Maharashtra Govt. Clears Action Plan to Protect Heritage Trees
The Maharashtra Cabinet passed an action plan to protect and preserve trees older than 50 years in urban areas by terming them heritage trees.
The plan includes the concept of heritage tree and plan of action for conservation; method to define age of the tree; compensatory plantation; rules to be followed before hacking trees; formation of the Maharashtra Tree Authority; structure of the local tree authority and their duties; tree census; fixing land of tree plantation; transplantation of trees; and tree cess and fine to be charged.
The State will also bring about amendments in the Maharashtra (Urban Area) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act. As per the plan, trees older than 50 will be termed heritage trees. The Environment and Climate Change Department will issue guidelines in consultation with the State Forest Department based on the existing methods.
Jun 11, 2021
Declining Growth Rates of Global Coral Reef Ecosystems
According to a new Southern Cross University study, if the trend of declining coral growth continues at the current rate, the world's coral reefs may cease calcifying around 2054.
Research from the late 1960s until now, reveals the global spatiotemporal trends and drivers of coral reef ecosystem growth (known as calcification).
One hundred and sixteen studies from 53 published papers were analysed.
Jun 10, 2021
National Geographic Officially Recognises New Ocean
The National Geographic officially recognised the Southern Ocean — also known as the Antarctic or the Austral Ocean — as the world's fifth and newest ocean.. Thus, far four oceans have been known: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic.
"The Southern Ocean has long been recognised by scientists, but because there was never agreement internationally, we never officially recognised it," National Geographic Society Geographer Alex Tait said.
Notably, while other oceans are identified by the region they surround, the Southern Ocean is defined by its current.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Southern Ocean covers 30 percent of the Earth's ocean surface. It is made up of the waters encircling Antarctica.
Jun 08, 2021
New Dinosaur Species is Largest Found in Australia
Scientists in Australia have classified a new species of dinosaur, discovered in 2007, as the largest ever found on the continent.
The Australotitan cooperensis or "the southern titan" is among the 15 largest dinosaurs found worldwide.
Experts said that the titanosaur would have been up to 6.5 m (21 ft) tall and 30 m long.
Its skeleton was first discovered on a farm in south-west Queensland.
Palaeontologists had worked over the past decade to identify the dinosaur - distinguishing it from other known species by comparing scans of its bones to those of other sauropods.
Sauropods were plant-eating dinosaurs known for their size. They had small heads, very long necks, long tails and thick, pillar-like legs.
These dinosaurs roamed the continent during the Cretaceous Period, about 92-96 million years ago.
Jun 07, 2021
Raimona Assam's Sixth National Park
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Raimona Reserve Forest in Kokrajhar district under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), bordering Bhutan, has been upgraded as the sixth National Park of the state.
The other five national parks in the state are Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri, Orang and Dibru-Saikhowa.
The Raimona National Park, which is within the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), is part of a contiguous forest patch with an area of 422 square kilometres, covering the northern part of the notified Ripu Reserve Forest along the Indo-Bhutan border. It is home to golden langur, Asian elephants, tigers, clouded leopards, Indian gaur, wild buffalo, spotted deer, hornbill, more than 150 species of butterflies, 170 species of birds and 380 varieties of plants and orchids.
+91-85588-96644
