Jim Caldwell snapped this picture last week, commenting, “The Hiwassee Church casts a beautiful reflection at midmorning when the river is at low flow.”
The long-awaited book is an update of the very popular “Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests: A Field Guide for Identification and Control,” published by the Station in 2003.
Cardinal flowers are in bloom, as evidenced by this specimen found on Towee mountain.
Article Author:From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine
What are the primary environmental concerns in the aftermath of the big earthquake in Haiti?
As would be the case
after any natural disaster, water-borne illness could run rampant and chemicals
and oil could leak out of damaged storage facilities as a result of the
magnitude 7.0 earthquake that ripped apart Haiti on January 12. Surprisingly,
no large industrial spills have been found during initial post-quake rescue
efforts, but of course the focus has been on saving human lives and restoring
civil order.
According to the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the biggest issue is the building waste;
some 40 to 50 percent of the buildings fell in Port-au-Prince and nearby towns.
“Thousands of buildings suddenly become debris and this overwhelms the capacity
of waste management,” says UNEP’s Muralee Thummarukudy, who is directing
efforts to collect the waste for use in reconstruction projects.
Even before the quake
Haiti had major environmental problems. Intensive logging beginning in the
1950s reduced Haiti’s forest cover from 60 percent to less than two percent
today. This lack of trees causes huge soil erosion problems, threatening both
food and clean water sources for throngs of hungry and thirsty people. “If you
have forest cover, when heavy rain takes place it doesn’t erode the land,”
UNEP’s Asif Zaidi reports. “It doesn’t result in flash floods.” He adds that,
due to its lack of forest cover, Haiti suffers much more during hurricanes than
does the neighboring Dominican Republic.
Compounding these
ecological insults is Haiti’s fast growing population, now 9.7 million and
growing by 2.5 percent per year. This has pushed millions of Haitians into
marginal areas like floodplains and on land that could otherwise be used
profitably. “Most fertile land areas are often used for slums, while hillsides
and steep landscapes are used for agriculture,” reports USAID’s Beth Cypser.
The resulting sanitation problems have stepped up cases of dysentery, malaria
and drug-resistant tuberculosis among Haiti’s poverty-stricken population.
Trash-filled beaches, smelly waterways, swarms of dead fish and tons of
floating debris stand testament to Haiti’s water pollution problems—now
exacerbated by the earthquake.
“We need to…create mechanisms that
reinforce better use of natural resources," says UNEP’s Zaidi. Prior to
the quake, UNEP had committed to a two-year project to bolster to restore
Haiti’s forests, coral reefs and other natural systems compromised by the
island’s economic problems. Providing access to propane to encourage a shift
from charcoal-burning stoves is an immediate goal. Longer term, UNEP hopes the
program will help kick-start reforestation efforts and investments in renewable
energy infrastructure there.
Perhaps the silver lining
of the earthquake in Haiti is the fact that millions of people around the world
now know about the plight of the country’s people and environment, and
donations have started to pour in. Anyone interested in helping relief efforts
in Haiti can send a text message triggering a small donation to the American
Red Cross (text “HAITI” to 90999 and $10 will be donated and added to your next
phone bill). Those concerned about clean water specifically should donate to
World Water Relief, a non-profit focusing on the installation of water
filtration systems in Haiti and other distressed areas of the world.
CONTACTS: USAID, www.usaid.gov;
UNEP, www.unep.org; American Red Cross, www.redcross.org; World Water Relief,
www.worldwaterrelief.org.
SEND YOUR
ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO:EarthTalk®, P.O.Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881;
earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at:
www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. EarthTalk® is now a book! Details
and order information at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalkbook.
The Polk County Planning Commission voted last month to send a letter of intent to call in the remaining $24,000 of the road bond for Phase V of Ocoee Mountain Club.
State-of-the-art mapping technology is located in every ambulance now that Rural/Metro has takesnover, thanks to the foresight of the Polk County 911 Board.
The McMinn County Living Heritage Museum’s iconic schoolhouse quilt has been replicated on an 8-foot-square block and installed above the museum’s front entrance as part of the Appalachian Quilt Trail program.
After the social hour and meal the business session was held and several important items were discussed, including the selection of the 2010 scholarship recipient from Polk County High School.
Polk County High School students put their skills and talents together at the National Technology Students Association Conference and came away as National Champs in the On-Demand Video Competition.
The Museum Center is pleased to host an exhibition that looks at the history of the fraternal lodges in Bradley County and the impact that they have made on the development of our area.
The Bonnie Blues 956 Chapter of the Children of the Confederacy made a trip to Franklin, Tennessee on June 18 and 19 to attend the Tennessee Division Convention.
The long-awaited book is an update of the very popular “Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests: A Field Guide for Identification and Control,” published by the Station in 2003.
How effective have plastic bag bans and restrictions been on reducing plastic litter and other problems associated with their proliferation? And is it really better to use paper bags, which will just lead to more deforestation?
Wildlife linkages can have a significant impact on decreasing animal deaths on roadways as well as highway safety, according to An Assessment of Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat Linkages.
A pair of juvenille White Ibis have been visiting the East Tennessee Nursery during the last two weeks ... seemingly content to feed on the abundant Junebug population.
Jim Caldwell snapped this picture last week, commenting that he couldn't believe he saw something so unusual as a deer grazing in the middle of the Hiwassee River.
Subscriber Carol Cooper captured what appears to be a special moment between two cardinals at about 7:15 last Wednesday morning at Campbell Cove Lake in Turtletown.
A group of Copper Basin High School students learned about environmental cleanup, the importance of clean water and the history of copper mining during Earth Day activities hosted by Glenn Springs Holdings.
The new, easier-to-use site provides new ways to explore Living Heritage Museum’s current and upcoming exhibitions, its programs and events, and detailed information about the Museum and its collection.
The Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association (TOHA) hopes to capitalize on that trend by promoting driving tours that link the Cherohala Skyway and Ocoee Scenic Byway.
Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Officials report that three American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) funded projects in the Cherokee National Forest were recently completed.
Each year, the State of Tennessee Department of Tourist Development publishes a Vacation Guide that includes a collection of Tennessee’s finest communities.
A Tennessee Overhill trail will be included in the initiative, and the Cherohala Skyway between Monroe County and North Carolina is included in the byways section.
Linda Caldwell, executive director of the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Tourisim Association, is helping to coordinate the local effort under the state guidelines.
In addition to destroying part of the county’s major highway, last week’s rockslide also damaged the county’s major tourism infrastructure – the whitewater rafting put-in.
Governor Phil Bredesen today announced the 2010 Back to School CoverKids outreach campaign to help enroll Tennessee’s children in the state’s free, comprehensive health insurance plan.
A man claiming to be a representative of Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) telephoned at least two Meigs County residents early Wednesday morning attempting to get money.
The Department of Revenue is reminding Tennessee shoppers that during these three days of savings, you can save almost 10 percent on tax-free clothing, school and art supplies and computer purchases.
Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) officials were recently alerted of a person trying to gain access to a VEC customer’s home by claiming to be an employee of “the electric company.”
In fact, due to ARRA incentives, initial federal data shows the average tax refund for 2009 is up nearly 10 percent, or $266, from the previous year, according to Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Doug Shulman.
While the economy slowly recovers, many budget-conscious homeowners are looking for simple, cost-effective ways to transform their homes' exteriors into inviting outdoor "land-escapes" that can be enjoyed year around.
Dear EarthTalk: I see a lot of “healthy snacks” being marketed for kids that list “natural flavors” but don’t identify them. Should I use these products?
Flowers and plants are blooming, the sun is shining and the weather is finally getting warmer after winter's chill. So why not bring some of spring's beauty into your home so you can enjoy it day after day?
Reports from across the nation indicate fake agents and sales representatives are going door-to-door claiming to be with the federal government to peddle phony health insurance policies.
At a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission meeting, action was taken which reduced the bear archery season to three weeks from the originally proposed five week season.
The second Kid’s Fishing Day, hosted by TWRA, Forest Service and the Cherokee Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, will be at McCamy Lake in the Chilhowee Recreation Area on May 15th, 8 am-12 pm.
An economic benefit study of trout fishing in Tennessee showed total expenditures of $1.5 million for the Hiwassee River during a 6-month period in 2002.
What many consider the "King of American Game Birds", the wild turkey is quite vocal during the spring breeding season. The call (gobble) of the wild turkey in the mountains of east Tennessee is an unforgettable sound.
TWRA officials met with the county’s Fish & Wildlife Committee and more than a dozen citizens to discuss the planning process for a new five-year management plan for the river.
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