Geographical articles from July 2007

Geographical archives from July 2007

A growing problem.(FROM THE EDITOR)(palm oil cultivation)(Editorial)
July 1, 2007... Back in March of last year, Geographical highlighted the myriad environmental problems being posed by the cultivation of palm oil (Seeds of destruction), particularly in Southeast Asia. This highly adaptable substance is used in any number of...

Where in the world?(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... IDENTIFY THIS COUNTRY USING THE FOLLOWING CLUES: * It consists of six island groups totalling more than 250 islands * Around three quarters of its land area is covered in forest * Its first president was assassinated in 1985 and it...

Cave's mystery now crystal clear.(WORLDWATCH)(giant selenite gypsum crystals in Mexico's Cueva de los Cristales)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Following extensive analysis, a team of geologists from Mexico and Spain believe they can explain how giant selenite gypsum crystals in Mexico's Cueva de los Cristales in the Naica mine complex, 150 kilometres southeast of Chihuahua, were...

North Sea floor was once desirable residence.(WORLDWATCH)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... New images of the North Sea floor have revealed a landscape that was once criss-crossed by river valleys and dotted with freshwater lakes and rounded hills, described by one archaeologist as "the best-preserved prehistoric landscape, certainly...

Coming soon: encyclopaedia of life.(WORLDWATCH)(www.eol.org)(Website overview)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A monumental effort is being made by several scientific institutions to record every plant, animal and other species on Earth in an online encyclopaedia. The estimated 1.8 million species will be entered onto a multimedia website by...

Reef exposure reveals coral colonisation.(WORLDWATCH)(research of Wildlife Conservation Society Indonesia Program and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies on the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Large swathes of coral reef that died after being lifted to the surface following an earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, in 2005, are providing scientists with an opportunity to witness reef recovery and colonisation in action....

Remote-controlled rescue chopper for Everest.(WORLDWATCH)(TGR Helicorp's Alpine Wasp)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A helicopter manufacturer in New Zealand has conceived plans for an unmanned rescue helicopter that will be capable of plucking mountaineers in distress from the summit of the world's highest mountain. The result of six years of research...

The Millennium Seed Bank Project has just banked its billionth seed.(United Kingdom)(Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Millennium Seed Bank Project has just banked its billionth seed. Part of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the bank contains the seeds of more than 18,000 wild plant species from 126 countries.

Traffic on a busy stretch of motorway in Taiwan was brought to a standstill earlier this year by a swarm of butterflies.(TAIWAN)(Freeway Three, Taiwan)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Traffic on a busy stretch of motorway in Taiwan was brought to a standstill earlier this year by a swarm of butterflies. Taiwanese authorities halted motorists on a 600-metre section of Freeway Three to allow hundreds of thousands of milkweed...

The Tibetan meteorological office has announced that it has successfully seeded clouds to trigger snowfall over the Tibetan plateau.(CHINA)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Tibetan meteorological office has announced that it has successfully seeded clouds to trigger snowfall over the Tibetan plateau. Chinese officials regularly seed clouds with silver iodide, which encourages the formation of water droplets,...

Violent protests have taken place in Uganda against government plans to give more than 7,000 hectares of the Mabira Forest to a sugar cane company.(UGANDA)
July 1, 2007... Violent protests have taken place in Uganda against government plans to give more than 7,000 hectares of the Mabira Forest to a sugar cane company. The forest, which has been part of a national nature reserve since 1932, is home to several rare...

In a bid to combat drug smuggling, Iranian authorities are investing millions of pounds to build a wall along the nation's borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan.(IRAN)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... In a bid to combat drug smuggling, Iranian authorities are investing millions of pounds to build a wall along the nation's borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan. Heroin and opium destined for Western markets are regularly transported through...

Zambian authorities have shut down a Chinese run manganese mine indefinitely due to high levels of air pollution.(ZAMBIA)(Chiman Manufacturing)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Zambian authorities have shut down a Chinese run manganese mine indefinitely due to high levels of air pollution. Chiman Manufacturing has been running the mine in Kabwe, 150 kilometres north of the capital, Lusaka, for two years, but was...

Top 10 highest population per doctor.(Table)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... TOP 10 HIGHEST POPULATION PER DOCTOR 1. CONGO-KINSHASA 71,958 2. MALAWI 46,241 3. TANZANIA 45,864 4. ETHIOPIA 37,397 5. MOZAMBIQUE 37,354 6. BURUNDI 35,500 7....

Nepalese caves yield ancient Buddhist paintings.(WORLDWATCH)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Paintings, scripts and artefacts, some of which may date as far back as the 13th century, have been found inside a newly discovered series of caves located 125 kilometres northwest of the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu. A team of climbers,...

Fossilised forest found in US mine.(WORLDWATCH)(state of Illinois)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A 300-million-year-old forest, containing well-preserved examples of plants that have long since become extinct, has been discovered in a coal mine in the US state of Illinois. Writing in the journal Geology, scientists from the University...

Marine mammals under threat from climate change.(CLIMATEWATCH)(whales and dolphins)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Climate change is threatening to force a number of marine mammal species towards extinction, according to a new study from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS). Rising sea-surface temperatures and sea levels, receding ice caps...

Fight climate change and save lives, says WHO.(CLIMATEWATCH)(World Health Organization)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Nations that combat climate change and reduce carbon dioxide emissions would benefit from a cleaner, greener environment, as well as better health prospects, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Urban air pollution claims more...

Oceans and plants consuming less carbon.(CLIMATEWATCH)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Two independent studies by British scientists have shown that the world's natural carbon absorbers--the oceans and plants--are becoming less efficient at mopping up emissions because of global warming. Researchers from the University of...

Climate-conscious labels.(CLIMATEWATCH)(KRAV, Sweden)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Swedes will soon be able to pick and choose supermarket-stocked brands based on a system that ranks their climate-friendliness. The ranking system, introduced by KRAV, an organisation that encourages environmentally friendly consumption, will...

Energy crops have problems of their own.(CLIMATEWATCH)(oil palms, maize, sugar cane and others)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The global drive towards biofuels to reduce the world's reliance on fossil fuels could exacerbate deforestation, force small farmers out of business and lead to greater poverty unless it's carefully managed, warns a new report from the UN. The...

Climate change set to displace millions.(CLIMATEWATCH)(millions of people leaving their home according to Christian Aid)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Climate change will force 850 million people to leave their homes between now and 2050, greatly exacerbating the global migration crisis, according to a Christian Aid report. Many will originate from the world's poorest countries and add to the...

Listen to the world.(CLIMATEWATCH)(www.wildsanctuary.com)(Website overview)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... You've read the newspaper reports and seen the photographs, now find out what melting ice masses sound like, thanks to the USA's Bernie Krause, who has spent 40 years brandishing a microphone in some of the world's most remote locations to...

East Timor.(HOTSPOT)
July 1, 2007... Located on the island of Timor, at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago and about 650 kilometres to the northwest of the Australian city of Darwin, East Timor has had a turbulent geopolitical history. Famous for its sandalwood,...

Holy natural: many religions have come to hold particular natural sites to be sacred, helping to conserve some of the world's most beautiful places.(STATE OF THE WORLD)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Throughout the world, hills and valleys, rivers, springs and mountains have been venerated as sacred sites. From Hopi Indian ruins in Arizona, through the Lebanese Cedars of God, to holy mountains in China, the world has a sacred topography....

Cornwall: areas of outstanding natural beauty: head to any of Cornwall's 12 AONBs to see rugged coastal scenery, open moorland, Cornish hedges and perhaps even the county's favorite bird.(NATURAL BEAUTY)(Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Chough)
July 1, 2007... "Keep an eye on that cave opening, they've been darting in and out every 35-40 minutes since dawn," says a muffled west-country accent from behind a turned-up collar and hood, tightly fastened against the brisk on shore winds. It's nearly 3pm....

Taking the heat out of the climate change debate.(IN SOCIETY)
July 1, 2007... Melting icecaps, annual summer heat waves, tropical super-storms--the potential effects of global climate change are rarely out of the headlines. This serious, in-depth coverage of the phenomenon is, of course, to be welcomed, but with so many...

Society supports exotic species study.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The link between aircraft emissions and climate change is now widely accepted, but a study recently awarded an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council grant by the Society will investigate another unfortunate by-product of...

A selection of forthcoming events in July: for details, please call the numbers provided.(Calendar)
July 1, 2007... 2 July, 7pm A history of the Mediterranean (LECTURE, LONDON) Celebrated historian, travel writer and broadcaster John Julius Norwich talks about his latest book, The Middle Sea. This fundraising event in support of Venice in Peril...

Rear admiral Byrd's flag and silver matchbox: objects carried by the pioneer aviator during some of his famous flights, including a transatlantic crossing and trips to both poles.(FROM THE COLLECTION)(Richard Evelyn Byrd)
July 1, 2007... Born in Virginia in 1888, Richard Evelyn Byrd was a pioneer in the field of aviation and a well-respected polar explorer. He entered the US Naval Academy at the age of 20, but retired in 1916, following a severe ankle injury. Although he was...

The world's last log flume? In the heart of the Indian Himalaya, foresters still use traditional methods to transport logs down the steep slopes, building impressive flumes from the logs themselves.
July 1, 2007... As a boy, I loved looking at picture books depicting huge lumberjacks, giant trees crashing to the ground and water chutes, built out of timber, snaking down mountain valleys to carry the logs to the sawmill. I imagined the thrill of sending...

Foreign exchange.(Kyrgyz and Wakhis)
July 1, 2007... For hundreds of years, the nomadic Kyrgyz people used the highlands of the Little Pamir on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border as their summer quarters, feeding their livestock on the rich grasses that grow there. Then, during the 18th century,...

The garden up above: advocates of green roofs have long pointed to their abilities to reduce energy consumption and flood risk, but as Hugh Warwick discovers, they are also proving to be storehouses of biodiversity.(GREEN ROOFS)
July 1, 2007... Standing on the roof of the 32-storey Barclay building at Canary Wharf, the extent of the surrounding desert becomes depressingly clear. While there are patches of green, they are set in a sea of grey. Even the river running through this barren...

Hunters of the Great Red Island: regarded by many of their countrymen as near-mythical creatures, the Mikea people have been eking out an existence in the dry forests of southwestern Madagascar for millennia. But, as anthropologist Daniel Stiles discovers, their ancient way of life is now under threat.(Madagascar's local Big Foot)
July 1, 2007... Our small expedition had been slogging through deep sand under the glaring sun for around four hours. We had left Vorehy, a tiny village carved out of the dry forest of southwestern Madagascar, at 7.30am that day. I was looking for a band of...

The dating game: Europe's biggest and most historical 'oasis' was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000. Now scientists in the immense palm groves of Elche, in Spain's Alicante region, are spearheading efforts to restock decimated date forests all over the world. Mark Eveleigh reports from the home of the 'super-date'.(PALM GROVE)(Phoenix Research Station)
July 1, 2007... Michel Ferry holds up a rack of test tubes. A tiny green shoot grows in the bottom of each. "In less than three years, the shoots in each of these tubes will have been cloned into half-a-million date palms," he says. "That's twice as many as...

Colombia: conflict and commerce: the deforestation and environmental damage, being caused by the palm oil industry has now been widely documented. Less well known, however is the enormous social cost being wreaked in Colombia, where paramilitary groups are forcing people from their land in order grow oil palms.(COLOMBIAN LAND GRAB)
July 1, 2007... On the rare occasions that Colombia makes the news, the headlines rarely go beyond tales of drug barons and kidnappings. But there is another story that has received little coverage. It's the story of the millions of Colombians who've been...

Keeping it in the family: as the 50th anniversary of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust draws near, Jo Sargent heads to Jersey to meet honorary director Lee Durrell to find out more about the trust's efforts to conserve endangered species.(GEOPEOPLE: LEE DURRELL)
July 1, 2007... "If you notice, I haven't mentioned the z-word yet." Sitting in the bright and airy living room of Les Augres Manor, the 16th-century manor house that serves as headquarters for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT), Lee Durrell is...

Through the foothills on foot: in the shadow of Nanda Devi, a new initiative is coaxing visitors into an overwhelmingly rural environment and giving them a flavour of hill life, while at the same time, helping to halt the depopulation of local villages Amar Grover takes a stroll through the foothills the Indian Himalaya and discovers a lost world of pine forests and hemp fields.(RURAL TOURISM)
July 1, 2007... "Here, look!" My guide, Raju, points urgently at the ground. There on the trail amid the shade and fallen leaves of a deodar tree lies a neat little pile of rounded, brown-black droppings. Pale mouldy-looking threads seem to encase them....

Trade roots.(GEOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE)
July 1, 2007... Since before the late 15th century, when the age of discovery began in earnest, exploration and commerce have been closely connected. For while the motivation behind each individual journey may have ranged from philanthropic curiosity to the...

Who got there first?(Beyond Capricorn: How Portuguese Adventurers Secretly Discovered and Mapped Australia and New Zealand 250 Years before Captain Cook)(Book review)
July 1, 2007... Beyond Capricorn: How Portuguese Adventurers Secretly Discovered and Mapped Australia and New Zealand 250 Years before Captain Cook by Peter Trickett East Street Publications, pb, pp386, US$35 (17.70 [pounds sterling]) The protagonist...

Top 10 writer's reads.(Sir Ranulph Fiennes)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... In between making the world's longest unsupported polar journey, the first unsupported crossing of the Atlantic and running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, renowned explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has found the time to write...

Motherland.(Brief article)(Book review)
July 1, 2007... Motherland by Simon Roberts Chris Boot, hb, pp191, 25 [pounds sterling] Simon Roberts finds beauty in the oddest places: an outdoor market set against bombed out buildings in Grozny, a rusty old bread factory in Oryol, the departure lounge...

Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day.(Brief article)(Book review)
July 1, 2007... Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day by Philip Matyszak Thames & Hudson, hb, pp144, 12.95 [pounds sterling] There's a simple premise behind this book it takes the Rough Guide template to navigating through a foreign city and applies it...

Wu: The Chinese Empress Who Schemed, Seduced and Murdered Her Way to Become a Living God.(Brief article)(Book review)
July 1, 2007... Wu: The Chinese Empress Who Schemed, Seduced and Murdered Her Way to Become a Living God by Jonathan Clements Sutton Publishing, hb, pp240, 20 [pounds sterling] A faithful biography of Wu, Jonathan Clements warns us upfront, would be...

The Richness of Life.(Book review)
July 1, 2007... The Richness of Life by Stephen Jay Gould Vintage, pb, pp646, 9.99 [pounds sterling] This volume posthumously collates the essential works of one of the 20th century's most illuminating and energetic science writers. Palaeontologist,...

Border Film Project: Photos by Migrants and Minutemen on the US-Mexico Border.(Brief article)(Book review)
July 1, 2007... Border Film Project: Photos by Migrants and Minutemen on the US-Mexico Border by Rudy Adler et al Abrams, hb, pp176, 12.95 [pounds sterling] With the increasing popularity of blogging and camera phones, we're bombarded nowadays by the...

Aurora Australis.(Book review)
July 1, 2007... Aurora Australis edited by Ernest Shackleton First published in 1908. Most recent edition published by Classic Travel Books, pp108, pb, 23 [pounds sterling] On 30 July 1907, Ernest Shackleton's British Antarctic Expedition left London...

In the land of mystical spirituality.(Magic and Mystery in Tibet)(Brief article)(Book review)
July 1, 2007... Magic and Mystery in Tibet by Alexandra David-Neel Souvenir Press, pb, pp272, 9.99 [pounds sterling] Tibet, once known as the forbidden land of the snows, has long since conjured up images era mystical spirituality alive and well in...

The Khyber Pass: A History of Empire and Invasion.(Brief article)(Book review)
July 1, 2007... The Khyber Pass: A History of Empire and Invasion by Paddy Docherty Faber & Faber, hb, pp288, 17.99 [pounds sterling] Since the days of Alexander the Great, the Khyber Pass has been seen as the weak point, the crack in the armour, the...

The Bering Strait Crossing: A 21st Century Frontier between East and West.(Brief article)(Book review)
July 1, 2007... The Bering Strait Crossing: A 21st Century Frontier between East and West by James A Oliver The Company of Writers, pb, pp250, 7.99 [pounds sterling] Perhaps it's just me, but I tend to become a little irked when authors address me as...

Too Close to the Sun: The Life and Times of Denys Finch Hatton.(Brief article)(Book review)
July 1, 2007... Too Close to the Sun: The Life and Times of Denys Finch Hatton by Sara Wheeler Vintage, pb, pp284, 8.99 [pounds sterling] Her style may not be everyone's cup of tea, but as a biographer. Sara Wheeler has an innate flair for picking...

Life saver.(EXPEDITION MEDICAL KITS)
July 1, 2007... An experienced traveller once told me that nobody should ever visit an area if they aren't prepared to accept the level of local health care--at least until insurance support and repatriation swing into action. To some extent, this scenario can...

Ten of the best: although the contents of your expedition medical kit will vary depending on your destination and the composition of your team, this selection of items is sure to come in handy wherever you're going.(ESSENTIAL GEAR)(Buyers guide)
July 1, 2007... [1] Satellite telephone Iridium 9505A 1,050 [pounds sterling]/375 grams A fully charged satellite phone with account in credit is vital. It should be backed up with the phone numbers of experienced expedition doctors who've been...

Walking to a different beat.(OUT AND ABOUT)(Craghoppers' the Future, walking jacket with features for iPod)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Craghoppers has brought its outdoor wear into the digital age with the creation of the UK's first iPod enabled walking jacket. The Future (250 [pounds sterling]) has all of the features that you would expect to find n a good walking...

Run like the wind.(OUT AND ABOUT)(Columbia Titanium Zephyr XCR trainer)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Designed for the all-round outdoor enthusiast, the new Columbia Titanium Zephyr XCR (80 [pounds sterling]) trainer is great for trail running, mountain biking and, because it's extremely lightweight, it's also easy to pack and carry for trips...

Go, go gadget vest.(OUT AND ABOUT)(i-Quip's Co-Ordinate multifunctional vest)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Gadget freaks take note--innovative design company i-Quip has just launched the garment you've been waiting for. The brainchild of a North Wales based horse-rider and entrepreneur, the Co-Ordinate is a multi functional vest that has an...

No chafing please, we're British.(Woodland Organics' BodyGlide Skin Formula)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... BodyGlide Skin Formula is the latest in a range of natural ointments offered by British distributors Woodland Organics to address the uncomfortable issue of blisters and chafing. Inspired by Californian surfers during the 1990s, the BodyGlide...

Aquanaut resurfaces.(Lloyd Godson)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... An Australian scientist has successfully survived 12 days inside a small steel box at the bottom of a lake on the New South Wales-Victoria border--all in the name of self-sufficiency and sustainability. Funded by the Australian Geographic...

Polartec power.(Power Dry recycled fabric)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Geographical was recently given a sneak preview of Polartec's forthcoming Power Dry recycled fabric, which isn't due to hit the shops until autumn. The high-tech fabric, which is woven from fibre derived from recycled plastic containers, is...

Explorer's essential:Alastair Humphrey, around-the-world charity cyclist.(OUT AND ABOUT)(Brief article)(List)
July 1, 2007... 1. Rohan zip-off trousers. Warm, or cool (but alas not 'cool') and very versatile. Zip off one leg to use as a hat if you prefer warm ears to a warm shin. * www.rohan.co.uk 2. Leatherman Wave multi-purpose tool. Made it right around...

The AA smart travel guide: London.(The Geographical Good Guide)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Helping you choose that vitally important, but often rather confusing, item of kit: the guidebook What is it like? Available on a memory card, this 24.99 [pounds sterling] guide allows you to search London's sights and facilities by...

Physical fitness for expeditions: medical advice from Wilderness Medical Training by Professor Ron Jones and Barry Roberts.
July 1, 2007... Expeditions often involve sustained physical effort under environmental extremes. Whether you're jungle trekking, mountaineering or simply carrying a heavy load, it pays to be expedition fit before you travel. Fitness represents an...

Wild world.(PHOTOGRAPHY)(Spirit of the Wild)
July 1, 2007... The Danish capital, Copenhagen, isn't one of the world's most densely populated cities; nor is it renowned as a major hub for tourists and photographers on the trail of a wildlife excursion or safari. Yet last summer, the Danes turned out in...

Stable accessory: monopods.(Equipment selections)(Giottos MM9570 monopod)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Okay, so two legs are better than one, and the three legs of a tripod are even better for achieving absolute stillness and stability, but a monopod requires only a small patch of space, thereby making it more versatile, as well as more compact...

Observation aid: binoculars.(Equipment selections)(Nikon's Travelite EX 9x25 binoculars)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... There are more makes of binoculars than cameras on the market, each providing different levels of magnification and portability. Higher magnification provides more detail of a distant subject; lower magnification allows a wider field of view, a...

The ultimate camera: Canon EOS-1D Mk III.(Equipment selections)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The latest professional digital SLR camera from Canon is designed specifically for action photography such as fast-moving wildlife. With a ten-megapixel image sensor and shutter speed range of 30-1/8,000sec, the EOS-1D Mk III can capture a...

Back to basics.(MAILBAG)
July 1, 2007... I read with interest Peter Berenger's letter regarding a back-to-basics-style kit article (Mailbag, May 2007) featuring the kind of gear and advice made popular in recent years by Ray Mears. It's a great idea, and I'll be including it in the...

You can't eat money.(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... I really enjoyed Christian Amodeo's article in the April Geographical (Doing, things differently). His visit to two different chimpanzee groups in remote parts of Uganda proved fascinating. It's quite an eye-opener to learn that there are...

Hike for heart research.(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... Hopefully your readers are aware that this year marks the 50th anniversary of one of Wales's most stunning landscapes--the Brecon Beacons National Park. I'm writing to encourage everyone to join in with celebrating half a century of conserving...

Welcome back.(LETTER OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... This morning, the package from the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) arrived, containing a copy of Geographical, an events calendar and my new membership card. Nothing too strange there, except that I had forsaken my FRGS membership two...

Image details please.(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... I'm an amateur photographer and a regular reader of Geographical. I particularly enjoy perusing the Geophoto section, both for the stunning photography that it showcases and the odd hint and tip that I've picked up from it. However, I...

Natalie Hoare in conversation with ... Willie Corduff.(Interview)
July 1, 2007... Willie Corduff, 53, a farmer from northwest Ireland, was recently awarded a Goldman Environmental Prize for challenging Shell's plans to build a high pressure gas pipeline and refinery close to his community activities that landed him and four...