Wendy Benchley

Winifred "Wendy" Benchley ( Wesson; born February 4, 1941) is a marine and environmental conservation advocate and former councilwoman from New Jersey. She is known for co-founding various environmental organizations and for being the wife of author Peter Benchley.
Early life and career.
Wendy Wesson was born and raised in Montclair, New Jersey to Harrison and Dorcas Wesson. Harrison Wesson was a surgeon and served in the Philippines during WWII. Wendy Wesson graduated from Montclair High School in 1959, after which she did a grand tour of Europe with her family. Wesson continued her studies at Skidmore College where she majored in philosophy and psychology. While in college, Benchley became involved in activism and was arrested for picketing Woolworth in Saratoga Springs in protest of the department store's segregation policy.
Wendy Wesson met Peter Benchley at the Jared Coffin House in Nantucket in 1963, and the two were married the following year. The couple had their first child, a daughter named Tracy, in 1967. They later had a son named Clayton in 1969, and a third child, Christopher, in 1987.
Political and environmental activism.
While in Pennington, New Jersey, Peter Benchley wrote the novel "Jaws", which became a critical and commercial success. The process of researching ‘Jaws’ and the aftermath of the novel's success and film adaptation left both Peter and Wendy Benchley with a profound interest in sharks and ocean conservation. The couple subsequently became involved in conservation efforts and traveled internationally to meet with researchers and go cage diving with sharks. Wendy Benchley served as a Board member of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) from 1986 to 2006 and Peter was an EDF spokesperson. They made appearances together to speak about protecting sharks and conservation. Peter Benchley recalled his wife saving his life in 1974 during a televised cage diving expedition in the Neptune Islands off of Australia. Unnoticed by the crew, the great white shark being filmed got its teeth entangled in the rope that Peter Benchley's cage was suspended by and was struggling to break free. Wendy was the only one on board the crew's boat to notice and she successfully attempted to free the rope from the shark's mouth before it was severed.
Wendy Benchley later became active in environmentalism and grassroots political causes outside of marine conservation, co-founding the New Jersey Environmental Federation and becoming involved in New Jersey politics. During this time she advocated for green energy and environmental reforms. Wendy was elected to the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1992, before being elected to the Princeton Borough Council for three terms, from 1999 to 2008 before leaving New Jersey politics to focus on ocean conservation.
2006–present.
Peter Benchley died of pulmonary fibrosis on February 11, 2006 at the couple's home in Princeton, New Jersey. Wendy Benchley, along with David Helvarg, co-founded the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards in 2008 to honor the memory of the late Peter Benchley. Referred to as “the Academy Awards of the ocean”, the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards recognize outstanding achievements in the area of ocean conservation. The awards were originally a project of Blue Frontier but they later became a separate organization headed by Benchley and Helvarg. In addition to taking part in hosting and nominating recipients of the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards, Benchley has continued to advocate for marine conservation in other arenas. Benchley is an advisory trustee of the EDF, president of the board of SharkSavers, and a boardmember of WildAid and Blue Frontier Campaign. Benchley helped to facilitate the merger between SharkSavers and WildAid in 2014, which saw both organizations focus their resources on campaigns against sharkfin soup consumption, a leading cause of sharkfishing.
Benchley has supported organizations such as the Aspen Institute High Seas Initiative and the Coral Reefs on the High Seas Initiative to implement new marine conservation policies. Benchley supported BiteBack's advocacy against irresponsible media coverage of sharks and the sale of shark products such as sharkfin soup and shark steaks. In 2011, Benchley married John Jepson III, the grandson of industrialist John Jeppson.
Awards and recognition.
Benchley was awarded the 2014 SeaKeeper Award, and was inducted into the Women Diver's Hall of Fame in 2015. Benchley received the 2016 Beneath the Sea, Diver of the Year Award for environmentalism and 2017 Pegasus Wings Awards for her lifetime achievements as an ocean conservationist. In 2019 she was awarded the Rob Stewart Foundation Lifetime Achievement for Ocean Conservation Award.


Banksia oligantha

Banksia oligantha, commonly known as Wagin banksia, is an endangered species in the plant family Proteaceae endemic to south west Western Australia. It belongs to "Banksia" subg. "Isostylis", a subgenus of three closely related "Banksia" species with dome-shaped heads as inflorescences, rather than characteristic "Banksia" flower spikes. A shrub or small tree up to high, it has prickly foliage and pink and cream flowerheads which appear in late Spring (October to December).
First collected in 1984 near the wheatbelt town of Wagin, "Banksia oligantha" was officially described in 1987 by Australian botanist Alex George. Several scattered populations survive in fragments of remnant bushland in a region which has been mostly cleared for agriculture. It has been listed as Declared Rare Flora by the Western Australian Government.
Description.
"Banksia oligantha" grows as a single-trunked small tree or as an erect shrub with few main stems. Reports of its maximum height vary from to . When not in flower it is said to look somewhat like "Banksia sessilis" (Parrot Bush). It has smooth grey bark for the most part, though bark near the base of the trunk may be lightly fissured in older trees. Young stems are covered in hairs, both short and soft, and long and coarse; these are lost with age.
Its leaves are deep green and glossy above, and a pale matte green below. They are roughly oval-shaped, but concave rather than lying flat. There is a sharp point at the tip, and two to four more such points along each margin. They range in length from , and in width from , with a petiole long. Young leaves have a coating of woolly hairs on both sides, but these are soon lost except in pits in the undersurface.
Appearing from October to December (late spring), the flowers occur in dome-shaped heads from in diameter, growing at the ends of branches. These comprise just 20 to 35 individual flowers, enclosed at the base by a whorl of furry involucral bracts long. As with most other Proteaceae, each flower consists of a perianth comprising four united tepals, and a single pistil, the style of which is initially enclosed within the limb of the perianth, but breaks free at anthesis. In "B. oligantha", the perianth is long, with a limb of . Perianth colour grades from red at the base to pale yellow at the limb. The styles are straight, long, and uniformly cream.
Old flowers soon fall from the flower heads, revealing a woody dome with 1 to 6 follicles embedded in it. These are a mottled grey colour, smooth, and shortly furry. They are oval-shaped, measuring long by high by wide. Each follicle contains up to two winged seeds, from long.
"Banksia oligantha" is most easily distinguished from the other two species in "B." subg. "Isostylis" by its smaller leaves, flowers and fruit. Its foliage is also not as prickly as that of "B. cuneata".
Taxonomy.
Discovery and naming.
"Banksia oligantha" was discovered by Ken Wallace of the Government of Western Australia's Department of Conservation and Land Management (now the Department of Environment and Conservation) in September 1984, during a survey of Wangeling Gully Nature Reserve (Nature Reserve 9098), about northwest of Wagin. Two months later, on 18 November 1984, Anne Taylor collected from the same location what would become the type specimen. It was recognised as a new species well before a name was published for it, and was referred to in the interim by the informal names ""Banksia" aff. "Cuneata" and "Banksia" sp. Wagin". Alex George included an entry for it under the name "Banksia oligantha" in the 1987 second edition of his "The Banksia Book", but the formal publication of that name did not occur until the following year, when George's "New taxa and notes on "Banksia" L.f. (Proteaceae)" appeared. The specific epithet "oligantha" derives from the Greek "oligo-" ("few") and "anthos" ("flower"), in reference to the low number of flowers per flower head.
The species has an uneventful nomenclatural history: it has no synonyms, and no subspecies or varieties have been published.
Infrageneric placement.
George placed "B. oligantha" in subgenus "Isostylis" because of its dome-shaped flower heads. A 1996 cladistic analysis of the genus by botanists Kevin Thiele and Pauline Ladiges based on morphology yielded no information about the circumscription of "B." subg. "Isostylis" or the relationships within it, so George's placement of this species was retained. George largely discarded Thiele and Ladiges' changes in his 1999 arrangement, but again "B. oligantha"s placement was unaffected, and the placement of "B. oligantha" there can be summarised as follows:
Since 1998, American botanist Austin Mast and co-authors have been publishing results of ongoing cladistic analyses of DNA sequence data for the subtribe Banksiinae, which then comprised genera "Banksia" and "Dryandra". Their analyses suggest a phylogeny that differs greatly from George's taxonomic arrangement. "B. oligantha" resolves as sister taxon (that is, next closest relative) to "B. ilicifolia", and "B. cuneata" resolves as sister to these two. This suggests a monophyletic "B." subg. "Isostylis"; yet the clade appears fairly derived (that it, it evolved relatively recently), implying that "B." subgenus "Isostylis" may not merit subgeneric rank.
Early in 2007, Mast and Thiele rearranged the genus "Banksia" by merging "Dryandra" into it, and publishing "B." subg. "Spathulatae" for the taxa having spoon-shaped cotyledons; thus "B." subg. "Banksia" was redefined as encompassing taxa lacking spoon-shaped cotyledons. They foreshadowed publishing a full arrangement once DNA sampling of "Dryandra" was complete; in the meantime, if Mast and Thiele's nomenclatural changes are taken as an interim arrangement, then "B. oligantha" is placed in "B." subg. "Banksia".
Phylogeny.
Relationships between "B. oligantha" and the other members of "B." subg. "Isostylis" still remain unclear. Though Mast's studies found "B. cuneata" to be the most basal of the three species, a 2004 study of genetic divergence within the subgenus yielded both other possibilities: some analyses suggested "B. ilicifolia" as basal, while others suggested "B. oligantha". Further complicating the situation is the southernmost (and closest) population of "B. cuneata", which has both genetic and phenetic affinities with "B. oligantha". The origin of this population is unknown: it might have arisen through hybridisation, or it may be a transitional or even ancestral form. Finally, biogeographical factors suggest that "B. ilicifolia" would be the most basal of the three species: it occurs in the High Rainfall Zone where relictual species are most common, whereas the others are restricted to the Transitional Rainfall Zone, where more recently evolved species are most common.
Distribution and habitat.
"Banksia oligantha" occurs over a range of about in southern parts of the Avon Wheatbelt region of the Southwest Botanical Province of Western Australia. Four populations are known, containing about 1,700 adult plants in total:
The species grows in sand dunes of white, white-grey or yellow-brown sand, amongst a system of ephemeral salt creeks. Populations occur both in low-lying areas near creeks, and atop dunes. The vegetation has been described as low open woodland over heath, and as tall open shrubland with some scattered trees.
Ecology.
Little has been published on the ecology of "B. oligantha". Its lifespan is probably around 10 to 30 years.
Six species of honeyeater have been observed feeding at its flowers, as have insects including honeybees, ants, butterflies, beetles and native bees. Both birds and insects function as pollinators, but honeybees are probably not very effective: in one study only about 4% of honeybees collected pollen, and they tended to move from inflorescence to inflorescence on the same plant, rather than moving between plants.
Assessments of the mating system of this species have found that outcrossing rates vary between populations, with populations in disturbed environments tending to be more inbred than populations in relatively intact bushland. This has been attributed to a range of causes. Firstly, the higher density of disturbed populations leads to greater rates of mating between neighbouring plants, resulting in more genetic structure and thus more effective selfing. Secondly, disturbed populations usually lack an understorey, and so cannot support a resident population of honeyeaters; instead, they rely upon sporadic visits for pollination. The greatly reduced pollination rates means fewer outcrossing fertilisations on average, leading to less selection against inbred fertilisations.
Like many plants in south-west Western Australia, "B. oligantha" is adapted to an environment in which bushfire events are relatively frequent. Most "Banksia" species can be placed in one of two broad groups according to their response to fire: "reseeders" are killed by fire, but fire also triggers the release of their canopy seed bank, thus promoting recruitment of the next generation; "resprouters" survive fire, resprouting from a lignotuber or, more rarely, epicormic buds protected by thick bark. "B. oligantha" is a reseeder; it has thin bark, and lacks a lignotuber, so it is killed by fire. However, the species is weakly serotinous: fire triggers seed release, yet seed release still occurs in the absence of fire.
Seed germination rates are quite high. One study found germination rates better than 77% in most batches tested. Seed is likely to remain viable for a long time, as seed of the closely related "B. cuneata" remains viable for around ten years.
Conservation.
"Banksia oligantha" is listed as an endangered species under the federal "Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999" ("EPBC Act"), and as rare under Western Australia's "Wildlife Conservation Act 1950". These rankings are due to its small and severely fragmented distribution, and the ongoing degradation of its habitat. Threats include grazing by sheep and rabbits, drought, the drift of aerosol chemicals from surrounding farmland, invasion by weeds, and rising salinity. Studies have shown it to be moderately susceptible to "Phytophthora cinnamomi" dieback.
Cultivation.
"Banksia oligantha" is rarely seen in cultivation, though it is said to merit more consideration than it receives. It is a fast-growing plant that flowers prolifically, producing "lovely masses of matchstick-like cream flowers". However, its prickly foliage makes it unsuitable for growth near paths, it is prone to lose branches in strong wind, and it is often attacked by woodboring beetles.
Propagation is by seed, but these are hard to obtain. Seeds do not require any treatment before sowing, and take 37 to 40 days to germinate. Propagation by cutting has not been attempted, but might be possible, since the closely related "B. cuneata" has been propagated this way, albeit with unpredictable results. The plant should be grown in deep, acidic to neutral sand at a sheltered site. It is recommended to prune it when young, to encourage branching.


Weerribben-Wieden National Park

The Weerribben-Wieden National Park is a national park of the Netherlands in the Steenwijkerland municipality of the province of Overijssel. Comprising the largest bog of northwestern Europe, the park consists of two areas, De Weerribben and De Wieden, and has an area of roughly . The park was founded in 1992, but De Wieden was added only in 2009.
History and former use.
Large parts of the area were used for peat production until the Second World War. Since then a part of the area has been used for thatching reed production.
Present management.
The area is managed by the large private nature-conservation organisation Natuurmonumenten and by the Staatsbosbeheer (State Forest Service). Other parties are involved in management issues as well, such as local communities. About is still used for thatching reed production. Villages like the picturesque Giethoorn and monumental towns like Blokzijl and Vollenhove are important for tourism and recreation.
Vegetation and wildlife.
The vegetation and wildlife are typical for such an area, full of peat and water. Resident species include the water soldier, the sundew, the black tern, the northern pike and, recently, the otter. In addition, the Green Hawker and the Large Copper are found here.


List of World Heritage Sites in South Korea

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. The Republic of Korea accepted the convention on 14 September 1988, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. As of 2019, there are fourteen World Heritage Sites in South Korea, including thirteen cultural sites and one natural site.
The first three sites of South Korea, Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks, Jongmyo Shrine and Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple, were inscribed on the list at the 19th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Berlin, Germany in 1995. In 2007, Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes became the first site selected for its natural significance. South Korea's latest inscription, Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies, was added to the list in 2019.
In addition to its inscribed sites, South Korea also maintains fourteen properties on its tentative list.
World Heritage Sites.
UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, whereas vii through x are natural.
Tentative list.
In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. As of 2020, South Korea maintains thirteen properties on its tentative list:


Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve

The Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve is a conservation area in the Karamoja subregion of northeastern Uganda. It is the second largest conservation protected area in Uganda.
History.
The southern part of the reserve was gazetted as the Debasien Animal Sanctuary in 1958. A government-led project to convert land just south of the Greek River for agriculture threatened the viability of wildlife conservation in the whole area. In 1964 the area was expanded northward and renamed Pian-Upe Game Reserve.
A 2003 proposal to degazette the reserve in order to farm fruit on the land was blocked.
Geology.
There is a hot spring potential for Geothermal tapping at Cheposukunya. Further to that, there are Mercury wells at Mt. Kadam.
The reserve features semi arid climate with one rain season annually.
Biology.
Plants.
Most of the reserve is covered by undisturbed grassland and wooded grassland. Small areas of riverine woodland, kopjes also exist. Some land is cultivated, and especially the area near the Greek River is threatened by conversion.
Dominant tree species are red acacia and desert date. Also present are bushwillows, Harrisonia abyssinica and red spike-thorns. Shrubs include butterfly pea and wooly caper bush. Cultivated areas have many live fences of yellow oleander.
Common grasses in the grassland are thatching grass and bristle species. Less common are beard grasses and lemon grasses. Along the rivers Vlei bristle grass and red nut sedge dominate. The lower vegetation layer burns every year.
Large mammals.
Although the area once supported healthy populations of lions, elephants, black rhinos and giraffes, these are now locally extinct. The last giraffe was reportedly poached in 1995. In October 2019 15 giraffes from Murchison Falls National Park where reintroduced in the reserve by UWA. Populations of plains zebra, common eland, are also threatened Grants gazelle.
The most commonly sighted mammal in the reserve is the oribi. Others known to inhabit the area (as of 1996) include:
Reptiles.
Pian Upe is home to enormous rock pythons and smaller but venomous puff adders. Harmless water snakes are also found there.
The largest lizards in Pian Upe are the Savannah monitors. Others in the reserve include the common agama as well as skinks, chameleons and geckos.


Akimiski Island

Akimiski Island is the largest island in James Bay (a southeasterly extension of Hudson Bay), Canada, which is part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region of the territory of Nunavut. It has an area of , making it the 163rd largest island in the world, and Canada's 29th largest island. Akimiski Island is from the province of Ontario. From the western side of the island, the Ontario coastline is visible.
The island's name is Swampy Cree for "land across the water".
The island has no year-round human inhabitants; however, it is part of the Attawapiskat First Nation's traditional territory and is frequently used for traditional purposes. The surface of Akimiski is flat and slopes gradually to the north. Most of the vegetation that covers the island consists of lichen, moss, sedges, and dwarf black spruce. The island is a coastal wetland that includes mudflats, tidal marshes, and tidal mudflats. Freshwater streams that flow into southwestern James Bay carry sediments and abundant nutrients that help to sustain the productive waterfowl habitat around Akimiski Island.
The Akimiski Island Group includes Akimiski, Gasket, and Gullery islands; Albert Shoal; and the Akimiski Strait Isles.
Conservation.
Akimiski Island is the site of the Akimiski Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary, a Canadian Important Bird Area, site #NU036 (). Its eastern portion is also a federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary, and much of the coastline is a Key Migratory Bird Terrestrial Habitat site.
Fauna.
The coastal waters and wetlands of Akimiski Island (and James Bay in general) are important feeding grounds for many varieties of migratory birds. Notable species include:
Because James Bay and Hudson Bay are funnel-shaped, migrating birds from the Arctic concentrate in this area. During fall migration, an abundance of birds with both adults and young are present. In the springtime, the birds tend to reside in the southern areas of James Bay until the northern section thaws.
Among mammals, ringed seals, polar bears, and beluga whales can be found in the area.


Sassi di Matera

The Sassi di Matera are two districts (Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano) of the Italian city of Matera, Basilicata, well-known for their ancient cave dwellings inhabited since the Paleolithic period.
The "Sassi" have been described by Fodor's as "one of the most unique landscapes in Europe". Along with the park of the Rupestrian Churches, it was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993.
History.
The Sassi originate from a prehistoric troglodyte settlement and are suspected to be among the first human settlements in Italy. There is evidence that people were living here as early as the year 7000 BC.
The Sassi are houses dug into the calcarenitic rock itself, which is characteristic of Basilicata and Apulia, locally called "tufo" although it is not volcanic tuff or tufa. The streets in some parts of the Sassi often run on top of other houses. The ancient town grew up on one slope of the ravine created by a river that is now a small stream. The ravine is known locally as "la Gravina".
The term "sasso" derives from Latin "saxum", meaning a hill, rock or great stone.
In the 1950s, the government of Italy forcefully relocated most of the population of the Sassi to areas of the developing modern city. Beset by extreme poverty and riddled with malaria, the unhealthy living conditions were considered inhuman and an affront to the modern new Italian Republic of Alcide De Gasperi. However, people continued to live in the Sassi, and according to the English Fodor's guide:
Until the late 1980s this was considered an area of poverty, since many of these houses were, and in some cases still are, uninhabitable. The current local administration, however, has become more tourism-oriented, and it has promoted the regeneration of the Sassi with the aid of the European Union, the government, UNESCO. Today there are many thriving businesses, pubs, and hotels there, as described in an April 2015 article in "The New Yorker".
Geography.
The "Sassi" grew in the area of Murgia Plateau, extended between Apulia and Basilicata. Along with the "Civita" and the "Piano", the two Sassi form Matera's Old Town.
Culture.
The Sassi are visually reminiscent of ancient sites in and around Jerusalem, and for this reason they have been used in many Christian-themed films, including "The Gospel According to St. Matthew" (Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1964), "The Passion of the Christ" (Mel Gibson, 2004), "The Nativity Story" (Catherine Hardwicke, 2006) and "Ben-Hur" (Timur Bekmambetov, 2016).
They also appeared in Patty Jenkins's "Wonder Woman" (2017), serving as a location for the Amazons' city Themyscira, and Cary Joji Fukunaga's "No Time to Die" (2021), where a scene with James Bond's Aston Martin racing through was shot.


Estonian Nature Fund

Estonian Fund for Nature (Eestimaa Looduse Fond) or ELF is an Estonian environmental non-profit organisation.
Mission.
Mission of ELF is to preserve the rich natural diversity in Estonia and the world through active cooperation with individuals, business enterprises, organizations and state institutions through the following activities:
Founding.
ELF was established in 1991 by biologists and conservationists and in close co-operation with World Wide Fund for Nature. WWF has remained ELF's main international co-operation partner. ELF is a member of IUCN.
Board and Executives.
Board members:
The board is directing the activity of ELF convenes four times in a year and one third of its members will be re-elected in every two years (even years). The task of the Board is to give guidelines to the Executive Committee, workers and volunteers in planning the activities (approving annually the action plan and budget) and to counsel workers of the Fund in treating various issues. Members of the Board work on the voluntary basis.
Members of Executive Board in 2018:
Tarmo Tüür, Siim Kuresoo, Kadri Kalmus, Silvia Lotman and Kärt Vaarmari
Achievements.
After the restoration of independence of Estonia in 1991 a political decision was taken to restitute properties including land to the former owners or their descendants. Since it is much easier to form new protected areas when the land is owned by the state, ELF took quick action to safeguard the future of valuable areas by proposing the establishment of new big protected areas and natural parks. This led to the formation of Soomaa and Karula national parks and Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve. The area of these taken together is about 740 sq kilometres.
During the following years, ELF has played a significant role in the establishment of tens of other smaller protected areas in Estonia. ELF has carried on inventories of valuable habitats - wetlands, old-growth forests and meadows and participates in designing the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. In recent years ELF has more and more activities dedicated to environmental education, public awareness and public participation in environmental decisions and activities.


Belvoir Castle (Israel)

Belvoir Castle (, Kochav HaYarden "Star of the Jordan"; , Kawkab al-Hawa "Star of the Wind") is a Crusader castle in northern Israel, on a hill south of the Sea of Galilee. Gilbert of Assailly, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, began construction of the castle in 1168. The restored castle is located in Belvoir National Park. It is the best-preserved Crusader castle in Israel.
History.
Roman and Byzantine periods.
The Hebrew name, Kochav Hayarden, meaning "Star of the Jordan", preserves the name of Kochava – a Jewish village which existed nearby during the Roman and Byzantine periods.
Crusader period.
The Knights Hospitaller purchased the site from Velos, a French nobleman, in 1168. Standing above the Jordan River Valley, the plateau commanded the route from Gilead into the Kingdom of Jerusalem and a nearby river crossing. To the north is the Sea of Galilee and west are hills. The site of Belvoir Castle dominated the surrounding area, and in the words of Abu Shama the castle is "set admidst the stars like an eagle's nest and abode of the moon".
As soon as the Knights Hospitaller purchased the land they began construction of Belvoir Castle. While Gilbert of Assailly was Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller the order gained around thirteen new castles, among which Belvoir was the most important. The castle of Belvoir served as a major obstacle to the Muslim goal of invading the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem from the east. It withstood an attack by Muslim forces in 1180. During the campaign of 1182, the Battle of Belvoir Castle was fought nearby between King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and Saladin.
Following Saladin's victory over the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin, Belvoir was besieged. The siege lasted a year and a half, until the defenders surrendered on 5 January 1189. An Arab governor occupied it until 1219 when the Ayyubid ruler in Damascus had slighted. In 1241 Belvoir was ceded to the Franks, who controlled it until 1263.
Ottoman and British Mandate periods.
During the Ottoman period it became an Arab village, Kawkab al-Hawa, whose inhabitants were forced out by the Zionist forces during the 1947-48 civil war after a military assault by Yishuv forces.
Israel.
The Arab buildings on the site were demolished by the Israeli authorities between 1963 and 1968.
Architecture.
After the end of the Second World War, the study of Crusader castles experienced a lull. Syria, for instance, declared independence in 1946 and had little money to spare for archaeology. In Israel, the study of Crusader castles developed under Joshua Prawer. Its most significant discovery was made at Belvoir. Between 1963 and 1968 the Israel Department of Antiquities carried out excavations at the castle. Before the investigations, it had been assumed that Belvoir was a simple castle, with just a single enclosure. Excavations in the 1960s demonstrated the complex nature of early military architecture in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Belvoir's design bore similarities to that of a Roman castrum: the inner enclosure was rectangular with towers at the corners, and large gatehouse in the middle of one wall, in this case the west.
Belvoir is an early example of the concentric castle plan, which was widely used in later crusader castles. The castle was highly symmetric, with a rectangular outer wall, reinforced with square towers at the corners and on each side, surrounding a square inner enclosure with four corner towers and one on the west wall. According to historian H. J. A. Sire, the principle of concentric design used at Belvoir "was to influence castle design for the next several centuries." Vaults on the inner side of both walls provided storage and protection during bombardments. The castle was surrounded by a moat wide and deep.


Wildlife Preservation Canada

Wildlife Preservation Canada is a non-profit, non-governmental environmental organization with a mission to save animal species at risk from extinction in Canada by providing direct, hands-on care. It provides this critical need for multiple species in multiple recovery efforts across the country. Wildlife Preservation Canada utilizes science-based techniques such as conservation breeding and release, reintroduction and translocation. Its action plan is based on the urgency of the need and is updated annually. It was founded in 1985 by Gerald Durrell.
At the same time, Canada's conservation capacity is increased by providing young scientists the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in working with species at risk. "Canada's New Noah" scholarship program is designed to develop future conservation leaders with specialized expertise in recovery techniques for species on the brink of extinction.
All of the work yields measurable results. Scientists collect high-quality field data so the impact of their efforts may be quantified and effective recovery strategies planned. Tools and techniques are continually refined and improved and the results are published so that this new knowledge is shared and can be used elsewhere. When the data shows that hands-on intervention is no longer necessary — as in the case of the swift fox — the resources are deployed to help other species in greater need.


Sid Vale Association

The Sid Vale Association (SVA) is a voluntary conservation charity. It is headquartered in the coastal town of Sidmouth in the English county of Devon. Following the government's restructuring of the legal framework for charities the SVA was registered as CIO No 1154749 on 26 November 2013.
It was the first Civic Society in Britain, founded in 1846 by John Carslake. It focuses on preserving and enhancing the civic fabric and the countryside of the Sid valley and encouraging public enjoyment of facilities in the valley. The Society owns over of the countryside surrounding Sidmouth and has done extensive work within and around the town especially around 'The Byes Walk' that runs from Sidford to Sidmouth.
Some of the association's works were the development of 'Margaret's Meadow' and the preservation of 'Bluebell Wood' located on Salcombe Hill, Sidmouth.
It administers the Keith Owen fund. Owen left a considerable sum of money to the town in 2008. Grants are made annually from the interest of the capital he left to encourage and support initiatives which enhance the area and promote leisure and pleasure facilities.


Jack Beale

Jack Gordon Beale AO (17 July 1917 – 7 June 2006) was an Australian politician who championed the need for Australia to conserve and develop its water resources. He was also Australia's first environment minister. In his obituary in The Sydney Morning Herald, he was described as "a visionary, one of the first to realize what would become vital issues in Australia: the potential of water resources and the limited capacity of the environment to sustain abuse." Known as the 'Water Man,' he was quoted as saying:
"Australia is the lowest, flattest, hottest and driest continent on the earth and we have to manage it accordingly." Most of Australia's rivers flow relatively short distances to the sea. As early as 1963, Jack Beale called for water from Australia's rivers to be diverted to the arid inland.
Early life and education.
Jack Beale was born in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, on 17 July 1917, the second child of Rupert Noel Beale, a stock and station agent whose business failed in a drought. His mother was Esther Anderina Green from New Zealand. He attended state schools in rural Scone and the industrial city of Newcastle, and earned an honors diploma in mechanical engineering from Sydney Technical College. He joined the New South Wales Department of Public Works in 1936, where he saw the irrigation and energy potential of the state's rivers and developed a passion which was to last a lifetime for water conservation and irrigation. At age 48 he earned a Masters of Engineering degree from the University of New South Wales with a thesis on water irrigation efficiency.
Political career.
Jack Beale's father Rupert was elected a Member of the Legislative Assembly in the New South Wales state parliament in 1941. After Rupert Beale's death in 1942, Jack Beale ran in the by-election for his father's electorate, South Coast, winning as an independent and becoming at the age of 25 the youngest member of the NSW parliament. He served in parliament for 31 years and won three elections as an independent and 8 as a member of the Liberal Party. He was an independent or in opposition for 22 consecutive years of his parliamentary career, and was a cabinet minister in the Askin government for the last nine 9 years. When Askin became Premier in 1965, he offered Jack Beale the Minister for Public Works portfolio, which ranked fifth in state protocol. He declined the position and asked for the portfolio of Minister for Conservation, which ranked thirteenth, but which was responsible for the state's water, soil and forests and which interested him more. He embarked on a program to develop the state's water resources, initiating comprehensive river valley surveys and an infrastructure program constructing new dams and weirs. While his primary motivation was to support farmers, he also directed water releases from state dams to preserve the ecology of the Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve.
1n 1971 he became NSW Minister for Environmental Control and was Australia's first environment minister. He established the state's Pollution Control Commission, which later became the Environmental Protection Authority. Making issues such as the water quality of Sydney Harbor a priority, he sponsored early legislation relating to clean air, clean water, air pollution control and waste disposal.
He was also Minister assisting the Premier and Treasurer and participated in negotiations with the federal government on revenue sharing. After falling out with Askin, he resigned from parliament in October 1973, one month before a state election. The Liberal Party lost the seat.
Post–political career.
In business.
After working as a cadet engineer at the NSW Public Works department, Jack Beale worked as an engineer at Shell Australia and later as a consulting engineer. An energetic man who found life as a parliamentary backbencher too quiet, he started during his parliamentary career over 20 small businesses, including Springs Pty. Ltd. which manufactured springs and paperclips and Rain Spray Sprinklers Pty. Ltd. which manufactured irrigation equipment. He also served as non-executive chairman of Talcott Factors Limited, a listed finance company. When he became a cabinet minister he was forced to give up his business interests but after leaving politics he plunged back into his irrigation business, which he later sold it to James Hardie Limited.
He also initiated the private power industry in New South Wales. Starting in 1987, in his 70s, he proposed first to the Unsworth and then the Greiner governments that he develop privately owned and operated hydroelectric power stations at 13 state dams. After fighting bureaucratic opposition and the entrenched interest of the monopoly Electricity Commission, he eventually won a public tender to establish power stations at three dams, Burrendong, Copeton and Glenbawn (near Scone where he had lived as a child). He produced his first electricity in 1995 when he was 78.
In non–profit activities.
In 1955, Jack Beale founded the Water Research Foundation of Australia to fund research into the development and control of Australia's water resources, and was its chairman for 30 years. From 1974 to 1977 he was an adviser to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and undertook advisory missions to Thailand, Venezuela, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. He was a delegate to the Water for Peace Conference in Washington in 1967 and to the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972.
Honours.
Jack Beale was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1999, and the Centenary Medal in 2001. He received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Australian National University and an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of New South Wales. The Australian National University established a Jack Beale Chair of Water Resources and the University of New South Wales established an annual Jack Beale Lecture on the Global Environment.
Family.
Jack Beale had two siblings: Peggy Willoughby Beale, who married Lloyd Miller of Gerringong, NSW, and William Sugden Beale, who married Judith Edgell of Cowra, NSW.
Jack Beale married (1) Pamela June Anne Wallis, daughter of David Lindsay Wallis and Ella Gwendoline Holbrook, in 1942 and (2) Stephania Toth-Dobranski, a Polish immigrant to Australia, in 1965.
He had two sons with Pamela Wallis, David John Beale, an engineer, and Christopher William Beale, who led the banking industry in the development of the Equator Principles, a process for handling environmental risk in development projects.
Jack Beale died in the Sydney suburb of Elizabeth Bay in 2006 at the age of 89.


Babelsberg Palace

Babelsberg Palace () lies in the eponymous park and quarter of Potsdam, the capital of the German state of Brandenburg, near Berlin. For over 50 years it was the summer residence of Prince William, later German Emperor William I and King of Prussia and his wife, Augusta of the House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, German Empress and Queen of Prussia.
History.
The building, designed in the English Gothic revival style, was built in two phases over the period 1835–1849. The contract to plan the palace was given to the architects Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Ludwig Persius and Johann Heinrich Strack.
On 22 September 1862 in the palace and adjoining park the discussion between King William I of Prussia and Otto von Bismarck took place that ended with the nomination of Bismarck as Minister President and Foreign Minister of Prussia.
The architecture of Babelsberg Palace formed the template for the construction of Kittendorf Palace between 1848 and 1853 in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, by Schinkel's pupil, Friedrich Hitzig.
World Heritage Site.
Since 1990, Babelsberg Palace has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin". The palace is administered by the "Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg".
Since 2013, the palace has been undergoing an intense renovation of its facades and interiors.


National parks of Taiwan

National parks of Taiwan are protected spaces for the nature, wildlife, and history under their current jurisdiction. Currently there are nine national parks in Taiwan, all under the administration of the Ministry of the Interior. These national parks cover . The total land area constitutes around 8.6% of the entire land area of the country.
The first national parks were designated for establishment in 1937, when Taiwan was under Japanese rule, though never formally managed as such. After World War II, calls for protecting the natural environment were met with opposition due to the prioritization of economic development. The National Park Law was passed in 1972 and the first national park was established in 1984.
National parks should not be confused with national scenic areas. The national scenic areas are administered by the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. There are also different philosophies that govern the development of the two types of areas. For a national park, the emphasis is on the preservation of natural and cultural resources, with development for human utilization being a secondary priority.
History.
The first in Taiwan were planned in December 27, 1937 by Governor-General . This was when Taiwan was under Japanese rule, thus the three national parks were to be national parks of the Empire of Japan.
The legal basis for these national parks was no longer in force when Japan withdrew from Taiwan in 1945 after World War II. However, these planned national parks formed the basis for subsequent national park establishments.
Current national parks of Taiwan.
Currently there are nine national parks in Taiwan. There is also one national nature park, which is designed for areas with fewer resources compared to a full national park.
Proposed national parks.
Five other national parks were proposed but the plans of formation were halted due to opposition:
Proposed national nature park.
Another national nature park was proposed but the plans of formation were halted due to opposition:


Claudio Sillero-Zubiri

Claudio Sillero-Zubiri was born in Argentina and is a British zoologist. He is a Professor of Conservation Biology at Oxford University's WildCRU, the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, and Bill Travers Fellow at Lady Margaret Hall. He is the Chair of the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group, and Chief Scientist of the Born Free Foundation. He is internationally recognized for his work with carnivore conservation, and in particular the endangered Ethiopian wolf ("Canis simensis").
He studied at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata, then obtained his Ph.D. at Oxford University in 1994 with a study on the behavioural ecology of the Ethiopian wolf. Academic interests are the behavioural ecology of carnivores, conservation biology, population biology and disease dynamics, with a particular interest in the Canidae.
His work includes the conservation of endangered species, protected areas management, and wildlife surveys for 35 years spanning four continents. In 1998 he received the Whitley Award for Animal Conservation from the Royal Geographical Society for his work in Ethiopia.
Becoming increasingly involved in the relationships between protected areas and their surrounding rural communities, he is now working with biodiversity conservation policies and practices, particularly in South America, India and Ethiopia.
His work with the IUCN Canid Specialist Group began in 1995 assisting with various conservation programmes and coordinating the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP). He is the Chair of the Canid Specialist Group, and Editor of the "Canid Biology and Conservation" journal. He is also active in several other IUCN Specialist Groups.
Prof Sillero is frequently a keynote speaker at the annual Wildlife Conservation Network expo.


Cocos Marine Conservation Area

Cocos Marine Conservation Area () is an administrative area which is managed by SINAC for the purposes of conservation of Cocos Island, in the Pacific Ocean national waters of Costa Rica.
This conservation area stretches from the south extreme point of Nicoya Peninsula towards Cocos Island, geographically as an island territory, it has pronounced topography, it is frequently cloudy and has copious amounts of rain year round. Cocos Island National Park and two marine management areas are within the ACMC.
There are 235 plant species, 400 of insects (65 endemic), 5 of reptiles (2 terrestrial endémic), 3 of marine turtles, 100 of birds (13 resident, 3 endemic), 50 arthropods (7 endemic), 57 of crustaceans, 600 of marine molluscs and 250 of fish.
Among fish there are whitetip shark, hammerhead shark, yellowfin tuna, parrotfish, manta ray and jurel.


Oviedo

Oviedo (, , ; ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. Oviedo is located approximately southwest of Gijón and south of Avilés, both of which lie on the shoreline of the Bay of Biscay. Oviedo's proximity to the ocean of less than in combination with its elevated position with areas of the city more than 300 metres above sea level causes the city to have a maritime climate, in spite of its not being located on the shoreline itself.
History.
The Kingdom of Asturias began in 720, with the Visigothic aristocrat Pelagius's (685–737) revolt against the Muslims who at the time were occupying most of the Iberian Peninsula. The Moorish invasion that began in 711 had taken control of most of the peninsula, until the revolt in the northern mountains by Pelagius. The resulting Kingdom of Asturias, located in an economically poor region of Iberia, was largely ignored by the Muslims. In 720, the area where Oviedo is now located was still uninhabited.
It is said that two monks, Máximo and Fromestano (), founded the city in 761. That settlement was soon to be completed with the construction of a small church dedicated to Saint Vincent. Oviedo was established on an uninhabited hillside, with no Visigothic or Roman foundation before it became an Asturian city. Following Pelagius, who died in 737, Alfonso I (739–57) founded a dynasty that reigned until 1037. The Asturian Kingdom was on hostile terms with southern Moorish Spain. In 794, Oviedo was sacked and pillaged by Caliph Hisham I in one of his numerous campaigns against the Christian kingdoms.
King Alfonso I is said to have "set in place the whole order of the Goths, as it had been in Toledo, as much in the church as in the palace." The intention with Oviedo was to shape it into a city similar to that of Visigothic Toledo. Once kings had settled in Oviedo, they adopted as much of the architectural style and imagery of Toledo. Even with this in mind, Oviedo did not necessarily resemble the old Visigothic capital in Toledo. The churches and buildings of Oviedo follow instead late provincial Roman tradition. Since Asturias at the time was an agriculturally poor area of Spain the scale of the buildings is quite impressive.
Oviedo's rich architectural tradition began with King Fruela I (757–768). King Fruela I of Asturias, the fourth of the Asturian monarchs, was the first decided promoter of the city as may be witnessed by his construction of both a palace and a nearby church. This church was later restored by Alfonso II. Oviedo owes to a later king, Alfonso II The Chaste (791–842), its establishment as a capital city and ruling seat as a result of the moving of the court from Pravia and the creation of the Pilgrim's Route to Santiago de Compostela, a major event in the history of Oviedo, a church dedicated to The Saviour, the Cathedral of San Salvador, and a royal palace formed the nucleus of Oviedo. Also constructed during Alfonso II's reign was the San Julian de los Prados church, which is one of the best preserved Asturian churches. Alfonso II's successor, Ramiro I (842–850), continued Alfonso II's construction streak. Ramiro I constructed two buildings, the Church Santa Maria del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo. The Church Santa Maria de Naranco was likely to originally be Ramiro I's palace and later changed into a church. By this time the Court of the Palace was centered in Oviedo, which was the main royal residence. This court was controlled by member of the Asturian nobility.
Ramiro I's (842–850) eight-year tenure was uneasy, he faced rebellions from the Counts of the Palace. The first rebellion against Ramiro I was led by Alroitus, and the second rebellion was led by Piniolus. Both of these rebellions were unsuccessful in removing Ramiro I. These rebellions may have been why Ramiro I built his palace in the mountains surrounding Oviedo, presumably away from the violence. During the 9th century in Oviedo, Roman style property law is common. 9th century documents also indicate small scale aristocracies across the kingdom, as well as a large presence of a landowning peasantry.
Following Ramiro I's reign, Ordoño I (850–866) came into power and began the Asturian king's father-son succession. Ordoño I was the first king to push southwards into Arab territory. Following Ordoño I's death on May 27, 866, usurpers attempted to take the throne. The following king Alfonso III (866–910), who was thirteen at the time, took refuge in Castile until his followers had killed the usurper.
Alfonso III's contributions to building construction are not nearly as well documented as Ramiro I's or Alfonso II's contributions. The Chronicle of Alfonso III does not mention any buildings created by Alfonso III, neither does the Chronicle of Albelda. In 882, the body of the Cordoban martyr Eulogius was sent to Oviedo. This was meant a diplomatic gift from Emir Muhammad I (852–886). Eulogius was executed in 859. The body was likely accompanied by Eulogius's book collection. In the 16th century, the only manuscript of Eulogius's writings was discovered in the Oviedo Cathedral Library. Here it was copied once before it disappeared completely from the library. Following an offensive in 881 against an Umayyad army, Alfsonso III returned to Oviedo to rebuild churches. It was at this time he constructed one or more palaces. The Chronicle of Albelda and the Chronicle of Sampiro tie Alfonso III's victories in battle to his program of church building in Oviedo. In 908, Alfonso III commissioned a gold and jewelled cross to contain the cross carried by Pelagius I at Covadonga. This "Cross of Victory" is located in the Camara Sancta in the Oviedo Cathedral. However, recent Carbon14 analysis of the wooden cross indicates that it was no older than the golden casing created to surround the cross. The commission of the casing shows us Alfonso III's interest in perpetuating the legend of Pelagius I.
Towards the end of Alfonso III's reign, he faced many challenges. In 901, a prophet named Alhaman led a "great army of Muslims" and attempted to take Zamora. To add to this, Alfonso III's brother Vermudo revolted in Astorga. There were several attempts at the aging Alfonso III's life by his sons. Alfonso III was overthrown by sons, and died in Zamora. His body was taken to Oviedo for burial.
The moving of the royal court to León, after the death of Alfonso III, 'The Great', links the life of the city to the relics preserved in its cathedral and the passing of pilgrims that visit El Salvador, and continue on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Kings spent less and less time in Oviedo following the change, and spent more time in the rich Duero Plains. León was built up after it became the capital, and eventually surpassed Oviedo in terms of construction.
During the 12th century, many Royal Charters were fabricated by Bishop Pelayo de Oviedo, "el fabulador" ("the fabulist"). Since were few checks on internal bookkeeping in the Asturian kingdom actions like this were commonplace in the kingdom. When original documents faded, they were copied onto cartularies and often with alterations that suited the needs of those who copied the documents. The most glaring example can be seen in the "Liber Testamentorum", which was compiled by Bishop Pelayo de Oviedo in 1109. This document contained many confirmation rights and property rights of the Oviedo cathedral by Asturian and Leonese Kings. Bishop Pelayo's intent behind this was to try to gain the independence of his see from the archbishop of Toledo or Santiago, as well as to promote Oviedo as a pilgrim destination. According to Sánchez-Albornoz, "He (Bishop Pelayo) always, always, always falsified." It is assumed that Bishop Pelayo never committed forgery for the enjoyment, but primarily to promote the church of Oviedo.
The following centuries (12th–16th) witness the development of the medieval city, the outlines of which are still preserved today, the construction of the city walls, a devastating fire which took place on Christmas Eve in 1521, and the aqueduct works, "Los Pilares", constructed in order to provide the city with water throughout the 16th century.
The foundation of the Arts College (University of Oviedo) by Fernando de Valdés Salas, at the beginning of the 17th century, opened Oviedo to a progressive urban expansion. Further impulse was in the 18th century by the regional nobility and the construction of remarkable palaces; in the 19th century by industrial growth and the suburban development of Uría Street; and finally in the 20th century by administrative and commercial development.
In October 1934, there was a left-wing revolt against the conservative government, based in several cities. In Asturias, the fighting developed into a small, short-lived civil war: the Asturian miners' strike of 1934. 50,000 workers, mostly miners, armed themselves with dynamite and captured Oviedo after heavy fighting. They gained control of the arsenal with 30,000 rifles and machine guns. The Army Chief of Staff, General Francisco Franco sent in soldiers who overpowered the rebels after severe street fighting that left 3,000 rebels dead and 7,000 wounded. The cathedral was badly damaged, with its eighth-century chapel blown up by a mine. In the aftermath, many false atrocity stories circulated.
The Siege of Oviedo in 1936 was a memorable event in the Spanish Civil War. The army garrison rose in support of the Nationalist coup d'état and withstood a siege of three months by an improvised Republican force until relieved in 1937.
Geography.
Oviedo is located in the centre of Asturias between the Nalón River and Nora River. To the north lie Las Regueras and Llanera, to the south Mieres and Ribera de Arriba, to the east Siero and Langreo, and to the west Grado and Santo Adriano. The altitude of Oviedo is between 80 and 709 metres above sea level. The city is protected against strong winds by Monte Naranco in the north and the Sierra del Aramo in the south. The city centre is rather hilly.
Economy.
The economy is strongly dependent on the service sector, with many office buildings in the city centre. Oviedo's status as the administrative centre of the region supports a large number of jobs in public administration. The manufacturing sector, which remains important in this part of Spain, is not prevalent in Oviedo itself, but is more important in the adjacent municipalities of Siero and Llanera which lie to the north of the city, between Oviedo and Gijon. In 2009, the municipality had a total debt of €135 million.
Architecture.
Oviedo contains a very rich architectural history, with many buildings dating back to the early medieval period. Many of the building projects were undertaken during Alfonso II's (791-842) reign and Ramiro I's (842-850) reign. Alfonso III's contributions are not as well documented.
Alfonso II is said to have built four churches, one dedicated to Christ the Saviour, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Tyrsus, and SS Julian and Basilissa. There are few traces of the churches dedicated to the Saviour, the Virgin Mary, and St. Tyrsus. The San Salvador church, which was dedicated to the Saviour, is likely beneath the Cathedral of Oviedo. The church of Santa Maria de la Corte, which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was demolished in 1702. As for St. Tyrsus, the church dedicated to him exists today as the church of San Tirso. Only a wall and a three light window are believed to have been built by Alfonso II, the majority of the rest of the church is dated to the 14th century. The best preserved church constructed during Alfonso II's time was San Julian de los Prados.
Two buildings are said to have been built during Ramiro I's reign, one was a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the other construction was a palace. These were built just outside Oviedo, on Monte Lignum. The church Santa Maria de Naranco seems to originally have been a palace, but later repurposed into a church. The church has an atypical plan from other churches at its time, possibly because it was supposed to contain a throne room for the king. The other church built during Ramiro I's time was San Miguel de Lillo.
The Chronicle of Albelda, one of the primary sources used to discern which King commissioned which building, only extends to 883. Because of this, constructions undertaken during Alfonso III's time as king were not documented.
The following is a list of the notable architectural sites in Oviedo:
Culture.
Oviedo inspired the fictional city of "Vetusta" in Leopoldo Alas's "La Regenta". Other Spanish writers were inspired by the city, including Ramón Pérez de Ayala in "Tigre Juan" and Dolores Medio in her novel "Nosotros los Rivero".
Oviedo was featured prominently in Woody Allen's movie "Vicky Cristina Barcelona".
Museums in Oviedo:
Other cultural centres in Oviedo:
Cultural institutions:
Orquesta Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias is the premier orchestra of the region, the Principality of Asturias. This full-time symphony orchestra performs a wide range of the classical repertoire with world class soloists and conductors. It is based in the Auditorio Principe Felipe in Oviedo, but it also performs regularly at the main concert venues in Gijón and Avilés. It is Internationally recognized as one of the best orchestras in Spain, it is also committed to adventurous programing with strong emphasis on education and community partnerships. Rossen Milanov is the Music Director.
Oviedo also hosts the annual Princess of Asturias Awards (previously called the Prince of Asturias Awards). This prestigious event, held in the city's Campoamor Theatre, recognizes international achievement in eight different categories. Previous award winners include Oscar Niemeyer, Bob Dylan and Francis Ford Coppola in the category of Arts; Nelson Mandela, the International Space Station and Al Gore in the category of International Cooperation; and Mario Bunge, CNN and Quino in the category of Communications and Humanities.
Oviedo University's international campus attracts many foreign scholars from all over the globe.
The city lends its name to the sudarium of Oviedo a religious relic revered there since the 9th century.
Politics.
The current mayor is Alfredo Canteli (PP).
Sports.
Formula One.
The most famous athlete from Oviedo is 2005 and 2006 Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso, famous for being Spain's only Formula One title winner, having raced for teams like Renault, Ferrari and McLaren. Alonso has his official career and life museum, together with a karting circuit designed by himself, in Llanera, nearby Oviedo.
Feasts and traditions.
The Festive Calendar:
Typical gastronomy of the province:
Climate.
Oviedo's climate is temperate oceanic (Cfb in the Köppen climate classification). Its climate is very similar to neighbouring city Gijón, with only narrow fluctuations in temperature due to its higher altitude and more inland location. Oviedo's warmest month is in August with an average high of . The city centre is located at a lower elevation than the weather station so is likely somewhat milder year-round. Its maritime position renders winters much milder than in continental Spain such as in the Madrid capital region, but summers naturally are far less hot than in the interior. There is a slight drying tendency during summer, albeit far less significant than in other areas of Spain.
Transport.
Airports.
Oviedo is served by Asturias Airport, about from the center of the city; it is located in the municipality of Castrillon.
The airport is connected to the city by the A-8 motorway, the A-66 motorway and scheduled bus service (Alsa).
Public transport.
Oviedo currently has 15 bus lines and one (owl) line. The owl services work on Saturday Sunday and festive nights, except Christmas and Christmas Eve. Last two lines ("Línea U" y "Línea V") who connect rural zones of Oviedo were implemented in March 2020 and they only operate between Monday and Friday.
Rail.
The Oviedo railway station provides a wide range of long- and middle-distance services, in addition to regional and suburban ("cercanías") services operated by Renfe, and the narrow-gauge Renfe Feve lines. Within the municipality, there are others rail stations on the Cercanías Asturias network, in La Corredoria, Llamaquique, El Caleyo, Olloniego, Santa Eulalia de Manzaneda, Tudela-Veguín, Parque Principado, Colloto, Argañosa-Lavapiés, Las Campas, Las Mazas, San Claudio, Soto-Udrión, Trubia, Fuso de la Reina, and Caces.
Tramway.
From 1922 to 1956, there was a tramway system in Oviedo
International relations.
Twin towns — sister cities.
Oviedo is twinned with:


Rainforest Partnership

Rainforest Partnership is an environmental organization based in Austin, Texas that works to help rainforest communities in Ecuador and Peru become economically self-sufficient, while educating communities in the United States about the role rainforests play in climate protection. It serves to link communities located in and around Latin American rainforests with partner communities in the United States.
History.
Rainforest Partnership was founded in 2007 by Niyanta Spelman, Hazel Barbour, Jordan Erdos, and Bob Warneke, facilitated by Beth Caplan.
In 2008, Rainforest Partnership had established its first major partnership with the community of Chipaota in Peru.
Projects and Activities.
Projects.
Projects aim to create and support sustainable economic alternatives to deforestation and give local communities a stake in preserving their forests. The mission of a project depends on the nature of the forest and the local community, this includes creating a market in the United States for shade grown crops such as acai berries, cacao, or coffee, medicinal plants, palm trees or for crafts made by local artisans. Rainforest Partnership's first project, in Chipaota, Peru, involved creating a sustainable management plan for harvesting piassaba palms from which to make brooms.
In some communities, such as Pampa Hermosa, Peru, it is more appropriate to develop plans for sustainable logging and for ecotourism. In protecting cloud forests, as the project in Pampa Hermosa aims to do by introducing alternatives to deforestation, local communities are faced with a "win-win" situation according to Ken Young of UT Austin's Geography department. Animals and wildlife are protected while the needs of local people go unharmed. Through a bottom up approach, Rainforest Partnership matches economic development choices to the needs and desires, culture, knowledge, and skills of local communities, and to the opportunities presented by each individual rainforest. The organization functions on a "collective model" in which "much depends on the active consent and ideas of the Latin American partners" describes Michael Barnes of the Austin American-Statesman.
Films for the Forest.
Since May 13, 2010, Rainforest Partnership has held the short film competition Films for the Forest (F3) in which films between 30 seconds to 3 minutes long are submitted centered around a featured theme. Since 2012, F3 has been featured at SXSW Film Festival Community Screenings. The films held in the competition are sent from around the world, including "countries as far away as Brazil, Italy and India". Richard Linklater has served as the primary judge for the competition every year since 2010 alongside guest judges including: Lisa McWilliams, Michel Scott, and Evan Smith (2010) Elizabeth Avellan and Ed Begley Jr. (2011) Elizabeth Avellan and Philippe Cousteau Jr. (2012) Philippe Cousteau Jr., Jay Duplass, and Dana Wheeler-Nicholson (2013) Sarah Backhouse, Dilly Gent, and Ginger Sledge (2014) Eloise DeJoria, Taylor Ellison, and Kenny Laubbacher (2015) Solly Granastein and Julio Quintana (2016) Michael Cain and Alonso Mayo (2017).
World Rainforest Day.
On June 22, 2017 Rainforest Partnership launched the inaugural World Rainforest Day. The holiday was started as a means to bring awareness to the importance of tropical rainforests and encourage action to prevent deforestation. Partners for World Rainforest Day include Avoided Deforestation Partners, South by Southwest, Austin EcoNetwork, Earthx Film, Bonobo Conservation Initiative, 2020 or Bust, Earth Day ATX, and Ear to the Earth.
Media.
Rainforest Partnership has been featured in multiple local media outlets including the Austin American-Statesman's online counterpart, Austin360.com, listener-supported public radio station KUT, and local news station News 8 YNN Austin. Further articles have appeared in The Austin Chronicle, an alternative weekly newspaper published on Thursdays in Austin.


List of World Heritage Sites in Slovenia

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designates World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value to cultural or natural heritage which have been nominated by countries which are signatories to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. Slovenia, following the declaration of independence from Yugoslavia on 25 June 1991, ratified the convention on 5 November 1992.
, there are four sites in Slovenia inscribed on the list and five sites on the tentative list. The first site in Slovenia to be added to the list was the Škocjan Caves, inscribed at the 10th UNESCO session in 1986. In the 2010s, three more sites were inscribed, all of them transnational entries: pile dwellings at Ig, part of the Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps transnational site, in 2011, Idrija, as part of the transnational site Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija, in 2012, and two forest reserves, the Krokar and Snežnik–Ždrocle Virgin Forests in 2017, as a part of the extension to the site of Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany. Of these four sites, Škocjan Caves and the Primeval Beech Forests are natural sites while the other two are cultural sites, as determined by the organization's selection criteria.
World Heritage Sites.
UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, whereas vii through x are natural.
Tentative list.
In addition to the sites inscribed on the World Heritage list, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage list are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. , Slovenia recorded five sites on its tentative list.


Namtok Sam Lan National Park

Namtok Sam Lan National Park () is a national park in Saraburi Province, Thailand. Other names for the park include Khao Sam Lan National Park and Phra Puttachai National Park. Home to waterfalls, reservoirs and forests, the park is located near the cave temple Wat Phra Puttachai.
Geography.
Namtok Sam Lan National Park is located about south of Saraburi town. The park's area is encompassing parts of four districts: Kaeng Khoi District, Nong Khae District, Wihan Daeng District and Mueang District. The highest point is the viewpoint on Khao Khrok peak at .
History.
During World War II, the Japanese Army occupied and used this area as an encampment, entailing the destruction of some of the park's forests. In 1960 the Thai government began the restoration of this forest and designated it a conservation area. On 2 June 1981, Namtok Sam Lan was designated a National Park.
Attractions.
The park's best-known attractions are its waterfalls. The park's namesake Sam Lan Waterfall has three levels, each of about . Other waterfalls include Pho Hin Dat, Roi Kueak Ma and Ton Rak Sai.
Flora and fauna.
Namtok Sam Lan's forest consists of deciduous and mixed forest. Tree species include ironwood, Burmese ebony, Siamese sal and makha. Other vegetation includes bamboo, rattan and orchid.
Animal species include pheasant, jungle fowl, barking deer, mouse deer, wild boar and squirrel. Avian life is believed to have once included the white-eyed river martin, a native of northern Thailand now considered extinct. The park is also noted for its various butterfly species.


All Saints Church, Blizne

All Saints Church in Blizne - a Gothic, wooden church located in the village of Blizne from the fifteenth-century, which together with different churches is designated as part of the UNESCO Wooden Churches of Southern Lesser Poland.
The church in Blizne is one of the most notable heritage sites of wooden sacramental architecture in Poland, as one of the most notable wooden churches in Poland, the church is part of the Trail of Wooden Architecture in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship ("Szlak Architektury Drewnianej").
History.
A unique church-parish complex situated on a hilltop, surrounded by ancient woodland. The wooden church has fortification structures, raised in the fifteenth or sixteenth-century (most likely prior to 1470), in the Gothic architectural style. The church's tower was built in the first half of the seventeenth-century, with the "soboty" (wooden undercut supported by pillars) deconstructed.
Architecture.
The church is built with the technology used to build a log house, built from fir planks. Initially, the church had a hook-block connection, characteristic of Lesser Poland architecture. A large bell tower is located to the west of the church, with hanging a starling. The dome of the church is covered with wood shingle. The church is surrounded by a garden with walled chapels.


Jison-in

 is a Buddhist temple in the town of Kudoyama that marks the entrance to the pilgrimage route of Koyasan. It is part of the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range" UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Koyasan complex includes


Wilderness study area

A wilderness study area (WSA) contains undeveloped United States federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, and managed to preserve its natural conditions. WSAs are not included in the National Wilderness Preservation System until the United States Congress passes wilderness legislation.
On Bureau of Land Management lands, a WSA is a roadless area that has been inventoried (but not designated by Congress) and found to have wilderness characteristics as described in Section 603 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and Section 2(c) of the Wilderness Act of 1964. Wilderness Study Area characteristics:
BLM manages wilderness study areas under the National Landscape Conservation System to protect their value as wilderness until Congress decides whether to designate them as wilderness. Wilderness bills often include so-called "release language" that eliminates WSAs not selected for wilderness designation.
Some WSAs are managed in exactly the same manner as wilderness areas, and the rules for others permit activities that are generally excluded from wildernesses. For example, some WSAs allow mountain bikes and off-road vehicles.
There are 545 BLM wilderness study areas with a total area of .


Tai Romyen National Park

Tai Romyen National Park () is in the east of Surat Thani Province in southern Thailand. The park consists of the northern end of the Nakhon Si Thammarat mountain range and is mostly covered with forests. It was established on 31 December 1991 and covers an area of 425 km2 in the districts Kanchanadit, Ban Na San, and Wiang Sa.
The area, especially around the hill, Khao Chong Chang, was a stronghold of communist rebels in the 1980s. From here they succeeded in killing Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit in 1977 as well as the vice-governor of Surat Thani. When the rebellion ceased in the early–1990s due to an amnesty program called "Tai Romyen" (literally, "cool shade in the south") and it was again safe to visit the area, the national park was established. The park was then named after the amnesty program.
Attractions in the park are the two waterfalls Muang Thuat and Than Thip, as well as the Khamin Cave. Also two former camps of the communist party can be visited, named Camp 180 and Camp 357.


Loch Con

Loch Con is a small, remote, shallow, irregular shaped freshwater loch that is located in Glen Errochty in the Perth and Kinross council area, at the edge of the Scottish Highlands. It is directly north of Loch Errochty. Directly north of the loch at the east end is Loch Cruinn. It is the source of the Allt Con, which flows a short distance southwards past Sròn Choin to Loch Errochty. At the north-east end is Loch Cruinn, a very small dam, about 100 metres wide.


Pendeba Program

The word Pendeba is the name of a community-based volunteer worker. This name was first proposed by PuQiong who is the vice director of the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve(QNNP).It is made up of three Tibetan words: "Pen" means benefiting the whole community; "Deh" means harmonious, healthy, holistic; "Ba" means worker.
Mission.
Pendeba educates and empowers the local communities living in the conservation area to protect the natural resources, through the training, workshop and observation tours.
Working Strategy.
1.All programs implement as Partnership between:Government line agencies,Local community and INGOs, NGOs
2.Encourage to mobilize the local resources.
3.Awareness raising and capacity building through the training and workshops.
4.Develop local human resource in order to achieve sustainability of the development programs.
5.Establish model and experimentation centers.
6.Expansion and scaling up the program in other villages and counties.
7.Integrated Development
What Pendeba do.
Pendeba helps people’s health.
Pendeba teaches about natural resources and conservation.
Pendeba practices income generations.


Billy Arjan Singh

Kunwar "Billy" Arjan Singh (15 August 1917 – 1 January 2010) was an Indian hunter turned conservationist and author. He was the first who tried to reintroduce tigers and leopards from captivity into the wild.
Billy Arjan Singh died at his original farmhouse "Jasbir Nagar" on 1 January 2010.
Early life.
Kunwar "Billy" Arjan Singh was born in Gorakhpur on 15 August 1917 as the second son of Kunwar Jasbir Singh, CIE (1887–1942), a member of the royal Ahluwalia dynasty of Kapurthala. His grandfather was Raja Harnam Singh and his uncle was Raja Maharaj Singh. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur was his aunt and his elder brother was Air Vice-Marshal Kunwar Jaswant Singh, PVSM (1915–1963). In 1940, Singh was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the British Indian Army and was posted to the south of Iraq. Upon his return to India he purchased a farm in the remote district of Lakhimpur Kheri and built himself a home – named in honour of his father – Jasbir Nagar. He settled down to a life of farming and hunting. Nearly ten years later, he also acquired an estate on the borders of the forestry reserve at Dudhwa. This came to be known as Tiger Haven and it is there that he lived for most of the rest of his life.
Hunter turned conservationist.
Singh described how in his youth he had been an insatiable hunter. However, one day having shot a young leopard in the lights of his vehicle, he dramatically changed his view of hunting, feeling nothing but revulsion for killing and vowing that from then on he would pursue the cause of conservation. His first major project was to save a herd of barasingha in the neighbouring Sathiana range of the forestry reserve at Dudhwa.
In 1976, he was awarded the World Wildlife Fund's gold medal, the WWF's premier award, for his conservation work. He was also largely responsible for persuading the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, to transform Dudhwa into a national park.
Re-introduction of big cats.
Singh's conservation efforts for wildlife are best known for his reintroduction of leopards and a tiger into the wild of Dudhwa National Park. He started by bringing up an orphaned male leopard cub named Prince, which he successfully reintroduced to the wild in 1973. To provide Prince with a mate he subsequently raised two orphaned female leopards cubs, Harriet and Juliette.
In July 1976, he acquired a hand-reared female tiger cub named "Tara" from Twycross Zoo in the United Kingdom, and reintroduced her to the wild in the Dudhwa National Park with the permission of India's then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In the 1990s, some tigers were observed in the protected area, which had a Siberian tiger phenotype of a large head, pale pelage, white complexion, and wide stripes, and were therefore suspected to be Bengal-Siberian tiger hybrids. Billy Arjan Singh sent hair samples of tigers from the area to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad where the samples were analysed using mitochondrial sequence analysis. Results revealed that the tigers in question had a Bengal tiger mitochondrial haplotype indicating that their mother was a Bengal tiger. Skin, hair and blood samples from 71 tigers collected in various Indian zoos, in the National Museum in Kolkata and including the two hair samples from Dudhwa National Park were prepared for microsatellite analysis that revealed that two tigers had alleles in two loci that were contributed by Bengal and Siberian tiger subspecies. However, samples of two hybrid specimens constituted a too small base to conclusively presume that "Tara" was the source of the Siberian tiger genes.
Awards.
For his contributions to conservation, Arjan Singh was widely honoured. In 1996, he was awarded the "World Wildlife Gold Medal", and obtained the Order of the Golden Ark in 1997.
In 2004, Arjan Singh received the Getty Award, administered by the World Wildlife Fund, for his innovative contribution to conservation and for creating public awareness. In 2006, he received the "Yash Bharati award" and the Padma Bhushan two months later.
He also received the "Lifetime Award for Tiger Conservation".
Legacy.
To ensure that his work in conservation continued, Singh established the Tiger Haven Society in 1992. The Society's aims include preserving Tiger Haven and sponsoring research into wildlife.


Satpura Tiger Reserve

Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR) also known as Satpura National Park is located in the Hoshangabad District (newly named Narmadapuram ) of Madhya Pradesh in India. Its name is derived from the Satpura range. It covers an area of . Satpura National Park, along with the adjoining Bori and Pachmarhi wildlife sanctuaries, provides of unique central Indian highland ecosystem. It was set up in 1981.
The terrain of the national park is extremely rugged and consists of sandstone peaks, narrow gorges, ravines and dense forests. The altitude ranges from . It has Dhoopgarh peak as high as and the almost level plains of Churna.
The nearest town to the national park is Pachmarhi and the nearest rail-head is Piparia away. The state capital Bhopal is away.
Satpura National Park is rich in biodiversity. The animals here include leopard, sambar, chital, Indian muntjac, nilgai, four-horned antelope, Chinkara, wild boar, bear, black buck, fox, porcupine, flying squirrel, mouse deer, and Indian giant squirrel. There are a variety of birds. Hornbills and peafowl are common birds found here. The flora consists of mainly sal, teak, tendu, Phyllanthus emblica, mahua, bel, bamboo, and grasses and medicinal plants.
In previous years, there have been sightings of tigers, dholes, Indian gaur and barasingha, although these are rare.
History.
Its name is derived from the Satpura Range. Satpura is a Sanskrit word, that means seven mountains (sapta – seven and pura – mountain). It was first explored by Captain James Forsyth of Bengal Lancers in 1862 while he was searching for Indian Freedom Fighter Tantya Tope. It is one of the first declared Reserved Forest Area of India due to its ecological and commercial importance. It was2. Further It was notified as Tiger Reserve in the year 2000 thus also called Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR).
Satpura National Park, with inclusion of Pachmarhi & Bori Sanctuaries, Satpura Tiger Reserve it covers 1427 km2 of Hoshangabad and Chhindwara Districts of Madhya Pradesh.
Flora.
Satpura Tiger Reserve is a part of a rich Central Indian forest ecosystem thus quite rich in biodiversity. Satpura Tiger Reserve has over 1300 species of plants which comprises teak, Sal, tendu, mahua (Indian butter-tree), bel (stone-apple), bamboos, grasses etc. Satpura Tiger Reserve has more than 62 trees species, 30 small tree species, 58 shrubs species,32 climber species and almost 64 grass species with important medicinal plants and endemic rare herbs. Many rare and endemic plant especially Bryophytes and Pteridophytes includes Psilotum, Cyathea, Osmunda, Lycopodium, Lygodium etc. Saal is the most prominent flora of the National Park which is mainly found in the Pachmarhi plateau area of tiger reserve whereas lower plains on the northern side of the park mainly consist of teak forest on basaltic traps. Many species like Melastoma Malabthricum, Murraya paniculata, Holmskioldia senguines, Blumea Lanceolaria, Sophora interrupta are only found in Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
Grassland.
Satpura Tiger Reserve has about 10% of the area which is classified as grasslands including natural blanks on Pachmarhi plateau, anthropogenic grassland due to relocation of villages and draw down areas of Tawa reservoir. These grasslands are named as Neemghan, Madai, Keria, Dhain, Geetkheda. In addition to these, some of the new grasslands have been created by relocation of 23 villages from the core area of the reserve. Mostly, all the available grasslands are of anthropogenic origin and are subjected to agriculture, grazing etc. therefore if these grasslands are not manipulated, they will be invaded by woody plants and eventually disappear. High degree of protection and maintenance is done for these grasslands to support a size-able population of herbivores which are dependent on them by the Satpura Tiger Reserve administration.
Fauna.
Satpura national park, along with its surrounding buffer-zone area have a large and diversified population of wildlife which are rarely seen in other national parks. This forest area is unique in its ecosystem and have a long history of wildlife conservation which is evident from the list of wildlife species currently present. The fauna of Satpura National Park is a stunning jungle treat for wildlife enthusiasts as we can find about 50 species of mammals, 254 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles, 50 species of butterflies here. Beautiful birds species including Malabar whistling Thrush, Paradise Fly-catcher, Honey Buzzard, Malabar pied Hornbill etc. are present in large numbers. There is presence of wide variety of flower species and moist conditions thus are ideal conditions for various butterfly species to flourish like Oakleaf, Black Rajah, Great Eggfly, Blue Pancy etc.Along with birds and butterflies its fauna comprises Spotted Deer, Indian Bison (Gaur), Tigers, Leopards, Wild boar, Wild dog (locally called Dholes), Sloth bear, Black buck (unique attraction), Porcupine, Sambhar, Barasingha, four Horned antelopes (Chowsingha), Pangolin, Marsh crocodile, Languars etc. There are about 14 species of endangered mammals and reptiles in the Satpura Tiger reserve. Indian Giant squirrel is one of the special feature of Satpura Tiger Reserve as it is rare in India now. Some of the species like Indian giant squirrels, Flying squirrels, Rhesus monkeys are endemic to the Central India.
Climate.
Satpura national park lies in Central India where moderate weather conditions prevails. Summer season prevails from March to June and during this time temperature reaches 30 °C in morning hours and 40 °C in day-time. May and June months are of peak summer time with heat waves but in higher regions the temperature remains low. Monsoon arrives in July month and lasts till September or October months. The average rainfall in the region is about 1300–1700 mm. Denwa river is the main water source of the park and Tawa dam has been built on this rivers. Its large encatchment area influences the climatic condition of national park. Winter season can be experienced from November to February during which temperature dips to 4 °C in morning hours around Pachmarhi Plateau and 15 °C in daytime. The lowest temperature is recorded as low as 1 degree in Pachmarhi. The winters are generally bright and cloudless with light showers in early November.
Other attractions.
Pandav Caves: A landmark in Satpura National Park is Pandav Caves which lend their name to the present hill station Pachmarhi of Madhya Pradesh. In line with native legends and popular beliefs, the Pandav brothers of religious text of Mahabharat, along with their wife 'Draupadi', spent some part of their exile here. 5 Ancient caves are carved out on a sandstone rock in the hills of satpura which forms the famous Pandav Caves.
Dhoopgarh Peak: Mount Dhoopgarh is the highest peak of Satpura Mountain Range of Central India and of Madhya Pradesh. It is located near the Pachmarhi in the forests of Satpura having an elevation of 1352 metres (4429 ft).
Bee Falls: Bee Falls is a waterfall located in Satpura National Park in Madhya Pradesh. There are many waterfalls located in Pachmarhi but Bee fall is most popular among tourists. It is a natural perennial water stream falling into 35 meters deep valley inside deep forest.
Denwa Backwaters: Reservoir formed by Dam built on Denwa River. It is surrounded by the Satpura National Park thus while boating in Denwa Backwaters visitors can see crocodiles and migratory bird sightings.
Shri Nagdwar Swami Temple: Shri Nagdwar Swami Temple is situated in the midst of Satpura National Park also known as Padmshesh Mandir.
Rock Paintings: Satpura Tiger Reserve is important from view point of archaeology. There are more than 50 Rock Shelters which have rock paintings depicting various animals like elephants, tigers, deers, and porcupines. These paintings are about 1500 to 10000 years old and helpful in study of human evolution history in this area.
Transportation.
The nearest airport is in Bhopal, about 190 km away. The railway station is at Itarsi, about 50 km away, is the biggest railway junction of Central India; several other stations like Narsinghpur and Pipariya are within this radius. The reserve is near to Pachmarhi hill station, which is easily accessible via road from the major cities like Jabalpur, Narsinghpur, Chindwara, Bhopal, and Nagpur.


Ugalla River National Park

The Ugalla River National Park (Ugalla River National Park) is found in Tabora Region, of west-central Tanzania. The site covers . It is bounded on the south by the Ugalla River. The National Park was established in 2019 after the Tanzanian parliament separated part of the Ugalla River Game reserve to form a national park. It is located in the central-western part of Tanzania, in the eastern part of Lake Tanganyika.
The whole area is a spacious landscape dominated by Miombo forests and high grassy savannas inhabited by buffaloes, elephants, leopards, giraffes, zebras, etc.
The average amount of rainfall is 600-750 mm per annum.


Wigry National Park

Wigry National Park () is a National Park in Podlaskie Voivodeship in north-eastern Poland. It covers parts of the Masurian Lake District and Augustów Primeval Forest ("Puszcza Augustowska"). It is named after lake Wigry, the largest of the Park's many lakes. It is also classed as a Ramsar wetland site, one of 13 such sites in Poland.
The Park was created on January 1, 1989, on an area of 149.56 km2. Today it is slightly larger at , of which 94.64 km2 is forest, 29.08 km2 is waters and 27.14 km2 other types of land, mostly agricultural. Strictly protected zones account for 6.23 km2, including 2.83 km2 of woods. The Park has its headquarters in the town of Suwałki.
The Park’s landscape was to a large extent shaped by a glacier which covered this region around 12,000 years ago. The glacier, while slowly receding to the North, formed valleys, many of which are filled with water in the form of lakes. Some of the shallowest lakes have in the course of time become peat-bogs. Northern part of the park is hilly, with elevation reaching 180 meters above sea level. Southern part, on the other hand, is flat and is mainly covered with a forest, which is part of the broader Puszcza Augustowska.
The Park is famous for its numerous lakes, which are of different shape, size and depth. Altogether, there are 42 of them, the biggest, Wigry, covering the area of 21.87 km2 with maximum depth of 73 meters, is located in central part of the Park. The main river is Czarna Hańcza, which crosses Lake Wigry, and forms a popular kayaking route.
History.
The first attempts to protect the nature of Lake Wigry and its surrounding area were undertaken in the 1920s – first by Kazimierz Kulwieć and later by the botanist Bolesław Hryniewiecki and the limnologist Alfred Lityński – but never came to fruition. Their activities, however, led to the creation of a hydrobiological station on the shores of the lake in Płociczno. It was active until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. The first protected area, a partial reserve named “Wigry”, was established in 1931. Two other reserves, “Ostoja Bobrów Stary Folwark” (Stary Folwark Beavers’ Refuge) and “Ostoja Bobrów Zakąty” (Zakąty Beavers’ Refuge), were established in 1959 and 1962 in order to protect beavers. In 1970, Lake Wądołek and a fragment of an adjacent forest became the first strict nature reserve in the area. In 1975, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) placed Lake Wigry on its list of the most valuable water reservoirs in the world (Project "Aqua").
Lobbying for the further protection of Lake Wigry eventually resulted in the establishment of Wigry Landscape Park in 1976, which covered an area of nearly 11,000 ha. Shortly after the establishment of the landscape park, work aiming at designation of a national park began, eventually resulting in the government’s decision to designate Wigry National Park in June 1988, with an area of 14,840 ha. The park officially began its activity on January 1, 1989. In 1997, the area was increased to 15,085 ha.
In 2002, Wigry National Park was inscribed on the Ramsar Convention list of wetlands of international importance. It became a part of the Natura 2000 network in 2004.
Wildlife.
Animals.
Over 1,700 animal species have been found in the Park, including 46 species of mammals, 202 species of birds, 12 species of amphibians and 5 species of reptiles. The most characteristic animal living in the Park is European beaver, numerous in lakes and rivers. Currently there are around 250 beavers there. Also, sometimes one can meet a wolf. In Park’s waters thrive 32 species of fish. For some animals, Wigry National Park is the only place to live. 289 species are protected by law and 128 of them have been placed on the Red List of Endangered Species in Poland.
Plants.
Interesting is the fact that in the Park there is not a single specimen of beech tree. On the other hand, predominant tree type is the fir which is present in all forests. The Park’s area is to a large extent covered by peat bogs, which are in some places of pristine character.
Tourism.
Northeastern Poland, including the Park itself, is an attractive region for tourism, especially in the summertime. There are more than 190 kilometres of tourist trails in the park. Fishing anglers as well as sailboats take advantage of the biggest lakes including Wigry, Pierty, Leszczewek and Mulaczysko.
The places of interest include a former monastery, where an artist residency belonging to the Ministry of Culture is located.


Bent Skovmand

Sir Bent Skovmand (January 25, 1945— February 6, 2007) was a Danish plant scientist and conservationist. "Time Magazine" wrote in 1991 that Skovmand, "'while not exactly a household name,' had had 'more to do with the welfare of the world's five billion people than many heads of state.'"
Skovmand was born in Frederiksberg, Denmark. After serving in the Danish Army, Skovmand attended the University of Minnesota in the US as part of the Minnesota Agricultural Student Trainee international exchange program. He graduated in 1971 with a major in biological and physical sciences in agriculture, and then earned his masters in 1973 and doctorate in 1976 both in Plant Pathology from the University of Minnesota
After completing his doctorate, he joined the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in El Batán, Mexico, where he studied older seed strains and genetic variation among widespread strains. He also worked with governments and farmers across the world to increase the use of the advanced crops being developed.
He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog in 2003.
Continuing his work on preserving the genetic diversity among wheats, barleys, and oats, he was appointed the director of the Nordic Gene Bank, based in Alnarp, Sweden, in 2003, and founded the Svalbard International Seed Vault. The Seed Vault, also called the "Doomsday Vault", is supported by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and aims to preserve "the raw material of agriculture" to make it available for breeding and research even in the advent of disaster, war, or climate change. The Vault was scheduled to open in late 2008.
Skovmand was opposed to patenting individual genes, describing it as "like copyrighting each and every word in "Hamlet", and saying no one can use any word used in Hamlet without paying the author". He routinely released his catalogs of agricultural information on CDs, which he gave away for free, never attempting to patent the work. In his work with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Skovmand set up collaborations with for-profit companies to develop improved strains of agricultural staples, with the proviso that patents not be used in developing nations.
Skovmand had four children, two with his wife Eugenia, and two by a previous marriage. Skovmand fell ill in January 2007, and died February 6, 2007, at age 62 in Kävlinge, Sweden, from complications from a malignant brain tumour.