Best of our wild blogs: 21 Dec 18

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Psychedelic Nature

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Two trees fall in Sembawang Park where SMRT staff were having Christmas party, 14 taken to hospital

WONG PEI TING Today Online 21 Dec 18;

SINGAPORE — Two trees fell at Sembawang Park amid heavy rain on Thursday (Dec 20). One of the trees fell on a pavilion, causing the roof to crash on a private Christmas party involving 17 SMRT employees.

And while nobody was trapped under it, 14 people who suffered injuries had to be taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

The incident took place at about 5.30pm along Beaulieu Road, which is near a playground in the park, which borders the sea.

The National Parks Board said two trees were uprooted during the incident — one was an 18m tall Tabebuia rosea, the other a 21m tall Erythrophleum suaveolens.

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Indonesia: Protection of Leuser ecosystem crucial - NGO

Antara 20 Dec 18;

A number of students explored the forest area of the Ketambe Research Station inside Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL) while participating in environmental education activities in Ketambe Village, Ketambe District, Southeast Aceh District, Aceh, Wednesday (11/28/2018).(ANTARA PHOTO/SYIFA YULINNAS)

Banda Aceh (ANTARA News) - Protection of the Leuser Ecosystem zone (KEL) is crucial, as it is a national strategic area, according to an Aceh non-governmental organization (NGO).

"The Leuser Ecosystem is a national strategic area due to KEL`s environmental functions. It is crucial to protect the area, as it provides water and clean air as well as mitigates disaster impacts, such as erosion, pest, and climate change," Farwiza Farhan, the chairman of HAkA Foundation, stated here, Wednesday.

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Japan to resume commercial whaling after leaving IWC – report

Tokyo denies report by Kyodo news agency that government will reveal its decision by the end of the year
Justin McCurry and Graham Readfearn The Guardian 20 Dec 18;

Japan is to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and resume commercial whaling next year, a report claimed on Thursday, in a move that drew condemnation from Australia, with other anti-whaling nations expected to follow suit.

Japan will inform the IWC of its decision by the end of the year, Kyodo news agency said, months after the body rejected its latest bid to resume commercial whaling.

Kyodo quoted unnamed government sources as saying Japan would abandon its controversial, and expensive, expeditions to the Southern Ocean and instead permit whaling fleets to operate in its coastal waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

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