Organized Gangs Move Into Wildlife Trafficking [.pdf]
http://www.wwf.org.uk/News/n_0000000589.asp
The British office of the World Wildlife Fund reports that organized crime and wildlife trafficking mix all too well. Reporting that "40 per cent of illegal drug shipments are combined with wildlife," this article describes how high profits, poorly enforced laws, and lack of serious punishment combine to encourage the abuse of wildlife. The article makes recommendations for how this trade in animals can be better discouraged. Although its recommendations are intended for the British government, the principles on which they are based are applicable to any nation. The entire report can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. [CH]
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SeaWeb
http://www.seaweb.org/campaigns/
SeaWeb is a nonprofit organization aimed at raising awareness of the ocean and marine life that play "a critical role in our everyday life and in the future of our planet." SeaWeb employs a team of professionals from biology, exploration, and various communication disciplines. The current campaigns include an effort to protect the declining Caspian Sea Sturgeon ("the source of most of the world's caviar"), an attempt to reduce overfishing of swordfish, and a report about the changes occurring in the world's oceans. This Web site is a robust source of information about many threats that are facing marine ecosystems, and an attempt to reduce the dangers by educating the public about the impacts of their behavior. [AL]
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University of Minnesota Extension Service Plant Disease Diagnostics
http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/diagnostics
A useful resource for amateur horticulturists from the University of Minnesota Extension Service, Yard and Garden Clinic. The focus here is on commonly used perennials, grasses, shrubs, and trees in the home garden and the inevitable problems one must face while gardening in a northern climate. Based on visual observations of symptoms, the navigation is easy, and the solutions equally understandable. One wishes this site was more fully developed; however, it is a useful stop if want basic advice. It also provides links to other related Web resources useful to northern gardeners. [DJS]
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New York Metropolitan Flora Project
http://www.bbg.org/sci/nymf/
"While most of the botanical community concentrates on tracking the threats to biodiversity in the tropics," the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is conducting research on the biodiversity found in the urban landscape. The Web site includes useful resources for users interested in identifying, planting, maintaining, or just learning about the plants found in urban areas. The Web site is easy to use, with ample explanations and a glossary of terms. Although the research is focused on the New York metropolitan region, much of the information may be useful in other parts of the country. [AL]
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Two on the Psychological Impact of Nature [.pdf]
Girls with Views of Nature Have Better Chance of Success
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-06/uoia-gwv062602.php
Girls and Greenery
http://www.herl.uiuc.edu/girls.htm
A press release from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the first Web site outlines a recent study indicating that inner-city girls who have had a view of nature from their home "may have a better chance for success." The brief article describes the study and some of its implications for urban planning and housing development. For further information about this study and similar studies conducted by these researchers, visit the second Web site, the home page for the Human - Environment Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. This site includes a short summary of the study, a flyer, and the entire scientific article, which can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. Similar pages are included for other studies conducted by the Human - Environment Research Laboratory. [AL]
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California Marine Sportfish Identification
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/msalfidx.html
Produced by the California Department of Fish and Game to aid fishermen, this resource provides a wealth of information on the gamefish of the Pacific coast. Users can access information about a fish species by clicking on its Latin name, common name, or image. The description of each species includes its family, physical description, the areas in which it is commonly found, and its feeding and reproductive habits. Fishing information is also provided, describing the most common methods and areas for catching specific species of fish, as well as the largest recorded fish of each species. The page also provides access to a Record Catches page where the largest catches of sportfish in California are submitted and recorded. [CH]
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A Guidebook of Introduced Marine Species in Hawaii
http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/HBS/invertguide/index.htm
Scientists from the Hawaii Biological Survey and Bishop Museum provide this online guide to Hawaii's invasive marine species. Although brief, the guide focuses on the most common introduced species with the hope that it will educate individuals about the threats posed by introduced species and encourage them to report occurrences of other unknown species. The Invertebrates section can be navigated through a species list of scientific names, or by viewing groups of photos. Each species has a page that includes description and habitat information, as well as photos of other similar organisms. Not as easy to navigate, the Algae section is hosted by the University of Hawaii. The entire Invertebrate section or individual species pages can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. [AL]
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The Council for Responsible Genetics
http://www.gene-watch.org/index.html
The Council for Responsible Genetics is a "non-profit/non-governmental organization devoted to fostering public debate about the social, ethical, and environmental implications of the new genetic technologies." This group's Web site provides news, publications, and resources to inform opinions on genetic technology. The site is fairly easy to navigate with the most recent information highlighted on the main Web page. A large amount of information is also provided in the Program Areas section. [AL]
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