Masaya Volcano

Masaya () is a caldera located in Masaya, Nicaragua, 20 km south of the capital Managua. It is Nicaragua's first and largest national park, and one of 78 protected areas of Nicaragua. The complex volcano is composed of a nested set of calderas and craters, the largest of which is Las Sierras shield volcano and caldera. Within this caldera lies a sub-vent, which is Masaya Volcano "sensu stricto". The vent is a shield type composing of basaltic lavas and tephras and includes a summit crater. This hosts Masaya caldera, formed 2,500 years ago by an 8-km³ basaltic ignimbrite eruption. Inside this caldera a new basaltic complex has grown from eruptions mainly on a semi-circular set of vents that include the Masaya and Nindiri cones. The latter host the pit craters of Masaya, Santiago, Nindiri and San Pedro. Observations in the walls of the pit craters indicate that there have been several episodes of cone and pit crater formation.
Masaya continually emits large amounts of sulfur dioxide gas (from the active Santiago crater) and volcanologists study this (amongst other signs) to better understand the behavior of the volcano and also evaluate the impact of acid rain and the potential for health problems.
History.
The floor of Masaya caldera is mainly covered by poorly vegetated ʻaʻā lava, indicating resurfacing within the past 1,000 or so years, but only two lava flows have erupted since the sixteenth century. The first, in 1670, was an overflow from the Nindiri crater, which at that time hosted a 1-km-wide lava lake. The other, in 1772, issued from a fissure on the flank of the Masaya cone. Since 1772, lava has appeared at the surface only in the Santiago pit crater (presently active and persistently degassing) and possibly within Nindiri crater in 1852. A lake occupies the far eastern end of the caldera.
Although the recent activity of Masaya has largely been dominated by continuous degassing from an occasionally lava-filled pit crater, a number of discrete explosive events have occurred in the last 50 years. One such event occurred on November 22, 1999, which was recognised from satellite data. A hot spot appeared on satellite imagery, and there was a possible explosion. On April 23, 2001, the crater exploded and formed a new vent in the bottom of the crater. The explosion sent rocks with diameters up to 60 cm which travelled up to 500 m from the crater. Vehicles in the visitors area were damaged and one person was injured. On October 4, 2003, an eruption cloud was reported at Masaya. The plume rose to a height of ~4.6 km. In 2008, the mountain erupted spewing ash and steam. This volcano is monitored by the Deep Earth Carbon Degassing Project. Volcanic gas emissions from this volcano are measured by a Multi-Component Gas Analyzer System, which detects pre-eruptive degassing of rising magmas, improving prediction of volcanic activity.
On March 4, 2020, tightrope daredevil, Nik Wallenda, walked on a steel cable over the caldera.
National park.
In 1979, Masaya became Nicaragua's first national park, named Masaya Volcano National Park (Parque Nacional Volcan Masaya). The park has an area of 54 km² includes two volcanoes and five craters, as well as a range of elevations between 100 and 630 meters above sea level. In the park is a lava tube formed by lava flows; one can find bats and look inside and observe the glowing lava in the dark crater mouth of the volcano.
Geologic setting.
Masaya is one of 18 distinct volcanic centers that make up the Nicaraguan portion of the Central American Volcanic Belt (CAVF). Formed by the subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the Caribbean Plate, along the Mesoamerican trench, the CAVF runs from volcán Tacaná in Guatemala to Irazú in Costa Rica. In western Nicaragua, the CAVF bisects the Nicaraguan Depression from Cosigüina volcano in the northwest to Maderas volcano in Lago Nicaragua. The Interior highlands to the northeast make up the majority of Nicaragua. Western Nicaragua consists of 4 principal geological provinces paralleling the Mesoamerican trench: 1. Pre-Cretaceous to Cretaceous ophiolitic suite; 2. Tertiary basins; 3. Tertiary volcanics; and the 4. Active Quaternary volcanic range.
An ophiolitic suite is found in the Nicoya Complex, which is made up of cherts, graywackes, tholeiitic pillow lavas and basaltic agglomerates. It is intruded by gabbroic, diabasic, and dioritic rocks. The Cretaceous-Tertiary basin is made up of five formations of mainly marine origin. The Rivas and Brito formations are uplifted to the southeast and are overlain in the northwest by a slightly tilted marine near- shore sequence, the El Fraile formation. This in turn passes north into the undeformed Tamarindo formation, a sequence of shallow marine, lacustrine and terrestrial sediments interspersed with ignimbrites. Northeast of the Nicaraguan Depression, the Coyol and Matagalpa formations, run from Honduras to Costa Rica and still show evidence of some volcanic centres, distinguishable as constructional landforms.
Quaternary volcanic rocks are found mainly in the Nicaraguan Depression and form two major groups: the Marrabios and the Sierras formations. The Marrabios Cordillera starts in the northwest with Cosiguina volcano and continues to the southeast with San Cristobal, Casitas, La Pelona, Telica and Rota. The Hoyo, Monte Galan, Momotombo and Momotombito volcanoes are built upon ignimbrite deposits from the nearby Malpaisillo caldera. South-east of Lake Managua lie Chiltepe, the Nejapa alignment, Masaya, Apoyo and Mombacho which overlie the Sierras ignimbrites, erupted from the Sierras Caldera surrounding Masaya volcano. Further south in Lake Cocibolca (or Lake Nicaragua), Zapatera, Concepcion and Maderas volcanoes mark the end of Nicaraguan section of the CAVF.


Duderhof Heights

Duderhof Heights or Duderhof Hills (; ) is a small highland area in the southwestern part of Saint Petersburg (Krasnoselsky District), to the south of the town of Krasnoye Selo, on the northern edge of the Izhora Plateau, which consists of several hills, most notably, the Orekhovaya hill (, lit. "Hazel Hill", ), the highest point of Saint Petersburg at 176 m (577'), in the south, and the Voronya hill (, lit. "Crow Hill", ), 147 m (482'), in the north. Sometimes other smaller hills are considered part of the area as well: the Lysaya hill (, lit. "Bald Hill") further northward, the Kirchhof hill () to the east, and the Kavelakhtinskaya ridge () further to the south (however, all the smaller hills are situated in Leningrad Oblast rather than in Saint Petersburg). Since 1992 the Orekhovaya and Voronya hills have been designated as protected natural area (of about 66 ha), divided by Sovetskaya Street of the settlement Mozhaysky into two parts. Nowadays both hills are mostly covered by broadleaf forests (with "Acer platanoides", "Fraxinus excelsior", "Tilia cordata", "Ulmus glabra", "Quercus robur", "Corylus avellana"), very uncommon for the region situated in the taiga belt, and have a peculiar fauna and flora. The steep slopes of the hills and alkaline soils on the limestone bedrock are also notable. For a critically endangered species of weevil, "Otiorhynchus rugosus" Humm., this is the only known location in European Russia. This is also the only site in Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast where European Beech is able to overwinter in cultivation, albeit suffering considerable dieback.
The vegetation on the hills hasn't remained intact and has been subject to heavy anthropogenic influence for the last two centuries. In the first half of the 19th century a landscape garden was laid down on the Orekhovaya hill. During the Siege of Leningrad (1941-1944) the battlefront ran through the hills and they became almost completely deforestated. German artillery positions shelling the city were situated on the Voronya hill. The hills are still a popular ski resort. The surrounding area is totally devoid of forests and mostly built up. The nearest railway station, Mozhayskaya (formerly Duderhof) of the Ligovo-Krasnoye Selo-Gatchina railroad (constructed in 1859), is situated immediately to the west of the hills.


List of threatened ecological communities of Australia

This list of threatened ecological communities of Australia is derived from the Australian federal government's assessment of submissions regarding ecological communities, assemblages of flora and fauna with identified interactions in particular habitats, with determinations on their conservation status and level of protection under the "Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999". Their status as threatened ecological communities (TEC) is noted as meeting the criteria as critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable, and where a revision has resulted in delisting or ineligibility.


Conservation Strategy Fund

Conservation Strategy Fund (CSF) is a global conservation organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with country offices in Bolivia, Brazil, Indonesia, and Peru. CSF combines economic analysis, training, and communicating results and recommendations with key stakeholders so those working in conservation and development can use economics to make better decisions for people and nature.
About.
Conservation Strategy Fund was founded in 1998 on the conviction that economics can play a critical role in transforming conservation efforts around the world. By revealing the true tradeoffs of development, demonstrating the inherent value of nature, and generating financially viable environmental solutions, CSF used economic tools and insights to identify and inform others of the best possible development outcomes. Since then, CSF has been working with governments, conservationists, funders, farmers, fishermen, and others to raise economic literacy worldwide and create a better understanding of how economics can improve decision-making.
CSF identifies and catalyzes solutions to environmental challenges through a three-tiered approach combining economic analysis, training, and communicating results and recommendations to key stakeholders. This three-tiered approach is the cornerstone of CSF’s “Theory of Change.” CSF’s Theory of Change starts by identifying, training, or partnering with leaders and change-makers to influence conservation initiatives in communities at the local level and more broadly nationally. By collaborating with professionals already working at the forefront of conservation and sustainability issues and equipping them with the right economic research, training, or technical assistance, CSF helps increase economic literacy and create a global network for conservation.
For more than 20 years, CSF has been a leading organization advancing conservation solutions to environmental challenges by building strategies that can be applied all over the world. Today, CSF has dedicated country teams in Bolivia, Brazil, Indonesia, Peru, and the United States, and CSF’s training programs have reached more than 3,200 people from 90 countries with 75 fellows across Latin America, Indonesia, and the Pacific. In addition, CSF’s analysis and training programs have influenced more than $21 billion in development investments, resulting in conservation of more than 50 million acres worldwide.
Training.
Since 1999, CSF’s unique and effective capacity-building program has empowered environmental professionals from all over the world with the economic tools, techniques, and concepts they need to be successful in their work. CSF courses are taught by experts that understand real-world conservation challenges and how economics can advance environmental solutions to some of today’s most pressing issues. Through tailored workshops, intensive fellowships, in-person and virtual courses, webinars, and an annual, international flagship course, CSF’s capacity-building program has helped create a lasting network of conservation professionals using economics to influence human behavior and policy.
Achievements.
CSF is a leading organization advancing conservation solutions powered by economics. Some notable achievements include helping to establish 1.5 million acres of protected area in central Brazil, helping local people divert the construction of a road through Volcán Barú National Park in Panama, successfully preventing construction of a dam that would have flooded significant portions of Madidi National Park in Bolivia, and delaying the paving of highway BR-319 in the Brazilian Amazon which, without proper safeguards, could have inflicted harm on the world's largest rainforest.
In 2012, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation named Conservation Strategy Fund as a recipient of the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. The award recognized CSF’s innovative work using economics to conserve the world’s most important ecosystems. Conservation Strategy Fund is one of only 15 organizations from six countries to be recognized today with the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. The MacArthur Foundation does not seek or accept nominations for these awards. To qualify, organizations must demonstrate exceptional creativity and effectiveness; have reached a critical or strategic point in their development; show strong leadership and stable financial management; have previously received MacArthur support; and engage in work central to one of MacArthur’s core programs.


Shiniuzhai National Geological Park

Shiniuzhai National Geological Park or Pingjiang Shiniuzhai Geopark (石牛寨) is located in Hunan, in Pingjiang County. It is 46 km away from the nearest city of Pingjiang. Shi Nui Zhai is 523 meters above sea level, and occupies a radius of more than 10 square kilometres. It is one of the protected areas of China.
Shiniuzhai National Geological Park.
History.
The origins of the name Shi Niu Zhai come from the boulder that resembles a cattle in the west part of the park. Shi Nui Zhai used to be an important place for military affairs. According to a historian in the western province, Shi Niu Zhai is the last remaining shanzhai of the 48 in Liuyang.
Geography.
Shi Niu Zhai is a national park that is made up of mainly Danxia landform- red bed characterised by steep cliffs.
Tourism.
The 3 main attractions of Shiniuzhai includes Ten Miles Cliff (十里绝壁), Hundred Miles Danxia (百里丹霞) and Brave Men's Bridge (高空玻璃桥).
The Ten Miles cliff is located at the center of the park, is one of China's biggest Danxia cliffs. The Hundred Miles Danxia is located at the peak of Shi Nui Zhai where one can see the entire landscape of many other Danxia Peaks.
Attractions.
Shi Nui Zhai Park has developed many tourist attractions activities. It has one of the steepest cable car in China; highest and longest suspension bridge in Hunan, the Brave Men's Bridge; Asia's longest zipline.
Brave Men's Bridge.
The Brave Men's Bridge () is a glass suspension bridge that is 300 meters long, elevated at a height of 180 meter above ground. It spans across two cliffs at 540 meters above sea level
The bridge's body is made up of 2 main steel wires and 6 base steel wires with wooden planks as base. It is the first high altitude glass bottomed bridge built in China. The bridge was originally made of wood but converted to glass in 2014. The new glass bottom was made using glass panes 24mm thick and 25 times the strength of normal glass panels.
The origin of the name Brave Men's Bridge is passed down from word of mouth that anyone that is able to cross the fearsome bridge is a true brave man.
Ten Miles Cliff.
The Ten Miles Cliff is a cliff located in the Shiniuzhai National Geological park. On the cliff, there is man-made plank structures built to serve as walking paths for the tourist.


Tasmanian Land Conservancy

The Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC) is a non-profit, non governmental organisation that acquires and manages land in Tasmania, Australia, protecting important natural places for biodiversity conservation. It was established in June 2001. the organisation claimed to have protected over of land in 144 reserves, and owned about directly, including the Vale of Belvoir, the montane grassland habitat of many marsupial carnivores, and Recherche Bay. As at January 2016, TLC had reportedly protected , and was a $30 million organisation.
However, most of the reserves remain in private ownership, with covenants to hold them for conservation. Ecosystems in covenanted areas include grasslands, woodlands, heath and saltmarsh.
TLC receives funding from the Australian federal government, and private donations from supporters of particular sites or projects such as protecting birds.
One of the organisation's founding volunteers, Jane Hutchinson, was nominated as 2016 Australian of the Year for her leadership as a Board member, Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer from 2011.


Eleanor Fitchen

Eleanor Beach Fitchen (October 9, 1912 in Manhattan – April 20, 2009) was an American conservationist, preservationist and philanthropist. From her earliest years until her death in April 2009, Eleanor led a rewarding and memorable life and left a legacy that included the founding of several not-for-profit organizations, the conservation of hundreds of acres of open space, the creation of two historic districts, the restoration and preservation of half-dozen century old structures and the respect and admiration of hundreds of individuals.
Parents.
Eleanor's father was renowned sculptor Chester Beach and her mother, acclaimed nature artist Eleanor Hollis Murdock Beach. The couple met in France where Mr. Beach was studying sculpture and Miss Murdock was studying painting. They married in 1910 and settled in Rome for two years where their first daughter, Beata, was born. The couple returned to America in 1912 moving into an apartment on West 96th Street where daughters Eleanor and Natalie were born. After Natalie's birth in 1913, the family moved into a brownstone on East 17th Street where Chester Beach established a large sculpture studio to practice his art.
Early Education.
Eleanor spent her formative years in Manhattan, where she and her sisters attended Friends Seminary for their early education. Eleanor's experiences at Friends Seminary helped to mold her character and values, profoundly influencing her; and through her, all those she touched.
Summers in the Country.
The family spent summers in the upstate New York towns of North Salem and Southeast where Eleanor developed an attachment for rural communities that she would cherish and protect for all of her days. It was at this time that Chester Beach met Erastus Tefft, a Wall Street financier with a country estate on Starr Ridge Road. Tefft wanted portrait busts of his daughters and, in 1915 he traded the artist a parcel of his Starr Ridge property for the sculptures. That year, Chester Beach began construction of a garage and studio on the property and the next summer the family moved to it.
"Oldwalls".
Using that structure for a base of operations, the Beach family began construction of the main house that would become the family home for the rest of the century and beyond. Construction materials came from the stone walls that crisscrossed the property's old farm fields with the huge foundations stones being dragged into place by a team of oxen. The property was named "Oldwalls" to memorialize its construction materials and it stands today as an integral part of the Starr Ridge/Starr Lea Historic district.
Europe.
Eleanor went through the tenth grade at Friends Seminary before the family returned to Europe in 1927. The three girls attended boarding school in Lausanne, Switzerland, while Chester and Mrs. Beach settled again in Rome for two years. Chester needed to be near the marble quarries of Carrara, Italy that provided the raw materials for a large fountain and zodiac statues group for the new terrace at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
During the summer of 1929, the family walked through Switzerland and Germany, staying in small inns along the way. Two walking canes on which they carved the names of the towns they visited are cherished Fitchen family treasures. Around the top of each one is carved "walk, climb, live."
Vassar College.
The family returned to America in time for Eleanor to start at Vassar College in the fall of 1930. She was the first Beach or Murdock to attend college, graduating in 1934. Her degree in Archeology proved valuable to her avocations of preservation and restoration. While at Vassar, Eleanor met Paul Fitchen.
The Woman's Prison Association.
In NYC she had a long-term involvement with the Women's Prison Association and was on the board of its Hopper Home, a half way house for recently released offenders, for which she created a fund raising thrift shop. Her involvement with prisoners here helped establish her credentials for a work release program she would establish later, in Putnam County.
Early Married Life.
Eleanor and Paul were married in the Beach's 17th Street brownstone on December 29, 1934, which was their primary residence until Paul retired in 1967. Their first home was an apartment overlooking Gramercy Park where their first child, Douglas, was born in 1936 and their second, Ellen, in 1939. In 1940, accommodations in the brownstone were rearranged for the growing family. Chester and Mrs. Beach moved into an apartment on the top floor and the Fitchens took over the lower floors where their third child Anne, was born in 1943.
Following in the footsteps of the three Beach children, the three Fitchen children attended Friends Seminary for their early education. The family spent weekends and summers at Oldwalls in Southeast where three generations worked side by side from 1945 to 1947 to build a small stone cottage that would become home to the Fitchens when in Southeast.
Burma.
In 1951, while an officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Paul Fitchen was invited by the Union Bank of Burma (now Myanmar) to live in Rangoon (now Yangon) for a year to help establish decimal currency and a central bank law for that newly independent country. He flew directly there in July while Eleanor led the children, aged 15, 12, and 8, through Europe and Egypt from where they took a freighter for a slow voyage on to Burma.
Upon her return from Rangoon, Eleanor Fitchen was active with the Asia Society in New York City. She worked to welcome artists and writers to America, helping them with exhibitions and tours and finding studio or living facilities. Eleanor went to great lengths to locate and catalog old Burmese manuscripts which were held by American universities.
The Fitchens at Oldwalls.
Chester Beach died in 1956 and, following the death of his wife Eleanor in 1965, occupancy of the Oldwalls property fell to the Fitchens, who continued to use it as a weekend and summer residence. On Paul's retirement as Executive Director of the New York Clearing House in 1967 they relocated to the main house at Oldwalls, where they lived for the remainder of their lives.
Eleanor's Boys.
Eleanor and Judge Tuttle established a work release program of court designated community service for youthful offenders though an arrangement made with the Putnam County Sheriff's office. "Her boys" worked alongside her every weekend for twenty years maintaining old cemeteries, creating pocket parks and restoring buildings. Although Eleanor retired from the program at the age of 80, it remains an active and rewarding component of the Putnam County Sheriff's convict rehabilitation program.
At Eleanor's memorial, one of her granddaughters related that "when working in Boston as a catering manager, I was sitting with clients at a menu-tasting making small talk. One of the men mentioned that he was from Brewster, New York, so I said 'Oh, my grandmother lives there.' He asked who she was and I said 'Eleanor Fitchen.' He stopped eating, put down his fork and said with awe 'Your grandmother changed my life.' He had been one of 'her boys' and after his time working with her, decided that his life was going to be more than picking up garbage and went on to work many years with American Airlines."
The Non-Profit Organizations.
Soon after moving to Southeast, Eleanor joined the executive board of the Southeast Museum and its Landmarks Preservation Committee. Eleanor saw the value of incorporating the group into an independent not-for-profit that is today's Landmarks Preservation Society of Southeast [LPSS]. In its new incarnation, the LPSS was able to raise the funds needed to restore the Walter Brewster House, the Old Southeast Church and its adjacent school house. Eleanor then spearheaded the campaigns to add these and other Putnam County structures to the New York State Landmarks and National Register of Historic Places. She actively promoted beautification throughout the Village of Brewster, the Town of Southeast and the county of Putnam, NY.
Preserving Natural Resources.
With the advent of Interstate 684 and Interstate 84, Eleanor and Paul grew concerned about the abrupt loss of vast acres of woodland and natural habitat. In 1969, the couple founded Southeast Open Spaces, Inc. [SOS] to preserve and protect natural resources through ownership of sensitive lands, property easements and environmental education. As demand grew for a county-wide land trust and properties were acquired outside of the Town of Southeast, the name of the organization was changed to Save Open Spaces, Inc., and then to Putnam County Land Trust: Save Open Spaces, Inc. (PCLT). It is now one of the oldest land trusts in New York State with an inventory of more than of diverse habitat with nearly every parcel accessible to the public via well maintained trails.
Lobbying for Open Space.
Eleanor and Paul lobbied local and national politicians to promote an important bill under consideration by the United States Congress in 1988. H.R. 4127 was introduced and passed in the 2nd session of the 100th Congress, to establish the American Heritage Trust, for purposes of enhancing the protection of the nation's natural, historical, cultural, and outdoor recreational heritage. This bill would help to preserve historic homes and properties, open space, nature preserves, important architecture and landmarks by providing public funding. Eleanor gained the support of the Putnam County Executive and Putnam County Legislature to advocate for its passage in Washington, D.C.
The 1814 Courthouse.
Eleanor's efforts and leadership were instrumental in saving the Putnam County Courthouse in Carmel, New York. She worked with elected and appointed officials to identify the scope of work, to earmark the funding for the project and to identify and engage the skilled historical restoration contractor to execute the task. The courthouse was closed from 1988 through 1994 while the restoration effort progressed to completion.
Eleanor a widow at 77.
In August 1990, Paul Fitchen died at home, age 88, following cancer surgery.
Concerned Residents of Southeast.
Eleanor continued her community involvement and in 1996, local opposition to the construction of a massive multi-screen theater and parking lot on Route 6 in Southeast led Eleanor Fitchen to organize others to form the Concerned Residents of Southeast [CRSE]. The project was believed to have significant environmental consequences to the water supply for New York City because of its proximity to the East Branch Reservoir. Eleanor was CRSE's co-founder and first president. The organization continues to conduct non-partisan research into local development and endeavors to educate the community regarding various types of development projects. CRSE remains a significant voice for local citizens and another tribute to Eleanor's determination to preserve the community for the people.
Eleanor dies at 96.
Eleanor Fitchen died at home on April 20, 2009 at the age of 96. She was predeceased by her husband in 1990; by sister Beata Porter (wife of artist, Vernon Porter) in November 2007; and by her son Douglas Beach Fitchen of Ithaca, NY in 2008. Her sister Natalie Redway died soon after her in June 2009. Her daughter Ellen Tappan of Wolfeboro, NH, died in 2011. Her surviving daughter Anne Burton lives in London, England, by eleven grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren. The memorial service held in her honor at the Old Southeast Church on June 20, 2009, was attended by nearly all of her family members from all over the world and by numerous friends from all walks of life.
State Senate Recognition.
Oldwalls, the Fitchen Family home in Southeast, is in New York State's 40th Senate district. Senator Vincent Leibell, who represented the district at the time of Eleanor's death, introduced a bill to the state senate: Resolution J1855 "Mourning the death of Eleanor Fitchen, distinguished citizen and devoted member of her community." It is a tribute to the life of this great woman and it recounts for posterity an anecdote known to most residents of Putnam County: "Devoted to safeguarding pieces of the past, Eleanor Fitchen once locked herself and a granddaughter in the Old Southeast Church on Route 22 to prevent its destruction." Her strategy succeeded. It drew the press and local radio and overwhelming public support and it preserved the church which stands today, the oldest house of worship in Putnam County.
The Fitchen Papers, a legacy.
Eleanor's generosity continued after her death. Her daughters, Elli and Anne, gathered together countless papers, booklets, correspondence, leaflets, posters and other ephemera of Eleanor's lifetime of community involvement. These were donated to the Brewster Village Historian's Office, the Southeast Museum, the Landmarks Preservation Society of Southeast and the Putnam County Land Trust. Many of these documents are one-of-a-kind, previously unpublished essays about local historical figures, places, events or structures. Many were written by county, town or village historians of Putnam County spanning the latter half of the 20th century. Others were written by descendants of those who experienced "history" first hand. Many of these documents will be published here on Wikipedia, indexed by their authors or titles but categorized as "The Fitchen Papers."


Community Conservation Fund

The Community Conservation Fund is a fund made available in New Zealand for conservation projects. It is administered by the Department of Conservation.
History.
The loss of biodiversity of New Zealand due to human activity is well documented, and there have been various methods of going at least part way towards restoration of indigenous ecosystems. Numerous community groups around New Zealand carry out ecological restoration projects on a volunteer basis using native plants to reestablish what was lost in the past. The Community Conservation Fund is aimed at assisting these groups.
The fund, secured by the Green Party in the 2008 Budget, was launched on 24 September 2008. It is a $4 million fund with $40,000 made available per project per year.
Eligibility.
There will be three funding rounds during 2008 and 2010 and it has a number of conditions for eligibility. Funding is only given to established community groups that have an ecological restoration project on public land that can be sustained after the two year funding period.


Liebfrauenkirche, Trier

The Liebfrauenkirche (German for Church of Our Lady) in Trier, is, along with the Cathedral of Magdeburg (reportedly begun in 1209, but finished after the Liebfrauenkirche) the earliest Gothic church in Germany and falls into the architectural tradition of the French Gothic cathedrals. It is located next to the Trier Dom. It is designated as part of the Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History.
A Roman double church originally stood here. The southern portion was torn down around 1200 and completely replaced by the Early Gothic Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauen).
The exact date of the start of construction can no longer be determined, however a painted inscription inside on a column in the church reads: "The construction of this church was started in 1227 and ended in 1243" (German: "Der bau dieser Kirche ward angefangen im Jahr 1227 und geendigt im Jahr 1243") however, it is currently thought construction began in 1230 by Archbishop of Trier Theodoric II (also called Dietrich von Wied or Theoderich von Wied).
Around 1260, the building was probably finished. In 1492, a high peak was placed on the central tower, which was named because of its high technology and degree of craftsmanship perfection. The high peak can be seen on the city dating, but was destroyed in a storm on Heimsuchungstag (July 2) in 1631. Subsequently a hipped roof emplaced, which was destroyed in the Second World War. It was first replaced in 1945 by a roof and then by a steeper one in 2003.
On July 13, 1951, Pope Pius XII designated the church a Minor Basilica, and in 1986 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Architecture and structure.
A special feature of the basilica is its atypical cruciform floor plan as a round church, whose cross-shaped vaulting with four corresponding portals in rounded niches is completed by eight rounded altar niches so that the floor plan resembles a twelve-petaled rose, a symbol of the Virgin Mary, the rosa mystica, and reminiscent of the twelve tribes of Israel and the Twelve Apostles. The apostles as well as the twelve articles of the Apostles' Creed are painted on the twelve supporting columns, completely visible only from one spot marked by a gold star.
Though nothing above the surface is Roman any longer, there are extensive excavations (not open to the public) underneath the church and several of the Gothic pillars stand on top of Roman column foundations.


Blyde-Olifants Conservancy

Blyde-Olifants Conservancy, The Conservancy consolidates a group of privately owned game farms in the central Lowveld region into an official nature reserve. Lying roughly between Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa. Through the conservancy run two incredibly different rivers - on the one hand is the river most often associated with the colour brown - the powerful Olifants River - behind which runs the Drakensberg escarpment, creating a striking backdrop, whilst on the other is the clear, sparkling Blyde River, a tributary of the Olifants River.
Wildlife.
Include: Spotted hyena, kudu, South African giraffe, African leopard, squirrel and plains zebra, whilst the rivers are well occupied with hippo and crocodiles. Lion and African bush elephant roam these plains freely and fairly regularly.


Hildesheim Cathedral Museum

The Hildesheim Cathedral Museum (German: Dommuseum Hildesheim) is the treasury and diocesan museum of Hildesheim, which illustrates over a thousand years of art and church history in Lower Saxony. It is located in historic rooms off the southern transept of the Hildesheim Cathedral. During the cathedral renovations of 2010, the nearby church of St Antonius and part of the cathedral cloisters were converted into display rooms for the museum.
The Hildesheim cathedral treasury is a collection of liturgical vessels, vestments, reliquaries, books and artworks of the highest quality, which has developed over the centuries. The Hildesheim Reliquary of Mary dates back to the beginning of the diocese and is connected to the cathedral's foundation story. Especially valuable pieces, including the gem-studded Cross of Bernward, the Bernward gospels, and the Ringelheim cross, were created during the prosperity of the diocese under Bishop Bernward († 1022), while the Ratmann Sacramentary was created in 1159 in connection with the beginning of his veneration as a saint. A bust reliquary and an arm reliquary of St Bernward date from the thirteenth century. From the baroque period comes magnificent monstrances and other gold and silver artworks. Many of these treasures are used to this day on important occasions in the cathedral calendar.
The Gobelins Artemisia came into the possession of the cathedral in 1727. It is being restored until 2015 and will have its own room in the reopened museum.
The efforts of Bishop Eduard Jakob Wedekin († 1870) converted the cathedral museum into a diocesan museum, containing religious artworks of the whole diocese and beyond. In particular he brought Gothic works from the parishes and his private collection into the cathedral treasury and organised their proper storage and display.


Hartley Teakle

Laurence John Hartley Teakle (2 August 1901 – 8 December 1979) was Professor of Agriculture from 1947 until 1963 at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.
He was born in Hawker, South Australia and grew up near Geraldton, Western Australia and was educated at Perth Modern School followed by the University of Western Australia. He was awarded the Amy Saw scholarship and completed a years research work at the University of California at Berkeley.
In around 1928 he was employed at the State Department of Agriculture as a Plant Nutrition Officer. His expertise lay particularly into soil quality and structure. In the 1930s he was responsible for authoring a report on soils salinity that put an end to the 3500 Farms Scheme in the eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.
From 1946-1947 he was the Western Australian Commissioner for Soil Conservation. He was a contentious Commissioner for his statements that some marginal parts of the state should not be settled. In 1964 he was appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University and in 1969 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws.
He undertook work throughout Australia including for the National Capital Development Commission in Canberra in 1966 to determine whether forests could be harvested and still protect water quality. This was groundbreaking work.
He retired from the University in 1970. The Hartley Teakle building at the University of Queensland is named after him. He was married and had one daughter and three sons. He is grandfather to Birth Activist, Bruce Teakle. He is buried at the Pinaroo Lawn Cemetery, Aspley, Brisbane.


Lilly Ajarova

Lilly Ajarova is a Ugandan conservationist and tourism expert. She is the chief executive officer of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), the Ugandan government agency that is charged with promoting the country as a tourism destination. She was appointed to that position on 10 January 2019.
Before that, from 2005 until 2019, she served as the executive director of "Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust", the owner/operator of Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, on Lake Victoria.
Background and education.
She was born in Uganda in early 1969 (January or February). She attended local primary and secondary schools. She studied at Makerere University, Uganda's oldest and largest public university, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology. Her second degree is Master of Business Administration, obtained from the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI), in 2004. Lilly also holds a post graduate diploma in Hotel and Tourism Management from International Institute of Tourism and Management in Austria. In addition, she has a certificate of competence in Board Matters, awarded by the Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences.
Career.
For over 8 years, from 1996 until 2005, Ms Ajarova worked at the Uganda Wildlife Authority, as the Tourism Development and Marketing Manager. In that capacity, she was responsible for the development of tourism services in Uganda's national parks.
From there she went to "Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust", where she was the executive director for fourteen years. While there, she served as a member of the Uganda Tourism Board. She was the chairperson of the committee that classified and graded Uganda's hotels in 2015.
In January 2019, she was appointed to head UTB, replacing Stephen Asiimwe. Her deputy at UTB is Bradford Ochieng. She was replaced as executive director at the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Trust by Dr. Joshua Rukundo. She handed over that office on 5 March 2019.
Other considerations.
Ms Lilly Ajarova is the recipient of the:
(1) National Golden Jubilee Award 2015
(2) Tourism Excellence Award 2017
(3) Wildlife Conservation Award 2017
(4) Country Winner in the Welfare & Civil Society Organization sector of CEO Global's Most Influential Women in Business & Government, 2018 Awards


Tucavaca Valley Municipal Reserve

Tucavaca Valley Municipal Reserve ("Reserva Municipal Valle de Tucavaca") is a protected area in Bolivia situated in the Santa Cruz Department, Chiquitos Province, Roboré Municipality. The reserve is located at an altitude between 200 m and 1250 m above sea level (Mount Chochís). It comprises the Santiago mountain range ("Serranía de Santiago") and the Tucavaca valley.


The Conservation Campaign

The Conservation Campaign is a United States 501(c)(4) non-profit organization affiliated with The Trust for Public Land (TPL). It is a resource for grassroots campaigns in the USA that are concerned with raising funds for land and water conservation.
Introduction.
The Conservation Campaign (TCC) mobilizes public support for ballot measures and legislation that create public funds to protect land and water resources. It supports land conservation strategies, from acquisition of urban parks and playgrounds, to the purchase of development rights to protect working forests and farmlands. It is bipartisan and works cooperatively with elected officials, farmers, ranchers, the business community, developers and realtors, and other groups. Many of the campaigns that TCC is involved in receive support from groups like The Nature Conservancy.
Services.
TCC services include aid with direct mail, phone banks, public presentations, ballot language, and legal and financial issues. If a campaign is hosted by TCC, the campaign receives financial support and logistical guidance. By working with TPL, citizens can build a campaign that creates funds to preserve open space, wildlife habitat, clean water, and parks.
Success.
TCC was founded by TPL in 2000, and since then it has supported 264 measure campaigns, 213 of which were approved. These campaigns worked to, for example, raise funds for buying land for open space in Ann Arbor, Michigan; protecting land against development in Idaho; preserving watershed lands in Georgia; saving old growth forests and coastline in California with "Proposition 4"; and implementing the Community Preservation Act in Massachusetts.


Spanish Springs Airport

Spanish Springs Airport is a public use airport located north of the central business district of Reno, in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. It is owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and operated by the Spanish Springs Pilots Association, Inc. under BLM Public Airport Lease N-59805.
Facilities and aircraft.
Spanish Springs Airport covers an area of at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 16/34 with a dirt surface measuring .
For the 12-month period ending November 30, 2010, the airport had 4,650 aircraft operations, an average of 12 per day: 99% general aviation and 1% military. At that time there were 13 aircraft based at this airport, all single-engine.


Lola ya Bonobo

Founded by Claudine André in 1994, Lola ya Bonobo is the world's only sanctuary for orphaned bonobos. Since 2002, the sanctuary has been located just south of the suburb of Kimwenza at the Petites Chutes de la Lukaya, Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Lola ya Bonobo means 'paradise for bonobos' in Lingala, the main language of Kinshasa. Lola ya Bonobo is home to about 60 bonobos who live in 30 hectares of primary forest.
Lola ya Bonobo is a member of the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance.
Typically, bonobos arrive as young infants. The bushmeat trade in the Congo area sees hundreds of bonobos killed each year for meat. The infants are sold as pets. When confiscated, these young bonobos are taken to Lola ya Bonobo. They start a new life at the sanctuary with close care from a substitute human mother, but are usually quickly ready to be integrated into a peer group, and shortly afterwards into one of the large, mixed-age social groups.
Although the bonobos are captive, they live in an environment similar to the wild. They can forage among dozens of edible plants and fruiting trees, compete for mating opportunities, and learn to avoid dangers such as stepping on venomous snakes just as they would in the wild. As a result, the bonobos at the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary, living in their forested microcosm, show all the naturally occurring behaviors observed in wild bonobos (in fact, they actually display some behaviors such as tool use that have not been observed in the wild).
Because of the living conditions provided, the sanctuary can play a critical role by demonstrating the level of humane treatment that captive apes deserve. The sanctuary also protects wild bonobos since it triggers the enforcement of domestic and international conservation laws aimed at preventing the trade in live bonobos. The sanctuary also acts as a mouthpiece for conservation efforts in DRC by educating thousands of Congolese visitors each year about the value of Congo's natural history, in particular the bonobo – their unique Congolese inheritance.
Friends of Bonobos.
Friends of Bonobos is a US 501(c)3 charity that supports Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary. It was founded by Claudine André and is entirely run by volunteers in the US. Its president, Dominique Morel, is based in Pakistan. Andre met Morel in Kinshasa while she was running the sanctuary in a small forested enclosure in the American school compound where Morel was living.


Tony Dean (conservationist)

Tony Dean (November 26, 1940 – October 19, 2008) was an American outdoors broadcaster, columnist and conservationist. Dean's (nickname Deeno) real name was Anthony DeChandt.
Starting in 1985, Dean had hosted and produced the television show "Tony Dean Outdoors", broadcast regionally in the upper Midwestern United States. He recorded several episodes of the show together co-hosted with Jason Mitchell for "Tony Dean Outdoors" prior to Mitchell's purchase of the program, now known as "Jason Mitchell Outdoors". Dean also produced the daily radio show "Dakota Backroads" for nearly two decades and wrote columns for the "Argus Leader", the daily newspaper of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
His programs received more than 160 regional and national awards. Dean served as a press secretary for former Governor of South Dakota, Republican Frank Farrar.
Dean supported candidates based on their stands on the issue of conservation, and he was criticized for his support of Democratic senator Tim Johnson and later for his support of the presidential campaign of Barack Obama, who Dean felt had the insight to appreciate the issues of land conservation. His wife indicated that one of the last things Dean had done before his attack of appendicitis was to film a series of commercials for Obama's campaign. She further noted that Dean would have served on the transition team in the event of an Obama victory.
Dean died on October 19, 2008 after complications from an appendicectomy. He had had his appendix removed in an operation in September 2008 in Pierre, South Dakota and was moved to a hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to address complications. He died in the living room of his home overlooking the Missouri River, together with members of his immediate family.
Senator Johnson eulogized Dean for "his advocacy on behalf of conservation and sportsmen alike", noting that "[h]e understood the right balance".


List of protected areas of Malawi

There are nine national parks and reserves in Malawi.
Forest reserves.
Malawi has a system of forest reserves, the first of which were established over a century ago. Grazing and cultivation have encroached on many forest reserves, and many reserve forests have been replaced with exotic plantation trees including pine and eucalyptus.


Kam Shan Country Park

Golden Hill Country Park or Kam Shan Country Park (), also known in Hong Kong as Monkey Hill (), established on 24 June 1977, is a country park located in the ranges north of Kowloon, Hong Kong. It covers an area of . Most of the area is covered by the Kowloon Group of Reservoirs. Inside the park, there are jogging trails, barbecue and picnic areas, which are easily accessible from Tai Po Road (Piper's Hill) via waterworks access roads. The park takes its name from the peak, Golden Hill or Kam Shan (), which is the highest feature in the area.
Panoramic views can be enjoyed from the slopes of Golden Hill and several places along the western ridge at the park. From these vantage points, the whole length of Smuggler's Ridge, Tai Mo Shan (the highest peak in Hong Kong), Needle Hill, Sha Tin New Town, Lion Rock and Beacon Hill can be seen. The northern part of Kowloon, the western anchorage of the harbour, Stonecutters Island, the housing estates of Kwai Chung, the container port, the industrial parts of Tsing Yi Island and the town of Tsuen Wan can also be viewed from here. The park is famous for its conservations of macaque monkeys.
Attractions.
Geology.
An area of granite of the Upper Jurassic period (formed between 130 million and 160 million years ago), the rocks are well exposed in road cuttings inside the park.
Animals.
Kam Shan, or Monkey Hill to most locals, is a famous macaques kingdom in Hong Kong. The macaques are the largest group of mammals in the park. The most significant species occurring here are rhesus macaque ("Macaca mulatta") and long-tailed macaque ("Macaca fascicularis"). These monkeys are probably descendants of monkeys released by pet owners in the 1920s, whereas wild macaque groups native to Hong Kong have almost disappeared due to habitat destruction and over-hunting. Apart from monkeys, this Country Park is also a shelter of squirrels and many bird species. There are about 2,100 wild monkeys in Hong Kong, about 1,800 of them in Kam Shan country park.
The park also provide habitat for forest animals found in few other parts of Hong Kong. Among these are protected species like the crested goshawk ("Accipiter trivirgatus"). Other birds found in the park include the black-eared kite ("Milvus migrans lineatus"), house swift ("Apus (affinis) nipalensis"), greater coucal ("Centropus s.sinensis"), common kingfisher ("Alcedo atthis"), rufous-backed shrike ("Lanius schach") and common tailorbird ("Orthotomus sutorius").
Flowers.
Since the 1950s, exotic flora species have been progressively introduced to Kam Shan Country Park. These exotic species includes Brisbane box ("Lophostemon confertus") and eucalyptus species from Australia, and the charming paper-bark tree ("Melaleuca quinquenervia").
The Country Park is very rich in flora, with a great diversity of native and exotic species. Melastoma species, rose myrtle ("Rhodomyrtus tomentosa"), acronychia ("Acronychia pedunculata"), Hong Kong gordonia ("Gordonia axillaris"), fragrant litsea ("Litsea cubeba"), red machilus ("Machilus thunbergii"), pop-gun seed ("Bridelia tomentosa") and ivy tree ("Schefflera heptaphylla"), and the ram-rod bamboo ("Arundinaria hindsii") are the common varieties in the Country Park.
Monkey killings.
According to park wardens, since 2006 about 38 animal traps have been found in the park. An animal rights volunteer group was formed in 2007 when people discovered illegal hunting activities in the park. Dead monkeys wounded with sharp objects have been found in the park since 2007. On 3 March 2009 a dead monkey was found with a loop trap around its leg with body stab wounds.
According to rights group, 300 wild monkeys were slaughtered for mainland China in May 2009. A man also used a BB gun to shoot the monkeys and shot one of the volunteers. Police arrived at the scene, Food and health chief York Chow Yat-ngok said he stepped up patrols to clear traps. Kwan Chi-yee, president of the Hong Kong Chinese Herbalists Association, issued a warning against eating monkey meat, saying "their meat can contain unknown viruses. It's a myth that it's nutritious." Under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance, anyone hunting or willingly disturbing wild animals is liable to a fine of and one year in jail.


Los Guatuzos Wildlife Refuge

Los Guatuzos Wildlife Refuge (Spanish: "Refugio de Vida Silvestre Los Guatuzos") has an area of and is located south of Lake Nicaragua and west of the San Juan River in Nicaragua. Los Guatuzos is a protected area consisting of tropical wetlands, rainforest, and wildlife refuge, it is the only internationally registered tropical wetland area in Nicaragua.
Overview.
The site has been cataloged by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve and belongs to the list of cenagales (wetlands) of international importance of Ramsar Convention. The refuge comprises the "Ecological Center of Los Guatuzos", a research center that offers guided visits, excursions and lodging in the park. It also has a butterfly farm, turtle and caiman nursery, and an orchid display of 92 different species.
Flora and fauna.
Los Guatuzos is rich in flora and fauna. The number of recorded species of birds living in the wildlife refuge is recorded at over 389, which doesn't include the thousands of migratory birds that frequently visit the refuge. Some of the commonly spotted animals include caimans, crocodiles, jaguars, monkeys and feral pigs. Also present in the refuge are the ancient species of fish, although spotting them is rare. The Atractosteus tropicus, or gaspar, has fangs and a snout that help it consume other species of fish as well as turtles and crabs.
With regards to the fauna, 81 species of Amphibians, 136 species of reptile and 42 species of mammals are found in the park.
Botany.
A total of twelve rivers pass through the reserve. A total of 315 species of plants exist including 130 Orchidaceae.


William Horvath

William John Horvath (born March 23, 1938) was an American politician and conservationist.
Born in Shawano, Wisconsin, Horvath received his bachelor's degree in conservation from University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and his master's degree from University of Michigan. He worked in conservation in Maryland and Pennsylvania before returning to Wisconsin to work for the Soil and Water Conservation Board. Horvath then worked for the National Association of Conservation Districts from 1972 until retiring in 2005. Horvath lived in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, served on the Stevens Point Common Council in 1975, and was president of the common council. From November 11, 1983 to the end of his term, Horvath served in the Wisconsin State Assembly having been elected in a special election. Horvath was a Democrat.


Hoddy Hildreth

Horace Augustus "Hoddy" Hildreth, Jr. (December 17, 1931 – December 12, 2019) was an American lawyer, politician, and conservationist in Maine.
Biography.
Hildreth was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the son of Horace Hildreth and Katherine Cable Wing Hildreth. He grew up in Cumberland, Maine. He was 14 years old when his father was elected Governor of Maine, at which time his family moved to the Maine State House in Augusta, Maine. He then attended Cony High School for three years before transferring to Deerfield Academy. Like his father and grandfather, he graduated from Bowdoin College. In May of 1953, while Hoddy Hildreth was a senior at Bowdoin, President Eisenhower appointed his father United States Ambassador to Pakistan. He spent his final year of undergraduate studies at Forman Christian College in Lahore, Pakistan, before returning to Bowdoin to take his final exams and participate in commencement as a 1954 graduate. He earned a bachelor's degree in English.
In 1956, Hoddy Hildreth married the artist Alison Hildreth ("née" Derby). They raised four boys, Daniel, Hasket, Malcolm, and Thomas. He earned a law degree from Columbia University and went on to practice law in Maine at Pierce Atwood, at the time a small firm. A great deal of Hildreth's work was in lobbying for paper companies, but this work was broken off by his successful run for a state senate seat in 1966. Hildreth served in the Maine Senate from Cumberland County, in the 103rd legislature, 1966-1967. He was chairman of the Legislative Research Committee. In 1968, At the end of his term in the Maine Senate, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. Congress. Then he started his own law firm which lobbied in Augusta for environmental causes.
Hildreth left his law firm in 1979 in order to serve as chief executive of Diversified Communications, the media company that his father had founded. He continued to serve on the board of directors after his retirement.
A dedicated conservationist, Hildreth served on the boards of the Conservation Law Foundation and the Maine League of Conservation Voters.
Hildreth died in 2019.


Ramkhamhaeng National Park

Ramkhamhaeng National Park () is a national park in Thailand.
Description.
Ramkhamhaeng National Park lies in Ban Dan Lan Hoi, Khiri Mat and Mueang Sukhothai districts of Sukhothai Province, the north of Thailand.
The majority of the park's land is within the contours of the Khao Luang Mountain Range. This mountain range describes a north–south axis. Khao Luang is like a giant hill in the middle of a rice field, for it is surrounded by low farmland. The notable topography of this park are the four main peaks of the Khao Luang Range: Khao Phu Kha, Khao Phra Mae Ya, Khao Chedi, and Khao Pha Narai. The waters of the mountain range are essential to the agricultural lands below. These waters, Khlong Ta Chek, Khlong Sao Ho, Khlong Wang Ngen, Khlong Noen Khli, Khlong Duang Ngam, Khlong Lan Thong, Khlong Masang, and Khong Phetchahueng are also tributaries of the Yom River to the east, and the Ping River in the west.
History.
Sukhothai may have been the first capital of Thais (13th to 14th centuries). Sukhothai Historical Park, the center of this ancient capital, merges with Ramkhamhaeng National Park in the northeastern corner of the Khao Luang Mountain Range. Many ancient structures were built within Khao Luang. Ramkhamhaeng National Park area is mentioned in the famous stone Sukhothai Inscription I of King Ramkhamhaeng, the great king of the period. The Sukhothai Inscription is further evidence of the important, even sacred, relationship between the peoples of this original Thai capital and the natural area of Ramkhamhaeng National Park.
In 1974 the Royal Forest Department issued letters to Sukhothai provincial authorities, including forestry officials of the province, asking them to inspect the Khao Luang area. The purpose of this inspection was to determine whether this area was suitable to become either a wildlife sanctuary or national park. Sukhothai provincial authorities, along with the Tak Royal Forest Department Unit, proposed that Khao Luang should become a national park. The National Parks Division of the Royal Forest Department then presented a proposal to the National Park Committee at their second meeting on 22 October 1975. An agreement was reached to set up a national park in this area by royal decree, recorded in the "Royal Gazette", number 97, section 165, October 27, 1980 This area became the 18th national park of Thailand Park in honor of King Ramkhamhaeng.


Ikema Wetland

The are wetlands in the center of Ikema Island, Miyahojima, Okinawa, Japan. It is also called Yunimui or Īnubū in the local dialect. The wetland area extends for and is the largest in Okinawa Prefecture. The "Wetlands and Coral Reefs of Ikema-jima" have been selected by the Ministry of the Environment as one of the and the entire island, totaling . It was designated a Wildlife Protection Area on November 1, 2011.
History.
The island of Ikema-jima was formerly divided into an eastern and a western island, with a water lane between. The king of the four islands built a bridge between the two. Eventually, the two islands were connected. The northern water lane was called Īnubū with an opening in the south which was about . For the purposes of land reclamation, the water lane was interrupted between 1924 and 1934. Two area of land became reclaimed, one of , the other of . The wetland area outside the dike, combining both freshwater and seawater, was called Yunimui ("sand elevated area"). Between 1963 and 1982, Ikema Fishing Port was built and the wetland area was completely separated from the sea.
Observation Platform.
A wooden observation platform was replaced in 2009 with a steel platform. A road and parking lots were constructed.
A problem in the 21st century is that the wetland is shrinking with the growth of weeds.
Biota.
Fauna.
Birds.
The wetland is visited by Eurasian wigeon, mallard, eastern spot-billed duck, northern shoveler, garganey, Eurasian coot, , and Eurasian bittern. Purple heron and bean goose are rare visitors.
Fish and crustacean.
Tilapia and guppy of foreign origin are found. Discoplax or cross the road for reproduction every June. Coconut crabs are also found.
Insects.
Ceriagrion latericium ryukyuuanum, Cercion sexlineatum, Ictingomphus pertinax, Brachydiplax chalybea flavovittat, Tholymis tillarga are found. Other insects include Gerridae and Hydrophilidae.
Flora.
In 1983 the previous wetland was found to have become partly grassland with Panicum repens L. and Miscanthus sinensis. In the wetland were Panicum paludosum Roxb., Cyperus tenuispica Streud, Cyoerus pillosus Vahl, Cyperus difformis, Eleocharis geniculata, Fimbristylis miliacea and Aeschynomene indica. As a reminder of the Bay vegetation was Exoecaria agallocha L. as of 1978. At the frontline of water surface was Typha domingensis, toward the shore were Scirpus tabemaemontanic Gmelin, Paspalum vaginatum Schwarz and Cladium chinense Nees; they were seen in line. At the periphery of the Ikema Island were trees of Pandanus tectorius, while in the eastern muddy area was Clerodendrum inerme.