Robber fly - Nature photographer Thomas Shahan specializes in amazing portraits of tiny insects. It isn't easy. Shahan says that this Robber Fly (Holcocephala fusca), for instance, is "skittish" and doesn't like its picture taken.

Nature by Numbers (Video)

"The Greater Akashic System" – July 15, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Caroll) (Subjects: Lightworkers, Intent, To meet God, Past lives, Universe/Galaxy, Earth, Pleiadians, Souls Reincarnate, Invention: Measure Quantum state in 3D, Recalibrates, Multi-Dimensional/Divine, Akashic System to change to new system, Before religion changed the system, DNA, Old system react to Karma, New system react to intent now for next life, Animals (around humans) reincarnate again, This Animal want to come back to the same human, Akashic Inheritance, Reincarnate as Family, Other Planets, Global Unity … etc.)

Question: Dear Kryon: I live in Spain. I am sorry if I will ask you a question you might have already answered, but the translations of your books are very slow and I might not have gathered all information you have already given. I am quite concerned about abandoned animals. It seems that many people buy animals for their children and as soon as they grow, they set them out somewhere. Recently I had the occasion to see a small kitten in the middle of the street. I did not immediately react, since I could have stopped and taken it, without getting out of the car. So, I went on and at the first occasion I could turn, I went back to see if I could take the kitten, but it was to late, somebody had already killed it. This happened some month ago, but I still feel very sorry for that kitten. I just would like to know, what kind of entity are these animals and how does this fit in our world. Are these entities which choose this kind of life, like we do choose our kind of Human life? I see so many abandoned animals and every time I see one, my heart aches... I would like to know more about them.

Answer: Dear one, indeed the answer has been given, but let us give it again so you all understand. Animals are here on earth for three (3) reasons.

(1) The balance of biological life. . . the circle of energy that is needed for you to exist in what you call "nature."

(2) To be harvested. Yes, it's true. Many exist for your sustenance, and this is appropriate. It is a harmony between Human and animal, and always has. Remember the buffalo that willingly came into the indigenous tribes to be sacrificed when called? These are stories that you should examine again. The inappropriateness of today's culture is how these precious creatures are treated. Did you know that if there was an honoring ceremony at their death, they would nourish you better? Did you know that there is ceremony that could benefit all of humanity in this way. Perhaps it's time you saw it.

(3) To be loved and to love. For many cultures, animals serve as surrogate children, loved and taken care of. It gives Humans a chance to show compassion when they need it, and to have unconditional love when they need it. This is extremely important to many, and provides balance and centering for many.

Do animals know all this? At a basic level, they do. Not in the way you "know," but in a cellular awareness they understand that they are here in service to planet earth. If you honor them in all three instances, then balance will be the result. Your feelings about their treatment is important. Temper your reactions with the spiritual logic of their appropriateness and their service to humanity. Honor them in all three cases.

Dian Fossey's birthday celebrated with a Google doodle

Dian Fossey's birthday celebrated with a Google doodle
American zoologist played by Sigourney Weaver in the film Gorillas in the Mist would have been 82 on Thursday (16 January 2014)

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Few forestry firms seek certification

The Jakarta Post, Pelalawan, Riau

Forestry companies are generally still reluctant to adopt sustainable management practices because most do not see the benefits for their businesses.

According to the Indonesian Ecolabeling Institute (LEI), which introduced a sustainable forestry management scheme to Indonesia in 1998, just 12 of hundreds of forestry-related companies in the country have adopted sustainable forest management practices and earned certification.

Manager of the institute, Gladi Haryanto, said recently most forestry companies felt there was little benefit to obtaining sustainable forest management certification, which is known as ecolabeling.

"Many companies have applied for the certification but when they failed to meet the requirements they withdrew because they can't see its benefit," Gladi said in Riau recently.

He said the sustainable management scheme was introduced to promote cooperation, mutual understanding and partnership among the various stakeholders in the industry, and to give forestry companies increased access to the international market.

In some developed countries especially in Europe, timber products with no ecolabelling or green certificate are prohibited.

But Indonesian forestry companies, which sell most of their products to South Korea and Japan, see no urgency in adopting the scheme.

Gladi said companies with ecolabeling certification benefited because they could export their goods to countries that set high standards for forestry products.

"Most developed countries prefer to have goods that are produced in a sustainable manner, so LEI certification helps them get trust. Several big buyers in Europe have accepted products with LEI certification," he said.

LEI, a constituent-based organization established in 1998, consists of panels representing NGOs, indigenous people, academics and business associations. Besides promoting certification systems for forestry, marine and agricultural products, LEI also takes a role in conflict resolution and policy advocacy.

He said LEI had two schemes of certification -- under third party assessment and under recognition over claim -- to asses the sustainability of forestry entities.

"Under the first scheme, selected assessors represent the certification body in conducting assessments, and under the second, a guarantor body represents the forestry managing community in conducting an assessment," Gladi said.

He said that although certification followed two different schemes, the overall process consisted of field pre-assessments, field assessments, gathering public input, performance evaluation, decision making and certification.

He said LEI certification, valid for five years, had three levels: gold, silver and bronze. He said a company that obtained bronze certification would be evaluated five times in a five-year period, silver two or three times and gold just once.

"Bronze companies can achieve a higher certification level if the evaluation result is good. On the other hand, if the result is bad, LEI can suspend the certification," Gladi said.

Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP), which has bronze certification, says it is improving the sustainable management of its 159,500 hectare concession forest to upgrade its current certification.

President director of RAPP Rudi Fajar said the company hoped to raise its certification level from bronze to silver within two years to give it greater access in the international market.

Environment manager of RAPP Eliezer P Lorenzo said LEI certification was more difficult to process than certification from the Germany-based international organization Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), because the whole process had to be restarted if an applicant failed to meet any of the requirements needed to obtain certification.

Rudi said with LEI certification, orders for the company's paper products from overseas buyers had gone up because the buyers were sure the raw materials used in production were obtained from sustainable management practices.

"We will have a road show to disseminate this achievement because we want to make LEI certification a market strength," Rudi said. (tic)

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