolus"), the sable ("Martes zibellina") and the Arctic hare ("Lepus timidus").


Guangdong Tree Park

The Guangdong Tree Park () located in Guangzhou is an arboretum managed by the Guangdong Academy of Forestry. The park is home to over 1,100 species of trees including 56 kinds of nationally protected species of trees and 12 provincially protected species of trees. The park covers 20 hectares of land in the Longdong section of Tianhe district and is nearby to the South China Botanical Garden.


Appley Towers

Appley Towers, also called Appley Tower or Appley Tower House was an English country house near Appley House in Appley, Isle of Wight. It was the home of the Hutt family, who bought it in the 1870s, and later of Sir Hedworth Williamson. The house has been demolished, but a number of its estate buildings survive.
House.
The house was on an eminence with views of the sea, protected by a sea wall. It was Tudor Revival and Gothic Revival in style. There was a clock tower at the east end. After Sir William Hutt bought it in about 1870, he had the house, gardens and estate extensively remodelled.
Other buildings.
In about 1875 Hutt had a folly built just above the beach in the form of a castle tower. The tower is circular, with battlements, a turret and an external stair. It has Gothic Revival tracery windows, and an oriel window facing the sea. It survives and is a local landmark.
The estate had a farm with stables and a turreted water tower. These buildings also survive, with the stables divided into three bungalows.
Another surviving building is a 19th-century lodge on Appley Road, built in a Jacobethan and Dutch Revival style.
The estate had a conservatory that measured . Near it was an aviary that housed rare species of parrots. There was also an orangery. The kitchen gardens and forcing houses were on the opposite side of the road.
A pier existed on the estate by the early 1870s. In 1873 it was replaced by a new 100 foot pier. By the end of 1911 the pier had undergone demolition although silting up of that area had rendered it unusable before that point.
Grounds.
The grounds, described in 1878 in the "Journal of Horticulture", had a collection of trees including "Acacias longifolia", "armata" and concinna, "Aralia papyrifera", "Araucaria brasiliensis", Breadfruit ("Artocarpus incisa"), "Dracaena indivisa", "Erythrina crista-galli", "Eucalyptus globulus" (from seeds received from Nice and Algiers) and peach-shaped-leafed "Eucalyptus".
There were shrubs including "Azaleas", "Aucubas", "Boronia serrulata", "Bouvardias", "Cantua dependens", "Clianthus puniceus" and "magnifica", "Correa × harrisii", "Fuchsias", "Grevillea rosmarinifolia", "Hydrangeas", "Nerium oleander" and "Rhododendrons".
There were ferns including "Alsophila excelsa" and "Dicksonia antarctica".
Other plants included "Abutilon" "Boule de Neige", "Abutilon vexillarium", "Cassia corymbosa", "Desfontainea spinosa", "Dasylirions", "Eriostemons", "Habrothamnus elegans", "Lapagerias", "Phormium tenax", "Rhynchospermum jasminoides" and "Youngia medio-picta".


Beregadougou Classified Forest

The Beregadougou Classified Forest is a national park found in Burkina Faso. It was established in 1953. This site is 50 km2.
In November 2017, the project Support the development of cashew nuts in the Comoé basin for the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (PADA / REDD+) was launched in Bérégadougou.


Anaheim Town Square

Anaheim Town Square (originally East Anaheim Shopping Center, later East Anaheim Center, East Anaheim Plaza), is a community shopping center, the largest center in East Anaheim, California which was built at the intersection of Anaheim-Olive Road (now Lincoln Avenue) and Placentia Avenue (now State College Boulevard).
The center began with on 16.75 acres, and had amongst others, a Woolworth and a Sav-on Drug Store and in 1968-9 added a W.T. Grant variety store, Jolly Roger restaurant, Commercial National Bank, and a Boston Store junior department store. In 1968 the center sales volume was $20,000,000.
The Boston Store branch was rebuilt in 1984.
In mid-2017, the Kmart closed and was replaced by a small-format Target store.
The center today has of gross leasable area, with anchors Target, Hispanic-focused supermarket Northgate Market (the population was 69% Hispanic within a 1-mile radius in 2018), Ross Dress for Less, Goodwill, Pep Boys, a United States Post Office, and discount stores 99 Cents Only Stores and Five Below.


Paddock Shops

The Paddock Shops is a shopping complex in the east end of Louisville, Kentucky USA, billed as a lifestyle center. Originally known as The Summit of Louisville, it is currently owned by Boston-based CPT Capital Management and managed by Chicago-based Fairbourne Properties. From its opening in 2001 until May 2013, it had been owned by a subsidiary of Prudential and managed by Birmingham, Alabama-based Bayer Properties.
It has of retail space spread over of land, with central parking surrounded by Mediterranean-themed storefronts. The primary entrance is on Kentucky Route 22.
The shopping complex formally opened on November 1, 2001. On May 21, 2013, a Louisville business journal reported that CPT Capital Management had purchased the center for $111.5 million, and that Wilkow would take over from Bayer as property manager. Shortly after the sale, the new managers announced that the complex would be renamed via an online vote. Three choices were provided—Paddock Shops, Oaks Town Center, and Shops of Louisville—along with a write-in option. On August 15, 2013, Wilkow announced that the winning name was Paddock Shops, with nearly 30% of the vote, and new signage was immediately installed.
Anchors.
The Paddock Shops has several anchor stores with Bed Bath & Beyond being the largest by square foot totaling just over 30,000. Barnes & Noble, Earth Fare, and Office Depot are smaller with square footage ranging in the mid twenties range. On May 16, 2015, Office Depot officially closed its doors, and Earth Fare departed as well. The lifestyle center also has junior anchors in Ulta Cosmetics and DSW.


Bangaram Atoll

Bangaram is an atoll in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India.
Geography.
The atoll has a roughly rectangular shape and is 8.1 km in length with a maximum width of 4.2 km. and with a lagoon area of . It is located over off Kochi and from Kollam Port in the Indian Ocean.
Bangaram atoll is about northeast of the island of Agatti and to the southeast of Perumal Par, in the western Lakshadweep archipelago at . Bangaram atoll is connected to the reef of Agatti through a shallow submarine ridge.
Demographics.
Bangaram Island, the main island in the atoll, has a small population of 10. Bangaram Island Resort was located on the east coast of this island.
Thinnakara, has a construction camp (~30) for the new resort being built on its west coast.
Administration.
The island belongs to the township of Agatti Island of Kavaratti Tehsil.
Tourism.
The Bangaram Island Beach Resort opened to tourism in 1974, but the lack of commercial flights made access difficult. Tourism took off after the Agatti Aerodrome on the nearby Agatti island was commissioned and regular commercial flights from Kochi were established. The resort had 60 cottages. Current alcohol regulations in Lakshadweep allow consumption of alcoholic drinks only on Bangaram Atoll.
The new Thinnakara is owned by locals from Agatti. It will offer numerous adventure activities, including scuba diving, snorkelling, deep sea fishing beside white sand beaches, a calm lagoon and a sparkling, clear coral reef.
Flora and fauna.
The Atoll is popular for its serene setting. Numerous species of tropical birds are found on the island.


List of Ancestral Puebloan dwellings in Arizona

This is a list of Ancestral Puebloan dwellings in Arizona.


50 Glebe Place

50 Glebe Place is a large terraced house on Glebe Place in the Chelsea district of London SW3. It was built between 1985 and 1987 for the advertiser Frank Lowe. Ed Glinert, in "The London Compendium", described it as a folly.
Design.
The "London: North West" edition of the Pevsner Architectural Guides describes the property as featuring a "tall eclectic entrance tower". The building is of three storeys, the topmost being inside the roof space, with a roof garden as well. The tower is of four storeys with windows at each level and a weather vane at the top of a pitched roof. The building is notable for the six statues on its mansard roof, each different, four across the ridge and two others either side of the base of the roof slope, as well as the terracotta figure of a seated girl atop a pillar next to the entrance. The roof is tiled with a multi-coloured pattern of chevrons. There is extensive use of metalwork in front of the windows and for drainage, and a three-part painted inset at the base of the roof.


Wolf Rock (Queensland)

Wolf Rock is a set of four volcanic pinnacles two kilometres north-northeast of Double Island Point in Cooloola, Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. The location is a popular scuba diving spot.
It is said the rock was named for one of Captain Cook's crew who first saw the rocks on rounding Double Island Point. There was certainly an Archibald Wolfe on Cook's voyage, but Cook doesn't record the rocks, nor anyone in particular seeing them (or the point) first.
Wolf Rock is considered by the Queensland Government to be Queensland's most important habitat area for the critically endangered grey nurse shark. It is a mating area and a high number of females and pregnant females have been seen there. From 19 December 2003 the rock and three other highly significant areas were declared protected, with no fishing of any kind permitted at Wolf Rock and only very limited fishing at the others. (Scuba diving is still permitted.)


Temple of Harmony

The Temple of Harmony is an 18th-century folly in the grounds of Halswell House, Goathurst, Somerset, England. Built in 1767, it is a replica of the 1st-century Temple of Fortuna Virilis in Rome. The Temple stands in Mill Wood, a 17-acre (7 ha) pleasure garden in the grounds of Halswell House, and was built for Sir Charles Kemeys-Tynte in 1767 to designs by Thomas Prowse, with features by Robert Adam and Thomas Stocking. The Temple was dedicated to the memory of a mutual friend, Peregrine Palmer, formerly MP for Oxford University (d 1762).
The Temple has a slate roof and pedimental end gables, and is surrounded with Ionic columns and pilasters. It is aligned north-west/south-east, with the portico at the south-east end, facing Halswell House which lies some distant.
The Somerset Buildings Preservation Trust (SBPT) acquired the Temple in 1993 in a derelict condition, having been used for many years as a cattle shelter. It has now been restored, with grants from English Heritage and others, and is a Grade II* listed building. Its dimensions at its base are approximately , and it now has the addition of a tie bar, a long retaining bolt that runs through the structure from one side to the other, helping to keep it together.
John Walsh's marble statue in the temple depicting Terpsichore, the Muse of joy in the dance and lyric poetry, was dedicated to the memory of Thomas Prowse after his death in 1767. This was copied in 1999 and the copy is now located here. The original is in the Museum of Somerset, Taunton.
The Temple was owned by the Somerset Building Preservation Trust and managed by the Halswell Park Trust for a number of years. In 2020 it was purchased by Edward Strachan, the owner of Halswell House and the surrounding land known as Mill Wood, thus restoring it to its rightful position in the surrounding parkland.
The Temple can be visited on Sunday afternoons during the summer months and at other times by prior arrangement.


Superior National Forest Scenic Byway

The Superior National Forest Scenic Byway (SNFSB), also known as Forest Highway 11, is a combination of state and county highways in Minnesota that travel between the historic communities of the Iron Range and Lake Superior's North Shore. The byway is of paved, two-lane roads and is marked by navigational signs with the SNFSB logo. The route was given State Scenic Byway status in 1999.
Route description.
The byway begins in Gilbert, at the intersection of State Highway 37 (MN 37) and Sparta Road. The route follows MN 37 to MN 135, continuing eastward along the latter through Biwabik and then to Aurora, where it leaves MN 135 and follows County Road 100 (CR 100) to the center of town. From there it turns south until the city border, and then resumes its eastward travel along CR 110 to Hoyt Lakes. From Hoyt Lakes the road gradually arcs southward. This portion is also called Skibo Lookout Road, after the Skibo Vista Scenic Overlook, which overlooks the Laurentian Divide. CR 110 ends at its junction with CR 16 (Town Line Road), and the byway route again continues east, through the unincorporated towns of Fairbanks and Basset. Crossing the St. Louis–Lake county line, the roadway becomes CR 15 and passes through Toimi. This is the longest portion of the route, traveling to Lax Lake Road, where it turns south along CR 4 for approximately . It then travels east along CR 5 into Silver Bay, ending at MN 61 near the North Shore.
History.
The byway was established in 1999, traveling from Aurora to Silver Bay. The route was extended in 2014 to Gilbert.


Arizona State Route 88

State Route 88 is a long state route in the U.S. state of Arizona. It runs from U.S. Route 60 (US 60) in Apache Junction through desert terrain to SR 188 near Roosevelt Dam. Following the Salt River for much of its length, the section east of Tortilla Flat is known as the Apache Trail and is part of the National Forest Scenic Byway system. The Apache Trail was built in the mid-1920s and the number 88 was assigned in 1927. An eastern extension of State Route 88 to Globe, Arizona was redesignated as State Route 188 on August 20, 1999.
Route description.
SR 88 begins at a diamond interchange with US 60, the Superstition Freeway, in southern Apache Junction. The route follows Idaho Road northward through a residential area with four lanes. Following a junction with Old West Highway, SR 88 turns northeast onto Apache Trail and narrows to two lanes. The route exits the city limits of Apache Junction, entering desert terrain. Passing a ghost town known as Goldfield, Apache Trail enters Tonto National Forest just northwest of Lost Dutchman State Park. SR 88 nears Canyon Lake south of the Mormon Flat Dam and follows a part of the southern coast of Canyon Lake. Apache Trail heads away from the Salt River. It passes through the town of Tortilla Flat, becoming an unpaved dirt trail winding eastward through the Superstition Mountains. SR 88 again turns northeast and nears Apache Lake. The route follows the Salt River northeast to the Theodore Roosevelt Dam, near which the route is again paved. SR 88 intersects with SR 188 along the coast of Theodore Roosevelt Lake.
The highway is maintained by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), which is responsible for maintaining highways in the state, including SR 88. As part of this role, ADOT periodically surveys traffic along its routes. These surveys are presented in the form of average annual daily traffic, which is the number of vehicles who use the route on any average day during the year. In 2009, ADOT calculated that around as few as 400 vehicles used the route daily near the Roosevelt Dam and as many as 16,000 daily at the US 60 interchange in Apache Junction. The section east of Canyon Lake is part of the Apache Trail National Forest Scenic Byway system. No part of the highway has been listed in the National Highway System, a system of roads in the United States important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. Part of SR 88, known as the Apache Trail Historic Road, is one of only four state designated Historic Roads under the Arizona Parkways, Historic and Scenic Roads program.
Following the Woodbury Fire and subsequent damage to the unpaved portion of the route, the road is closed indefinitely from milepost 222 to 229 until a plan to revamp the seven-mile closure is implemented. SR 88 is not a major route between Apache Junction and Roosevelt Lake and has a very low traffic count, so it is likely it is not a priority project for the Arizona Department of Transportation. There is access to all the Salt River lakes impacted by the closure. Canyon Lake can be accessed from Apache Junction while Roosevelt and Apache Lakes are accessed through Globe or via State Highway 87, south of Rye, Arizona.
History.
The Apache Trail connected the Old Spanish Trail where Apache Junction is today and Roosevelt Lake with an unpaved road as early as 1925, following much of the modern route. By the next year, SR 66 followed the Apache Trail and the Old Spanish Trail was numbered as US 80. The number 88 was given to the route by 1927, but continued past its current terminus east to US 180 west of Globe. US 60 and US 89 became concurrent with US 80 at the western terminus by 1935, and the US 70 designation was added to the road by 1939. The section of the route from Apache Junction to Canyon Lake was paved in the late 1940s. By 1958, the section east of Roosevelt Dam was paved. The extra designations at SR 88's western terminus were removed by 1971, leaving only the US 60 designation. August 20, 1999, the section east of Roosevelt Dam was renumbered as SR 188, cutting SR 88 back to its current terminus.


Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge

The Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge is located in the foothills of the southwestern San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. The refuge is one of four units of the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex for California condors.
California condors.
Elevations on the Refuge range from . Purchased to protect dwindling California condor foraging and roosting habitat in 1985, the refuge is the site where the last wild female condor was trapped in 1986.
Today, the reintroduced condors feed and roost on the refuge. The refuge is an integral part of the Service's condor monitoring activities. The most notable physical features of the refuge are the San Andreas Fault, which bisects the refuge, and the dramatic Bitter Creek Canyon.
As of July 2014, there is a total population of 437 condors living in sites in California, Baja California and Arizona. This includes a wild population of 232 and a captive population of 205. 68 free-flying Condors are managed by the US Fish & Wildlife Service in Southern California.
Other species.
In addition to the California condor, the Bitter Creek Refuge provides grassland, oak woodland, chaparral, pinion pine/juniper/oak woodland, and riparian and wetland habitat for federally listed endangered San Joaquin kit fox, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, giant kangaroo rat, and species of Federal concern such as the western spadefoot toad, the western horned lizard and the tri-colored blackbird.
Other terrestrial species on the refuge include coyote, bobcat, mountain lion, mule deer, pronghorn, tule elk, and western rattlesnake. A total of 119 bird species have been recorded on the refuge including 90 migratory species.


Headwaters State Forest

Headwaters State Forest is a state forest, located in Transylvania County, North Carolina, along the South Carolina state line and is part of a larger 100,000+ acre conservation corridor that stretches some 80 miles along the state line. The name originates from the fact that the forest contains the headwaters of East Fork of the French Broad River. The North Carolina Forest Service primarily manages the forest for water and soil quality, as well as protecting rare species; however, primitive recreational uses are permitted.
History.
The forest was established in 2009 when Congressman Charles H. Taylor agreed to sell about to the state, which was one of the largest remaining tracts of privately held land in Western North Carolina. Over the next 9 years, The Conservation Fund and Conserving Carolina assisted with the acquisition, by purchasing portions of the property as grants became available, then turning them over to the North Carolina Forest Service. A small, portion of the property around the summit of Sassafras Mountain was given to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources for development of an observation tower at South Carolina's highest point.
On September 8, 2018, the beginning of deer season, Headwaters State Forest was opened to the public.
Recreation.
The forest is open to hiking, hunting and fishing. Mountain biking, horse back riding and off-roading are not permitted. The NC Forest Service plans on maintaining the forest in a primitive, undeveloped state with few visitor facilities.
A spur of the Foothills Trail follows along the southern boundary of the forest, connecting Sassafras Mountain to Caesars Head State Park (SC).
There are several waterfalls in the forest, including East Fork Falls, Reece Place Falls and Graveley Falls.
Bursted Rock is regarded as the most scenic vantage point in the forest.


Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve

Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve (), is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area, it was created in 1971 by decree 8351-J.


Riserva naturale orientata Parma Morta

The Natural Reserve Parma Morta is located in Emilia-Romagna in the commune of Mezzani (Province of Parma| Parma), and was established in 1990.
Territory.
Situated between the mouths of rivers Parma and Enza it includes a strip of territory of about long and covers an area of along a wetland called "Parma Morta". In this place flowed once the river Parma. Until 1870, it flowed into the Enza, and then his course was diverted to flow directly into the river Po.
The water stagnating here comes from Enza and go back along the inactive river branch up to half a mile from the today's course of Parma.
To assure to the area a constant level of water necessary to maintain the ecosystem, was created a phytodepurating system that ensure a constant input of water from surrounding canals.
Flora.
Along the old river course can be found plants like carex and other semi-aquatic plants, shrubs of Glossy Buckthorn, black alder and groves of elm, field maple and pedunculate oak.
In the reserve grows some particular plants as the Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum), the 'Four Leaf Clover' (Marsilea quadrifolia). The rarest one is the Utricularia vulgaris, a rootless aquatic carnivorous plant who capture small insects and in summer shows beautiful yellow flowers sprouting from water.
Fauna.
This area gives shelter to many species of animals coming from the surrounding cultivated fields. Is an important refuge for amphibians, reptiles and birds; here nests some of the target species of the Birds Directive of the European Community. The reserve is one of the six areas designated as Natura 2000 sites belonging to the project Life+ "Pianura Parmense" and is one of the last wetlands remained in a very anthropized area.


North Cascades Scenic Byway


Ivanovo

Ivanovo () is a city in Russia. It is the administrative center and largest city of Ivanovo Oblast, located northeast of Moscow and approximately from Yaroslavl, Vladimir and Kostroma. Ivanovo has a population of 408,330 as of the 2010 Census, making it the 49th largest city in Russia. Until 1932, it was previously known as "Ivanovo-Voznesensk".
The city lies on the Uvod River, in the centre of the eponymous oblast. Ivanovo gained city status in 1871, and emerged as a major centre for textile production and receiving a name of the "Russian Manchester". The city is served by Ivanovo Yuzhny Airport.
Geography.
The Uvod River, a tributary of the Klyazma, flows from north to south, dividing the city into two halves. There are also two rivers in Ivanovo: the Talka and the Kharinka.
History.
The city is first mentioned in 1561, when it was given to the Cherkassky princely family by Ivan IV, after the latter's marriage to Maria Cherkasskaya. However, the relevant document has since been lost.
The modern city was created by merging the old flax-processing village Ivanovo with the industrial Voznesensky Posad in 1871. Yakov Garelin—a patron of arts, historian, manufacturer, and public figure—is considered to be the founder of the city and its second head. Under his government, the city began to develop, industrialise, and grow.
Until 1932, the official name of the city was Ivanovo-Voznesensk. Because of its textile manufacturing industry, Ivanovo earned the sobriquet of the "Russian Manchester" during the 19th century.
By the early 20th century, Ivanovo was competing with Łódź (also a part of the Russian Empire at that time) for the title of the primary textile production center of Europe. As the workers' living conditions were appalling, the strikes were frequent. One of these strikes (May 14-July 22, 1905) led to the first Russian revolution. According to the Soviet historiography, the Ivanovo Soviet (created on May 28, 1905) was one of the first soviets in history. However, this statement is contested.
In 1937, the city opened the Interdom - a school for children of foreign Communists, including high learning.
In Ivanov, the legendary air squadron (then - known as a Regiment) "Normandie-Niemen" began operations. By agreement between the Soviet government and the "Free French" government-in-exile in late 1942, a group of French pilots was sent to the Soviet Union. Construction of a new airport began on the northern outskirts of the city. The pilots were provided with decent housing, and 14 Yak-1 fighter aircraft. During 1943, the French fought alongside the Soviet Air Forces. Ivanov/Ivanovo was bombed in World War 2 and fought over, briefly in the Russian Civil War.
After the war, along with the continued textile industry in Ivanovo engineering and other industries developed. In the 1960s, the city became the center of the Upper-Economic Council. The 1980s saw the accelerated pace of housing construction.
On June 8th, 1984, Ivanovo was struck by an F5 tornado which killed at least 69 people and injured more than 130 others. Some estimates indicate up to 95 deaths. The tornado damaged, destroyed or leveled more than 1,180 homes and became one of the worst to strike Russia. This was part of the 1984 Soviet Union tornado outbreak which produced at least 11 tornadoes, among 1 F4 and 1 F5. In addition, the severe thunderstorms also produced hail up to 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) in weight, among the heaviest hailstones confirmed worldwide.
Since the beginning of the 21st century there has been declining production in Ivanovo. In the first decade of the century, a large number of enterprises were closed. The weaving factories BIM, BAT melange Plant and other smaller companies in the textile industry ceased to exist.
Administrative and municipal status.
Ivanovo is the administrative center of the oblast and, within the framework of administrative divisions, it also serves as the administrative center of Ivanovsky District, even though it is not a part of it. As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as the City of Ivanovo—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the City of Ivanovo is incorporated as Ivanovo Urban Okrug.
Economy.
Ivanovo gained a reputation as the textile capital of Russia during the nineteenth century. The development of the textile industry involved the importation of textile machinery from England often accompanied by supervisory staff particularly from Lancashire. Most textile workers are women, so it has also been known as the "city of brides". Probably the most famous of the city's female natives was the postmodern French writer Nathalie Sarraute. Also, there is a branch plant of AviraKids, a Russian holding company that occupies 37,5% of the Russian gaming equipment production industry.
Transportation.
Public transport is represented by trolleybuses, buses and taxis. The trolleybus system was opened on November 5, 1962. The first line ran from the Bagayeva area (now Victory Square) to the GZIP plant. The tram was operated from November 6, 1934 until June 1, 2008. According to Ivanov, the former Mayor Alexander Fomin: "Over the past 20 years, the number of vehicles in the city has increased by more than 10 times, while traffic is 5–7 times higher than that for which they were designed.
The system of urban bus services in Ivanovo-Voznesensk began on November 8, 1926. The bus park was originally located on the street Paris Commune. In the early 1960s, a new bus depot was built on Prospekt Tekstilchshiki. In the Soviet period, the operation of buses and coaches exercised Ivanovskoye passenger motor company (MTE) #1, and taxi station (Ivanovo MTE-2). Ivanovo MTE-1 closed in December 2007.
It is home to Ivanovo Severny, which is one of the largest military airlift bases in Russia. Civilian air services are provided at the Ivanovo Yuzhny Airport. Since 1896, there is a railway connection between Ivanovo and Moscow.
Education.
Ivanovo has several educational institutions: Ivanovo State University, Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology, Ivanovo Medical Academy, Ivanovo Architectural Academy, and Ivanovo State Power University (ISPU).
Attractions.
There are several objects of cultural heritage in Ivanovo. The period from 1914 to 1934 became the “golden age” of architecture in Ivanovo. The center of the city boasts buildings of the period of constructionism built there in the 1920s – early 1930s. For historical reasons, Ivanovo-Voznesensk became the site of unique construction experiments carried out by both architects from Moscow and St. Petersburg, and local architects. Among them are the buildings, like the Ship-building (1930), architect D. F. Friedman; the Horseshoe-building (1934), architect A. I. Panov; the Regional Bank building (1927), architect V. A. Vesnin; the Palace of Arts (1939), architect A. V. Vlasov; House of the Collective (1931), architect I. A. Golosov; the Ivanovo railway station (1934); Oblsovnarhoz-houses (1935), N. I. Kadnikov; and others. First Workers' Settlement is rare landmark of the art of city planning from the 20s is of exceptional interest as one of earliest examples of mass, low rise standardized construction that reflects ideas of the city-garden.
Many monuments are devoted to the revolutionary past of the city, such as the "Red Talka" memorial or numerous monuments to revolutionaries. The historical center of the city is notable mainly for the former houses of famous Ivanovites: the mansion houses of E. I. Gratchev (1774), I. N. Polushin (1904; here the Soviet government was first declared), K. D. Burkov, the Kuvayevs, the Gandurins, the Burylins, etc. The industrial architecture, like the remaining textile manufactures of the 19th century, is also of interest.
Other notable sights include Schudrovskaya Palatka (17th century), the first brick civil building in Ivanovo, the Svyato-Vvedensky Monastery (architect P. Begen), the wooden Uspenskaya church (17th century), the mansion of A. Duringer (1910), and others.
The youth policy.
History.
According to historians, the youth policy in the city started in 1892, when the first Marxist society was formed. In 1919, the city Komsomol (Young Communist League) organization was established, soon this movement spread all over the region. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War in 1941, Ivanovo regional Komsomol organization had already had over 100 thousand people. After the war the main objectives of the movements were to bring up and educate the working youth and to organize various activities.
In 1970-1980s different circles and amateur theatres were functioning, and people’s universities were established.
In the 1980s, Ivanovo Oblast became one of the largest student centers of European Russia (7 institutes of higher education and 26 colleges with about 35 thousand students).
In the 1990s, the youth policy in Ivanovo was challenged, but remained and developed, due to the activity of initiative ivanovites. In 1992, the Department of youth affairs was established. The new youth policy was being formed. New legislature and programs were launched to encourage young families, youth employment, patriotic education and support. 53 clubs of young families and 28 military-patriotic organizations were formed.
Since the beginning of the 2000s the complex youth and children’s policy has been pursued, through the legislative (like the regional law “Of the state support of youth and children’s social organizations) and grant support means.
Nowadays the Department of internal affairs of the Ivanovo region is responsible for the development of the youth policy of the region.
Development.
There are almost 98 000 young people in Ivanovo, i.e. each fourth citizen. It is one of the Russian students' centers, with 8 public and 5 private institutes of higher education, offering educational facilities both for Russian and foreign students. The city is the third largest one in the country after Moscow and the Moscow region, in terms of number of students per 10 000 citizens.
There are 18 military-patriotic clubs with about 550 young participants, 170 people are in charge of local history activities. More than 20 per cent of young citizens take part in the youth organizations’ activities, like “IMCA – Ivanovo”, Russian Youth Union, the “Novy Rubezh”, Ivanovo city pupils’ Duma, the “Shkolny Activ Goroda” (City school activists) and many others.
Annually the city holds the “Students’ spring" festival of students’ creativity. It’s the most popular event in cultural life of Ivanovo students, with the participation of all universities and institutes. Since 1997, the interregional festival of students “Maslenitsa” (“Pancake week”) is held. Yearly about 20 students’ teams from 6-8 regions take part in it.
Being concerned of the youth creativeness, the city government supports the development of facilities of students’ cultural, sporting and entertainment centers, as well as organizes regional sports competitions among students.
In order to encourage young scientists, each year the best students are given the grant of the governor, which is a good support for gifted researches. To increase the academic level of the youth, the contest of students’ and postgraduates’ researches was established. The papers should be devoted to the resolution of topical problems of the region. The best authors are given the award named after M. V. Frunze.
Ivanovo is a multinational city, more than 100 nationalities’ representatives live here. There are 16 ethnic and cultural autonomies, associations and centers.
Much attention is paid to the youth parliamentarism, which is developing within such structures, as the Youth Civic Council of the City Administration and Ivanovo city pupils’ Duma. The deputies of the latter participate in real elections campaigns in their schools, represents the schoolchildren’s interests to the municipal government, contribute to the development of youth initiatives, arrange socially topical activities, like the charity marathon “Ty nam nuzhen” (“We need you”) aimed at supporting children with disabilities.
There are several opportunities for the talented youth as well, e.g. awards and grants from the Head of the city.
In 2012 schoolchildren of Ivanovo supported the city’s bid to the contest “The European Youth Capital 2015” and organized a flash mob and made large patchwork cloth.
As a candidate city, Ivanovo is realizing a comprehensive program for the youth development, having invited professionals of the international level.
One of the contest’s objective being to strengthen interaction between local communities and the European structures, Ivanovo is increasing cooperation with international partners and investors, in order to develop its infrastructure. The status of the European Youth Capital will give Ivanovo a chance to become a role model for Russian and European cities, ready for empowering the youth and renovating their local communities.
Ivanovo is a youth and student center with great intellectual potential, where new ambitious ideas and projects are born and develop. Ivanovo of the future is a city which no one wants to leave, quite on the contrary.
So far the municipal and regional administration with the young activists has decided to bid for the title of the European Youth capital 2015. The initiative has been welcomed by Prime-minister and President of Russia.
On July 4, 2012, the European Youth Forum has published a list of finalists for the title "European Capital of Youth 2015." The city of Ivanovo was one of the finalists of the city.
Twin towns – sister cities.
Ivanovo is twinned with:


Castle Crags Wilderness

The Castle Crags Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Castle Crags rock formations of the Trinity Mountains, and within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, in northwestern California. It is located in Siskiyou County and Shasta County, north of Redding and south of Mount Shasta City.
The US Congress passed the California Wilderness Act in 1984 which set aside the wilderness.
Geography.
Elevations of the Castle Crags range from . The Trinity Mountains are a range in the Klamath Mountains System and the Klamath geological province.
The prominent spires in the southeast that make up the Castle Crags are the main attraction and are similar to the granitic rock landscape in parts of Yosemite National Park. In the northern portion of the wilderness, the landscape is more like the Klamath Mountains with glacial erosion, several cirques, and abundant rainfall with a high, east-trending divide. The area is bounded on the east by the Sacramento River, in the north by the South Fork Sacramento River and in the south by the canyon of Castle Creek and the boundary of Castle Crags State Park.
History.
One roadless area of borders on the northwest and contains the largest glacial cirque, Castle Lake, which is near where the Modoc War's 1855 Battle of Castle Crags took place. Now a historical landmark (California Historical Landmark No.16), the battle was fought on a ridge saddle between the lake and what is known as Battle Rock.
The Wintu Indians who inhabited the area called the crags the Abode of the Devil and the Spanish explorers called it Castle del Diablo (Castle of the Devil.)
There are mineral springs at the base of the crags which were used by the early fur traders, and after the Southern Pacific Railroad was completed into the area, health resorts sprang up as well. The railroad touted the beauty of the West to increase ridership, improve the West's image, and hopefully, sell some of its land holdings.
"Sunset" was a publication started in 1898 by the passenger department of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company that described various places in the West and was named after its Sunset Limited railroad line which went from New Orleans to San Francisco. The magazine's description of Castle Crags is the typical, flowery writing style of that era:
The advent of logging and mining brought even more people to the area with some mining continuing until the 1950s.
In 1933, concerned citizens successfully worked to protect the area and were able to acquire much of the land that became the state park. President Reagan signed into law the California Wilderness Act in 1984 that protected another and was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Flora and fauna.
The wilderness contains more than 300 species of wildflowers, including the Castle Crags harebell and the Castle Crags ivesia, both endemic, as well as tiger lily, monkey flower, and Indian rhubarb. Drier locations have yarrow, aster and buckwheat. Forested areas have incense cedar, white fir, ponderosa pine, several types of oaks with Pacific dogwood and maple in riparian zones. Meadows and brushlands have various kinds of manzanita along with huckleberry oak, chaparral and mountain whitethorn. Poison oak is common, as are rattlesnakes—dictating caution when hiking the trails.
Black bears, coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions are some of the larger predators in this diverse habitat of bare granite, steep slopes, meadows and mountain streams.
Recreation.
The state park extends inside the wilderness and has five of the nine trailheads. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) traverses the wilderness for with several spur trails connecting from the park to the PCT.
The Castle Dome Trail is a strenuous hiking trail into the crags proper and passes near Indian Springs, a natural hillside spring with views of the crags. The trail ends after at a notch just west of Castle Dome (), the southernmost of the crags, providing an unobstructed view of Mount Shasta and the spires, buttresses, sheer cliffs and domes of the Castle Crags.
Rock climbing opportunities range from Class 5 to Class 5.13a in difficulty, and although the granite rocks are massive, some areas are unstable because of exfoliation (flaking layers of loose rock).
The Forest Service encourages the use of Leave No Trace principles of outdoor travel to minimize impact to the environment.


St Fillans

St Fillans is a village in the central highlands of Scotland, in the council area of Perth and Kinross. The village lies at the eastern end of Loch Earn, west of Comrie on the A85 road, at the point where the River Earn leaves the loch. St Fillans was a small clachan in the 18th century, known as Port of Lochearn, or Meikleport. In 1817 it was renamed St Fillans by Lord Gwydyr, the husband of Clementina Drummond, heiress to the Drummond Estate.
The pre-Reformation church, St Fillan's Chapel, whose kirkyard is the traditional burial place of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich, lies to the south of the River Earn, between St Fillans and the Iron Age Pictish hill fort of Dundurn. It is believed that the Irish missionary Saint Fillan lived on this hill. Not far from the foot of the hill is the Allt Ghoinean burn which is claimed to be the Gonan or Monan of Sir Walter Scott's poem "The Lady of the Lake":
There is a large hydro-electric power station in St Fillans, fed from a dam at Loch Lednock high above the village. The power station, which forms part of the Breadalbane Hydro-Electric Scheme, is not visible within St Fillans as it is underground and was hewn from solid rock. The golf course at St Fillans was created in 1903 by Willie Auchterlonie.
The section of the River Earn from St Fillans down to Comrie, along with much of the surrounding countryside, is designated as a national scenic area (NSA). It is one of 40 such areas in Scotland, which are defined to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection by restricting certain forms of development. The River Earn (Comrie to St Fillans) NSA covers in total.
The village became the scene of controversy in November 2005 when a housing development was halted to avoid killing the fairies who allegedly lived under a rock on the proposed site. After some negotiation, the new housing estate was redesigned so that the rock in question was preserved, in a small park in the centre of the estate.
On the A85 just to the east of St Fillans lies the St Fillans Dragon and the St Fillans Toad.


Crab Orchard Wilderness

The Crab Orchard Wilderness is a parcel of land listed as a Wilderness Area of the United States. It is located within the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in Williamson, Union, and Jackson counties in Illinois.
Second-growth wilderness.
As with other wilderness areas in southern Illinois, the Crab Orchard Wilderness is made of second-growth forested areas that were used, until the land condemnations of the 1930s, as agriculture and pasture land. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service manages the wilderness.
The Crab Orchard Wilderness is a roadless parcel of land within a national wildlife refuge. Together with the adjacent Panther Den Wilderness, it forms part of the southern shore of Devils Kitchen Lake.
The Crab Orchard Wilderness is accessible by several paved highways. The nearest divided highway is Interstate 57, which passes through the nearby city of Marion, Illinois.


DeSoto Caverns

DeSoto Caverns is a series of caves and a tourist attraction located in Childersburg, Talladega County, Alabama. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, it is touted as "Alabama's Big Cave". In addition to the caves, the park offers various other attractions, including a three-quarter acre maze known as the Lost Trail Maze, panning for gemstones, a climbing wall, and amusement park style rides. While on the caverns tour, visitors can view a sound, light, and water show that changes with the holidays and seasons.
Before being commercialized as DeSoto Caverns, the cave was well known locally as Kymulga Cave. There is evidence that the cave was formerly used by Native Americans, and it was mined during the Civil War.
Cave structure.
The main room of the cave is just over ten stories high and larger than a football field. The entrance has been enlarged from an earlier period when it was a by hole in the side of a hill.
It was thought at one time that the cave system was very large, extending from near Childersburg to Talladega, Alabama. However, explorations have revealed only one place where the cave continues for any distance beyond the main room. At the left end of the rear wall of the main room, the cave continues some two or three hundred yards, ending at a blank wall and a small pool of water. With the possible exception of an underwater exit through this pool, there are no other known unexplored routes in the cave.
The caverns are noted for one of the largest continuing accumulations of onyx-marble stalagmites and stalactites in the world. DeSoto Caverns has actively growing rock formations (speleothems). For this reason, guests are not permitted to touch most of the rock formations.
History of the caverns.
Early Native Americans.
A burial site of the early Native American Copena culture can be seen in DeSoto Caverns. The term 'Copena' comes from the first three letters of copper and the last three letters of Galena, two materials commonly found in these burials. Caves were considered good burial spots by the Copena culture because they offered a peaceful and protective environment for the spirits of the dead.
The burial was discovered in 1965 by a team of archaeologists from the University of Alabama. It contained the skeletons of five Native Americans, one of whom was a child. Of special note was an immense jawbone that scientists believe belonged to a man who would have been more than seven feet tall. In 1995, DeSoto Caverns officials cooperated with a group of Native Americans who wished to rebury the remains of these five people in an undisclosed area of the cave.
16th century.
The arrival of Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and his expedition in 1540 marked the beginning of European recorded history in Alabama. At the time of de Soto's arrival, the Muscogee people inhabited Alabama and other parts of the Southeast. In Talladega County, where DeSoto Caverns is located, the Coosa people represented the Muscogee. The Coosa chiefdom—the first in Alabama's recorded history—extended roughly from Gadsden to Wetumpka, on both sides of the Coosa River. Their capital, also called Coosa (meaning "canebrake"), was near what is now Childersburg; and just a few miles to the east was DeSoto Caverns, their ancestral cave.
The de Soto expedition spent a little over five weeks in the Coosa capital. The Coosa Micco (or chief) warmly welcomed de Soto during a ceremony that took place near the entrance of DeSoto Caverns. Despite the Micco's kindness and an offer of land, de Soto took him hostage and took slaves from among the Coosa people.
18th century.
During George Washington's presidency, Benjamin Hawkins was appointed General Superintendent for Indian Affairs, with responsibility for all Native American tribes south of the Ohio River. In December 1796, he visited the upper Creek Indian territory and in his report to the president described the magnificence of DeSoto Caverns. This report makes DeSoto Caverns the first officially recorded cave in the United States.
19th century.
Toward the end of the American Civil War, the Confederate Army encouraged families to mine caves for saltpeter, which is used to make gunpowder. The situation became so critical that the Army paid young men to mine saltpeter rather than enlist, with the result that DeSoto Caverns became a saltpeter-mining center. The cave's spring-fed well was an important asset, as the mining of saltpeter involves soil leaching, which requires a lot of water. The well, a leaching trough, and a reconstructed vat used in the saltpeter-mining operations of the Civil War period are on display in the caverns.
Early 20th century.
In 1912, the caverns were purchased by Ida Elizabeth Brandon Mathis—a businesswoman and nationally recognized expert on farm economics—and a number of friends with the idea of mining the cave for its abundant onyx, a semi-precious stone. Unfortunately, Mexican onyx became popular about this time, and the partners could not compete with its lower price. The mine was left dormant for several years after initial mining tests.
During the Prohibition period (1920–1933), when sales of alcohol were prohibited in the United States, an illegal speakeasy and dance hall was opened in the cavern. Because of frequent shootings and fights, the caverns became known in the early 1920s as "The Bloody Bucket," and the establishment was eventually closed down by federal agents.
In the mid 1920s, Ida Mathis's son Allen bought out the other mining partners' interest in the caverns and secured all underground rights to the property and surrounding areas. Throughout its first half-century, the cave was a popular place of exploration for young romantics and teenage spelunkers. In the early 1960s, Mathis, along with Mr. Fred Layton, began to develop the caverns into a show cave, and high-powered electric lights were installed to show off the caverns' colorful onyx. The attraction was initially opened to the public under the name KyMulga Onyx Cave, after a group of Chickasaw Indians who had established the Indian village Kymulga a few miles away on Talladega Creek around 1960.
Late 20th century.
Allen Mathis' son and grandson—Allen W. Mathis, Jr., and Allen Mathis, III—took over the caverns' operation in 1975. The following year the caverns were renamed DeSoto Caverns in honor of Hernando de Soto. New lighting was installed, pathways were widened, and improvements were added to allow larger groups of visitors. Back areas of the cave never before accessible to visitors were opened in 1980. The 1980s also saw the development of a light, sound, and water show and the addition of a playground, a gift shop, and a cantina. Camping facilities were enlarged and updated. In the 1990s, the climbing wall and gemstone panning features were added.
DeSoto Caverns was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on July 19, 1976.


Oregon State Scenic Byways

This is a list of state scenic byways in Oregon. The byways are divided into two types: state scenic byways and touring routes.
In addition to the state-designated byways, Oregon has ten National Scenic Byways, of which four are All-American Roads.


Great Fish River Nature Reserve

Great Fish River Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa that is managed by Eastern Cape Parks.
The park has a total area of 45,000 ha, and has been operational since 1994. It comprises three historical nature reserves that have been combined into a single reserve:
The reserves are linked by a circular route, and the Great Fish River runs through the park.


Altai Nature Reserve

Altai Nature Reserve (, also called Altajskij Zapovednik) is a Russian 'zapovednik' (sanctuary, strict nature reserve) in the Altai Mountains of south Siberia, Russia. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Golden Mountains of Altai", recognized as an area of high biodiversity and isolation from human intrusion. It is also included in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The Altai Reserve includes the 30 km-long east bank of Lake Teletskoye and stretches 230 km into the high mountains to the southeast of the lake. It is situated in Ulagansky District and Turochaksky District in the north and east of the Altai Republic.
Topography.
The reserve has an elongated shape running from the northeast to southwest along the Teletskoye basin and into the high interior. Elevations rise to . This territory average 35 km wide through its 230 km length. Lake Teletskoye is in the upper northwest end. The Chulyshman River runs into the lake, with the Chulyshman valley forming part of the western border of the Altia Reserve. Most of the reserve is the plains and alpine ridges of the Chulyshman Highlands. Over 20% of the territory is rock, scree and gravel. On the high plateaus there are over 1,000 alpine lakes greater than 1 hectare in size.
Climate and ecoregion.
Altai is located in the "Sayan montane conifer forests" ecoregion. This ecoregion is characterized by mountains dissected by river valleys, high levels of precipitation, and high biodiversity. Flora is generally dependent on the elevation and terrain, with forest having three main subzones based on altitude: light needle-leaf sparse taiga, dark needle-leaf taiga, and dark taiga. The Altai reserve has been for the most part undisturbed by human activity, and is one of the few remaining pristine areas of this ecoregion. It covers 9.4% of the entire Republic of Altai, and there are no roads in the reserve.
The climate of Altai is "Humid continental climate, cool summer" (Köppen climate classification Subartic climate(Dfc)). This climate is characterized by mild summers (only 1-3 months above ) and cold, snowy winters (coldest month below ). Over the past 50 years in the Altai reserve, the warmest month has been July (+16,8 °C), the coldest month (January -8,3 °C), and the average rainfall has been 865 mm.
Flora and fauna.
The most common trees in the Altai Reserve coniferous species: larch, Siberian, Siberian cedar and Siberian fir. On the slopes near Lake Teletskoye there are some secondary forests of birch and alder, but most of the reserve to the south is untouched - cedars on the site have been measured up to 1.8 meters in diameter and 400–450 years in age. Scientists at the reserves have recorded over 1,500 species of vascular plants, including 22 species listed as 'vulnerable' in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. There are over 70 species of mammals in the reserve, including two endangered species, the Snow Leopard and the Altai argali. There are 19 species of fish, mostly in Lake Teletskoye, including pike, perch, and whitefish. In the streams the most common fish is the grayling. Of the 331 species of birds found in the reserve, most (48%) are passerine (159 species), waders (48 species), Falconiformes (30 species), and geese (29 species). The remaining 66 species account for only 20%.
Ecotourism.
As a strict nature reserve, the Altai 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 six "ecotourist" routes in the reserve, however, that are open to the public, but require permits to be obtained in advance. Park management recommends allowing 2–3 months in advance for obtaining permits. The main office is in the city of Gorno-Altaysk.
The six ecotourist routes open to the public (permits required) are:


Scragh Bog

Scragh Bog is a national nature reserve of approximately in County Westmeath. It is considered Ireland's best example of a habitat transitioning from an alkaline fen to an acidic raised bog, and is deemed to be of international importance.
Features.
Scragh Bog was legally protected as a national nature reserve by the Irish government in 1992. A large area of the bog was bought by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council with funding from the Dutch Foundation for the Conservation of Irish Bogs in 1987. It was later handed over to the Irish state to be managed as a nature reserve.
Scragh Bog is deemed to be Ireland's best example of a habitat transitioning from an alkaline fen to an acidic raised bog, one of only a small number still extant in Europe and of international importance. A large number of rare flora and insects in Europe have been recorded in the reserve. Some of the flora include sundew, round-leaved wintergreen, and sphagnum moss. The creation of the nature reserve was cited as the reason that a number of rare insects have been conserved in Ireland.
Skylarks and common snipe live on the reserve. The site has a number of boardwalk routes for visitors.


Dome Wilderness

Congress created the Dome Wilderness in New Mexico in 1980. The wilderness area is around on the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest. The wilderness area borders the Bandelier Wilderness in Bandelier National Monument.
The Dome Wilderness is easily accessible from Los Alamos, New Mexico, by paved and gravel roads. There are several trailheads on the national forest and some trails extend into the national monument, allowing for long loop hikes. Like the rest of the Santa Fe National Forest, the wilderness area has many prehistoric sites.
Because a fire destroyed much of the Dome Wilderness in 1996, the stark landscape stands out in contrast to other parts of the forest. The highest point in the wilderness area is near St. Peter's Dome.


Apache Kid Wilderness

Apache Kid Wilderness is a Wilderness area located within the Magdalena Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest in the state of New Mexico. Straddling a southern portion of the San Mateo Mountains of southwestern Socorro County, the area is characterized by rugged, narrow, and steep canyons bisecting high mountain peaks exceeding . The Apache Kid Wilderness lies just south of the Withington Wilderness, which also straddles the San Mateo Mountains. The Apache Kid is also surrounded by 84,527 total acres of Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA) with the San Jose IRA (16,957 acres) to the south and the Apache Kid Contiguous IRA (67,570 acres) to the north, east, and west. Some of trails provide access to the Apache Kid Wilderness. The Wilderness was designated by Congress in 1980 and provides outstanding hiking, backpacking, star-gazing, hunting, and horseback-riding opportunities.
History.
The Apache Kid Wilderness has a long, rich history, full of lore from the Wild West. Basham noted in his report documenting the archeological history of the Cibola’s Magdalena Ranger District that “[t]he heritage resources on the district are diverse and representative of nearly every prominent human evolutionary event known to anthropology. Evidence for human use of district lands date back 14,000 years to the Paleoindian period providing glimpses into the peopling of the New World and megafaunal extinction.“
Much of the now Magdalena Ranger District were a province of the Apache. Bands of Apache effectively controlled the Magdalena-Datil region from the seventeenth century until they were defeated in the Apache Wars in the late nineteenth century. In fact, the Apache Kid Wilderness is named for a Native American called the Apache Kid. Angered by his relentless raids, in 1906, local ranchers hunted him down into Blue Mountain, killed him and blazed a tree to mark the spot. However, some accounts say that it was actually the famous warrior Massai who died that day. The hacked remains of the tree can still be seen today.
While the Apache Kid is perhaps the most famous outlaw of the area, other notorious Apaches like Cochise and Geronimo and outlaw renegades Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch also have ties to the area. The Apache Kid Wilderness includes Vicks Peak, which was named after Victorio, “a Mimbreño Apache leader whose territory included much of the south and southwest New Mexico.” Famous for defying relocation orders in 1879 and leading his warriors “on a two-year reign of terror before he was killed,” Victorio is at least as highly regarded as Geronimo or Cochise among Apaches.
Native Americans lingered in the San Mateo well into the 1900s. We know this by an essay written by Aldo Leopold in 1919 where he documents stumbling upon the remains of a recently abandoned Indian hunting camp.
A mining rush followed the Apache wars – gold, silver, and copper were found in the San Mateo Mountains. It wasn’t until this time that extensive use of the area by non-Native Americans occurred. While some mining activity, involving gold, silver, and copper, occurred in the southern part of the range near the end of the nineteenth century, the prospecting/mining remnants are barely visible today due to collapse, topographic screening, and vegetation regrowth. While miners combed the mountains for mineral riches during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, stockmen drove tens of thousands of sheep and cattle to stockyards at the village of Magdalena, then linked by rail with Socorro. In fact, the last regularly used cattle trail in the United States stretched 125 miles westward from Magdalena. The route was formally known as the Magdalena Livestock Driveway, but more popularly known to cowboys and cattlemen as the Beefsteak Trail. The trail began use in 1865 and its peak was in 1919. The trail was used continually until trailing gave way to trucking and the trail official closed in 1971.
Vegetation and wildlife.
The vegetation in the Apache Kid Wilderness is typical of the region, with pinyon pine and juniper woodlands at lower elevations, spruce, fir, and aspen at the higher elevations, and ponderosa pine in between. Wildlife in the Apache Kid Wilderness is abundant. Species found here include Coue's white-tailed deer ("Odocoileus virginianus couesi"), mule deer, elk, black bear, bobcat, cougar, antelope, javelina, coyote, rabbit, squirrel, and quail. The area contains critical habitat for the threatened Mexican spotted owl and is an important breeding ground and movement corridor for mountain lions. The San Mateo Mountains have been identified as a key conservation area by The Nature Conservancy due to their biodiversity and ecological richness.
Recreation.
The Apache Kid Wilderness Area provides phenomenal hiking, camping, backpacking, hunting, horseback-riding, stargazing opportunities. An extensive network of trails is located in the Wilderness Area. Many loop trips can be made, and the area can easily accommodate a 1-week backpack trip. The Wilderness Area is located in the remote and rugged San Mateo Mountains. Far from any population centers, the area will surely offer solitude for those who venture into the backcountry.


Pointe de Givet National Nature Reserve

The Pointe de Givet National Nature Reserve (RNN145) is a national nature reserve of the Grand Est region of France. Established in 1999, it spreads over 354 hectares and protects a group of sites recognised for their rich geology, flora and fauna.
Localisation.
At the northern end of the Ardennes department, the nature reserve territory consists of 11 entities localized on the communes of Charnois, Chooz, Foisches, Fromelennes, Givet, and Rancennes for a total area of 354 hectares.
History of site and reserve.
The sector has been known by naturalists since at least the 19th century for its geological riches and flora. To protect this deteriorating heritage, "La Valenne" association solicited the classification as national nature reserve of the most notable natural environments of the site known as "Pointe de Givet" in 1990. The classification procedure succeeded in 1999, and governing bodies (National Forests Office and Conservatory of Natural Areas of Champagne-Ardennes ("Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Champagne-Ardennes")) have been designed in 2000.
Ecology.
The nature reserve offers a landscape composed of forests, moors, dry lawns as well as spectacular rocky escarpments. Its interest is geological, floral and faunal. Five main natural habitat types can be found:
Geology.
Givet Pointe's geology presents several unusual aspects. Of educational interest, they justify national nature reserve classification. The Meuse valley deeply cuts into limestone and it is here that Jules Gosselet defined the Givétien stratotype in 1879. But rocks diversity is broad; in addition to a limestone known as , there are shales, sandstones, an old fluorite quarry and many fossils, notably trilobites. Some limestone caves complete the inventory with their stalactites and stalagmites.
Flora.
The geographical location of Givet Pointe, with the spectacular relief of certain sites, and the existence of hot and dry micro-climates, have allowed the development of a southern flora which is exceptional at this latitude. The nature reserve flora inventory reports 461 species, including 156 remarkable ("rare" or "very rare") among which 11 are protected in Champagne-Ardenne. The Regional Red List has 35 registered species such as white mugwort ("Artemisia alba"), the wild cotoneaster, cat's-foot, monkey orchid and bloody geranium.
Fauna.
The variety of natural environments provides habitats for more than 320 animal species, including insects, bats and birds.
Twenty mammal species have been identified. The richness in insects and existence of caves explain the presence of 12 species of bats, some of which fall under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC): lesser horseshoe bat, greater horseshoe bat, greater mouse-eared bat and Geoffroy's bat.
Over 70 species of birds have been identified , a third of which are registered on the Regional Red List, such as the Eurasian eagle-owl, European nightjar and woodlark.
Reptiles like the common European adder and the smooth snake are fond of rocky areas.
As of 2020, 171 insect species have thus far been identified, including 78 Lepidoptera Papilionoidea such as "Erebia medusa", the silver-studded blue, large copper and the marsh fritillary. There are also around 30 species of Orthoptera such as the blue-winged grasshopper, the grey bush cricket, the "Tetrix bipunctata" and the wart-biter.
State, pressures or threats, responses.
The nature reserve splitting into 11 entities leads to significant ecological fragmentation. Numerous after-effects of war dot the territory. In the absence of large wild herbivorous mammals, there is a tendency for open areas to become overgrown.
Tourism and educational interest.
It is linked to natural habitats, landscapes (steep gradients) and biodiversity they shelter, but also to geological riches of the site and its cultural aspects. Givet Point is an old traffic area of strategic interest that has left its mark:
The site has become a centre of environmental education, offering trails, guided tours and study facilities.
Administration, management plan, regulations.
The management is ensured by the Conservatory of Natural Spaces of Champagne-Ardenne ("Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Champagne-Ardenne") and the National Forests Office Ardennes ("ONF Ardennes"). The first management plan (2003-2007) enabled restoration work (reopening of dry lawns) thanks to brushcutting and mowing with export made by students, reintegration teams or "nature work camps". Goats have been used since 2005 to remove the bushes from part of the "Aviette Maurière ravines" by extensive grazing. An evaluation of the management plan was started in 2007. The second management plan 2008-2012 is completed.
Tools and legal status.
The nature reserve was classified in application of the law of July 10, 1976, by a decree of March 4, 1999. Several protection perimeters overlap there: registered and classified sites, ZNIEFF types I and II, ZICO, ZSC and APPB.
References.
Main source: Réserves Naturelles de France, and "Lettre des réserves naturelles" no 92 (4th trimester 2007).


Asia Building

The Asia Building (), also known as the McBain Building and the Asiatic Petroleum Building, is a historical eight-storey building on the Bund in Shanghai, China.
Site and construction.
The building was built in 1916 as McBain Building on the corner of the Bund (currently 1 East-1 Zhongshan Road) and Avenue Edward VII (today's East Yan'an Road), a location known as No.1 on the Bund, near the former French Concession. It stands on a site of 1739 square metres and has a floor area of 11,723 square metres. It was the tallest and one of the largest buildings in Shanghai upon its completion. This fact, adding to its location, earned it a widespread nickname 'Number One Building on the Bund' (外滩第一楼). The building was designed by Moorhead＆Halse, a famous architectural firm in Shanghai back then and built by contractor Yu Chang Tai. Initially the building was seven stories tall; an extra storey was added in 1939.
History.
The lot of the building originally belonged two British brothers James and Hayes Hogg, whose trading company Hogg Brothers opened in Shanghai in 1861. In 1899 the brothers decided to close their business in Shanghai and return to Britain. They sold the property to British merchant George McBain, whose company constructed this current building after demolishing an original house on the site.
In 1917, one year after its completion the Royal Dutch Shell's Asiatic Petroleum division, which sold kerosene and candles used for lighting before electric lights were invented, bought in much of the building and renamed it the Asia Building.
During the Japanese occupation of Shanghai the building was taken over by the Japanese and most of the staff, mainly British, fled Shanghai and relocated in Chongqing. The majority of them returned to Shanghai and continued working in the building after the occupation while the company's profits soared to unprecedented levels. After the People's Republic of China was established, some branches of the company in China closed down, only some 50 employees remained in Shanghai.
The East China Petroleum Company took control of the building in 1950. A number of other occupants including the Shanghai Metallurgical Designing & Research Institute, Shanghai housing & land administration bureau and Shanghai Silk Company moved in 1959. The Asiatic Petroleum division of Royal Dutch Shell finally ceased operation in the building in 1966, after which the Shanghai Real Estate Department took the building's control.
Two shell-shaped ornaments of the Royal Dutch were removed from a column of the building's façade and relocated to its Beijing Yuanmingyuan office when the company left, now being displayed at the Shanghai History Museum.
The building became the headquarters of the China Pacific Insurance Company in 1996 but as of today the building is largely empty.


The Market Common

The Market Common (sometimes known as Market Common or Market Common District) is a lifestyle center located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
History.
In 1998, The Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority, the city of Myrtle Beach and Design Works L.C. developed the Urban Village Redevelopment Master Plan to use existing structures and plan new development not related to tourism in the Myrtle Beach International Airport complex that became civilian after the closure of the Air Force Base that was shared with the airport.
The Market Common opened in 2008. It competes mainly with nearby shopping complexes Coastal Grand Mall and Broadway at the Beach. The complex has townhomes, small stores and restaurants. Many of the streets in the district are named after former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Wing and Base Commanders, or other notable Air Force members who were assigned to the base. Also scattered throughout Market Common are small memorial information signs noting historical facts about the base.
As of 2017, much of the residential development is single family, with apartments. More apartments are being planned.
Foreclosure and Sale.
On May 11, 2010, JPMorgan Chase claimed in a foreclosure suit that LUK-MB1 LLC owed $105 million and was no longer making payments on the construction loan for The Market Common. Jones Lang LaSalle, as receiver, managed the complex. 37 of 55 businesses were on a "watch list", meaning they had asked for or could get reductions in rent, or that they had to meet certain conditions to stay in the center.
An attorney representing the receiver said in a written statement that The Market Common was sold to BEI-Beach LLC, incorporated in Delaware on Dec. 27.
HomeFed Corp.’s acquisition of BEI-Beach LLC.
On April 23, 2013, it was reported by The Sun News that a California-based real estate investor and developer HomeFed Corp has acquired BEI-Beach LLC, who owns The Market Common and the undeveloped land around it, as well as other subsidiaries of Leucadia National Corp. Myrtle Beach city official say that the deal could lead to development moving forward quicker on some of BEI-Beach LLC's vacant property. Nothing will change at The Market Common as BEI-Beach will remain owner of the 6 year old shopping and entertainment center that is located on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. "Management will stay the same, and no changes to the stores or other operations are planned as a result of the deal," said Brooke Doswell, The Market Common’s general manager.
Parks.
Savannah's Playground.
Savannah's Playground, located at the adjacent Grand Park Recreation Complex, is Myrtle Beach's first year-round playground accessible to disabled children. Groundbreaking on the $3 million four-acre project took place in August 2015 with a targeted first phase completion of January 2016. It is named for Savannah Thompson, who has Williams syndrome and supravalvular aortic stenosis but has become the ambassador for Grand Strand Miracle Leagues. The city will run the park. A nonprofit organization headed by the city mayor was not able to raise all of the stated $1.5 million in private funds required to complete the first phase and construction languished during the winter and early spring of 2016 until the City Council redirected $350,000 in real estate TIF funds towards the park to complete the first phase.


Sossego Forest Biological Station

The Sossego Forest Biological Station () is a private natural heritage reserve in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. It holds a population of the critically endangered northern muriqui, a primate.
Location.
The Sossego Forest Biological Station is in the municipalities of Simonésia and Manhuaçu, Minas Gerais.
It has an area of .
When the buffer zone is included, the total forest area is .
The Mata do Sossego is from Belo Horizonte.
It holds the largest continuous remnant of Atlantic Forest in the region.
The advance of coffee plantations and pastures in the region is further fragmenting the forest and reducing its area.
History.
The Sossego Forest Biological Station was created by ordinance 20-N DOU 34 of 18 February 1998, the property of the Fundação Biodiversitas (Biodiversity Foundation).
The management plan was approved by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) on 7 January 2015.
Conservation activities.
The main purpose is to help preserve the critically endangered northern muriqui ("Brachyteles hypoxanthus"), the largest primate in the Americas.
It is estimated that between 700 and 1,000 Northern muriquis live in the Atlantic Forest remnants in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, with confirmed populations in just ten forest fragments in Minas Gerais.
Other endangered species include the cougar ("Puma concolor") and black-fronted titi ("Callicebus nigrifrons").
The plants "Cariniana legalis" and "Dicksonia sellowiana" are also endangered.
The station is a center for scientific studies in the area, and may become part of an ecological corridor with the Feliciano Miguel Abdala Private Natural Heritage Reserve in Caratinga.
The RPPN has infrastructure for visitors and researchers, and has potential for biological, ecological and sociological research.
The organizers have undertaken environmental education and organization in the nearby communities, leading to creation of the Association of Friends of Protection of the Simonésia Forests.
They have encouraged development of more sustainable agricultural practices.
The Biodiversity Foundation has partnered with the Doces Matas Project, along with the managers of the nearby Caparaó National Park and Rio Doce State Park.


Pui Pui Protection Forest

Pui Pui Protection Forest is a protected area in Junín, Peru, established on 31 January 1985. It covers an extension of .


Jollys Lookout, Queensland

Jollys Lookout is a rural locality in the Moreton Bay Region, Queensland, Australia. In the Jollys Lookout had a population of 76 people.
Geography.
The locality is located along Mount Nebo Road between The Gap in Brisbane and Mount Nebo.
The north-western corner of the locality is within the D'Aguilar National Park, which extends into neighbouring Enoggera Reservoir and beyond. Apart from the protected area, the rest of the locality is located on the slopes of the Annand Range and has a mix of rural residential properties and undeveloped land. There is a small area of grazing on native vegetation.
History.
It is named after the popular lookout of the same name, which was named after Brisbane mayor, William Jolly, who visited the lookout about 1927.
In the Jollys Lookout had a population of 76 people.
Attractions.
The lookout is accessed from Mount Nebo Road ().