Besides, it will meet the paper industry s long-term demand for access to land for captive production of raw material for pulp making. On the face of it, it seems a good initiative, because the government has enough land but inadequate funds needed for the purpose estimates put the figure at over Rs 60,000 crore. The paper industry can split the pulp-making and paper-manufacturing operations, as is the practice the world over, and set up pulp units close to such plantations and carry the...

Some timber operations actually help the forest by thinning out overgrowth and letting in more sunlight. The county Board of Supervisors had trouble last week coming up with an agreement on how large land parcels should be before logging is permitted. Putting a stop to logging seems to be what this measure is all about. Supervisors are discussing raising that standard possibly to 80 acres, which would unreasonably restrict timber operations. But zoning only goes so far, and the county now...

Over the same period, the index for finished consumer foods increased 7.8 percent, prices for finished goods less foods and energy moved up 1.7 percent, and the index for finished energy goods rose 2.8 percent. Prices for pumps, compressors, and related equipment rose less in March than in the prior month, while the index for electronic computers declined more than it had in February. The indexes for light motor trucks; toys, games, and children's vehicles; household furniture; soaps and...

After 15 years of discussions and negotiations on a global approach to protect the world's forests, countries meeting at United Nations Headquarters in New York have adopted a landmark agreement on international forest policy and cooperation following two weeks of intense negotiations. After 15 years of discussions and negotiations on a global approach to protect the world's forests, countries meeting at United Nations Headquarters in New York have adopted a landmark agreement on...

Brussels, Belgium European governments are dragging their heels on a key EU initiative designed to tackle illegal logging, according to a new assessment released by WWF today. The Barometer assesses the efforts of European governments to implement the EU s Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement Governance & Trade (FLEGT), which encourages voluntary partnerships between EU countries and timber producing countries to reduce illegal logging. The Barometer assesses the efforts of European...