Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve

The Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve () is an ecological reserve in the provinces of Esmeraldas and Manabí, Ecuador. It protects a mountainous area in the transition from tropical rain forest in the north to dry forest in the south. It contains the Cube Lagoon, which has been designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance.
Location.
The Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve protects the forests of the Mache Chindul mountain range on the coast of Ecuador.
It has an area of .
Elevations range from .
The Mache Chindul range is a massif on the coastal plain west of the Andes.
The massif is the northern extension of Ecuador's coastal range.
It is isolated from the Andes, which are about to the east,
The reserve is very near the coast a few kilometers south of Muisne.
It holds the sources of the Coaque, Cojimies and Cheve rivers in Manabí, and Muisne, Atacames and Tiaone rivers in Esmeraldas.
It contains the "Laguna de Cube" (Cube lagoon), which has been designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance due to its biodiversity, ecological functions and environmental services to the local population.
The reserve may be reached by driving north along highway 20 from Quinindé for about to the entrance of La Laguna.
From there a dirt road leads west to the Cube Lagoon.
In the winter the road is only passable to all-terrain vehicles.
The reserve includes a large area of forest that has traditionally been home to Chachi and Afro-Esmeraldas communities, who practice sustainable exploitation of the forests resources.
Land near the reserve is used for cattle pasturage and cultivation of sugar cane.
History.
The Bilsa Biological Station ("Estación Biológica Bilsa") was established by the Jatun Sacha Foundation in 1994.
It protects the coastal watersheds of the Aguacatal, Dógola and Cube Rivers.
The foundation has a donation program for acquiring more forest.
The Center for Conserving Plants of the Western Forest has been located at the station since 1996.
It provides the basis for community outreach programs involving agroforestry, environmental education and development of community management plans.
The center produces about 100,000 trees each year for reforestation within and outside the reserve.
These include 80 species of tropical fruit trees and 50 of local timber trees.
In 1991 there were still large patches of forests with sizeable timber trees, but deforestation was in progress.
There were (and are) strong pressures on the region from large timber companies, from the advance of the agricultural frontier and from poaching of large mammals and birds.
The Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve was created on 9 August 1996.
It is part of the National System of Protected Areas of Ecuador.
The Bilsa Biological Station is now part of the Mache Chindul Ecological Reserve.
Establishment of the reserve was important in slowing habitat destruction.
In 2002 the Cube lagoon was declared a Ramsar site by UNESCO.
As of 2005 the status was not known, but it was assumed that the forests were increasingly fragmented.
Environment.
Mean temperatures range from , with highest temperatures from February to May.
The upper parts of the mountains are constantly clouded by haze from the sea.
The reserve is in the transition between the tropical rain forests, which receive up to of rain annually, and the dry forests with about annually.
The northern forests are part of the Chocó–Darién moist forests ecoregion that extends from Panama along the Pacific coast of Colombia to northwest Ecuador.
South of the region of Cojimies and Jama in the north of Manabí the rain forests give way to Ecuadorian dry forests.
Flora.
The reserve is a biodiversity hotspot.
The Bilsa Biological Station has recorded over 1,100 species of vascular plants.
Some of which are endemic to the mountains and some have only recently been described.
There is a large area of mature tropical rain forests along the coast, as well as secondary forests and areas in regeneration.
Common trees include "Virola dixonii", "Quararibea soegenii" and "Symphonia globulifera".
There is tropical forest similar to other parts of the Chocó in the foothills of the mountains, particularly in the northeast.
Some of the species in the reserve are also found in the higher cloud forests of the Andes.
There are also species endemic to the Chocó.
The rain forests contain many species of "Orchidaceae" and liana.
Trees include the canalón, anime, tangaré, caoba (mahogany), cuángare and palms such as pambil and tagua.
Three new species of trees in the new genus "Ecuadendron" have been found recently.
The dry forests contain trees such as fernán sánchez, guayacán, tillo, hobo de monte, amarillo, piñón and muyuyo.
In the drier area there are cactus, holy wood ("Bursera graveolens") and ceibo.
Fauna.
There are 136 species of mammals, 491 of birds, 38 of reptiles and 54 of amphibians.
Mammals.
Fauna recorded in Bilsa include large mammals now rare in western Ecuador such as jaguar ("Panthera onca"), mantled howler ("Alouatta palliata"), white-fronted capuchin ("Cebus albifrons aequatorialis") and giant anteater ("Myrmecophaga tridactyla").
The Bilsa center has recorded bats typical of pristine forests including hairy little fruit bat ("Rhinophylla alethina") and striped hairy-nosed bat ("Mimon crenulatum"), as well as small mammals such as northern naked-tailed armadillo ("Cabassous centralis") and brown-throated sloth ("Bradypus variegatus").
Other mammals include the endangered brown-headed spider monkey ("Ateles fusciceps fusciceps"), bush dog ("Speothos venaticus"), coati (genus "Nasua") and otter.
Mammals photographed in the reserve's buffer zone by automatic cameras and published in 2016 included lowland paca ("Cuniculus paca"), northern naked-tailed armadillo ("Cabassous centralis"), nine-banded armadillo ("Dasypus novemcinctus"), Central American agouti ("Dasyprocta punctata"), common opossum ("Didelphis marsupialis"), brown four-eyed opossum ("Metachirus nudicaudatus"), Tome's spiny rat ("Proechimys semispinosus"), ocelot ("Leopardus pardalis"), margay ("Leopardus wiedii"), jaguarundi ("Puma yagouaroundi"), tayra ("Eira barbara"), northern tamandua ("Tamandua mexicana"), white-nosed coati ("Nasua narica"), lcrab-eating raccoon ("Procyon cancrivorus"), red-tailed squirrel ("Sciurus granatensis") and collared peccary ("Pecari tajacu").
Birds.
The reserve is home to globally threatened species of birds, and species endemic to the Chocó such as "Neomorphus radiolosus" and "Cephalopterus penduliger".
Endemic species include grey-backed hawk ("Pseudastur occidentalis").
The reserve holds isolated populations of species typical of the Andes.
Resident Important Bird Area trigger species include Banded ground cuckoo ("Neomorphus radiolosus"), Black-tipped cotinga ("Carpodectes hopkei"), Blue-whiskered tanager ("Tangara johannae"), Brown wood rail ("Aramides wolfi"), Chocó poorwill ("Nyctiphrynus rosenbergi"), Choco toucan ("Ramphastos brevis"), Chocó woodpecker ("Veniliornis chocoensis"), Dusky pigeon ("Patagioenas goodsoni"), Grey-backed hawk ("Pseudastur occidentalis"), Guayaquil woodpecker ("Campephilus gayaquilensis"), Long-wattled umbrellabird ("Cephalopterus penduliger"), Ochraceous attila ("Attila torridus"), Orange-fronted barbet ("Capito squamatus"), Pacific flatbill ("Rhynchocyclus pacificus"), Pallid dove ("Leptotila pallida"), Plumbeous forest falcon ("Micrastur plumbeus"), Plumbeous hawk ("Cryptoleucopteryx plumbea"), Red-masked parakeet ("Psittacara erythrogenys"), Rose-faced parrot ("Pyrilia pulchra"), Rufous-headed chachalaca ("Ortalis erythroptera"), Stub-tailed antbird ("Sipia berlepschi") and White-whiskered hermit ("Phaethornis yaruqui").
Reptiles and amphibians.
There are 38 species of reptiles in 28 genera and 16 families, including 9 species of iguanas.
Reptiles include boa constrictor, various false coral species, spectacled caiman, common snapping turtle ("Chelydra serpentina") and iguanas.
Amphibians are represented by 54 species in 19 genera and 9 families, of which the family Leptodactylidae has 19 species and the family Hylidae has 11 species.
"Pristimantis latidiscus" is vulnerable and "Craugastor longirostris" is near threatened.
Least concern species include gliding tree frog ("Agalychnis spurrelli"), cane toad ("Rhinella marina"), Cachabi robber frog ("Pristimantis achatinus") and marbled poison frog ("Epipedobates boulengeri").


Indian Caverns

Indian Caverns was a show cave in Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania, United States from 1929-2017. It is a horizontal karst cave of Ordovician Nealmont/Benner limestone, estimated to be about 500,000 years old. It is the second-largest cave in Pennsylvania and the largest limestone cave. Indian Caverns consists of two sections, originally separated by a 14-foot wall: the "Historic Cave" and the "Giant's Hall". The "historic" part of the cave is generally low-ceilinged and closer to the surface (as shallow as 15 ft) with a couple of wide rooms and extensive speleothem formation. The Giant's Hall area consists of several large passageways, up to 60 feet high, but with fewer speleothems - though it does include the largest sheet of flowstone in the northeast and a substantial rimstone pool. The lowest point of the cave is approximately 140 feet beneath the surface and the cave temperature is a constant 56 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius).
Artifacts found in the cave indicate that it was inhabited as long ago as 8000 BC. The earliest tribe known to have used the cave were the Susquehannocks, circa 1600 AD. It was later used by Algonkian (including Lenni Lenape) and Iroquois (probably Mohawk) tribes through the early eighteenth century. Examples of the artifacts are on display in the cave and include arrow and spearheads, tobacco pipes, tomahawks, punches, banner stones, a bone flute, and pottery shards. They also include a rare effigy of the Algonkian guardian spirit, Mesingw.
One room, the "Grotto of the Wah-Wah-Taysee", features a phosphorescent mineral deposit in the ceiling and walls. It was originally thought to be radium, but has since been identified as zinc sulfide reacting with calcite in the limestone. The cave also contains a "musical rock", which resounds with a bell-like tone when struck.
Indian Caverns was known about by European settlers from the late eighteenth century. From about 1816, it was one of several caves used as a hideout by the outlaw David Lewis until his death in 1820. The entrance and grounds were bought in 1928 by Harold Wertz, Sr., a local entrepreneur, and the cave was opened to the public on June 14, 1929. Wertz opened the cave after two years of excavation and about half a million dollars worth of investments. Wertz, along with his family, moved to Florida during the great depression, but returned each summer to run and upkeep the caves. Before the Indian relics were found inside the first few chambers in the caverns, the cave was planned to be called "Franklin Cave", but it seemed more appropriate to be called "Historic Indian Cave". Then in the late 1930s - early 1940s the name was changed to "Indian Caverns". It was a popular destination during the Early Auto Era due to the Edwardian fascination with the "wonders" of nature and remained in continuous operation until 2017. In 2017, the Western Pennsylvania Convervancy purchased the property and is currently in the works of naturalizing the cave (returning it to its original state). The Conservancy plans to use the caverns as a bat sanctuary in the coming years and conduct research on the local bat species.


Bowman Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Bowman Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary on western Baffin Island within part of the Great Plain of the Koukdjuak in Northern Canada's territory of Nunavut. It is classified as Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area) under the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Geography.
The sanctuary is located on the eastern shore of Foxe Basin, north of the Foxe Peninsula. Its size is .
History and conservation.
During J. Dewey Soper's 1928–31 Arctic expedition in this area, he located the blue goose ("C. c. caerulescens") nesting grounds on Bluegoose Plain by Bowman Bay. The wildlife sanctuary was established in 1957. It received national legal protection under the Wildlife Act of 2003.
The sanctuary protects marine and intertidal wildlife. Industrial activities and hunting are prohibited.


Cortlinye Conservation Reserve


Chuckanut Drive


Bering Sea Wilderness

Bering Sea Wilderness is a wilderness area in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is in area and was designated by the United States Congress in 1970. It encompasses St. Matthew Island, Hall Island, and Pinnacle Island and is part of the larger Bering Sea unit of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.


Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk

Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk is an open-air lifestyle center retail complex located across from the super-regional Twelve Oaks Mall in the city of Novi, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The center features Dick's Sporting Goods as its anchor store, as well as a movie theater, game room, and several restaurants.
History.
After initial delays that saw the cancellation of two proposed anchor stores (a Jillian's and a movie theater), construction began on Fountain Walk in late 2001. The mall's owner, PLC Novi West, initially worked with Taubman Centers and Ramco-Gershenson, two Detroit-area based developers; Schostak Corporation was later hired as a leasing agent.
The first stores to open were Galyan's Trading Company and The Great Indoors. A year later, the rest of the mall opened to the public. Additional renovations brought Emagine Novi- an 18-screen movie theater- and a game room called Lucky Strike to the center. The entire Galyan's chain was acquired and re-branded by Dick's Sporting Goods in 2004. Later that year, the mall's developers filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Difficulty of access to the mall has been cited as a factor limiting the center's growth, as the mall lacks visibility from 12 Mile Road, Novi Road, and Interstate 96, the three major roads that surround it. The center has been no more than seventy percent leased since its opening, and several major tenants have closed. Modern Skate & Surf announced on its website that it was moving because "the landlord is remodeling the mall and our building will be torn down."
On August 14, 2019, Sears Outlet closed. Floor & Decor will soon move into the vacated store.
Redevelopment.
Approximately of the mall was demolished in 2006 and re-developed; similarly, another large part of the mall which housed Modern Skate was demolished in July 2008. Additional big-box stores were added during the renovation, including a Powerhouse Gym. The center was also renamed Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk. Cost Plus World Market announced the closure of all its Detroit locations in April 2008. The middle portion of the mall was then torn down, and a large section of retail space was converted to a gym. After parent company Sears closed all of its Great Indoors stores in 2012, the location at Fountain Walk was converted to a Sears Outlet store. Mall developers have also presented the City of Novi with a plan to construct multiple tenant buildings along with a large retail/supermarket space to be built behind Dick's.


Padmavathi Temple

Padmavathi Temple is the temple dedicated to Goddess Padmavathi or Alamelumanga, the consort of Lord Venkateswara. The Temple is situated in Tiruchanur, at a distance of 5 km from Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is being administered by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
Legend.
It is believed that the Goddess Lakshmi was born as Alamelu to Akasha Raja, the ruler of this region, and wed Venkateshwara of Tirupati. Goddess Lakshmi gave darshan to Lord Venkateswara on a red Lotus flower (Padma in Sanskrit) at Alamelu mangapuram after his deep penance for twelve years.
According to tradition, the Mother Goddess manifested Herself in the holy Pushkarini called Padmasarovaram in a golden lotus. The Venkatachala Mahatyam states that Lord Suryanarayana was instrumental in blossoming of the lotus in full splendour. A temple dedicated to Lord Suryanarayana is situated on the eastern side of the Pushkarini. The Padma Purana gives a vivid description of the advent of the Goddess and subsequent wedding with Lord Srinivasa. The manifestation of Sri Padmavathi Devi occurred in the month of Karthika on Sukla Paksha Panchami when the star Uttarashada in the ascendent. The Brahmotsavam of the Goddess is celebrated with all pomp and glory to commemorate the auspicious occasion of Her avatara.
Deity.
Padmavathi (or "Alamelumanga") is the main deity of the temple. Padmavathi is the incarnation of goddess Lakshmi and is consort of Lord Venkateswara. The deity is facing towards east.
Padmasarovaram.
Padmasarovaram is the Temple tank of Sri Padmavathi Temple. It is believed that Goddess Padmavathi manifested in this Tank in golden Lotus flower (padmam) on ‘Sukla Paksha Panchami’ day in the Kartheeka masam.
Festivals.
In Padmasarovaram, Chakra Snanam will be held on last day of Annual Padmavathi Brahmotsavams ("Panchami Teertham") which will witness lakhs of Devotees taking a dip in the holy waters.
Other Temples in Complex.
Sri Krishna Swamy Temple and Sri SundararajaSwamy Temple are sub-temples within the Padmavathi Temple. Sri Krishna Swamy Temple is the earliest of the temples inside the temple complex. As per evidence this temple came into existence in the 1221 AD. Sri Sundararajaswamy Temple came into existence into 16th Century and is dedicated to Sri Varadaraja Swamy and his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi. There is also a temple dedicated to Lord Suryanarayana opposite to Padmasarovaram (Temple Tank). This deity of this temple is believed to installed by Lord Venkateswara.
External links.
Tirupati


Hickory Flats

Hickory Flats is an area in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia that has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road construction. It is in a remote location at the headwaters of two streams with a wetland that contains rare plants and provides an unusual habitat for wildlife.
The area is part of the "Mountain Lake Wilderness Cluster".
Location and access.
Hickory Flats is located in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwestern Virginia about 20 miles north of Pembroke, Virginia and 6 miles south of Waiteville, West Virginia. Peters Mountain forms the boundary to the northwest, and Big Stony Creek Rd (VA 635) on the southwest. There are gated forest roads and abandoned Jeep trails passing through the area. Good access is gained from State Route 613 (North Fork Mountain Road) that intersects State Route 635 (Big Stony Creek Road). Thick rhododendrons and bogs limit access to the wetlands.
The Allegheny Trail passes along the north side of the area on Peters Mountain.
The boundary of the wildland as determined by the Wilderness Society is shown in the adjacent map. National Geographic Trail Map 788 gives the location of other trails and forest service roads. Additional foot access can be gained using old logging roads. The Appalachian Mountains were extensively timbered in the early twentieth century leaving logging roads that are becoming overgrown but still passable. Old logging roads and railroad grades can be located by consulting the historical topographic maps available from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Hickory Flats wild area is covered by USGS topographic maps "Waiteville", and "Interior".
A great variety of information, including topographic maps, aerial views, satellite data and weather information, is obtained by selecting the link with the wild land's coordinates in the upper right of this page.
Natural history.
The habitat of the southern Appalachians is rich in its biological diversity with nearly 10,000 species, some not found anywhere else. The great diversity is related to the many ridges and valleys which form isolated communities in which species evolve separately from one another. The region lies south of the glaciers that covered North America 11,000 years go. To escape the glaciers, northern species retreated south to find refuge in the southern Appalachians. When the glaciers retreated, many of these species remained along with the southern species that were native to the area. The diversity includes trees, mosses, millipedes and salamanders.
Unusual plants are the five-rowed peat moss, red peat moss and northern bog club moss. The five-rowed peat moss (Sphagnum quinquefanum) can be recognized by its rather short and stiff branches which appear angular because of the arrangement of its closely set leaves widely angled in 5 ranks.
Red peat moss (Sphagnum rubellum) is a small reddish-coloured peat moss with tongue-shaped stem leaves. And northern bog club moss ("Lycopodiella inundata") has branches up to 10 cm high with narrow, pointed leaves 4–8 mm long.
Hickory Flats provides a secluded habitat for a population of black bear ("Ursus americanus"). Since bears are shy and secretive, they are rarely seen. When encountered, they will usually run away except in spring when females will protect their cubs, generally by sending them up a tree and returning later to gather them up. The area also provides habitat for ovenbirds, cerulean warblers, hooded warblers, pileated woodpeckers, eastern gray squirrel and eastern wild turkey. Johnson Flats, as well as the Peters Mountain summit, contain old growth forest. These areas serve as optimal habitat for a variety of species, particularly salamanders and other reptiles and amphibians. The valleys contain numerous beaver meadows.
The area includes the upper watershed for both Stony Creek, which flows south into the New River, and Potts Creek, which flows north into the James River. The North Fork of Stony Creek has 259 acres designated as Mountains Wetland Rare Community. It includes 50 acres of the 250-acre North Fork Stony Creek Special Biological Area. Stony Creek is eligible for Recreational River status. The colorful candy darter is found in Stony Creek's rubble riffles with fast-flowing currents.
The Stony Creek watershed on the west end of this area has been a hotspot for gypsy moth damage, with recurring infestations in various parts of the watershed and vicinity for many years. Gypsy moths have cyclical populations. After peaking in nearby Kelly Flats around 2005, populations crashed in 2009, but are expected to return.
Topography.
Hickory Flats is in the Ridge and Valley Province of the Appalachian Mountains. The province consists of a thick layer of sedimentary rock that has undergone folding and/or faulting to create a series of ridges and valleys. During the sedimentation process fossils were formed leaving evidence of life existing millions of years ago. The fossils can be seen in rock exposures throughout the mountains.
The topography is typical of the Central Appalachian Province, with long ridges dissected by steep draws and limited flat areas along streams. Elevations range between 2600 feet above sea level along Stony Creek and North Potts Creek to 3900 feet on the top of Fork Mountain and 4,000 feet on Peters Mountain on the north boundary of the area.
Forest Service management.
The Forest Service has conducted a survey of their lands to determine their potential for wilderness designation. Wilderness designation provides a high degree of protection from development. The areas that were found suitable are referred to as inventoried roadless areas. Later a Roadless Rule was adopted that limited road construction in these areas. The rule provided some degree of protection by reducing the negative environmental impact of road construction and thus promoting the conservation of roadless areas. Hickory Flats was not included in the inventoried roadless areas, and therefore subject to possible road construction and timber sales.
The Hickory Flats area is managed by the Forest Service to optimize the conditions for black bear habitat. The objectives are to provide a secluded and diverse habitat, ensure adequate den sites, and maintain hard and soft mast production.
In June 2015, the Forest Service proposed a revegetation project to create early successional habitat by commercial timber regeneration harvests. The successional habitat will provide food as well as hiding and nesting cover for a variety of species. The project will also encourage the production of both early and hard mast production to provide food for wildlife. Several objections to the plan were submitted. The Sierra Club was concerned that the area contains substantial old growth forests, recognized conservations sites, and is at the headwaters of stream systems that proved habitat for the endangered candy darter and James River spinymussel. The final objections were published by the Forest Service on September 18, 2015. The project is now (December 18, 2015) under review by the Forest Service.
Nearby Wildlands.
Hickory Flats is in the Mountain Lake Wilderness Cluster
Nearby wildlands recognized as one of Virginia's "Mountain Treasures" by the Wilderness Society are:


Amro River Protected Landscape

The Amro River Protected Landscape is a protected landscape area located in the province of Aurora in eastern Central Luzon in the Philippines. It preserves the primary water source for agricultural, power generation and domestic consumption of the remote northern Auroran communities on the Pacific coast. The area was first established in 1990 as the Amro River Watershed Forest Reserve to protect, maintain and improve the water yield of the Amro River as declared through Proclamation No. 633 by President Corazón Aquino. In 2000, the forest reserve was reclassified as a protected landscape under the National Integrated Protected Areas System with the enactment of Proclamation No. 274 by President Joseph Estrada. It is one of five declared protected areas of the Philippines in Aurora.
Description.
The Amro River Protected Landscape encompasses an area of in the northern Auroran municipalities of Casiguran and Dilasag. It extends along the Amro River from its headwaters near the irrigation dam built by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the Sierra Madre mountain range to its foothills near the coast of Casiguran. The river is the third largest watershed area in Aurora after those of the Cabatangan–Malupa and Diteki rivers. It has a total drainage impact area of and empties into the Casiguran Bay.
The park is located in a forest-covered portion of the Sierra Madre with elevations of between and above sea level. It is about north from the poblacion of Casiguran and some from the provincial capital of Baler. A hydroelectric power plant project with a capacity of 3 megawatts was recently awarded to Alternergy Viento Partners Corp., a renewable energy company, and will be built along the river within the protected area.
Wildlife.
The park is known to be inhabited by a diverse wildlife species such as the water monitor, Philippine long-tailed macaque, Philippine deer, Philippine pygmy woodpecker, Philippine kingfisher and Brahminy kite. Its forest harbors an important flora consisting predominantly of dipterocarp tree species such as "Shorea polysperma" (tanguile), "Shorea squamata" (mayapis), "Shorea contorta" (white lauan), "Shorea negrosensis" (red lauan), "Parashorea malaanonan" (bagtikan), and "Syzigium nilidium" (makaasim).


Neevin Mosque

Neevin Mosque, or Neevin Masjid (), is a 15th-century mosque built during the Lodi dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. It is located in the ancient Walled City of Lahore, in Pakistan's Punjab province.
Neevin Mosque is notable for its foundation 25 feet below street level. The mosque is further noted for being one of Lahore's few remaining pre-Mughal monuments.
Location.
Neevin Mosque is situated within the Walled City of Lahore along a small street named "Kucha Dogran". The mosque is located near the historic Lahori Gate, and is near the Chowk Matti square.
History.
While Lahore is widely known for its Mughal-era monuments, Naveen Mosque is believed to have been built in 1460 C.E. by the Lodi dynasty under the rule of its first king, Bahlul Lodi. The dynasty was founded in Multan in Pakistan's Punjab province, though the founders were of Pashtun extraction. The mosque is believed to have been built by Zulfiqar Khan, who served under Lahore's governor, Haybat Khan.
Unlike the Badshahi Mosque, Sunehri Mosque, and Mariyam Zamani Mosque which were desecrated under Sikh rule, Neevin Mosque remained untouched. It also was not greatly altered in appearance under Sikh and British rule, although its minarets had to be rebuilt following an earthquake in the early 1900s.
Architecture.
From the mosque's entrance on the street, visitors must descend a staircase to access the mosque's prayer hall. The mosque's unusual foundation below street level is atypical for Lahore's other mosques, although at one time there two such mosques - the other near Yakki Gate was rebuilt in the 20th century and is now at street-level. In contrast to usual mosque construction, Hindu temples are sometimes built with subterranean vaults and chambers, leading to speculation that the mosque could have possibly been built upon the remains of an earlier Hindu temple.
The mosque's prayer hall can accommodate approximately 100 worshippers, and is divided into three roughly equally-sized sections. Each section features a short dome typical of the Lodi-style, as well as an archway that opens onto the mosque's central courtyard.
Administration.
The mosque is run by the local community under the leadership of an Imam.


Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge

The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) System, located along a twenty-mile (30 km) section of coastline from Melbourne Beach to Wabasso Beach, Florida along State Road A1A. The 900 acre (3.6 km2) refuge was established in 1991, to protect the loggerhead and green sea turtles.
Management.
Since 2012 the Archie Carr NWR is administered as part of the "Everglades Headwaters NWR Complex", along with Pelican Island NWR, Lake Wales Ridge NWR, and the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, through a partnership with the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (a nonprofit turtle conservation group founded by Dr. Archie Carr himself) and Archie Carr Working Group.
Habitat.
The refuge provides nesting habitats for approximately one-fourth of all sea turtles nesting in the United States. About 15,000-20,000 sea turtles nests are laid annually, mostly loggerheads, green sea turtles, and some leatherbacks. The refuge also provides habitat for several other threatened and endangered species.
Three centers within the sanctuary are run by Brevard County under the aegis of the restrictions established by the federal government.
Conservation efforts.
Archie Carr NWR is threatened by sea level rise. Scientists and researchers are studying the impacts of sea level rise on this ecosystem.


Cache River National Wildlife Refuge

The Cache River National Wildlife Refuge is a 68,993 acre (223 km2) (2014) wildlife refuge in the state of Arkansas managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The refuge is one of the Ramsar wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention signed in 1971. It is one of the most important wintering area for ducks and the largest remaining tract of contiguous bottomland hardwood forest on the North American continent. In 2005, a possible sighting of the ivory-billed woodpecker, thought to be extinct, brought attention to the refuge.
In 2012, the FWS proposed the gradual expansion of the refuge up to a maximum of .
History and description.
In the 1970s, duck hunters prevented the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from dredging and straightening the Cache River. The conservation movement led to the establishment of the National Wildlife Refuge in 1986. The nearby town of Stuttgart, Arkansas calls itself the "Rice and Duck Capital of the World." The National Wildlife Refuge runs along the flood-plain of the Cache River for 70 miles (100 km) from the Cache River's mouth at Clarendon, Arkansas to the town of Grubbs, Arkansas. The refuge encompasses land in the Arkansas counties of Jackson, Woodruff, Prairie, and Monroe.
The Cache River NWR has gradually expanded to its present size through acquisition from private owners of land. Most of the land in the refuge, and that planned for acquisition, had been drained and used for agriculture. The long-term goal is to re-forest former farming areas with native vegetation along the meandering sloughs, oxbow lakes, swamps, and bald cypress forests of the Cache River and Bayou De View. The Cache River NWR already preserves the largest tract of contiguous bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the United States.
The refuge currently includes 47,000 acres (134 km2) of bottomland forest and sloughs. It also includes several oxbow lakes and 17,000 acres (30 km2) of formerly agricultural land now in the process of reforestation. The refuge is home to over 50 species of mammals including deer, raccoon, bobcat, and river otter. It also is home for nearly 240 species of birds including ducks, geese, wading birds, and other assorted migratory birds. The swampy bottomlands are also home to 48 species of reptiles and amphibians.
The Cache River refuge is the most important wintering area for mallard ducks in North America and also important for other duck and neo-tropic species. It hosts the only native black bear population in Arkansas.
Other similar protected areas for wildlife located nearby along the Cache and White Rivers include the Bald Knob, Big Lake, and Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuges. Other conservation lands such as several state owned wildlife management areas are also nearby. The White River National Wildlife Refuge borders the Cache River Refuge on the south.
Ivory-billed woodpecker.
On April 29, 2005, a team from Cornell Lab of Ornithology claimed they had taken a four-second video and recorded audio calls of the ivory-billed woodpecker, believed extinct for 60 years, in the refuge. The woodpecker has not been seen since and whether it was actually seen in 2005 remains a source of considerable debate. Much of the refuge was closed to the public following the announcement. After further research could not locate the woodpeckers, the refuge was reopened to the public in 2006.
Recreation.
The refuge attracts 120,000 visitors annually. Hunting, fishing, canoeing, wildlife observation, and photography are popular. Deer, small game, duck, and goose hunting is allowed during seasons in the autumn and winter. Fishing is allowed year-round.
Expansion plans.
In 2012 the FWS proposed a major expansion in the acreage of the Cache River Refuge. The boundaries of the area proposed by acquisition include within which land would be purchased from willing buyers and subject to the availability of funds. The objectives of the expansion are to restore the natural ecosystem of land that had been converted to agriculture, to reforest cleared land, and provide a buffer for the present refuge which consists mostly of a narrow corridor along the Cache River and Bayou DeView.
Three priority areas for purchase were identified. First, the FWS proposes to acquire up to 38,483 acres between the Cache River and Bayou DeView rivers. The addition of these lands to the refuge would enable the two watersheds to be re-connected and the 85 percent of the land now farmed to be reforested. Secondly, the FWS proposes to purchase 32,600 acres to extend the refuge about 30 miles northward in a narrow strip, now only six percent forested, along Bayou DeView. The third priority area for purchase is the Cache River Peripheral with 29,997 acres which to partially connect the Cache River Refuge with protected lands along the White River. Unique to the Lower Valley of the Mississippi River about 13 percent of this area consists of sand dunes with vegetation adapted to dryer climates.
As there are several hundred landowners in the priority areas, acquisition of the land will likely take many years.


Octopus Hole

Octopus Hole is a designated conservation area on the Washington's Hood Canal. It is located immediately off of Highway 101, just over three miles North of Hoodsport. The site is marked with conservation signs, an old sign from Mike's Dive Shop (now closed), and two very small parking areas on both lanes of the highway. Similar to the close-by Sund Rock conservation area, Octopus Hole is very popular with Scuba divers who enjoy diving the walls associated with the site to view various underwater creatures, including but not limited to Lingcod, Giant Pacific Octopus, Wolf Eel, sea cucumber, and nudibranch. The walls on this site are accessible as shore dives. To access the dive sites on the Hood Canal from the highway, divers must straddle the Highway 101 guard rail, then walk down the crude steps to the shore, some 20–30 feet below. There is no fee to access this site, which is publicly accessible.
The most popular wall to dive in this area is about 200 yards long and starts at roughly 40 fsw, going down to roughly 50-60' fsw, depending upon the tide. At one time, a floating dock, or platform, marked the beginning of the wall. This is no longer present. Many divers now use a large, fallen snag (i.e., downed tree) that has partially fallen out towards the water as a reference point to help find the beginning of the main wall. The snag is located roughly 100 yards south of the steps that lead from Highway 101 to the water's edge. Once divers finish the surface swim to this snag, they then swim out roughly 30 yards, submerge, then turn south to dive the wall. A second snag exists to the south of the first. If divers remain in between these two markers while swimming roughly 25 yards out into the Canal, they will reach the wall. It is possible to walk to the snag at moderate to low tides.
The main wall and associated reef described is estimated to be roughly 150 yards long. Another, smaller wall is accessible at roughly 90 fsw. This second wall lies roughly 50-60 yards from shore, half-way out to the first snag. Go to where most divers climb down from highway 101, then cut a 45-degree angle where most divers first enter the water and swim the 50-60 yards to this wall.
Because Octopus Hole is a conservation area, no hunting or gathering of any kind is permitted.
Like most sites on the mid to southern Hood canal, this area is not current sensitive. However, some noticeable current can occur. Such current is not strong enough to significantly affect dive plans or cause problems, but it is strong enough to slow or speed progress, depending upon the diver's direction.


El Morado Natural Monument

El Morado Natural Monument is a Chilean Natural Monument located in the Cajón del Maipo, Santiago Metropolitan Region. The monument is a glacial cirque and is part of the El Volcán River basin. Cerro El Morado dominates the landscape of this protected area. It is home to the San Francisco Glacier.


St. Ivan Island

St. Ivan Island (, "ostrov Sveti Ivan") is the largest Bulgarian island in the Black Sea, with an area of . It lies off the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast near Sozopol, a town with rich history and a popular tourist place, and is separated by a strait several hundred metres long from the small neighbouring St. Peter Island. Standing at above sea level, it is also the highest of the Bulgarian sea islands. It lies from the Stolets peninsula, the location of Sozopol's Old Town.
History.
Around the 7th-4th century BC, the island was populated by Thracians. After Sozopol (Apollonia) was conquered by the Romans in 72 BC, a lighthouse was built on the island. Next to the Thracian sanctuary, the locals built a temple of Apollo featuring a bronze statue by Calamis standing in height, making it easy to see from the city. A complex of buildings was constructed around the temple in the southeastern part of the island, including health stations, inns, etc.
After the conversion to Christianity, a monastical complex was built in the 5th-6th century on top of the ruins of the old Roman temple, including the Basilica of the Mother of God. Towards the 7th-9th century, the basilica was abandoned only to be reconstructed in the 10th century. The Monastery of John the Forerunner and the Baptist grew into an important centre of Christianity in the region; the buildings of the monastery and the church were reconstructed in 1262-1310. Archaeological research was carried out after 1985 for a couple of years, so today the remains of two churches, a royal residence, a library, part of the fortified wall with the gate and several monastic cells can be seen. The monastery was a stauropegic monastery of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and two former patriarchs may have been buried there after being sent into exile.
Sozopol was conquered by the Ottomans together with Constantinople, in 1453, and the monastery was completely destroyed, but later reconstructed in 1467-1471. In the 1620s it was a refuge for Cossack pirates raiding the western Black Sea coast. Archaeologists have even discovered the remains of a Cossack feast in the church. The Ottomans destroyed the remaining buildings on St. Ivan Island in July 1629 in order not to be used by the pirates. It also played a part in the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829, when it was used as a field hospital for Russian soldiers suffering from cholera and also had a Russian graveyard.
Until the mid-19th century, when a natural phenomenon most likely separated them, the small St. Peter Island to the east of St. Ivan was most likely adjoined to it. Two small islets or large rocks also existed to the east of St. Peter, known by the names of Milos and Gata; they were last described by Russian war correspondents in the 1820s.
There is also a lighthouse constructed by French engineers in 1884 and pointing to the Burgas Bay still standing on the island. In the 1970s and early 1980s, there was a project to build a large Balkantourist hotel on St. Ivan, but Todor Zhivkov's intervention prevented that.
In August 2010 the BBC reported that remains of John the Baptist had been found on the island. Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the bones belonged to a man who had lived and died in the Middle East in the middle of the first century.
Nature.
Apart from its historical significance, the island is also a nature reserve since 1993, with 72 species of birds nesting on the rocks and around the coast, 3 of which are endangered in the world and 15 in Europe. St. Ivan and the adjacent St. Peter Island host Bulgaria's largest colonies of Audouin's gull ("Ichthyaetus audouinii") and Caspian gull ("Larus cachinnans"). St. Ivan Island is also inhabited by other rare species, such as Mediterranean monk seals. The rocks on the island are covered with black mussels.


Leam West Bog

Leam West Bog is a national nature reserve of approximately in County Galway. It is managed by the Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service.
Features.
Leam West Bog was legally protected as a national nature reserve by the Irish government in 1991.
As a diverse blanket bog, it has been deemed of international importance due to the diversity it holds in both acidic and alkaline habitats due to the varying geology on the site. Among the habitats found on the reserve are bog pools, rock outcrops, wet quaking areas, streams and flushes. It is the largest areas of intact bog in Connemara, with both low and highland bog.


Ivvavik National Park

Ivvavik National Park ( ) is a national park of Canada located in Yukon. Initially named "Northern Yukon National Park," the park was renamed Ivvavik in 1992 for the Inuvialuktun word meaning "nursery" or "birthplace," in reference to the importance of the area as a calving ground for caribou. Created as a result of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement in 1984, negotiated between the Canadian Government and the Inuvialuit of the Northern Yukon, Ivvavik is the first national park in Canada to be established as a result of an aboriginal land claims agreement. About 100 people visit the park each year.
Ivvavik contains the British Mountains which run east to west, parallel to the Arctic coast, and merge into the Brooks Range in Alaska.
Draining north through the Park from the British Mountains is the Firth River, the oldest river in Canada and considered one of the great rafting rivers of the world. The river starts from year-round aufeis formations at the headwaters and then flows through extensive canyon areas before forming a huge delta as it enters the Beaufort Sea just west of Herschel Island. The first raft descent was by Martyn Williams, Alan Dennis and Jim Boyde.
Gold miners have operated on the Firth River and at Sheep Creek until the area became a National Park. The area around Sheep Creek is the northernmost extension of Dall sheep habitat in Canada
The park contains many cultural sites of continuing importance to the local indigenous people, both Inuit and Indian.
Protecting a portion of the calving grounds of the caribou herd, the park allows only a minimal number of people to visit per year.
On the shore of Beaufort Sea, there is abundant game for Yukon wolves, grizzly bears, and black bears that inhabit the area. Other animals that inhabit this park two species of fox, Yukon moose, lemmings, Dall sheep, gyrfalcons, muskoxen, and wolverines. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge lies just across the border in Alaska. The Firth River holds some of the longest stocks of Dolly Varden char in western Canada
On the south-east, Ivvavik National Park borders Vuntut National Park, established in 1995. Due to land claims negotiations, Vuntut is still quite undeveloped and has no roads or developed trails. Due to its undeveloped nature, several people have gotten lost and are presumed dead.


Babine Mountains Provincial Park

Babine Mountains Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located to the east of the Bulkley River between the town of Smithers (SW) and Babine Lake (NE). Established by Order-in-Council as the Babine Mountains Recreation Area in 1984, it was upgraded to park status and its name changed in 1999. It contains approximately 31,465 hectares.
The park is home to black bears, ground squirrels, moose, marmot, and several species of birds. On occasion, grizzly bears, lynx, and wolverines have been sighted as well.


Sandemar Nature Reserve

Sandemar Nature Reserve () is a nature reserve in Stockholm County in Sweden.
The nature reserve lies close to Sandemar Castle and the landscape is characterised by having been part of the manorial estate for a long time. The area is considered to be one of the foremost examples in Stockholm County of such a landscape. It includes coastal meadows rich in bird-life and a rich fen situated in the eastern part of the reserve. The fen is regularly tended to in order to preserve its special flora and fauna, which includes early marsh orchid, fen orchid, marsh helleborine and the carnivorous common butterwort. The coastal meadows contain stands of elder-flowered orchid and "Fritillaria meleagris", and the flat meadows and shallow water is also an important habitat for birds. For the convenience of visitors, a bird watching tower has been built not far from the water's edge. The nature reserve is part of the EU-wide Natura 2000-network.


Alexander Morrison National Park

Alexander Morrison National Park is a national park in Western Australia, located north of Perth in the Shire of Coorow along the Green Head-Coorow Road. It was named for Alexander Morrison, the first Government Botanist of Western Australia.
Description.
The park contains sandplains and low lateritic breakaways over sandstones and shales of the Lower Jurassic Cockleshell Gully Formation. Sand heaths are the dominant vegetation, but the park also contains extensive stands of low woodland and mallee typical of the area, especially in the western parts of the park. Prominent eucalypt species in the area are Powder-barked Wandoo ("Eucalyptus accedens") and Mallalie ("E. eudesmoides"), while the heaths are rich in species typical of the region and include rare species such as spiral bush ("Spirogardnera rubescens"). The northern variant of "Banksia vestita" is also common.
History.
Land for the national park was set aside by the Department of Lands and Surveys under Reserves ↑26800, ↑26803 and ↑26804 on 23 May 1969, and over 1970 and 1971, the land was classified as an "A" Class reserve, meaning its purpose could not be changed except by an Act of Parliament, and vested in the National Parks Authority of Western Australia. The park was officially named on 8 October 1971.
The Environmental Protection Authority recommended in 1974 that a one-kilometre-wide strip of vacant Crown land on the south side of Green Head-Coorow Road be added to the reserve – however, this was not actioned.


Bandai-Asahi National Park

 is a national park in the Tōhoku region, Honshū, Japan. The park site straddles over Fukushima Prefecture, Yamagata Prefecture, and Niigata Prefecture. The park was designated as a national park on September 5, 1950. The park encompasses 186,404 ha of land (the third largest national park in Japan), consisting of three independent units: the Dewasanzan-asahi Region, Iide Region, and Bandaiazuma-Inawashiro Region.
Dewasanzan-Asahi Region.
The Dewasanzan-Asahi Region is the most northern unit of the park. The northern portion of the Region consists of mountains called the . The southern section of the region resides on the Asahi Range. National Route 112 separates these two mountain areas.
Dewasanzan.
The Three Mountains of Dewa refer to Mount Gassan, Mount Haguro, and Mount Yudono, which resides roughly at the center of Yamagata Prefecture. The name “Dewa” refers to the name of the old province, current Yamagata and Akita Prefecture. The mountain range is a natural divider between the two major flat areas present in the prefecture: the Shōnai Region to the west and the Yamagata Basin to the east. The mountains have been deemed as a holy area to the religion of Shugendō and attracted many visitors for pilgrimage to the shrines located on their peaks and Japanese mountain ascetic hermits who practice the strict doctrine. Although the location attracts a considerable number of visitors, most of them are tourists who do not practice the Shugendō teachings. Mount Gassan is a stratovolcano and rises to the height of 1984 m. The area contains marshes and subalpine forests with many plants that grown in alpine meadows, including usagi-giku (arnica unalascensis), and rare animals such as ermine and alpine accentor. The renowned haiku poet Matsuo Bashō made a haiku at this site during his journey Oku no Hosomichi in 1689:
The location also attracts many skiers in winter and some who want to enjoy the sport till mid-July.
Asahi Range.
The Asahi Range is located on the border between Niigata Prefecture and Yamagata Prefecture and constitutes the most northern segment of the Echigo Range. The main peak, Ōasahi Dake, rises to 1,870 m above sea level and is ranked among the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. The range is a massif stretching 60 km from north to south and 30 km from east to west. It is one of the snowiest places in Japan and snowpacks stay in summer. The mountains feature deep canyons with alpine plants on their ridges and pristine Japanese beech forests on their lower slopes.
The source of the Sagae River, famous for its clear water, is located in the Yamagata Prefecture side. The river, a tributary of the Mogami River, flows out of Ōasahi Dake toward north and changes course to the east after passing Sagae Dam. The National Highway Route 112 and the Yamagata Expressway run parallel to the river. The massive dam scales 112 m tall, the largest in the prefecture, and started its operation in 1990. Prior to its construction, the negotiation over the relocation issue between the government and residents derailed, and it took 19 years from the initial planning to the start of its operation. The Gassan Reservoir covers 340 ha of area and has a large population of ayu, rainbow trout, salvelinus, and seema. The reservoir is equipped with the Gassan Reservoir Large Fountain, from which water can reach as high as 112 m. From April to November, the fountain shoots up water once at each hour between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The village of Sage is the setting for the NHK TV drama series Oshin.
A deciduous forest mainly consisting of Japanese beech covers the mountains up to 1200 m above sea level. The vegetation shifts to shrubs from 1200 m. The area, designated as wildlife refuge by the government in 1984, is inhabited by a wide variety of animals including Japanese dormouse, Japanese serow, Asian black bear, golden eagle, mountain hawk-eagle, goshawk, and peregrine falcon.
Iide Region.
The Iide Region is the south-western unit of the park.
The Iide mountain range comprises the northern portion of the Echigo Range. The largest land mass of the range is the Iide Massif and surrounded by the Arakawa River to the north, National Highway Route 121 to the east, the Agano River to the south, and the Echigo Plain to the east. From the range visible on sunny days are the Asahi Range, Mt. Azuma, and Aizu Basin, Mt. Nasu and the Sea of Japan. The highest peak is Mt Dainichi, 2128 m in height, followed by other 2000 m peaks: Mt. Iide (2105 m), Mt. Eboshi (2017 m), Mt Kitamata (2025 m), and Mt. Onishi (2013 m). The mountain range has readily available trails on all four sides, but large snowpacks remain all year on many of its peaks, as they sometimes called the Tōhoku Alps. The site also draws attention because of its blooming alpine flowers. Mt. Iide ranks among Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains.
Mt. Iide is also famous as a sacred place to the ascetic religion of Shugendō along with the Three Mountains of Dewa. In 652, En no Ozunu started the practice of the teachings on this mountain, since then many Yamabushi have visited this location. During the Meiji period, the Iide Shrine located on the summit was worshipped by local residents. Till the Pacific War, the climbing to the mountain was prohibited to women. The region used to have a local custom of considering only men who climbed the mountain before the age of 15 as grown men.
Bandaiazuma-Inawashiro Region.
The Bandaiazuma-Inawashiro Region is the south-eastern unit of the park.
Visitor Centers.
Gassan Visitor Center.
The Gassan Visitor Center is located in the Dewasanzan area. It takes one hour from Sakata and forty minutes from Tsuruoka by car. By bus, ride the Shōnai Kōtsu Bus that heads to the Mt Haguro summit at JR Tsuruoka Station for 50 minutes and get off at the Arasawa Temple. The center can provide information on the landscapes, geography, geology, flora and fauna, and environment of the region. The building contains exhibits and a theater where slides are shown.


Areia Vermelha Marine State Park

The Areia Vermelha Marine State Park () is a State park in the state of Paraíba, Brazil.
Location.
The Areia Vermelha Marine State Park is in the municipality of Cabedelo, Paraíba.
It has an area of .
The park is in the caatinga biome.
The Areia Vermelha is a sandbar that is uncovered only at low tide, separated from the sea by the line of reefs that protects the whole length of the Paraíba coastline.
It is about from the Praia de Camboinha, a beach in Cabedelo.
The sandbank attracts many visitors on the weekends who walk, swim and investigate the pools.
It is surrounded by corals with typical fauna.
History.
The Areia Vermelha Marine State Park was created by state law 21.263 of 28 August 2000.
It is administered by the Environmental Management Superintendence of Paraíba (Sudema).
Studies prepared during development of the Management Plan showed serious degradation of the environment by intense and uncontrolled human activities and by practices incompatible with maintenance of the fauna and flora.
On 12 November 2015 an agreement was made between the state and municipal government to better protect the park.
As of January 2016 new rules were implemented that included prohibition of the sale of consumption of food and beverages in the park, and a ban on motor boats, carts, grills, tables and chairs.
The food prohibition was because left-overs were attracting catfish, upsetting the delicate ecological balance of the reef.


Alaniya National Park

Alaniya National Park (), is a heavily glaciated, mountainous section of the northern slope of the Central Caucasus Mountains. It covers the southern third of the Irafsky District of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. The park was created to have a dual purpose of serving as an ecological refuge - it has very high levels of biodiversity and vulnerable species, such as the near-endangered west Caucasian tur – and also an area of high cultural heritage and potential for recreational tourism. The park contains widespread archaeological ruins from several notable past civilizations, including the Bronze Age Koban people (1200–300 BCE), and the Alans people (100 BCE – 1234 AD). It is from the Alans that the name "Alaniya", and indirectly the term "Aryan", is ultimately derived. Because altitudes in the park can span almost 4,000 meters vertical in very short distances, the slopes and valleys display strong 'altitude zoning'. These climatic zones range from alpine glaciers and peaks in the high, southern sections, to steppe grasslands in the northern reaches.
Topography.
The park sits at a central point of the Caucusus, which are themselves the continental divide between Asia and Europe. Alaniya NP is approximately two-thirds of the distance between the Black Sea to the west and the Caspian Sea to the east. The southern border of the park, at the top of the mountain ridge, runs along the border with the Republic of Georgia. To the west is the Kabardino-Balkaria Reserve (another mountain-peak protected area), and to the east is the North Ossetian Reserve.
Altitudes range from a high at Mount Uilpata of , to 800 meters in the Urukh River valley below. Most of the ground cover is glacier, rock and scree at the higher altitudes. Modern glaciation is approximately . At mid-level altitudes, approximately 20% of the park is forested. At the lowest levels, and in the valleys to the north, are grasslands and scattered forest.
The park has more than 70 rivers and streams, mostly fed by glaciers. The few lakes are small in size and also fed by glaciers and snow runoff. The 45 lakes cover an area of only 11 hectares in total, while the 5 alpine marshes cover a total area of 103 hectares. The main ridge and side ridge is composed of granites, gneisses, and schists, with the younger sedimentary rocks gathered in large fan-shaped folds. There are mineral springs in the upper valleys, waterfalls, and forest glades on terraces. Named glaciers include the Masota, Tana, Karuaugom, Songuti, Bart, Fastagstete, and Tasmazov.
The primary river valley through the park is the Urukh River, fed by the Karaugom Glacier and numerous glacial tributaries. The Karaugom Glacier is 1.3 km long, and 26.6 km in area. In elevation, the glacier reaches from 3,440 meters at the top to 1,830 meters at the bottom of the tongue – a height of . A recent study associated the glacier's with a rise in temperatures in the Central Caucusus of 0.05 degrees C per year, and an average glacial retreat of 8 meters per year. Moreover, the Karaugom descends to a lower altitude than any other glacier in the Caucusus, well into the forested zone.
Climate and ecoregion.
The climate of the general region is humid continental, (Dfa on the Koppen climate scale). The region is characterized by long, snowy winters and short, cool summers.
Alaniya is in the Caucasus mixed forests ecoregion, described by the World Wildlife Federation as "one of the most biologically rich and culturally diverse regions on Earth." The area is at a biological cross-roads. Species from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa meet in the Caucuses.
Plants.
The highest altitudes, above 1,800 meters are alpine and sub-alpine in character. At mid-level altitudes, approximately 20% of the park is forested, with pine, rhododendron, yellow birch, juniper and wild rose being common. At the lowest levels, and in the valleys to the north, are grasslands and river plain plant communities. Over 1,000 species of plants have been identified in the park, 200 of which are endemic to the Caucasus.
At the uppers level of the Haresskogouschelya river valley, at the 2,400-meter level, is the "Chifandzar Swamp". This peatland is approximately 3 hectares in size, dominated by sphagnum, sedge and northern flowers such as the golden buttercup. With a depth of 3 meters, it is believed that the Chifandzar is 5,000 years old.
Animals.
The mammals in the park are those typical of the forested areas of the north slope of the Caucuses, with 34 species that include wolves, jackals, and chamois, lynx, and fox, as well as the near-threatened west Caucasian tur.
The entirety of Alaniya NP has been a designated an "Important Bird and Biodiversity Area" (IBA) by BirdLife International, citing the presence of vulnerable trigger species such as the near-threatened bearded vulture and Caucasian grouse. 116 species of bird are found in the park, with 42 species known to be breeding.
The only fish found in the streams of Alaniya is the brook trout. Of the five known reptiles in the park, a notable resident is the vulnerable steppe viper. Mushrooms include "Rubroboletus satanas" (Satan's mushroom) with a compact cap that can reach 12 inches.
History.
The area of Alaniya NP has been inhabited for thousands of years. Because it features fertile territory on an important trade route through the Caucuses, it has been a home for many succeeding groups who have left archaeological remains of their presence. The Bronze Age Koban culture inhabited the area from about 1100 BC through 400 BC, when they are believed to have been destroyed by the Scythians. The Koban people established workshops of skilled metal-workers, taking advantage of the mineral resources of the mountainous area. The Koban also developed terrace agriculture, beginning a tradition of soil erosion in the area that eventually left large patches of the terraced land infertile.
In the early years of the first millennium, the area was settled by the Alans people. The Alans, a warlike, nomadic tribe who spoke an Iranian language, had been nomadic throughout Europe before eventually settling in the Northern Caucasus around 700 CE. They built a powerful kingdom in the Alaniya area. When they were militarily overcome by the Mongols in about 1300 CE, they retreated into the hills, remaining relatively isolated until 500 years later. These Alans were the medieval ancestors of the current Ossetian people. The present-day people in the western areas of North Ossetia (known historically as Digoria) sometimes speak the Digor dialect; they were one of the last groups brought officially into Ossetia.
The mountainous area of Irafsky District has experienced a long-term population decline and out-migration for the past 200 years. As to the park itself, the present administrative unit was preceded by a protected forestry reserve established in 1958. In the years following and through the creation of full national park status in 1998, the assembly of linked protection zones was created. Today, the park is protected by the Department of Forestry and Protection, with full-time patrols by car, horse and foot to enforce environmental laws.
Tourism.
For all types of visitors to the recreational zones, permits are issued in the city of Chikola, with allowances for cars and pets. To venture into the security zone on the border, permits must be obtained from one the frontier offices (see the park's website for details); a 1- to 30-day turnaround time may be necessary.
Transportation to the park is typically by train or plane to Vladikavkaz, then by bus or taxi to Chikola. There are hostels in Dzinaga and Rostelmash, and a hotel at the "gates of heaven" location in the park. There are also accommodations at the climbing camp "Coma-Art"; contact directly for information.
The park is well known for mountain climbing. Climbs from the simple to 6B in the Russian classification; the two highest peaks are Uilpata (4649 m) and Laboda (4313.7 m).


Tikahtnu Commons

Tikahtnu Commons is a 900,000 square foot power center located on a 95-acre parcel in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It is owned by Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI), an Alaska Native corporation. The shopping center consists of several large anchor stores, dozens of smaller restaurants, shops and services, and a 16-screen Regal Cinemas theater. "Tikahtnu" is the word for Cook Inlet in the Dena'ina language.
Tikahtnu Commons is home to many firsts for Alaska, including the state's first Kohl's, PetSmart and IMAX theater. Tikahtnu Commons is the largest single-owner shopping center in the state and is even large by national comparison. The International Council of Shopping Centers states that power centers in the United States typically range from with an average of . Construction of the center began in 2007 and by the summer of 2015, it had been developed to roughly 98% capacity.
Tikahtnu Commons sits just 3 miles east of Glenn Square, which is another power center that was developed concurrently on the same stretch of freeway.
History.
The northern portion of Muldoon Road evolved into one of the Anchorage area's major retail districts during the 1960s and 1970s, mainly due to the neighborhood's proximity to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EAFB) and Fort Richardson (which merged in 2010 to form JBER). The tract of land on which Tikahtnu Commons sits was previously a part of EAFB. This tract and other military lands in the northeast corner of the "Anchorage bowl" were ceded to CIRI as part of its entitlement under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act; a tract to the east was developed as ANHC. CIRI operated this tract as the Anchorage RV Park for over a decade before redeveloping it as a shopping area.
A number of factors influenced the development of Tikahtnu Commons. The Muldoon Road retail district had greatly expanded during the late 20th and early 21st century as a result of the construction of a Fred Meyer store at the intersection of Muldoon with DeBarr Road, Walmart's purchase of the property of a defunct construction company to the west of Fred Meyer, plus the redevelopment of the large Alaskan Village mobile home park to the south of those two properties into the Muldoon Town Center, including Begich Middle School. The location of Tikahtnu Commons along the Glenn Highway was also designed to attract shoppers from along the highway's corridor, owing to the failure of Eagle River's Valley River Center and Wasilla's Cottonwood Creek Mall. Both malls were crippled by Safeway's acquisition of competing chain Carrs Quality Centers and subsequent moves of those community's Safeway stores out of those malls and into existing Carrs locations. The Valley River Center was redeveloped as Eagle River's Town Center, while the Cottonwood Creek Mall was demolished and replaced with a Target store. The replacement of the EAFB hospital and relocation of Anchorage's VA facilities to a site next door, coupled with JBER's Joint Military Mall approximately to the west, has also made this portion of Anchorage a destination for military, dependents and veterans, many of whom live in east Anchorage and in communities along the Glenn Highway.
Tikahtnu Commons has replaced the Northway Mall and surrounding area as east Anchorage's major shopping district; Red Robin and Sam's Club, among others, have closed their east Anchorage locations just to reopen at Tikahtnu Commons. This repeats a pattern of decades prior, when the development of the Northway Mall and adjacent properties during the 1980s eclipsed the retail district along Mountain View Drive. The Mountain View neighborhood boomed primarily during the 1950s and 1960s when Mountain View Drive served as the western end of the Glenn Highway, prior to the construction of the present-day freeway. The Regal Cinemas also replaced the Fireweed Theatre in the northeast corner of midtown Anchorage, which opened in 1965, itself replacing cinemas in downtown Anchorage which were damaged or destroyed during the 1964 earthquake. The Fireweed Theatre closed in 2010 and was subsequently demolished; CIRI redeveloped the property at the same time as it was finishing development of Tikahtnu Commons.
Tikahtnu Commons sits just off the busy Glenn Highway at its intersection with Muldoon Road. The increased traffic drawn by the center has created concerns with the interchange of the two roads, which was built in the 1970s. North Muldoon Road, formerly Oilwell Road, is used as the primary access to the shopping center, Bartlett High School, the Alaska Native Heritage Center (ANHC) and also leads to one of the gates of Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson (JBER). Planners have begun preliminary work on a new interchange, which is tentatively scheduled to be constructed in 2016.


Forsakar Nature Reserve

The Forsakar Nature Reserve ( ) is situated in the north-eastern part of the Skåne province of Sweden, in the Kristianstad municipality near the village of Degeberga. The 2.5 hectare large nature reserve was founded 1928 and mainly encompasses a 750 metres long and 40 metres deep ravine
. The ravine runs from west to east and is likely a product of erosion during some of the ice ages.
The Forsaker Creek () runs through the nature reserve and passes the Forsakar Waterfalls (), the upper fall having a free fall of 7.4 metres and the lower fall having a free fall of 10.6 metres. The bedrock of the ravine consists of Gneiss. The nature reserve has three minor dams that were erected during the late 19th century and the early 20th century to create hydroelectricity. The dams are nowadays dismantled and inactive.
The vegetation of the Forsaker Nature Reserve is dominated by beech forest. Longside the creek is a more humid forest vegetation including alder, ash, elm and hornbeam.
Characteristic resident birds of the nature reserve are amongst others the white-throated dipper, grey wagtail and the Eurasian wren. Common birds of the beech forest are the wood warbler, hawfinch, tawny owl and the lesser spotted woodpecker. Amongst mammals in the nature reserve the mink and pine marten are common. When it comes to insects some rarely seen species have been reported such as rove beetles, carrion beetles, the Agathomyia wankowiczi fly and the endangered Carabus intricatus beetle.


Turian-Chay State Reserve

Turian-Chay State Reserve or Turyanchay State Reserve was established on the area of 126.3 square kilometres in 1958.
The reserve area was expanded to 225 km² in January 2003.
The Turian-Chay State Reserve was established for the protection and restoration of arid-arch light forest and other natural resources; and for the localization of centers of erosion at the foothills. The reserve is situated on the spurs of the Buz-Dag Ridge, in the southern foothills of the Major Caucasus, on the right bank of the River Turian-Chay in the Agdash area of the Republic. Its territory lies at a height of 400–650 m above sea level and extends for 35 km from east to west and for 5 km from north to south. The reserve is situated in an area of semi-desert and arid light forests, which mainly consist of pistachio, juniper, oak, having an important soil protecting, water protecting and climatic significance. In the relief of the reserve lowland mountains dominate with the peaks: Pirsei-Dag (609 m), Nulbon-Dag (437 m), Archan-Dag (476 m), Olmes-Dag (544 m) and others. As a rule they have steep, in some places denudated eroded slopes, and are separated by deep narrow valleys. The northern slopes are more gentle and covered with forests; the southern slopes are steep and strongly eroded. The general process of wind erosion has developed on the territory of the reserve. On the territory of the reserve 60 species of trees and bushes grow. The main types of sparsely growing trees are: Pistacia, fudian juniper ("Juniper polucarpus"), prickly juniper ("Juniperus oxicedrus"), "Quercus iberica", ash-tree, "Celtis caucasicus" and pomegranate. Moreover, Populus, willow, alder, "Elaeagnus" and other trees also grow in this area. Two dendraflora species of the reserve – "Juniperus" and pomegranate are included in the Red Book. There are 24 species of mammals and 112 species of birds, 20 species of reptiles and 3 species of amphibians in the reserve. Among the birds there are partridge ("Alectoris kakelik"), pigeons, "Cercheneis tinnunculus", griffon ("Gyps fulvus"), black vulture ("Aegypius monachus") and others. Among mammals there are wild boar, brown bear, badger, stone marten, lynx, jackal, European wild cat, hare and others. Among reptiles there are amongst others "Macrovipera lebetina". Along the former river- beds and channels the Caspian turtle can be found, and on the slopes of the mountain the spur-thighed tortoise can be observed, which, as well as the "Coluber caucasicus" (?), is included in the Red Book. The main protected objects are the model natural complexes of the Boz-Dag Ridge with the developed pistachio-arch light forests, area of semi-desert, arid and tugay vegetation. The state of arid light forest on the Boz-Dag are of great concern primary primarily because in spite of the productivity of the majority of tree species, including juniper, the regeneration of these forests in general is very slow. The establishment of the Turian-Chay reserve brought -an improvement in the situation with the regeneration of these forests. During the 40 years of the reserve's existence the pistachio-juniper light forest has extended its area and the general quality of trees has increased. The replacement of juniper by pistachio has almost stopped. Shrubbery and herbage lave also developed well, considerably reducing the process of soil erosion.
References.
http://www.eco.gov.az/en/b-qoruqlar-turyanchay.php


Bramalea (company)

Bramalea Limited, founded in 1957 as Bramalea Consolidated Developments Ltd., was a Canadian real estate developer best known for its development of the town of Bramalea (Canada's first satellite city) which would later become part of Brampton, Ontario. The company name Bramalea was formed by combining the names of local towns Brampton, Malton, and "lea", the Old English word for a meadow.
The bulk of the new company's land holdings were purchased from Bayton Holdings Ltd. in 1958 and 1959, at a cost of $1.18 million. Bramalea was first listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in August 1960, and over the next five years, the company bought up properties and property development companies. In June 1976, the company's name was shortened from Bramalea Consolidated Developments Ltd. to Bramalea Ltd. By 1988 Bramalea's property portfolio had reached 40 million square feet of industry, commercial, and retail space, in addition to its giant housing and land banks. The company declared bankruptcy in 1995 as a result of a heavy debt load during the early 1990s recession. At the time of its bankruptcy, it owned office properties across North America in such markets as Toronto, Dallas, and Oakland, in addition to shopping mall properties through its wholly owned subsidiary Trilea Centres which included Unicity Mall in Winnipeg, Yorkdale Shopping Centre in North York, and Scarborough Town Centre.


Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam ( "", ) is a town in south-eastern Egypt, located on the western shore of the Red Sea. It is currently seeing fast increasing popularity as a tourist destination and development following the opening of Marsa Alam International Airport in 2003.
Among the most famous beaches around Marsa Alam is the Abu Dabab beach. In Abu Dabab, turtles are a common sight. For tourists who seek to see something less typical, there is marine wildlife like crocodilefish and octopuses.
Marsa Alam is also known as the world-class kitesurfing destination and perfect starting point to safaris.
Marsa Alam also has some inland attractions, such as the Emerald Mines and the Temple of Seti I at Khanais.
Climate.
Despite being over km north of the tropical zone, the city experiences a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh), with steadier temperatures than places to the north such as Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh, yet Kosseir is steadier and has cooler summers. Marsa Alam, Kosseir and Sharm el-Sheikh have the warmest night temperatures of all other Egyptian cities and resorts. Average maximum temperatures during January typically range from and in August .
The temperature of the Red Sea at this location during the year ranges from .
The highest record temperature was , recorded on May 10, 2010, while the lowest record temperature was , recorded on January 3, 2008.


Babine Lake Marine Provincial Park

Babine Lake Marine Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. The park was established by Order-in-Council in 1993, comprising two sites at Pendleton Bay totalling . Another was established in the same year at Smithers Landing, comprising approximately . Three more sites were added in 2001, Hook (Deep) Bay, Pierre Creek, Pinkut Creek and Sandpoint. All sites combined comprise approximately .


Great Baikal Trail

The Great Baikal Trail or GBT (Russian: (Bolshaya Baikalskaya Tropa or BBT)) is a Russian non-profit environmental organization promoting the development of ecotourism, voluntary work, and ecological education. Based in Irkutsk, Russia, GBT is working to build hiking trails around Lake Baikal. Over the last 10 years, from 2003 to the end of 2012, GBT has run over 180 international projects, building or improving trails at various points throughout the Siberian regions of Irkutsk and Buryatia with the help of more than 4,500 volunteers from around Russia and the world.
Mission.
The mission of the Great Baikal Trail is to promote the sustainable development of ecotourism in the Lake Baikal region as an alternative to industrialism. Their mission is for an overall goal of the preservation and protection of the environment, through an increased awareness of environmental issues. They also work towards creating more socially responsible community spirit, as well as a healthier lifestyle in the region. They hope to increase international cooperation and create more collaborative programs with local and international organizations.
More specifically, they hope to achieve this through the creation of a single system of environmental trails around Lake Baikal, developing of a special kind of Russian tourism called "volunteer vacationing." They organize a number of Russian and international cooperative programs, attracting young people to various environmental, educational, and other community programs. They aim to create a means for guaranteeing good communication and mutual support amongst community groups, government agencies, local businesses, and Baikal residents. GBT conducts educational programs, along with organizing various public conferences, discussions, seminars, and workshops. They form environmental teams to tackle various issues, with numerous field expeditions.
History.
Irkutsk traveler and writer Valentin Bryanskii promoted the idea of a circular trail around Baikal beginning in the 1970s. However, the modern idea of the Great Baikal Trail was brought up in 1997 by Oleg K. Gusev, a Russian writer, photographer and scientist, who worked at the Barguzin Nature Reserve for over thirty years and was instrumental in forming the Baikal-Lensky Reserve. After visiting the Appalachian Trail in the United States, Gusev realized that creating a similar system of trails at Lake Baikal might also help its preservation. At this time the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was working on the project "Bed and Breakfast and Baikal." The idea was to create a network of private homestays and "micro-hostels" to receive the tourists hiking the path around the lake.
In 1999, the Great Baikal Trail project was presented at international exhibitions in Scotland and the Netherlands. The idea was also discussed at a seminar for the representatives of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ulan-Ude. In April 2000, it was presented at the International Conference on Ecotourism in Brazil.
In June 2000, Andrei Suknev made a presentation about the Great Baikal Trail project to representatives of the World Bank, the United States Forest Service, Greenpeace, and the leaders of environmental agencies in the Irkutsk Oblast and the Republic of Buryatia. This presentation met with a lively response from the Deputy Chief Forester of the Lake Tahoe watershed, Ed Guy, who was familiar with the Tahoe Rim Trail, a similar system of trails at Lake Tahoe.
In 2001, Guy organized a trip of senior officials from the U.S. Forest Service to Lake Baikal. The goal of this trip was to create a project of mutual exchanges to begin the practical implementation of the Great Baikal Trail.
Between 2002-2003, the U.S. Forest Service funded a series of exchanges between professionals, trail builders, and representatives from the protected regions around Lake Baikal. At the same time, two organizations – the Federation of Sports Tourism and Mountaineering of the Republic of Buryatia and Earth Island Institute's Baikal Watch in San Francisco, United States – were awarded a joint grant from the Foundation for Russian American Economic Cooperation for an exchange program to share experience in trail construction. In the fall of 2002, specialists from the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, the U.S. Forest Service, and EarthCorps came to Lake Baikal. They met representatives of the protected areas, and discussed trail building and planning techniques used in the United States. Gary Cook, the director of Baikal Watch, made great personal contributions to the Great Baikal Trail project.
In January 2003, a group of interested people from all around Baikal traveled to the West Coast of United States to learn about trail building. In February it was decided to start building the Great Baikal Trail.
In the summer of 2003, the first six teams of volunteers began work on trail construction with the support of the Baikal Nature Reserve, Zabaikalsky National Park, the community organization Ust'e from the village Bolshoe Goloustnoe, the club LAT from the city of Ulan-Ude, and the NGO GRIN School of Tourist-Environmental Education of Severobaikalsk. In its first season, GBT had 136 volunteers.
In autumn, after numerous requests by these students, GBT founded the GBT Youth Club. Foreign volunteers also came to the club and they, along with Russian volunteers, assisted in the preparation of next season's projects.
In February 2004, three young people were sent to train at the organization EarthCorps, in Seattle, United States, to gain skills on trail construction and volunteer management. They returned just in time for the 2004 season with GBT. With them came two qualified experts from EarthCorp], who spent three months helping with work on 15 projects. 2004 was a significant year, as Rotary International "adopted" 100 km of trail, and Baikal Plan in Germany joined up with GBT, sending 100 volunteers to help with trail construction. Also in 2004, GBT was incorporated as a non-profit organization, allowing it to apply for grants. This is how it became the interregional public organization "The Great Baikal Trail."
In the winter of 2004-2005, the GBT Youth Club began to travel to local schools to give presentations on environmentalism to children, prepare exhibitions, and most importantly find young people who wanted to become team leaders and translators. In the spring, GBT organized courses to help young people develop the practical knowledge and skills necessary to become crew leaders, which they would have to demonstrate at the GBT seminar in Listvyanka that May. Meanwhile, the GBT Youth Club participated in various events, such as Baikaltour, Winteriada, and Baikal Day. The Ulan-Ude club organized social projects, such as providing Christmas gifts to children in orphanages. As a result, hundreds of children have received gifts at the Children's Home and Rehabilitation Center.
In the spring of 2005, in Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk, volunteers helped construct paths in city parks. In Ulan-Ude, volunteers built more than 300 meters of high quality wheelchair accessible trails.
In 2005, GBT conducted more than 30 local trail building projects. GBT began sharing its experience with others, including an organization in Kamchatka. Its main international partners included the Earth Island Institute (San Francisco), EarthCorps (Seattle), and Baikal Plan (Dresden).
In 2005, the Center of Expertise (ECOM) published a popularity rating of environmental NGOs in 2005. ECOM assessed public interest in the activities of 40 national and regional organizations by counting the number of searches in Internet search engines. The leading positions were held by Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Ringing Cedars of Russia movement. The Great Baikal Trail was at 6th place, sharing a place ranking with such organizations as the Baikal Environmental Wave, Center for Russian Environmental Policy, the Moscow Society of Nature, the Environmental Education Center "Reserves", and Sakhalin Environment Watch.
In 2006 they were able to raise the quality of work by attracting Russian and foreign experts to the projects, and widened the geographic area of their work. GBT began conducting more projects for and with children. They won a National Award in the field of Social Volunteering for the 2005 Volunteer Project in Nature Trails.
Since then GBT has expanded its work from trail building to hosting environmental education workshops, seminars, working on nature interpretation, visiting classrooms, giving lectures, and community service.
Projects.
Summer projects.
The summer is the most active season for GBT. They run several two-week trail-building projects around Lake Baikal. These projects attract both Russian and international volunteers seeking to spend time in the wilderness of Lake Baikal, where they can work, relax and get to know people from other countries and cultures. These projects often take place in protected areas of the lake, such as Pribaikalsky National Park, Zabaikalsky National Park, Baikal Nature Reserve, and Barguzin Nature Reserve.
Each trail-building project host between 10 and 18 volunteers along with a crew leader, assistant, and interpreter. Living out of tents, they work six hours a day, five days a week. At each of these project sites, volunteers are asked to clear areas for trails, then build and mark these new trails with special signs. They construct all the necessary trail features, such as switchbacks along steeper terrains, bridges over river crossings, and natural staircases made of stone and wood. They build campsites, create interpretive signs and displays, and create many trail markers made of stone. Most volunteers are individuals, but sometimes these projects involve entire families or groups of friends.
Winter projects.
In winter there is no trail-building, but other projects take place. Participants create signs, trail descriptions, booklets and other promotion materials for the trails and protected areas around Lake Baikal. Often GBT conducts environmental programs for local children.
Language projects.
Eco-English is typically a ten-day full English language immersion program aimed towards Russian participants with at least an intermediate English level, to learn and practice English. During the program, there are English classes with environmental focus, interactive activities, and trail building.
Educational projects.
Besides the standard trail building projects, GBT also conducts educational projects, often in partnership with other groups. These projects vary depending on the focus and desire of each individual organizational partner.
GBT also conducts ten-day children's projects. The children do a variety of activities with ecological themes, including arts and crafts, hikes, environmental classes, and trail-building.
During the school year, Great Baikal Trail volunteers often visit classes in local schools in villages in the Republic of Buryatia and Irkutsk Oblast. Volunteers prepare interact lessons to teach about the protection of nature, ecology, and the importance of environmental protection.
Leadership courses.
The Great Baikal Trail organizes annual leadership courses for young, energetic, and inquisitive individuals who love travelling, intercultural communication, and Lake Baikal. It enables every volunteer to work as a crew leader or interpreter, leading an international team, during summer trail building projects around the lake.
Courses for crew leaders.
A crew leader is a GBT specialist who has been trained in trail construction and maintenance, and who has shown an ability to manage international teams in an outdoor setting. The crew leader is responsible for setting up the camp and directing the daily work that the volunteer crew performs during each two-week project.
An interpreter is entirely responsible for fostering active communication between all crew members. The working languages on the trail are both Russian and English, so interpreters must be proficient in speaking both. Interpreters also plan a full agenda of recreational activities over a two-week period. They must understand communication basics and use of different languages, as well as psychological and cultural differences between Russian and international volunteers. They also must handle conflict resolution.
GBT Youth Club.
In 2003, the GBT Youth Club was formed for the coordination of activities within the organization.
In the winter, the club organizes hikes on the ice of Lake Baikal, and hosts ecological exhibitions, conferences and international workshops in partnership with foreign environmental organizations. They often work with children, holding interactive classes on environmental protection. Club members often complete GBT courses on crew leadership and interpreting, and become leaders of trail-building summer projects. The club does not meet in the summer, as most members are involved in summer projects.
Members often have the opportunity to participate in the international programs of organizations such as EarthCorps, based in Seattle.
Trails.
Listvyanka to Bolshie Koty.
The Listvyanka — Bolshie Koty section of the Great Baikal Trail is located within Pribaikalsky National Park. This trail offers a scenic hike through Siberian forests and along the shores of Lake Baikal in the Baikal Mountains. It is a moderate 22 km (14 mi) hike, climbing 404m above the lake. It is easily accessible from Irkutsk and gives tourists an opportunity to truly experience Lake Baikal without venturing far from the city. On average, it takes 5-8 hours to hike. A permit from the Park is required for hiking or camping along this trail.
In the jungles of Khamar-Daban.
This section of trail is in the Khamar-Daban mountain range and is located within the Baikalsky Nature Reserve. One must have a permit and must be accompanied by a member of the reserve's staff to visit the reserve. The trail is 12 km and follows a river valley leading to the Osinovsky Waterfall, alpine meadows and lakes, and views of the peaks of the Khamar-Daban mountains.


Phnom Nam Lyr Wildlife Sanctuary

Phnom Nam Lyr (or Namlear) Wildlife Sanctuary () is a large protected area in Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia, established in 1993. It is close to Village I, Bou Sra Commune near the Pech Chreada District bordering Vietnam.
It covers an area of with altitudes between . It is threatened by illegal logging.


Tchimpounga Sanctuary

The Tchimpounga Sanctuary, also known as the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center, for primates is located on a coastal plain of savanna and forest in Pointe Noire, Republic of the Congo, and was built in 1992. The site covers an area of . The sanctuary, part of the Jane Goodall Institute, is located 50 km (31 miles) north of Pointe-Noire in the Kouilou Department and is the largest chimpanzee sanctuary on the African continent. It has conducted research comparing food-sharing and social inhibition among chimpanzees and bonobos.
The sanctuary is a refuge in the Congo Basin for chimpanzees orphaned by bushmeat hunters; authorities deliver the young animals after confiscating them from sellers in the pet or entertainment trades.
The sanctuary is a member of the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance.


Osa Mixed Wildlife Refuge

Osa Mixed Wildlife Refuge (), is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Osa Conservation Area, it was created in 1999 by decree 27922-MINAE.


Alto Loa National Reserve

Alto Loa National Reserve is a Protected Area located in the province of El Loa, Antofagasta region, Chile. Announced in 2002 and created in 2005, it is Chile's largest natural reserve.
The reserve.
Alto Loa is located at 3000 metres altitude between the communes of Ollagüe and Calama, 215 kilometres northeast of Antofagasta. The total surface area of the reserve is approximately 300,000 hectares, making it the largest natural reserve in Chile. The climate is desertic, with only 3mm precipitation a year and temperatures of 25.5C maximum and 17.1C minimum.
The main aim of the reserve is to protect the source of the Loa River (4,277 m altitude), and the vegetal and animal species that depend on the river ecosystem in an area of desert climate. Among the animal species can be found the, Guanaco, Condor, Viscacha and Cougar. the vegetal species include the Tabaquillo or Queñoa (Polylepis australis) and the Yareta or Llareta. Along with its native flora and fauna, Alto Loa is the home of three salt flats: San Martín or Carcote; Ascotán: and Ollagüe.
Another of the park's objectives is to support the social and economic development of the local native communities through the operation of tourist concessions in the reserve.
The nearest settlement to the reserve is the small village of Ollagüe, and it is also close to the mining city of Calama.
Origins of Alto Loa.
The reserve was officially created in 2005 following 6 years of negotiation between the Regional Department of Agriculture (Secretaría Regional Ministerial de Agricultura), the Quechua community of Ollagüe, and the mining companies Codelco and SQM. The purpose of the reserve is to protect an area of 300 thousand hectares known as Alto Loa, that extends from the border with Bolivia in the northeast to the salt flats of Ascotán and Carcote in the southeast.
Large sections of the park, were previously given as concessions to mining companies and native communities for the exploitation of minerals and water. In order to form the natural reserve, the government had to reach an agreement with all concession holders. The agreement allows the mining companies to make use of the permits granted before the creation of the natural reserve while allowing the creation of a protected area for more than 250 vegetal species and 70 animal species.
The "Consejo de Pueblos Atacameños" (Council of Atacama Peoples), the organization that represents the Atacama and Quechua people of the region, has been in constant dialogue with the government and the mining companies to highlight concerns about the mining work and the lack of protection of the wetlands, a flamingo nesting area. There are three species nesting in the reserve: the Chilean, James and Andean flamingos. But the community has also communicated their satisfaction with what has been achieved in terms of ethno tourism. Although the reserve is administrated by CONAF, the Quechua community in Ollagüe, a town 205 km northeast of Calama, is responsible for developing tourism in the reserve, protecting its natural and cultural heritage, and administrating the land that they claim as their own. Similar examples of native communities successfully running tourism efforts in the region's natural areas include Valle de la Luna, San Pedro de Atacama.


Roshnai Gate

"Roshnai Gate" () or "Gate of Lights" is one of the thirteen gates within the Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was the main entry into Lahore for emperors and nobles during the Mughal, and later Sikh period.
Its extended height and width is testament to its use by emperors' caravans of elephants. Since the Ravi river once flowed alongside the northern wall of the Lahore Fort and the Badshahi Mosque, the gate was profusely illuminated during night to aid travelers. It is for this reason that the gate has been named as “Roshnai Darwaza” or the “gate of light”. It is considered to be the oldest of Lahore's gates, and is only gate that has been preserved in its original shape.


Ayala Malls

Ayala Malls is a real-estate subsidiary of Ayala Land, an affiliate of Ayala Corporation. Founded in 1988, Ayala Malls own a chain of large shopping malls, all located in the Philippines. Ayala Malls is the one of the largest shopping mall retailer in the Philippines, along with SM Supermalls and Robinsons Malls.


Szelim cave

The Szelim cave (Hungarian: "Szelim-barlang" or "Szelim-lyuk" (Szelim hole), "Bánhidai nagy barlang" (Bánhidian big cave), "Eperjes-barlang, Szemi-luki, Szemi-lyuka, Szelimluk barlang, Bánhidai-zsomboly, Szent Vit-barlang") is located in northwestern Hungary at the western margin of the
Gerecse Mountains, above the "Által-ér Valley" near Tatabánya city. The cave interior is long and high. The site has been regularly frequented and used as a shelter by local villagers over the centuries, is easily accessible and its huge rectangular entrance features a memorial of the Turul.
Geology.
The karstic cave was formed during the Upper Triad, has undergone and will further undergo extensive corrosion. Meteoric water infiltrates the compact Mesozoic
limestone and is going to carve cavities into the bedrock, solve the limestone and abrade the cavities with the debris and rocks.
Excavations.
The cave was recognized as an archaeological site only relatively late. In 1932 Hubert Kessler, the first promoter of speleological research, began excavations. The results of Kessler work encouraged István Gaál to start regular excavations. In 1934 the "Natural History Research Council" supplied - although insufficient - the financial means for further work. Remains of hearths, stoves, carvings, animal bones and human remains, some of which date to the era of Turkish invasions in early modernity were excavated.
The sediments are more than deep and rich in archaeological finds, that were extracted to the bedrock in a few months in most of the cave.
More recent research results confirm the notion that human occupation in Szelim dates back as far as 200,000 years BP. Mousterian artefacts and stone tools discovered in the stratae date back to the Upper Paleolithic.
In 2013 the Hungarian Ministry of Interior declared the site a protected natural national asset.
Legends of the cave.
The cave is subject to several historical legends.