Nashik Municipal Corporation

The Nashik Municipal Corporation is the governing body of the city of Nashik in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The municipal corporation consists of democratically elected members, is headed by a mayor and administers the city's infrastructure, public services and police. Members from the state's leading political parties such as the Nationalist Congress Party, Indian National Congress, Shiv Sena, Bhartiya Janata Party and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena hold elected offices in the corporation.
Nashik municipal corporation (NMC) is located in Nashik.
Corporation Election 2017.
Political performance in Election 2017.
Election 2017 results.
Corporation Election 2012.
Political performance in Election 2012.
The results of Election 2012 are as follows.


Alexandrov, Vladimir Oblast

Alexandrov () is a town and the administrative center of Alexandrovsky District in Vladimir Oblast, Russia. It is located northeast of Moscow and has a population of It was previously known as "Alexandrovskaya Sloboda". It operates on the EEST time zone, with the same time zone as Vladimir.
History.
It was established in the mid-14th century and was known as Alexandrovskaya Sloboda (). It served as the capital of Russia for three months (from December 1564 to February 1565) under Tsar Ivan the Terrible until he agreed to return his court and the relics of Moscow which he had taken with him. Ivan agreed to return after the church gave him permission to found the Oprichnina.
It was granted town status in 1778.
Administrative and municipal status.
Within the framework of administrative divisions, Alexandrov serves as the administrative center of Alexandrovsky District, to which it is directly subordinated. As a municipal division, the town of Alexandrov is incorporated within Alexandrovsky Municipal District as Alexandrov Urban Settlement.


Becky Peak Wilderness

Becky Peak Wilderness is a wilderness area in White Pine County, in the U.S. state of Nevada. Located north of the town of Mcgill, the Wilderness was created by the White Pine County Conservation, Recreation and Development Act of 2006 and is administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
Located at the northern end of the Schell Creek Range, vegetation in the Wilderness consists primarily of desert brush and grass at the lower elevations and a scattering of pinyon pine and juniper stands on the upland slopes of Becky Peak and surrounding hillsides.


Cacapon Resort State Park

Opened in 1933, the Cacapon Resort State Park is located on the eastern slopes of Cacapon Mountain in Morgan County, West Virginia, USA. Panorama Overlook, at the southern end of the park and above sea level, is the highest point in the park and in Morgan County.
Accessibility.
Accessibility for the disabled was assessed by West Virginia University. The assessment found the campground, picnic areas, and lake swimming to be accessible. During the 2005 assessment some issues were identified concerning signage and the width of the sidewalk to the playground. Two of the newest park cabins were specifically designed to be accessible.


Moondyne Cave

Moondyne Cave is a karst cave in the South West region of Western Australia. It is located on Caves Road, north of Augusta.
It has a pothole entrance, a vertical extent of , and a length of , with some large dry chambers.
Moondyne Cave was discovered in 1881 by Joseph Bolitho Johns, who had formerly been the bushranger known as Moondyne Joe. It was first opened for public viewing in 1911. Guided tours ended in 1959, but it was reopened in 1992 after undergoing restoration.


Bird Cage Theatre

The Bird Cage Theatre was a theater in Tombstone, Arizona. It operated intermittently from December 1881 to 1894. When the silver mines closed, the theatre was also closed in 1892. It was leased as a coffee shop starting in 1934.
History.
The Bird Cage Theatre opened on December 26, 1881. It was owned by Lottie and William "Billy" Hutchinson. Hutchison, a variety performer, originally intended to present respectable family shows like he'd seen in San Francisco that were thronged by large crowds. After the Theatre opened, they hosted a Ladies Night for the respectable women of Tombstone, who could attend for free. But the economics of Tombstone didn't support their aspirations. They soon canceled the Ladies Night and began offering baser entertainment that appealed to the rough mining crowd.
Entertainment.
One of the first acts at the Birdcage was Mademoiselle De Granville (Alma Hayes), also known as the "Female Hercules" and "the woman with the iron jaw". She performed feats of strength, specializing in picking up heavy objects with her teeth. Other acts included the Irish comic duo Burns and Trayers (John H. Burns and Matthew Trayers), comic singer Irene Baker, Carrie Delmar, a serious opera singer, and comedian Nola Forest.
Entertainment included masquerade balls featuring cross-dressing entertainers, like comedians David Waters and Will Curlew. Miners could drink and dance all night if they chose.
Longest poker game.
The longest poker game in history was played in the basement of the theater. Those who wished to play had to buy-in for a thousand dollars ($1,000) up front. Among the notable people who played in this particular game were George Hearst, Diamond Jim Brady, Adolphus Busch, Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, and Wyatt Earp. Perhaps surprisingly, Buffalo Bill Cody was not present at the game. The poker game was played continuously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It continued from 1881 to 1889 for a total of eight years. It is estimated that approximately $10 million was exchanged in the game during the eight years that it lasted and that the Bird Cage retained ten percent of that money.
Closing.
In March 1882, miners in the Grand Central Mine hit water at . The flow wasn't at first large enough to stop work, but constant pumping with a pump was soon insufficient. The silver ore deposits they sought were soon underwater. Hutchinson sold the Birdcage to Hugh McCrum and John Stroufe. Bignon had managed the Theatre Comique in San Francisco and performed as a blackface minstrel and clog dancer. He refurbished the building and renamed it the Elite Theatre. He hired new acts. Bignon's wife, known as "Big Minnie", was tall and weighed . She wore pink tights and sang, danced, and played the piano.
The large Cornish engines brought in by the mine owners kept the water pumped out of the mines for a few more years, but on May 26, 1886, the Grand Central Mine hoist and pumping plant burned. When the price of silver slid to 90 cents an ounce a few months later, the remaining mines laid off workers. Many residents of Tombstone left. The Bird Cage Theatre closed in 1892.
Haunting.
The theater is reported to be haunted. It was featured in the paranormal investigation shows "Ghost Hunters" in 2006, "Ghost Adventures" in 2009 and 2015, "Ghost Lab" in 2009, and "" in 2011.


Commerce Court

Commerce Court is an office building complex on King and Bay Streets in the financial district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The primary tenant is the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) which has its headquarters in the building. The four-building complex is a mix of Art Deco, International, and early Modernism architectural styles.
History.
The site initially housed Toronto's first Wesleyan Methodist Church, a small wood chapel surrounded by woods (which later became the Metropolitan United Church) from 1818 to 1831, then as Theatre Royal from 1833 onwards. From 1887 to 1927 it was home to a seven-storey head office of the Canadian Bank of Commerce,
which was then demolished to make way for a new corporate headquarters, the building now called Commerce Court North. The new 34-storey limestone building was the tallest in the British Empire/Commonwealth for roughly three decades, until 1962.
In 1961 the bank merged with the Imperial Bank to form the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) and construction soon began to establish Commerce Court as its headquarters complex of buildings. The tallest, and the tallest in Toronto at the time, was Commerce Court West, completed in 1972.
On Wednesday, January 9, 2008, a portion of a CIBC sign at the top of the Commerce Court West building blew off as a result of wind gusts. Police cordoned off the area as a precaution. As a result, Bay St. from Front to Richmond and King St. from York to Yonge were shut down. Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) service was diverted.
This took place eight months after a piece of white marble panel fell from the 60th storey of the First Canadian Place building, and ten months after layers of ice fell from the CN Tower.
The CIBC sold the complex in April, 2000, now managed by GWL Realty Advisors, but the head office of the bank remains the anchor tenant. CIBC plans to relocate its headquarters from Commerce Court to CIBC Square after that complex is completed. However, the bank intends to maintain a presence at Commerce Court.
Site.
Commerce Court is a commercial complex made up of four structures, and a central courtyard. The complex is bounded by several major roadways, including Bay Street to the west, King Street West to the north, Yonge Street along its southeastern periphery, and Wellington Street West to the south. The structures are connected to the PATH network, a series of underground pedestrian tunnels that connect downtown Toronto.
Towers.
Commerce Court North.
The first building, now known as Commerce Court North, was opened in 1931 as the headquarters of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, a precursor bank to the current main tenant. The Canadian Bank of Commerce head office (now Commerce Court North) was designed by the American bank specialists York and Sawyer with the notable Canadian firm Darling and Pearson as the local architects of record. Structural engineering was provided by Harkness and Hertzberg. At the time of its construction, the building was one of the most opulent corporate headquarters in Canada, and featured a public observation deck (since closed to the public for safety and liability concerns).
Later buildings.
In 1972, three other buildings were erected, thus creating the Commerce Court complex: glass and stainless steel glass curtain wall International Style Commerce Court West designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners with Page and Steele.
Commerce Court West was the tallest building among the three later additions, at 57 storeys and it was the tallest building in Canada from 1972 to 1976. Originally, Commerce Court West's 57th floor was an observation floor.
Commerce Court East (1972: 13 storeys) and Commerce Court South (5 storeys) are glass and applied masonry structures also designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners with Page and Steele in 1972. In 1994, Zeidler Partnership Architects was commissioned to renovate the Commerce Court urban plaza, the banking area at the base of Commerce Court West, and the below-grade retail area. There are 65 retails shops in the plaza below the complex.
Central plaza.
Surrounding the Commerce Court complex of buildings is a plaza featuring a fountain in its centre, and a three piece bronze sculpture by Derrick Stephan Hudson entitled, "Tembo, Mother of Elephants" completed in 2002. The sculptures were installed on site in 2005 on loan from the L.L. Odette Foundation of Windsor, Ontario.
In popular culture, the plaza was used as a stand-in for Wall Street in a pair of Kids in the Hall sketches featuring Mr. Tyzik, the Headcrusher.
Tenants.
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is an anchor tenant for the complex, with the bank housing its headquarters there. However, CIBC has announced plans to relocate its headquarters from Commerce Court to CIBC Square, beginning in 2020, in a move which will also consolidate staff from various other CIBC offices from the Toronto area.
Other anchor tenants situated in Commerce Court includes B2B Bank, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Deutsche Bank, Guardian Capital Group, and Stikeman Elliott LLP. Other notable tenants of the building includes the Canadian Bankers Association, Ricoh, and CIBC Wood Gundy, the latter tenant also being a subsidiary of CIBC.


Blackmore River Conservation Reserve

Blackmore River Conservation Reserve is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia.
It is located approximately south of Darwin and lies along a stretch of the Blackmore River from which it takes its name.
The threatened plant species, Cycas armstrongii is found within the reserve. Other species found in the area include Grevillea longicuspis and the orchid Dendrobium dicuphum.
See also.
Protected areas of the Northern Territory


Transilvania Private Wildlife Refuge

Transilvania Private Wildlife Refuge (), is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Central Pacific Conservation Area, it was created in 1998 by decree 26972-MIRENEM.


Chudleigh Fort

Chudleigh Fort is an ornamental fort in East-the-Water, a suburb of Bideford in Devon in the UK. It stands on the site of a 17th-century earthwork gun platform which was built during the English Civil War. The fortification was reconstructed in stone as a Belvedere in the 19th century. It was given Grade II listed building status in 1949.
Original fortification.
The site's original military fort was built for the important Devon landowner Sir George Chudleigh and his son James Chudleigh, the latter having served as an officer in the Royalist army in Ireland, after they sided with the Parliamentarian forces based at the garrison in Barnstaple, which also covered nearby Bideford. Their reason for not joining the Royalist cause was because of the prejudice they felt Charles I had shown the merchant classes of England. For example, The Crown had imposed a tax known as ship money on ports, greatly affecting trade through important mercantile ports like Bideford and Barnstaple.
Some time after August 1642 James Chudleigh built a pair of 8-gun earthwork artillery gun platforms on both sides of the River Torridge to guard the seaborne approaches to Bideford against attacks by Royalist ships. They were strategically positioned on the high ground at East-the-Water and West-the-Water.
By the summer of 1643 the Royalists, under Sir Ralph Hopton, had made major gains in the South West, having won victories at the Battle of Braddock Down (January 1643) and Stratton (May 1643), causing the Parliamentary forces to retreat into Bideford where they were then besieged. After more Royalist victories at Lansdown (July 1643) and Roundway Down (July 1643) it became clear that Bideford would not be relieved and in August 1643 it was stormed by Royalist forces of Colonel John Digby’s Regiment of Foot (Digby's brother was Sir Kenelm Digby). Following fierce fighting around the two forts the town fell. James Chudleigh was not in Bideford during the siege having taken part in fighting at Stratton.
At the end of the Civil War the forts were abandoned. The site at West-the-Water was built over as the town grew whereas the one on the hill at East-the-Water remained undeveloped.
Ornamental attraction.
In the mid 19th-century, the East-the-Water of gun platform was rebuilt in stone as a five-sided folly by James Ley from Northam, who gave it 14-gun emplacements instead of the original eight. Seven old cannons on wheeled wooden gun-carriages were also installed at the stone fort. Ley's fortification was never intended to be for genuine military purposes because its stone walls are too thin and with an open rear. The plaque on the wall states "Fort erected by Major-General Chudleigh. April 1642". However, this is an error as the Civil War did not start until August 1642.
The site was purchased by public subscription in 1921 for use as a public park in memory of those who died in World War I. At this time the war memorial was built, paths were laid out and the park was landscaped and laid to grass. Later the plaques on the war memorial were altered to commemorate the residents of Bideford who were killed or missing in World War I and World War II. The park is maintained by the Torridge District Council.


Vesijako Strict Nature Reserve

Vesijako Strict Nature Reserve ("Vesijaon luonnonpuisto") is a strict nature reserve located in the Päijänne Tavastia region of Finland. This small reserve is noted for its geological feature, it is near an area where a lake with same name, Vesijako has two outlets in different watersheds.


Mahasu Devta Temple

Mahasu Devta Temple (Mahasui: 𑚢𑚩𑚭𑚨𑚱 𑚛𑚲𑚦𑚙𑚭 𑚢𑚫𑚛𑚮𑚤, ), is located on the Tuini-Mori road at Hanol. The temple is dedicated to Mahasu Devta. Lord Mahasu is the chief deity of this area and is worshipped in Mahasu Devta Temple by the people of Hanol and nearby villages of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh state of India. It is the ancient temple of Mahasu Devta built in the 9th century. The temple was constructed in "Kath-Kuni" or "Koti-Banal" style of architecture. It is included in the Archaeological Survey of India list of the ancient temple in the Dehradun circle, Uttarakhand.
Mahasu Devta Temple is on the eastern bank of Tons River (Tamas) at Hanol village, near Chakrata, about 190 km from Dehradun, 156 km from Mussoorie and about 140 km from Shimla.
Hanol.
The name of the village according to the legend was kept after the name of Huna Bhatt, a Brahmin. It can also be derived from 'hanul' meaning fire. Before mahasu arrived, this place was used for torturing offenders with the heat of fire by putting them in the hollow of a big drum, placed horizontally and heated from below. Earlier the place was known as Chakrapur, and it is said to be the place to which the pandavas escaped from laksha graha or the Lakhmandal on River Yamuna. The village is at an altitude of 1,050 m above M.S.L. on the left bank of River Tons earlier known as River Tamas (meaning short-tempered). No water can be drawn from it for irrigation purposes, because of its precipitous banks and deep gorges. It is for this reason the river is called Karam Nashini. According to another tradition, the water of River Tons are the tears from the eyes of Bhubruvanan.
The temple village of Hanol is a sort of pilgrimage place for people living in vast areas in the mountainous parts of Uttarakhand, west of Yamuna River, The trans giri area of Sirmaur district and a major part of Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh.
Hanol is approachable from Tiuni, a well-known trijunction of roads on the Pabbar River after covering a distance of 15 km on an all-weather motorable road that meanders smoothly through the pine clad mountain slopes. Although the terrain through which the road passes is very narrow and by another side of the road one can see the river tons.
Besides his ancient and principal temple at Hanol, Mahasu Devta has number of temples scattered in his deitydom. Besides Hanol temples situated at villages namely Thaina, Basoi and Gabela are regarded as Thans (Abode) of Mahasu. Also the temples dedicated to Mahasu Devta birs (His two deputies) Kaulo and Shedkulia have exclusive temples for them in Tiuni and Raaigi.
There are many Mahasu Devta Temples in the whole Jaunsar-Bawar region, some famous of them are located at village Bisoi, Buraswa, Kotua, Laksiyar are in Uttrakhand and Nagheta in Sirmour HP. The number of temples of Mahasu and his brothers are situated at various places of Devghar, Jaunsar-Bawar and Sirmour areas.
About Mahasu Devta.
In the deitydom, Mahasu Devta is not only the sole arbiter over the mortals, he also reigns supreme over the innumerable indigenous gods and goddesses. He exercises his authority over the religious dispensation of people and secular matters. Disputes among the people are settled through a unique LotaPani adjuration. For this purpose water is ritually filled in a metallic goblet in the name of Mahasu Devta by a neutral person, then the disputants are asked to drink that water in the name of Mahasu Devta. The party who has given the false statement suffers on drinking the water.
The age-old theocratic governance of Mahasu Devta, although acceptable to people and local rulers, was not taken kindly by the British authority. One of their officers, Major Young, found the authority of Mahasu Devta 'a great nuisance'. During land settlement of the territory under the British control in AD 1827 he felt that the traditional twelve-year sojourning of Mahasu (the Chalda Mahasu) with his large entourage to deitydom was extremely burdensome and exploitative to common people. To check the practice, Young passed a summary order in Kalsi in an assembly of the Senyanas banishing the Chalda Mahasu and his deputy attendants ("birs") from Jaunsar and Bawar Parangna. That order, however, did not have lasting effect because the people regarded the Rohru tehsil for his verdict. The deity decision is always regarded as final and irrevocable.
Mahasu Devta is very touchy about the disposal of gold or gold ornaments by anyone of his subject to outsiders. The person involved in such offence may suffer the loss of property, a serious disease, or even life until he gets it back intact. However, that does not absolve the defaulter from the crime. As a punishment the defaulter is obliged to deposit the article in the treasury of deity. Therefore, the people in the deitydom have to be very careful about the transaction of silver and gold articles outside his realm. It is believed that the bullion in the Mahasudom, even if in the possession of people, belongs to the deity. If such gold goes outside his deitydom the person doing so provokes the ire of Mahasu Devta.
Legends.
Mahasu Devta appears in quadruple form as the four brothers. The legend tells when Krishna disappeared at the end of Dvapara Yuga, the Pandavas followed him. They cross the River Tons. Yudhishtra was fascinated by the beauty of place and asked Vishwakarma to build a temple here and stay with Draupadi for nine days. The place subsequently came to known as Hanol, after the name of Huna Bhatt.
At the start of Kali Yuga, demons wandered over Uttrakhand devouring people and devastating villages. The greatest demon was Kirmir who had devoured all the seven sons of a pious-hearted Brahmin named Huna Bhatt. Demon cast an evil eye and desired to have the Kirtaka wife of the Brahmin; she prayed to Lord Shiva to protect her chastity. Lord Shiva blinded Kirmir and thus she could run away to her husband. They then prayed to Hatkeshwari Devi of Hatkoti (ashtbhuji Durga) who advised the couple to go to the Kashmir mountains and offer prayer to Lord Shiva to help. They did, and Lord Shiva granted them their wish that all the evils will be killed shortly.
Huna Bhatt was told to go back to his home and perform certain rituals and worship devi. On doing so the "shakti" emerged from the ground with flames around and told Huna Bhatt to plough every Sunday a part of his field with a plough of solid silver with a shoe of pure gold having yoked a pair of bullocks who had never been put on yoke before. On the seventh Sunday the Mahasu brothers with their ministers and the army will come out and rid the people from the clutches of demon. Huna Bhatt did accordingly, but on sixth Sunday when he had turned on five furrows out of each sprang a deity from the first came Botha from second Pavasi, out of third Vasik and Chalda from the fourth one. All the brothers were called by a common affix of Mahasu (Char Mahasu). From the fifth furrow appeared their heavenly mother Devladli Devi and their ministers. Countless army sprang out like mushrooms from the field. Huna Bhatt did as directed and the whole army of the demon was killed by Mahasu brothers. Kirmir was taken by Chalda Devta in a ravine of Mount Khanda. The marks of his sword on the rock can be seen today.
During the absence of the Mahasu brothers, demon Keshi took control of Hanol. Chalda Devta and his warriors Shitkulia, Kaolu and others set out with the army to the mountains of Masmor where Keshi had gone. The demon was killed; Chalda Devta returned jubilantly to visit with his heroes the places named by him. He divided the country among the brothers so that they may rule their respective territory and guard against calamities of all the people who would worship them as god and perform "jagara".
However, a mistake erupted in the venture of the Mahasu brothers. In the beginning, Mahasu Devta had pledged their word to Huna Bhatt that they would appear on the seventh Sunday. Since they arrived a week earlier, the Mahasu brothers were hurt by the blade of Huna Bhatt's plough — he was in the field unaware of their untimely arrival. As a result, Botha was hurt in the knee and became unable to walk. Vasik's eye was damaged by the blade of grass which impaired his vision. Pavasi had a small piece cut out of his ear. Only Chalda and Devladli Mata remained unhurt. Thereafter Botha preferred to settle within his temple at Hanol on the right bank of river tons. Pavasi keep moving over his domain and spend years turn by turn at Hanol, Lakhmandal, Authana and Uttarkashi. Chalda, being sound of limb, was to exercise away in the whole dominion in the Botha Mahasu name — twelve years on end he roamed among his subjects.
Each of four deities has a "bir" (attendant). They are Kapala, Kaolu, Kailath and Shitkulia. All the birs have "balyayinis" (female helpers).
Jagara of Lord Mahasu.
The Jagara celebrated for Lord Mahasu is quintessential to his cult and is unheard of outside his deitydom. Held in the month of Bhadon on the eve of Naga chauth (Bhadraprada shukla chaturtha), i.e., the fourth day of the bright half. This day is very important because the lord appeared from the ground on that day. On this occasion, during the day the "mohras" images are ritually bathed and carried ceremoniously duly wrapped in the folds of a sheet of cloth. These are soiled by an ominous sight. No one is allowed to be near the image as the deity may feel offended and curse the defaulter. After the rituals the images are consigned to the altar for none to see, and one of them is kept in a palanquin for the consummation of ceremonies during the day. By sunset that image is also taken inside the temple and placed on the altar with others.
As the night falls, a tall, straight pole cut from a kail (blue pine) tree is planted firmly on the ground. On it a flag of deity is hoisted. Another pole of similar tree of much shorter length having number of forking branches is taken. Its branches are chopped off at about half of meter from the stem so that a large squarish slate can be securely placed over the branches. This is called "chira". The goat reserved for the deity is brought near the altar and offered to the deity by sprinkling water over it. If the animal shivers ("bijana"), it signals acceptance by the deity.
As night gets darker, the men and women team around with the burning torches of resinous wood in their hands. They dance in a circle around chira. The fire keeps on burning on chira with more fuel fed to it throughout the night. Dancing and singing continues around the chira throughout the night on the beat of Nagaras and other instruments. At times people, people fall from the circle and more take their places so that chain is never broken. At times, a man or two would drop from the circle being possessed by deity or his deputy (shedkulia) starts shouting and crying in frenzy of divine afflatus.
In the Mahabharata era.
During the Mahabharat era, King Duryodhana came to Purola after traveling through Kullu and Kashmir. Duryodhana liked Purola so much that he decided to reside there. He prayed to Mahasu Devta for a piece of land. The deity accepted his pleas and made him the king of the area. King Duryodhana made Jakholi his capital village and constructed Mahasu Devta Temple. In medieval time the great Mughal emperor Akbar made frequent visits to the temple.
Shaant Festival at Hanol (May 2004).
A festival of shaant was held at Hanol, the principal seat of Botha Mahasu, from 22 May 2004 to 26 May 2004. There are three main types of ceremonies, namely "khura shau" (one hundred legs of animals sacrificed), "munda shau" (one hundred heads of animals sacrificed) and singhaan shau (one head of lon or at least representative a cat). This festival which was observed in May 2004 at hanol in which twenty-five goats are required to be sacrificed, twenty five is the minimum number of goats that can be sacrificed. "Khura shau" ceremonies locally called as shaant festivals are held after several years in the habitats where the tradition of such ceremonies is continuing since past. The second type of shaant ceremony "Munda Shau" is difficult to arrange in comparison to "Khura shau" as it involves hundred heads of animals. The shaant festival held at hanol in Jaunsar-Bawar region in Uttarakhand was arranged after about one hundred years. About fifty-two village gods ("Gram Devtas") attended the shaant festival.
According to Pandit Devi Ram of Maneoti, tehsil chopal, who was among the pandits performing puja during the ceremony, told the eleven pandits conducted the puja during the ceremony in the temple for five days. According to him, the decision of stopping the practice of offering goats to the deities was taken in the ceremony and all the participating deities and their representatives "(Vazirs)", Excepting "Shedkulia" of Fateh Parvat in Uttarakhand, "consented to stop sacrificial practices in their temples". Two other important decisions arrived at the ceremony (1) To allow entry of ladies in the temple,(2) To stop the practice of sacrificing animals in name of village gods.
Mahasu Devta fair.
Mahasu Devta fair is held every year in August. It is the most important religious fair of the local tribe. Basically Mahasu Devta fair at Hanol is celebrated by the Jaunsari tribe and people of other communities join them. This fair depicts the cultural harmony between the communities.
There is a deity idol inside the temple known as Chalta Mahasu. During the fair, this deity is taken out in procession. Large crowds walk on the both sides. The prayers are continued for three days and nights. They are accompanied by music and folk dance mainly performed by locals and people from nearby villages. The musicians and folk dancers from dehradun and nearby districts comes to participate in this fair.
The materials for performing rituals (like havan, etc.) are provided by the Government of India. Since the Mahasu Devta fair at Hanol is local, the majority of the people come from nearby districts of Uttarkashi, Tehri, Saharanpur, Sirmour, Shimla, kullu etc.
Mahasu Devta fair at Hanol is the best venue to view the cultural heritage and traditions of local tribes.
Palanquins of Mahasu Devta.
The palanquins of Mahasu Devta is generally of roof type-Box type design. In roof type-box type palanquins, the deity's image ("Murti" or "Muharas") is hidden inside the box. Usually made up of silver and sometimes inlaid with gold, both the box and the roof are typically ornamented with repousse images of Shiva, Ganesha, Krishna, The Pandavas and Kauravas and Gopis. The placement of silver parasol at the peak of the roof and the four ball at each of the corner of the box reproduces the mandallic geometry of centre and four directions, the
visual signature of world-ordering sovereignty gives visual form to Mahasu's paramount status as "king of the gods" (). A woven silver cummerbund tied around the box, through which the deity's sword is slung, indicates the palanquin's anthropomorphic construction as the martial body of a demon-slaying ruler.
Architectural aspects of temple.
Architecturally Mahasu Devta Temple at Hanol is one of the rarest examples of perfect and harmonious blend of stone and wooden structure to form one composite grand edifice. The sanctum proper is a pure stone shikhara in classical naga style. The whole wooden structure is covered with a high pitched slated pent roof surmounted by a two-tiered conical canopy over it on which a gracefully tapered "kalash" pinnacle stands. The roof ends and the projection of balcony are ornamented with dangling fringes a pendent corner bells which sway with the slightest movement of breeze.
The stone built classical sanctum sanctorum enshrines many "mohras" and one bronze image. Those in front row from left to right are Chalda Mahasu (the Mahasu who keeps on moving), Devladli Devi (mother of Mahasu Devta), Kapala Bir (one of the four birs (attendants) of Mahasu Devta), and Shedkuliya (the attendant who emits the whistling sound). Behind them in the preceding order are Pavasi Devta, Kailu (a bir), Natari (polyandrous wife of four Mahasu brothers). All the face images are seated in a middle a small bronze image which is regarded as Botha Mahasu.
Entry to sanctum is restricted strictly for others except the "pujari". Even he is required to undergo ritual ablution every time he enters the celestial realms; the tradition pujari of temple is a Brahmin. He is not supposed to eat meat, only eat food once a day, avoid proximity with other persons during the term of his deity as pujari.
In front of sanctum is a large room which functions as an extension to the sanctum where sacramental objects are stored. This room is called "Bhandar". Entry to this room is restricted to Brahmins only. The gilded door of the bhandar is very interesting. It surface is profusely embossed with human and animal figures in a very bold manner depicting the episodes associated with the birth of Mahasu Devta. The door frame is intensively covered with coins nailed over one another through years but non of them are numismatic interest and range from recent past. The lion head is fitted with a gold brass ring that serves as a handle. Such ornamental door are common in temple near east of satluj. In front of the vestibule is a "sabha mandap" followed by an open frontal portico. All the four apartments of this temple are roofed separately. Vestibule and bhandar have a combined three-tiered pent roof with pyramid canopy. The frontal porch has a gable roof over it supported by two wooden pillars with an intermediate ornamental arch.
Unique aspects of temple.
The most unusual aspect of the temple is the two spherical rocks about one foot in diameter. The fun part is to lift these rocks on your shoulder and head and then throw them to the ground. It is believed that only a pious-hearted person can only lift up these rocks.
The hanging of trophies on the temple wall is another unique aspect. Matches are played between teams of local gods. On winning, the trophy is awarded and hanged on the interior walls.
On the premises one can notice numerous goats roaming. It is believed that whatever one wishes in this temple, Mahasu Devta fulfills it, provided that on the fulfillment one has to bring a certain number of goats to Mahasu Devta Temple. After prayers the goats are set free to roam on the premises.
Legend of Chaturmukha Naga.
Mahasu Devta has to yield before another powerful deity: the Chaturmukha Devta of the Kotgarh-Khaneti area of the Satluj valley in the Simla district. It is said that Chaturmukha Devta happened to be the guest of the Mahasu Devta at Hanol while he was returning from pilgrimage of Kedarnath. The devil attendant of Mahasu Devta, Shirpal, harassed the deity and his attendant during the night and they had to spend a sleepless night at Hanol. The Chaturmukha Devta took exception to the misconduct of that attendant. He made his displeasure known to Mahasu Devta and caused a man with his bullock yoked to a plough ram into his temple. Mahasu Devta begged for mercy, but Chaturmukh Devta can only be calmed down after the offender was surrendered to him as a captive. Shirpal later earned the confidence of Chaturmukh Devta who made him his "wazir". And Build a Special Temple for Shirpal near his Temple. Shirpal Temple is also in Bhali, Kotgarh where The Singha and Bhalaik Family Worship him.
Pavasi Devata Temple.
Pavasi Devta is the second brother of Mahasu Devta. The Pavasi Devta Temple is just across the River Tons on a hillock. The temple is about 2 km from Mahasu Devta Temple. A road from Mahasu Devta Temple goes one km downward toward the suspension bridge at the river. On crossing, one enters Thadiyar, a small village in Uttarkashi district. Then footpath goes up the hill about 1 km to reach Pavasi Devta Temple.
Visiting.
Accommodation.
The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam guest house ( now under PPP mode with BIVA Hospitality) is the reasonable and comfortable accommodation option at Hanol. It has six rooms and a dormitory. Accommodation is also available on the premises of the temple.
Accessibility.
The Mahasu Devta Temple is about 180 km from Dehradun via Chakrata. It takes about seven hours from this route. The road is narrow and difficult during rainy season. Another route to reach this temple is via Mussoorie, Purola, Naugaon. This route is much better than the former one and takes approximately the same time to reach. The temple is also connected to Shimla via Chaupal and via Jubbal.
The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun. The nearest railway terminus is also at Dehradun.
Best time to visit.
In summer (March to May) The climate is very pleasant. Most of the pilgrims visit temple during this time.
In the rainy season (July to September) there is mild rainfall. Most of the roads are slippery during this season.
In winter (November to February) the weather is chilly.


Washington State Route 525

State Route 525 (SR 525) is a state highway located in Snohomish and Island counties in the western region of the U.S. state of Washington. SR 525 begins at an interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) and I-405 in Lynnwood and travels north to SR 99 as a four-lane controlled-access freeway. From Lynnwood, the highway serves Mukilteo and becomes the terminus of SR 526 before taking its ferry route to Clinton on Whidbey Island. SR 525 traverses the island's interior as part of the Whidbey Island Scenic Byway before the designation ends at an intersection with SR 20 south of Coupeville.
SR 525 was established during the 1964 state highway renumbering as the successor to Secondary State Highway 1D (SSH 1D) on Whidbey Island and SSH 1I in Mukilteo and Lynnwood, themselves established in 1937. The highway, at its codification in 1970, traversed the north–south length of Whidbey Island and ended at SR 536 near Anacortes until it was replaced by SR 20 in 1973. SR 525 was converted to its present freeway in Lynnwood during the 1980s and widened to four lanes during the late 1990s, including an overpass over SR 99. The highway also has a spur route in Mukilteo that has connected SR 525 to SR 526 via Paine Field Boulevard since it was signed in 2001.
Route description.
SR 525 begins at the Swamp Creek Interchange with I-5, also serving as the northern terminus of I-405, located in Lynnwood in southern Snohomish County. The four-lane controlled-access freeway travels north past Alderwood Mall and a partial cloverleaf interchange with Alderwood Mall Parkway, which serves the eponymous mall. SR 525 continues north under overpasses carrying 164th Street and 148th Street before reaching its partial cloverleaf interchange with SR 99, where the freeway ends. The highway becomes the four-lane Mukilteo Speedway and travels northwest into the city of Mukilteo, serving its commercial and industrial areas located south of Paine Field. SR 525 intersects its spur route, which travels north as Paine Field Boulevard towards the Boeing Everett Factory, before it serves as the western terminus of SR 526. The highway gains a ferry holding lane on its northbound shoulder as it approaches the Mukilteo ferry terminal, located near the Mukilteo Lighthouse Park and a train station, where the designation of SR 525 is carried onto the Whidbey Island Ferry across Possession Sound.
The Mukilteo–Clinton ferry, operated by Washington State Ferries (WSF), takes approximately 20 minutes for each of its 39 daily round-trip crossings. , WSF charges a fare of $5.05 per walk-on passenger and $8.95 per vehicle during off-peak seasons, with varying fares depending on passenger age and vehicle size. SR 525 leaves the ferry terminal at Clinton and travels west through the interior of Whidbey Island in unincorporated Island County as part of the Whidbey Island Scenic Byway, a state scenic byway. The highway turns north along Holmes Harbor in Freeland and continues through Greenbank before SR 525 terminates at SR 20 south of Coupeville and the Naval Outlying Landing Field Coupeville.
Every year, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) conducts a series of surveys on its highways in the state to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year. In 2012, WSDOT calculated that the busiest section of SR 525 was its southern terminus at I-5 and I-405, serving 61,000 vehicles, while the least busiest section of the highway was at the Mukilteo ferry terminal, serving 5,700 vehicles. SR 525 is designated as part of the National Highway System from Lynnwood to the Mukilteo ferry terminal, classifying it as important to the national economy, defense, and mobility. WSDOT designates the entire route of SR 525 as a Highway of Statewide Significance, which includes highways that connect major communities in the state of Washington.
History.
SR 525 uses the Whidbey Island Ferry between Mukilteo and Clinton, which began as a route of the Island Transportation Company in 1919. The ferry was later taken over by the Puget Sound Navigation Company, who were sold to the state of Washington in 1951 during the formation of the WSF. The discontinuous road sections of SR 525 were added to the state highway system in 1937 as SSH 1D and SSH 1I, both branches of PSH 1. SSH 1D traveled on Whidbey and Fidalgo islands from the Clinton ferry dock to an intersection with the Anacortes branch of PSH 1 at Sharps Corner. SSH 1I traveled in a circular arc from Everett to Lynnwood, traveling on Mukilteo Boulevard and the Mukilteo Speedway.
SR 525 was established during the 1964 state highway renumbering and codified in 1970 as the successor to both SSH 1D and SSH 1I. The highway was extended south and east from Highway 99 to the newly-completed I-5 in February 1965, using 164th Street NE until a new freeway could be constructed. The highway was truncated from Anacortes to its present terminus south of Coupeville after SR 20 was extended across the state on the North Cascades Highway in 1973. SR 525 was re-aligned onto a two-lane freeway between SR 99 and the Swamp Creek in the 1980s, extending the route to I-405. The Swamp Creek Interchange itself was completed in November 1984.
WSF ferry routes were added to its respective state highways in 1994, eliminating one of two gaps along the route of SR 525, the other being a concurrency with SR 99 that was replaced by a partial cloverleaf interchange in 2000 during the widening of the freeway segment in Lynnwood. A spur route, located completely in Mukilteo, was added to SR 525 in 2001 along the route of the four-lane Paine Field Boulevard, connecting the main highway to SR 526.
The Mukilteo ferry terminal, originally completed in 1957, was replaced by a new facility that opened on December 29, 2020. The new terminal, which includes a waiting area, longer car queues, and a transit center, cost $187 million to construct.
Spur route.
SR 525 has a spur route on Paine Field Boulevard in Mukilteo that connects the northbound lanes of the Mukilteo Speedway to SR 526 eastbound towards Everett and the local Boeing factory. Paine Field Boulevard was built in 1999 and signed as SR 525 Spur in 2001, subsequently being widened and improved in 2003 by WSDOT. A proposal to extend Paine Field Boulevard through Japanese Gulch and create a bypass of the Mukilteo ferry terminal has been a part of the city's transportation plan since 2001, but has not been built. WSDOT estimated, during its annual AADT survey, that 21,000 vehicles used the highway in 2012.


Beagle Commonwealth Marine Reserve

Beagle Commonwealth Marine Reserve is a 2,928 km2 marine protected area within Australian waters located in Bass Strait off the coast of Victoria and near Tasmania's Flinders Island. The reserve was established in 2007 and is part of the South-east Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network.
The reserve boundaries enclose Kent Group National Park and the Hogan and Curtis Island groups. Nearby to the north-east is Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park. The reserve represents an area of shallow continental shelf ecosystems in depths of about , the sea floor that it covers formed part of a land bridge between Tasmania and Victoria during the last ice age 10 000 years ago.
Protection.
The entirety of the Beagle marine reserve is IUCN protected area category VI and zoned as 'Multiple Use'.
Shipwrecks.
Located within the Beagle marine reserve are the wrecks of the SS "Cambridge" (sunk by German WWII mine) and "Eliza Davis", both are east of Wilson's Promontory.


Resava Cave

Resava Cave () or Resavska Cave is a cave near Jelovac in eastern Serbia, about from Despotovac. It is one of the largest cave systems in Serbia, with the corridors about long.
Geography.
The cave is located in the Upper Resava region. The cave is estimated to be 80 million years old while the oldest speleothems date from 45 million years ago. It has four halls on two levels each and the speleothems are colored in red, yellow and white. Altitude at the entrance into the cave is and the lowest point inside is at .
The cave was formed by the sinking river in the limestone substrate. Cave formations are right at the entry. They are formed through the dissolving of the calcium carbonate. The color depends on the mineral through which the water flows: red from the iron oxide, white from the crystallized calcium and yellow from the traces of clay. The symbol of the cave is a massive stalagmite, tall and wide. After its appearance, it was named the Statue of mother with a child. The cave consists of 8 halls.
Wildlife.
In 2020, the survey which began in the mid-1990s, showed that the large cave, and some smaller surrounding caves in the Resava valley, host 28 species of bats. Researchers from the University of Belgrade's Biology Faculty calculated that even the smallest bats can eat up to 3,000 mosquitos per night, which may explain the apparent lack of mosquitos in the Resava valley and on the slopes of the Beljanica mountain.
Human history.
Resava cave was accidentally discovered by the local shepherds in 1962. After being explored for 10 years, the cave was officially opened for visitors on 22 April 1972. On 1 May 2017, the Adrenalin Park, a new attraction was opened in the cave. It consist of 15 obstacles (hanging bridges, hanging cables, zip-line, beams, etc.). It had 56.500 visitors in 2017.
Out of its , is explored in detail, while is adapted for the visitors. A popular tourist story developed around a specific stalactite and a stalagmite, their "love yearning and a kiss". They are just few millimeters apart, but it will take a 1,000 years before they reach each other. Since 2010, Resava Cave is member of ISCA, International Show Caves Association. In 2017 it became the first hydrological monument with the decorative lights in Serbia. LED, cold lights are used, so that it wouldn't affect the microclimate. Glowing info tables in each of the halls and new hand rails were also added.
North of Resava Cave is the cultural monument Lisine, which comprises two waterfalls, Veliko Vrelo and Veliki Buk. The Lisine hydro-complex and Resava Cave are under one administration, covering an area of . In 2017 the Government of Serbia and Institute for Nature Protection began preliminary actions into creating a new national park, which would cover the mountainous Kučaj-Beljanica region. It is supposed to be the largest national park in Serbia, which would, among other, encompass the Resava Cave, Lisine complex and some of the oldest, intact forest in the country, like the Vinatovača rainforest, which remained intact since the mid 17th century.


Lehri Nature Park

Lehri Nature Park is situated in Jhelum District, northern Punjab, Pakistan. The park is almost 90 kilometres on GT Road in the hilly Pothohar region from Islamabad and almost 40 kilometers from Jhelum City. It is 10 kilometres from GT Road. The park has lodgings for the night. It is named after the Union Council of the village Lehri. Lehri village is approx 10miles from the park. The residents of Lehri village are mainly the descendants of the Gakhar tribe of the Pothohar region in Pakistan.
It is spread over 17,000 acres and is covered with phulai (Senegalia modesta), sanatha (Dodonaea viscosa) and wild olive.


Amboy Crater

Amboy Crater is an extinct cinder cone volcano that rises above a lava field in the eastern Mojave Desert of southern California, within Mojave Trails National Monument.
It is about equidistant from Barstow to the west and Needles to the east, and south of historic U.S. Route 66, near the town of Amboy in San Bernardino County. In 1973, Amboy Crater was designated the Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark.
Location.
The crater's location is southwest of the town of Amboy and the Route 66-National Trails Highway. The Bullion Mountains are to the west, and the Bristol Mountains to the northeast.
Description.
This cinder cone is estimated to be 79,000 years old (+/- 5,000 years) and was formed in layers of mostly vesicular pahoehoe during the Pleistocene geological period. The interior has a lava lake. Lava flows as old as Amboy Crater itself blanket the surrounding area. The most recent eruption was approximately 10,000 years ago.
The crater is above sea level, about above the surrounding basalt lava plains. The scenic and solitary Amboy Crater was a popular sight and stop for travelers on U.S. Route 66 in California before the opening of Interstate 40 in 1973. Other than a stretch of U.S. Route 66 in New Mexico, Amboy Crater is one of just a few extinct volcanoes along the entire route, so generations of U.S. Route 66 travelers from the 1920s through the 1960s could boast that they had climbed a real volcano. Visits decreased after Interstate 40 opened, but have increased in recent years with the nearby Mitchell Caverns, Mojave National Preserve, and renewed historical tourism interest in "old Route 66".
Visiting.
The Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recommends using the Western Cone Trail to reach the volcano peak's rim, a steep and rocky hiking trail. The trailhead is at the Amboy Crater day-use parking area, which provides shaded and open picnic tables and public restrooms. Regular desert precautions apply here: being alert for rattlesnakes and old military explosives, and having a hat, sunscreen, sturdy shoes and abundant drinking water. Educational and organized groups are advised to contact the BLM before going to Amboy Crater.
Media.
Amboy Crater was used as a location in the 1959 movie "Journey to the Center of the Earth". Fires were set inside the crater to simulate a volcanic eruption. Amboy Crater was also featured in the Viceland network show "Abandoned", Season 1, episode 6: "Route 66".


Broad Canyon Wilderness

Broad Canyon Wilderness is a 13,902-acre (5,625 ha) wilderness area in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Established in 2019, this Wilderness located on the eastern end of the Sierra de las Uvas, contains small canyons created by water eroded lava flows opening into the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert.


Nyke/Tussen Nature Reserve

The Nyke/Tussen Nature Reserve () is located in the municipality of Bø in Nordland county, Norway.
The nature reserve lies north of the Nykvåg/Nykan Nature Reserve and south of the Frugga Nature Reserve, and it includes a pebble beach between Nykvåg and Hovden. The reserve covers an area of , of which is sea. The area is protected in order to safeguard one of the largest and geomorphologically best-formed pebble beaches in Nordland. The nature reserve was established on December 6, 2002.


Brookfield Place (Toronto)

Brookfield Place (formerly BCE Place), as in it was a former property of Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE Inc.) , is an office complex in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, comprising the block bounded by Yonge Street, Wellington Street West, Bay Street, and Front Street. The complex contains of office space, and consists of two towers, Bay Wellington Tower and TD Canada Trust Tower, linked by the Allen Lambert Galleria. Brookfield Place is also the home of the Hockey Hall of Fame (housed in an opulent former bank from 1885).
Design.
The TD Canada Trust Tower is noted for its recessed design and spire on the upper levels and stands at 53 storeys. Designed by Bregman + Hamann Architects and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the tower was completed in 1990 and was known as the Canada Trust Tower until 2000 when Toronto-Dominion Bank purchased Canada Trust. Canada Trust signage was atop the spire of building until 2000 when it was replaced by "TD" logo. Until July 2015, the "TD" logo in the downtown Toronto skyline was solely displayed on the Canada Trust Tower, unlike the nearby towers of the Toronto-Dominion Centre which lacked signage.
Bay Wellington Tower is a 49-story office tower, designed by Bregman + Hamann Architects and completed in 1992. Architecturally it is meant to complement the Canada Trust Tower; for instance parts of the Bay Wellington Tower are recessed while that of the Canada Trust Tower would protrude out and vice versa, and the Bay Wellington Tower has a twin peak or double spires compared to the Canada Trust Tower's single spire.
Allen Lambert Galleria.
Allen Lambert Galleria, sometimes described as the "crystal cathedral of commerce", is an atrium designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava which connects Bay Street with Sam Pollock Square. The six story high pedestrian thoroughfare is structured by eight freestanding supports on each side of the Galleria, which branch out into parabolic shapes evoking a forest canopy or a tree-lined avenue because of the presence of building facades along the sides of the structure.
The Galleria was the result of an international competition and was incorporated into the development in order to satisfy the City of Toronto's public art requirements. It is a frequently photographed space, and is heavily featured as a backdrop for news reports, as well as TV and film productions.
The parabolic arched roof that Santiago Calatrava created for the assembly hall of the Wohlen High School in Wohlen, Aargau, Switzerland, is generally considered to be a precursor of the vaulted, parabolic ceiling in the Galleria.
Ownership.
Brookfield Place serves as the headquarters for Brookfield Office Properties, which owns the Bay Wellington Tower section of the complex. The TD Tower section was owned in entirety by the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) through its subsidiary Oxford Properties. In late 2012 or early 2013, OMERS and an unconfirmed entity identified in news reports as the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP) completed a swap transaction in which OMERS reduced its ownership stake in the tower to 50%. According to the "Financial Post", "A spokesman for PSP would not confirm the deal had taken place, noting the pension fund never comments on any transaction." The swap valued the 50% stake in the tower at C$465 million, or C$750 per square foot, a record for commercial property in Canada.
Hockey Hall of Fame.
The opulent former Bank of Montreal branch at the northwest corner of Yonge and Front streets, built in 1885, also forms part of the complex, and now serves as part of the Hockey Hall of Fame. It contains portraits of all Hall of Fame inductees, and houses a number of hockey trophies, including the first Stanley Cup trophy.


Puntarenas Estuary and Associated Mangrove Swamps Wetland

Puntarenas Estuary and Associated Mangrove Swamps Wetland (), is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Central Pacific Conservation Area, it was created in 2006 by decree 33327-MINAE.


Arrow Canyon Wilderness

Arrow Canyon Wilderness is a wilderness area located in Clark County in the U.S. state of Nevada. It received wilderness designation with the passage of the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002 and protects the northern portion of the Arrow Canyon Range. The Arrow Canyon Wilderness is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Topography.
Arrow Canyon Wilderness is made up of three distinct landforms: the craggy Arrow Canyon Range; wide valleys; and deep canyons. The Arrow Range lies along the west edge of the wilderness. This craggy block of tilted sedimentary carbonate rock exposes the underlying strata along the west side of the ridge. This fault scarp is several thousand feet high and is marked by black and white bands of carbonate rock and quartzite that run the length of the entire range. The northeastern central portion of the wilderness area contains a wide valley cut by numerous washes, while the east side is characterized by a series of deep washes, including Arrow Canyon with nearly vertical sides several hundred feet deep.
Archeology.
There are extensive petroglyph panels on the rock walls of Pahranagat Wash, above, below, and in Arrow Canyon. Other evidence of prehistoric use includes agave roasting pits, shelter caves, rock alignments, lithic scatters, stone scrapers, and broken arrowheads. The Moapa Band of Paiutes still resides in the area just east of the Arrow Canyon Range.
Wildlife.
Common wildlife found in Arrow Canyon Wilderness include California myotis, yellow bat, western red bat, hoary bat, desert five-spot, desert tortoise, desert bighorn sheep, chuckwalla, cactus wren, canyon wren, rock wren, and Ashash-throated flycatcher.
Vegetation.
Common vegetation found in Arrow Canyon Wilderness include creosote bush, white bursage, mojave yucca, and barrel cactus, as well as blackbrush at higher elevations. Honey mesquite, catclaw acacia, and saltcedar are common in washes in the central and eastern portions of the Wilderness. The uncommon butterfly bush "(Buddleja utahensis)" is also quite common here.


Chuck River Wilderness

Chuck River Wilderness is a wilderness area located within the Tongass National Forest in the U.S. state of Alaska. It was designated by the United States Congress in 1990.
Located at the head of Windham Bay, Chuck River Wilderness is adjacent to the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness. The Chuck River flows northward from its headwaters near Port Houghton through dense forest with thick vegetation before emptying into Windham Bay where the historic Chuck Mining Camp operated until the 1920s. There is private land in the lower river and in portions of the bay where there was once a small settlement.


Burren National Park

Burren National Park () is one of six national parks in Ireland that are managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. It is located in the west of Ireland within The Burren in County Clare.
History.
Burren National Park was founded and opened to the public in 1991. It features 1,500 hectares of mountains, bogs, heaths, grasslands and forests. The park is the smallest of Ireland's national parks.


Woodland Stewards

Woodland Stewards, Inc. is a conservation land trust in the United States whose mission is to assist landowners with land protection efforts. When landowners in the Coos, Grafton or Carroll counties of New Hampshire wish to protect their land, Woodland Stewards can accept the land or conservation easement donation. These methods guarantee that any protective measures remain in effect forever.
In addition to offering avenues for land protection, Woodland Stewards is an educational resource for local communities. They offer programs designed to demonstrate the natural resource values of open, undeveloped forests, upland and wetlands.
Woodland Stewards is headquartered in Landaff, New Hampshire, and is a non-profit corporation registered with the State of New Hampshire as a Charitable Trust and is a tax-exempt Public Charity under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Mission statement.
Woodland Stewards is dedicated to the conservation of open land in the Grafton, Coos and Carroll county areas of New Hampshire. Through the acquisition of land areas and conservation easements, we maintain valuable landscapes for wildlife, hiking, hunting, fishing, skiing, snowshoeing, nature observation and responsible forestry.
There is a profound difference between caring about nature and caring for nature.
Outreach and education.
One of the land trust's public education programs is titled "Explore Your Town." It is designed to give people a first-hand appreciation of land protection efforts presented as a series of hikes in various locations under protection by easements, such as the White Mountain National Forest and the Audubon Society of New Hampshire.
During these outings, members of the public are guided through an area, shown items of interest and can ask questions about the history and future of natural resources that receive permanent protection.
Public service.
Woodland Stewards has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to adopt the Tunnel Brook Trail in order to apply land stewardship and management practices in the White Mountains. The trail runs north-south between Mount Moosilauke and Mount Clough in the town of Benton. Service projects along the trail include clearing drainage bars, removing blow-downs, marking the trail with blazes, cutting back brush and low-hanging tree branches and cutting in new sections of trail.
These efforts are performed solely by volunteers who are community members and students from local schools.


Little Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Byway


Janapav

Janapav also known as Janapav Kuti is a mountain at altitude of 854m from sea level & highest peak of vindhayanchal range. a famous tourist place located on Indore-Mumbai highway, near the village of Janapav Kuti in Mhow Tehsil, Indore district of Madhya Pradesh. It is 45 kilometers from Indore. The mountain is surrounded by dense forests. The place is quite popular among trekkers for its scenic beauty and adventurous routes. The place is also famous for the fair that is held here every year on Kartik Purnima which is the first full moon after Diwali.
Historical importance.
As per the legend, it is the birthplace of Lord Parshurama, the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu, and is considered sacred by the Hindu community. At the top of the hill, there is an ashram of Jamadagni, the father of Parashurama. His mother Renuka was a renowned medical practitioner and had then grown a variety of herbs on the hill and its surroundings. As per some reports, even today, many Ayurvedic doctors from across the country arrive at the hill in search of herbs.
As per the folklore, twelve rivers originate from the tank situated on this hill, including Chambal, Saraswati & Nakheri.
Development.
As many devotees visit the temple every year, a road was constructed from highway to the top of the mountain to facilitate easy transport. In May 2008, the government of Madhya Pradesh announced to develop the site into an international pilgrimage centre. The development package was sanctioned for the construction of road, electrification, arrangement of drinking water, renovation of the pond, construction of a temple, ambulatory path, museum, and a research seat.
Travel and accommodation.
The place is well connected and transport is available to visit Janapav from Indore and Mhow. Popular for its scenic beauty, Janapav is also a popular trekking and cycling destination. Good connectivity with Indore helps in keeping a great influx of tourists.


H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark

H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark is a 56,000 square foot (5,200 m²) indoor water park located in Anchorage, Alaska, United States, just east of the Seward Highway at 1520 O'Malley Road. It opened in 2003 and was, at the time, the fifth largest indoor waterpark in the United States.
Rides and water features.
The water temperature is kept around 84 °F (27 °C).


Dixie Caverns

Dixie Caverns is a commercial show cave located in the Riverside community of Roanoke County, Virginia, USA, four miles west of Salem. The cave is a limestone solution cave.
Description and access.
Visitors may explore the caverns in a 45-minute guided tour. The caverns were found by a couple farm boys back in 1920 after their dog fell through a hole that led to the caves. They decided to name the caverns after their dog in honor of his discovery. Guided tours of the caverns were begun in 1923. The best known attraction is a bell-shaped flowstone formation known as the "Wedding Bell". Weddings have been held under the Bell. The cave is located in a hill overlooking the surrounding region.


Belezma National Park

The Belezma National Park (Arabic:الحظيرة الوطنية بلزمة) is one of the most important national parks of Algeria. It is located in Batna Province on the slopes of the Belezma Range, a subrange of the Aurès Mountains.
Description.
Created in 1984, it stretches over an area of 262.5 km, the climate ranges from a cool subhumid climate to a dry semi-arid climate, it contains 447 species of flora (14% of the national total) and 309 species of fauna, of which 59 are protected species.
The main summits of the range in the park area are 2,136 m high Djebel Tichaou and the 2,178 m high Djebel Refaâ, the highest peak of the Belezma Range.
The biosphere consists of rich mosaic habitats such as pastures, forests, grasslands, thickets, mountain's feet, rivers and mines. The biosphere reserve also includes several historical sites, caves and tombs, which represent traces of ancient civilizations. Balezma is the largest habitat of the Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica), a centuries-old magic tree, which is used in home crafts.


Strandzha Nature Park

Strandzha Nature Park ( "Priroden park Strandzha", also transliterated as Stranja Nature Park) is the largest protected area in Bulgaria spanning a territory of in the Strandzha Mountain in the extreme south-eastern corner of the country on the border with Turkey. It was established on 25 January 1995 to protect ecosystems and biodiversity of European importance, as well as the traditional cultural, historical and folklore heritage of the region. The altitude varies from on Gradishte Peak to at the Black Sea coast with average length of from west to east and from north to south.
The nature park is situated in Burgas Province with two towns, Malko Tarnovo and Ahtopol, and several villages within its territory. It includes five nature reserves: Silkosiya, Sredoka, Tisovitsa, Uzunbodzhak and Vitanovo. Silkosiya is the oldest one in Bulgaria, established in 1933, and Uzunbodzhak is included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme. The whole territory is part of the network of nature protection areas of the European Union, Natura 2000.
Strandzha Nature Park falls within two terrestrial ecoregions of the Palearctic temperate broadleaf and mixed forest — the Balkan mixed forests and the Euxine-Colchic deciduous forests. Forests cover 80% of the park's area, with old-growth forest forming 30% of them. These woods are the last remaining temperate forests with evergreen laurel undergrowth in Europe. The park has the highest number of vertebrate species of all protected areas in Bulgaria, including 66 species of mammals, 269 species of birds, 24 species of reptiles, 10 species of amphibia and 41 species of freshwater fish, as well as 70 species of marine fish in the waters of the Black Sea. The invertebrate fauna is poorly researched and includes 84 Bulgarian endemic species, of which 4 are local, and 34 relict species.
The oldest traces of human habitation found in the territory of the park date from the Neolithic period in c. 6000 BC. By the mid-1st millennium BC Strandzha was inhabited by Thracian tribes, forming part of several Thracian kingdoms until the region was annexed by the Roman Empire in 45 AD. In the Middle Ages the area was contested between the Byzantine and the Bulgarian Empires until it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in the late 14th century. After the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1878, Strandzha remained in the Ottoman Empire, which resulted in the 1903 Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising by the local Bulgarian population. The region was liberated in 1912 during the First Balkan War. The rich history has left an important cultural heritage by several civilizations and folklore traditions unique for Bulgaria, such as Nestinarstvo that involves a barefoot dance on smouldering embers — a vestige from the pagan past. Traditional Strandzha wooden architecture from the mid-17th to the 19th century is preserved in the villages of Brashlyan and Kosti, as well as in the town of Malko Tarnovo.
Park administration.
Strandzha Nature Park was established on 25 January 1995 to protect ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as the traditional cultural, historical and folklore heritage of the region. Before 1995 the protection of the region had been fragmented, consisting of isolated nature reserves and protected areas. The park is administered by a directorate based in Malko Tarnovo and subordinated to the Executive Forest Agency of the Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria. The directorate implements the state policy for the management and control of the protected area, aiming at the long-term conservation of the unique nature and ensuring the sustainable social and economic development of the region. It monitors the management and conservation of the forests, game, and fish resources while encouraging tourism and environmental protection.
The park falls within the International Union for Conservation of Nature management category V (protected landscape/seascape). The whole territory of the park and the adjacent Black Sea waters are included in the European Union network of nature protection areas Natura 2000 under the code Strandzha BG0001007. Strandzha Nature Park is listed as an important bird and biodiversity area by BirdLife International. There are two information centres for visitors: in Malko Tarnovo and in Gramatikovo.
Geography.
Overview.
Strandzha Nature Park is situated entirely in Burgas Province within the territory of two municipalities, Malko Tarnovo and Tsarevo, in the extreme south-eastern corner of Bulgaria. This area includes the 7,000 inhabitants of 19 villages, and the towns of Malko Tarnovo and Ahtopol. Strandzha is the least populated region in Bulgaria with a population density of 10 people per km2. It is accessible through the I-9 first class road to the west and the III-9901 third class road to the east which serves the park coastline. The two roads are linked by the II-99 second class road. With an area of , or approximately 1% of the national territory, the park is the largest protected territory in Bulgaria. Due to the geographic location of Strandzha in the immediate vicinity of Asia, the park contains biodiversity of European importance as well as a unique historical heritage.
The vegetation of Strandzha evolved before the formation of the Bosphorus Strait when the whole southern Black Sea coast was linked and represents the westernmost extension of the Euxine-Colchic ecoregion. Because of the proximity of three seas, the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea and the Aegean Sea, Strandzha remained unaffected by the Quaternary glaciation and retained its mild and relatively humid climate. Under those conditions the region has preserved relict species from the Neogene.
Relief, geology and soils.
The relief of Strandzha is hilly, characterised by mild rolling ridges covered with dense woods. To the west the mountain is steeper and more rugged. Strandzha Nature Park has two clearly defined ridges — Rezovo ridge with its highest summit at Golyamo Gradishte peak at and Bosna ridge with Papia at ) forming the highest elevation. Approximately 38% of the park's territory has an altitude from
, 60% from , and only 2% lies above . The mountain is an anticline with core layers formed by igneous and metamorphic rocks with Paleozoic origin and surface strata covered with Mesozoic sediments dating from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The anticline has an orientation from north-west to south-east. The river valleys are geologically young, formed during the Quaternary, and have gentle slopes and a slight inclination. In the western regions there is an extensive karst area with carbonate rocks spanning from the village of Varovnik to the town of Malko Tarnovo with ponors, caverns and caves.
The territory of Strandzha Nature Park falls within the Mediterranean soil area of Europe, characterised by wetter soils in comparison to the rest of Southern Europe. There are seven soil types in the park under the World Reference Base for Soil Resources soil classification — Fluvisols (4% of the park's area), Leptosols (10%), Cambisols (4%), Luvisols (46%), Planosols (20%), Alisols (11%) and Nitisols (5%). Strandzha is the only place in Bulgaria where Alisoils are found and the only place in Europe with Nitisols.
Climate.
The climate of Strandzha is influenced by the proximity of the Black, Marmara and Aegean seas which clearly distinguishes the local climate from that of the rest of Bulgaria. The region is among the warmest in the country with temperatures rarely falling below 0 °C in winter and rising above 24 °C in summer due to the cooling effect of the Black Sea. The average temperature drops with the rising elevation in the interior which creates conditions for more frequent and longer-lasting mists, heavier snowfall and earlier frosts. In winter frequent fogs lead to hard rime and the icing of the forests at altitudes above 50.
The winds are predominantly northern. Along the coastline the winds flow from the north in November – March, from the east in April – August and from the north-east in September – October. The sea breeze causes the high frequency of eastern winds in summer. In the interior the predominant wind direction is more varied with northern winds being the most frequent in January – March and in October.
The annual precipitation is high, reaching in some areas above . Along the coast rainfall is under the influence of the Mediterranean and is characterised with a winter maximum while the higher regions of Strandzha also have a second maximum in May – June as a result of the continental climate. In the interior rainfall is higher and influenced by the cold northern and north-eastern winds. There is no natural protection to the north which often results in abrupt temperature falls.
Strandzha has a significant potential for climate therapy. Due to the healthy climate along the coastline combined with sandy beaches, Ahtopol was designated a climatic sea resort of national importance and Sinemorets a climatic sea resort of local importance.
Rivers.
Strandzha is criss-crossed by a dense network of deep ravines, streams and rivers. The rivers have a discharge maximum in winter, in November – December. With a total length of , the Veleka river is the longest and largest in Strandzha. Its upper course has a rocky bottom and many rapids. As the river flows through the karstic region of the mountain, its banks are steep with cliffs and precipices. After the village of Zvezdets, the river valley grows wider, the inclination decreases, the water flow slows and the river creates many meanders. In the lower course the river banks are flooded seasonally forming a wetland forest of alluvial longose groves. The Veleka is navigable in the first up from the river mouth.
The second longest river is the Rezovo river, at . It generally flows east and along most of its course forms the border between Bulgaria and Turkey. According to a hypothesis its etymology is linked to the mythological king Rhesus of Thrace. The banks of the river are covered with dense oak and beech forests. The Bulgarian bank is characterised with many cliff formations and caves. The Rezovo river is faster and colder than the Veleka and therefore has a larger trout population. The tributaries of the Veleka include the Mladezhka river (), Mechi Dol (), Katun (), and the main tributary of the Rezovo river is the Delievska river ().
Protected areas.
Strandzha Nature Park includes five nature reserves (Silkosiya, Sredoka, Tisovitsa, Uzunbodzhak and Vitanovo), eight natural landmarks, and 14 protected areas. Silkosiya is the first nature reserve in Bulgaria, established in 1933. It is situated to the north of Kosti and to the east of Balgari. It hosts 260 species of vascular plants and forests with average tree age of 120–130 years. Srednoka is situated in the lower course of the Mechi Dol river and is the only reserve in Strandzha with many meadows and open spaces. Tisovitsa is located in an area with a difficult access along the banks of the homonymous river and features archaeological sites from ancient Thrace. Uzunbodzhak is included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme and is situated along the border with Turkey. Vitanovo is located on the main Rezovo ridge from Malko Tarnovo and from Brashlyan. Its altitude varies from 400 to 60, making vegetation different from that in the other reserves. Access to the reserves is restricted to research teams, with a few strictly defined tourist trails. Among the most significant protected areas are the Mouth of the Veleka river and Silistar. Silistar is situated on the Black Sea coast between the villages of Sinemorets and Rezovo and has the highest number of plant species per square kilometre in Bulgaria.
Biology.
Flora.
In terms of biogeography the park falls within both the Balkan mixed forests, and the Euxine-Colchic deciduous forests terrestrial ecoregions of the Palearctic temperate broadleaf and mixed forest. The combination of climate, specific geographic position and relief, as well as the lack of a strong anthropogenic influence, have contributed to the formation of 130 different habitats, making Strandzha Nature Park first in that indicator among all protected areas in Europe. There are 1670 species of vascular plants which constitute 44% of the total number of species in Bulgaria.
The vegetation of the park includes many communities of a Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean type: warm oak forests with undergrowth of evergreen sclerophyll shrubs, such as tree heath ("Erica arborea"), butcher's-broom ("Ruscus aculeatus"), Rose of Sharon ("Hypericum calycinum"), green olive tree ("Phillyrea latifolia"), "Cistus incanus", sage-leaved rock rose ("Cistus salvifolius"), among others. The xerothermic grasslands along the coast and in some areas to the west of the park have replaced forests destroyed by human activity. The most widespread floral communities of that type are dominated by "Chrysopogon gryllus", "Bothriochloa ischaemum" and bulbous bluegrass ("Poa bulbosa"). The coastal dunes are home to psammophytic vegetation. The river banks are covered with dense forests of black alder ("Alnus glutinosa"), white willow ("Salix alba") and crack willow ("Salix fragilis").
Deciduous forests cover 80% of the park's area and belong to 28 forest and 18 bush habitats. This variety is due to the lower river valleys, the sea coast and the karstic terrain. These include forests of oriental beech ("Fagus orientalis"), sessile oak ("Quercus petraea"), Strandzhan oak ("Quercus hartwissiana"), Hungarian oak ("Quercus frainetto"), common hornbeam ("Carpinus betulus"), oriental hornbeam ("Carpinus orientalis") and small-leaved lime ("Tilia cordata") with undergrowth of pontic rhododendron ("Rhododendron ponticum"), Caucasian whortleberry ("Vaccinium arctostaphylos"), cherry laurel ("Prunus laurocerasus"), Black Sea holly ("Ilex colchica"), Himalayan meadow primrose ("Primula rosea") and common heather ("Calluna").
There are 64 relict plant species, 6 of which cannot be found elsewhere in the European Union — Strandzhan oak, Caucasian whortleberry, Colchic holly, twin-flowered daphne ("Daphne pontica"), tutsan ("Hypericum androsaemum") and "H. calycinum". The Pontic rhododendron is the symbol of the park and an important relict species with a highly disjunct areal in Europe where it inhabits only the north-western Iberian Peninsula and Strandzha. There are 56 endemic plant species, including local endemics ("Veronica turrilliana" and "Anthemis jordanovii"), western Black Sea coast endemics ("Silene caliacrae" and "Lepidotrichum uechtrizianum"), 6 Bulgarian endemics ("Pyrus bulgarica", "Oenanthe millefolia", "Galium bulgaricum", "Veronica krumovii", among others) and 40 Balkan endemics, such as "Saponaria stranjensis". 113 species are listed in the Red Book of Bulgaria, including several species that within Bulgaria can only be found in the park — "Ophrys reinholdii", "Verbascum bugulifolium", "Sideritis syriaca", "Cistus laurifolius", among others.
Fauna.
Strandzha Nature Park has the richest vertebrate fauna among all protected areas in Bulgaria — 410 species, not counting 70 species of marine fishes. There are 66 breeding mammal species. Among the most common are the roe deer, red deer, wild boar, grey wolf, golden jackal, red fox, European badger, and beech marten. The park protects some of the largest and most important populations of European otter and wildcat in Europe. The European pine marten and marbled polecat are uncommon in Strandzha. There are 25 bat species present including Bechstein's bat and Kuhl's pipistrelle. 27 species of small mammals at the park include European ground squirrel, lesser mole-rat, Günther's vole, three dormouse species, and two other globally threatened species. The park is an important sanctuary of the Roach's mouse-tailed dormouse. There have been reports on the presence of Mediterranean monk seals in the rocks and caverns of Silistar.
Strandzha is situated on Via Pontica, the second-largest bird migratory route in Europe. The bays and estuaries along the Black Sea coast are a wintering destination for some birds. There are 269 avian species in the park, including populations of global importance of white-backed woodpecker, semi-collared flycatcher, olive-tree warbler and sombre tit, as well as populations of European importance of Egyptian vulture, white stork, black stork, Eurasian eagle owl and four eagle species.
There are 24 species of reptiles, 11 of which have a population of global significance. They include red whip snake, Aesculapian snake, European blind snake, sheltopusik (Europe's largest lizard), Kotschy's gecko, European pond turtle, Balkan pond turtle, spur-thighed tortoise, Hermann's tortoise, etc. The sand lizard, which is typical for western Bulgaria but very uncommon to the east, is also present in the park. Ten amphibian species have been recorded, such as European tree frog, eastern spadefoot and southern crested newt. The absence of common reptiles and amphibians, such as fire salamander, common spadefoot and common European viper, is noteworthy.
The ichthyofauna of the park is among the richest in Europe with 41 freshwater and brackish water species of fish, as well as 70 marine fish species. There are nine Ponto-Caspian and five boreal relict species. The Ponto-Caspian dates from the ancient Sarmatian Sea. The boreal dates from the epoch of Quaternary cooling. The Black Sea bleak and the Bulgarian minnow are endemic species that can only be found in the Veleka and Rezovska drainages. There are several species restricted to the Black Sea basin (vyrezub, mushroom goby, bighead goby, toad goby, tubenose goby, western tubenose goby and racer goby). The round goby and estuarine perch are found in the Caspian and Black Sea basins.
The invertebrate fauna is poorly studied. There are 80 Bulgarian and 4 local endemics, as well as 34 relict species.
Cultural heritage.
History.
The documented history of Strandzha dates back several millennia. The oldest traces of human habitation are stone axes and ceramic fragments found in the Ahtopol peninsula and are dated from the Neolithic period (c. 6000—3000 BC). Since the mid-1st millennium BC the mountain was inhabited by the Thracian tribes Thyni and Asti and was part of the Odrysian kingdom. The Thracians of Strandzha were infamous for their pirate raids. By the 2nd century BC, the power of the Odrysian kingdom declined and it became a client state of the Roman Republic. However, it kept its independence until 46 BC, when it was annexed by the Roman Empire, forming the province of Thracia. The region remained part of the Roman Empire and its successor the Byzantine Empire. In Roman times, Strandzha was a centre of copper and iron ore mining and metallurgy. In the late 6th and early 7th centuries the Slavs settled in most of the Balkans, including Strandzha. The whole territory of the modern park was included in the Bulgarian Empire for the first time in the aftermath of the Byzantine–Bulgarian war of 894–896. Strandzha remained a contested region between Bulgaria and Byzantium throughout the Middle Ages. In the 14th century, Bulgarian emperor Ivan Alexander (r. 1331–1371) gave refuge to the Hesychastic monk Gregory of Sinai and provided funds for the construction of a monastery near Paroria, in the homonymous protected area in the modern park, which attracted clerics from Bulgaria, Byzantium and Serbia.
The interior of the region fell to the Ottoman Turks shortly after 1369 and the coastal towns were conquered in 1453. Under Ottoman rule, many villages provided auxiliaries to the Ottoman army or had to protect the mountain passes and therefore enjoyed a more favourable status — they paid no taxes and the men had the right to bear arms. There were 17 privileged villages in the territory of the modern park where Muslims were not allowed to settle. During the time of internal disorder in the Ottoman Empire in 1785–1810, brigand bands wreaked havoc in Strandzha resulting in the migration of thousands of people. Another massive migration wave followed the Russo-Turkish War (1828–29) and many Bulgarians settled in the southern areas of the Russian Empire. After the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1878, Strandzha remained outside the borders of the reborn state. In July 1903 in the historic area Petrova Niva the delegates of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO) discussed the outbreak of an anti-Ottoman rebellion. The Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising broke out in Strandzha and Macedonia in August 1903 and lasted for about twenty days before being suppressed by the Turks who committed great atrocities to the local population. Over 60 villages were burned down and thousands were massacred. Strandzha was liberated during the First Balkan War (1912–1913) and formally joined Bulgaria after the Second Balkan War in 1913.
Archaeological and architectural heritage.
The rich history of Strandzha has left important vestiges across the territory of the park. The Thracians worshipped a Sun god as early as the Bronze Age and many of their rock sanctuaries and dolmens have been preserved in Strandzha. One of the main characteristics is the presence of megalith structures. Among the most important monuments of that epoch is the Thracian cult complex in Mishkova Niva, one the south-eastern slopes of Golyamo Gradishte peak from Malko Tarnovo. The complex, constructed in honour of a local chief and high priest, included a domed mound, a fortified edifice for the priests, a mould necropolis, a mine and a fortress. The domed mound has a diameter of , built by three rows and white marble blocks, and has been preserved up to a height of . The fortress is situated on Golyamo Gradishte peak, the highest point of the park; its diameter is 10 and the walls are thick. In the 5th–3rd century BC it was a dolmen and it was reconstructed as a monumental sanctuary in the 3rd–2nd century BC. The complex had a prominent place in the religious life of the Thracian tribes from all over the mountain.
The Thracian necropolis of Propada, to the north-west of Malko Tarnovo, contains 40 burial mounds on a hill made of marble blocks. Coins discovered during the excavations prove the practice of Charon's obol. The ritual constitutes a coin being placed in or on the mouth of the dead person before burial as a payment for Charon, the ferryman who conveyed souls across the river that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. The top of the hill is crowned by a small domed tomb with similar construction plan to those of the Thracian tombs of Kazanlak, Aleksandrovo, Mezek, etc. The necropolis was active until the 4th century AD. Another sanctuary of interest is situated in Kamenska Barchina, from Malko Tarnovo. It is located in an area of conglomerate rocks, which are relatively rare in Strandzha. There are many circles carved in the rock, associated with the sun cult and the preparation of sacred wine.
There were around 60 Thracian fortresses in Strandzha, many of which were used in the Middle Ages when churches were constructed in their inner yards. The fortresses were built of large stones without the use of mortar. Vestiges of those stronghold can be found near the villages of Mladezhko, Balgari, Brodilovo, Malko Tarnovo, etc. The ruins of a fortress with church foundations are situated to the south-east of Zvezdets. There are ruins of several small early Byzantine castles along the coast between the rivers Veleka and Rezovska. These were part of the defensive system built by emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565) against Avar and Slavic incursions. On a small cape to the south of Ahtopol are the ruins of the Church of St Yani which used to be part of a larger monastic complex. The only preserved section of the edifice is the apse.
During the Ottoman rule the area was isolated, which influenced the formation of a local style of rural architecture. The Strandzhan wooden houses evolved in the 17th and 18th centuries. They have a stone foundation and first floor and a wooden second storey. The walls, floors and ceilings are constructed from oak timber. The houses often follow an elongated plan  — all rooms are arranged one after another. An important architectural element is the fireplace, built in stone, up to wide in its foundations and deep. It narrows in height and takes the shape of a truncated pyramid. Examples of Strandzhan houses have been preserved in Malko Tarnovo, Brashlyan and Kosti.
Ethnography and folklore.
Historically the region has been a centre of Bulgarian culture. Strandzha is inhabited by three ethnographic groups — the Ruptsi, Tronki and Zagortsi. The Strandzhan or Eastern Ruptsi (called this way to distinguish them from the Rhodopean Ruptsi) are considered the largest of the three groups. The etymology of the name is linked to the word "ropa" or "rupa", which means a "mine shaft" in the local dialects. They have preserved some vestiges of the pagan religious traditions and rites of the Antiquity. They speak the Strandzha dialect which is part of the Rup dialects and has preserved many words from the Old Bulgarian language. The traditional Ruptsi settlements in the park are Balgari, Brashlyan, Byala Voda, Gramatikovo, Kalovo, Kondolovo, Malko Tarnovo, Rezovo, Slivarovo, Stoilovo, Vizitsa, Zabernovo and Zvezdets. After 1913 the Ruptsi who inhabited the territory of modern Turkey settled in the north-western regions of Strandzha. Their main occupation was livestock breeding, and especially sheep breeding, logging, charcoal production and mining. The second largest group are the Tronki who inhabit mainly the areas to the north and to the west of the park in Sredets Municipality. They made a living mainly in agriculture but also in sheep and cattle breeding. The Zagortsi inhabit the regions to the north of the park and are thought to have migrated from north-eastern Bulgaria.
The customs and rituals in Strandzha are related to specific days of the year, which in most cases coincide with the church holidays of the Christian calendar. They are traditionally divided into a summer (beginning on St George's Day, 6 May) and a winter period (beginning on St Demetrius' Day, 26 October). The largest festival in Strandzha is celebrated in mid-August in the historic area Petrova Niva in commemoration of the Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising.
The most characteristic tradition in Strandzha is Nestinarstvo, which involves a barefoot dance on smouldering embers performed by "nestinari". The ritual was practised in several Bulgarian and Greek villages in the region and was first documented in 1862 by the Bulgarian poet Petko Slaveykov. Some historians theorise that Nestinarstvo dates back to Thracian times. The ritual is performed on the feast days of Saints Constantine and Helena on 3 and 4 June when a pilgrim procession consisting of all residents, led by nestinari carrying icons, heads to a holy spring near the village, where they consecrate the icons and dance "horo". After sunset, the crowd makes a large fire about wide and 5 to thick and dances around it until the fire dies and only embers remain. The nestinari's barefoot dance on embers that follows as the climax of the night is accompanied by the beat of the sacred drum and the sound of a gaida (Bulgarian bagpipe). After the dance, the nestinari's feet do not show any trace of injury or burns. In the past the ritual was performed in the villages of Brodilovo, Gramatikovo, Kondolovo, Kosti and Slivarevo but nowadays Nestinarstvo is preserved in its authentic form only in the village of Balgari.
Threats and conservation issues.
The main threat to the park comes from the uncontrolled tourist development which has plagued the Bulgarian Black Sea coast since the early 1990s. So far, the coast of the Strandzha Nature Park has remained almost intact. The most notable example is the case of the Golden Pearl hotel complex near the village of Varvara, whose construction commenced in 2006 on the territory of the part, supported by Tsarevo Municipality without ecological evaluation. After protests the construction was declared illegal later that year but the mayor of Tsarevo and the investor appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria. In June 2007 the Court revoked the protected status of Strandzha Nature Park with order № 6794/29.06.2007. After mass protests the National Assembly adopted legislation prohibiting the right to appeal to court orders of the government establishing protected areas. In 2008 the Court declared the Golden Pearl hotel complex illegal and in 2012 the construction site was demolished.
The issues regarding the development of the park's coastline remain open. The Master Plan of Tsarevo Municipality adopted in 2008 and approved by the Ministry of Environment and Water envisages the construction of vacation complexes with 75,000 beds on the territory of the park and Natura 2000 network. As a result, the European Commission launched an infringement procedure against Bulgaria that forced the Ministry to withdraw the positive environmental assessment of the Master Plan in 2010 but the decision was rejected by the Supreme Administrative Court. The Strandzha Nature Park Management Plan drafted in 2003 has not yet meet with approval by the Ministry of Environment and Water.


Macho River Forest Reserve

Macho River Forest Reserve (), is a protected area in Costa Rica, managed under the Central Conservation Area, it was created in 1964 by executive decree 3417.
Ramsar site.
Part of the Ramsar site is located within this protected area and shared with Chirripó National Park, Los Quetzales National Park, Tapantí National Park, Los Santos Forest Reserve and Vueltas Hill Biological Reserve .


Parco naturale regionale del Beigua

The Beigua Natural Regional Park (in Italian "Parco naturale regionale del Beigua") is a natural park located in province of Savona and the Metropolitan City of Genoa, both in Liguria (Italy). It's the largest protected area of the region. It gets the name from the highest mountain of the area, Monte Beigua.
History.
The natural park was established by the "l.r." (regional law, in Italian "legge regionale") nr. 16 April the 9th 1985 as modified by the l.r. nr. 12 February the 22nd 1995.
During March 2005 the Beigua Geopark was recognised as a part of the European Geoparks Network.
Geography.
Situated in the inland of the Italian Riviera between Savona and Genoa, the park covers a very interesting area of the Ligurian Apennines. its protected territory, over , includes 26 km of the Apenninic watershed dividing Pianura Padana (tributary of the Adriatic Sea) from the Ligurian Sea drainage basin.
The park encompasses three SCIs and one SPA of the Natura 2000 network:
The geopark is wider than the Natural Regional Park and reaches of protected territory.
Main summits of the park.
Among the summits located in the park can be cited Monte Beigua (1287 m), Bric del Dente (1107 m), Cima Fontanaccia (1153 m), Monte Rama (1150 m), Monte Reixa (1183 m) and Monte Sciguello (1103 m).
Concerned municipalities.
The natural park is shared among the following municipalities:
Arenzano, Campo Ligure, Cogoleto, Genova, Masone, Rossiglione, Sassello, Stella, Tiglieto, Varazze
Geology.
The park offers a wide range of geological features, most of them tied to a portion of Jurassic oceanic crust modified during the Alpine orogeny. Among the predominant rocks of the area can be cited gabbros, peridotites and serpentinites, here and there covered by pillow basalts and latter sedimentary and metamorphic layers. Several serpentinite quarries, active in the past, are now abandoned.
Wildlife.
Some rare plants of the park are "Viola bertolonii", "Cerastium utriense", "Asplenium cuneifolium", "Daphne cneorum", "Cheilantes marantae".
Mountain mires and wetlands host locally endangered species of amphibians as alpine newt, northern crested newt and "Malpolon monspessulanus". In the park are very common larger animals as wild boars, roe and fallow deers.
Hiking.
Around 500 km of footpaths are available within the park, that is crossed from west to east by the "Alta Via dei Monti Liguri", a long-distance trail from Ventimiglia (province of Imperia) to Bolano (province of La Spezia).