NEKTARINA

(S)PACE

ISS

N 1

847-6

694

M

arc

h 2

013

A Spring of

Water In this issue: The Danube Delta,

UNAOC Forum, Liveable Cities,

Connect Through Art, Photo Essay,

Earth Hour, The Happiness Project

Nektarina

(S)pace

NEKTARINA (S)PACE IS A WEBMAGAZINE PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY

NEKTARINA NON PROFIT, A NON PROFIT, NON GOVERNMENTAL

ORGANIZATION. WWW.NEKTARINANONPROFIT.COM ISSN 1847-6691

March

Snapshots

NEKTARINA (S)PACE IS A WEBMAGAZINE PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY

NEKTARINA NON PROFIT, A NON PROFIT, NON GOVERNMENTAL

ORGANIZATION. WWW.NEKTARINANONPROFIT.COM ISSN 1847-6691

Nektarina (S)pace, Web Magazine

Year 2, Issue # 7, March 2013

Published by Nektarina Non Profit

ISSN 1847 - 6694

Under Creative Commons Licence

Working together towards a sustainable future.

www.nektarinanonprofit.com

Nektarina Non Profit is a non governmental, non profit organization, and

most of our projects are based on volunteer work. Our articles are a compila-

tion of data (where we always provide the source) or articles / opinion pieces

(in which case there is a by-line). We come from different backgrounds, and

English is not the first language for any of us, so there might be an

occasional flop :). If you are using any of our content, it would be great if

you could link it back to us, and if you are using other people’s content (that

you found in this magazine) please make sure to copy the source links we

provided. Thank you!

Brought to

you by:

Publisher: Nektarina Non Profit

Creative Director & Editor-In-Chief: Sandra Antonovic

Lead Researcher & Contributing Editor: Livia Minca

Content Contributor: Yula Pannadopoulos

Journalist: Alyosha Melnychenko

Contributor for the March Issue: Karl Joerg

Photography: Sandra Antonovic

Contributors: This could be you!

If interested, email us to space@nektarinanonprofit.com

In this

issue:

World Nature Heritage Site:

The Danube Delta

Liveable Cities:

Graz, Austria

Connect Through Art:

Kunst Haus, Wien

Changing of Season:

Spring!

World Water Day:

Water Cooperation

5th UNAOC Forum

Earth Hour

The Bookshelf

The Happiness Project

International Day of Forests

From our desk:

20+

and much more

From our

desk:

By Yula Pannadopoulos

Seventh issue! Yay! It feels great, and we are looking forward to each

new issue, to every new month, eager to bring you more educational and use-

ful content. We hope you are enjoying Nektarina (S)pace, and we would like

your input and feedback. We also welcome all potential contributors - share

your stories and photos with us, we would love to publish you! How can you

do it? Simple. Just drop us an email to space@nektarinanonprofit.com, and

don’t forget to add who you’d like (or who should be) credited.

This March we are bringing you 20+ more pages than usual (so over 180

pages of articles and photographs), as there was so much going on, and we

didn’t really want to miss (or to omit) anything. You’ll read about the amaz-

ing world of Danube delta, what went on at the UNAOC Forum in Vienna,

Austria. You will learn about the Austrian programme “Ecologisation of

Schools—Education for Sustainability” ECOLOG; you will read about livea-

ble cities Graz and Vienna, about KunstHaus in Vienna and how it connects

people and communities through art, about World Water Day and Earth

Hour, and much more.

We didn’t forget (even though we didn’t cover these days in detail) that

March is also a month of the International Women’s Day, of Pi Day, and, of

course, St Patrick’s Day.

Enjoy March issue! We are already busy working on the April one!

Liveable

Cities:

Graz,

Austria

By Karl Joerg

Graz is the second largest city in Austria, after Vienna, obviously. The

town itself is located in a green and heavily forested area.

The Alps form a natural shield for the city, and prevent wet North Atlan-

tic weather to reach Graz, which, in return, has much more sunny and dry

days than Vienna or Salzburg. Warm weather currents from the Mediterrane-

an also help Graz's weather.

All of the above impacts the flora in Graz. Plants are found in Graz that

normally grow much further south. This makes Graz a very particular habitat

for insects and fauna, and the biodiversity is, hence, very distinctive.

There is a downside to it all, though - such a climate, mild and less windy, neg-

atively affects the air quality, and makes the city very prone to smog during

winter months.

The car exhaust fumes are still the most significant source of air pollu-

tion and noise, but the city is already working on resolving / decreasing those

issues. Graz has easy-to-use extensive network of buses and trams, and more

and more people opt to use them rather than cars when out and about in the

city.

Others are choosing walking, or bicycles that are very popular. These

choices, together with low carbon public transport (trams) are helping with the

city's carbon footprint, noise and air pollution, but also with streets' congestion

and other common problems.

This is making a life in Graz healthier and better.

Liveable

Cities:

Vienna,

Austria

By Karl Joerg

The Economist Intelligence Unit did a study in 2005. The study encom-

passed 127 world cities, and its results ranked Vienna the world's most livable

city (well, actually it was tied with Vancouver, Canada).

The same study done in 2012 ranked Vienna second, right after Melbourne,

Australia.

Many other research and human resource companies rank Vienna first

or among top five cities when it comes to the quality of living, quality of life,

and similar categories.

The website www.austrianzimmers.com describes it almost perfectly:

"This could be because of the sheer style and culture of the city, but we

think it's because of the amount of greenery within the city. If you look at the

metropolitan area, about half of it is occupied by parks, making it the green-

est city of over one million inhabitants in the world. Vienna's 280 parks and

gardens are fantastic places to spend a little bit of relaxation time...

In the spring, summer, and fall, these leafy spaces offer fantastic place

to relax and escape the bustle of the city. It's not really surprising that Vien-

na is considered a great place to live; these woodlands, gardens, and parks al-

low you to escape from it all without leaving the city. Whether you cycle,

walk, or run through them, these parks are a great place to sit down and enjoy

a nice picnic. Even if you just want to take a quick break from your Austrian

zimmer or hotel, take a brief walk down one of these boulevards. You'll not

regret it."

Connect

Through

Art:

KunstHaus

Wien

The Museum

The Museum Hundertwasser presents a unique cross-section of the oeuvre

of the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000), including key

paintings as well as graphic works, applied art, architectural designs and exam-

ples of the artist's ecological commitment.

The Museum Hundertwasser is part of KUNST HAUS WIEN, which was

established in 1991 on the basis of the Hundertwasser's philosophy and artistic

principles. The architectural remodelling of the former Thonet furniture facto-

ry was effected in accordance with Hundertwasser's own designs.

Hundertwasser's Painting

Individuality and Significance

A major part of the effect of Hundertwasser's painting is colour. Hunder-

twasser uses colours instinctively, without associating them with a definite sym-

bolism of even his own invention. He prefers intensive, radiant colours and

loves to place complementary colours next to one another to emphasize the dou-

ble movement of the spiral, for instance. He also likes to use gold and silver,

which he pastes onto the picture in a thin foil.

Two large groups of motifs determine the content of Hundertwasser's

painting: one comprises a world of forms representing analogies to vegetative

growth and an animistic nature; the other is the repetitive use of architectural

code symbols: houses, windows, gables, fences, gates. It is one of the idiosyncra-

sies of Hundertwasser's art that both motif groups are inextricably linked: vege-

tative forms seem static, to solidify to architecture in order to last, whereas eve-

rything constructed seems to have grown organically, to have been produced by

nature herself.

His painting technique is also his very personal affair. Hundertwasser

likes best to use paints he has pulverised or prepared himself, which he applies

without mixing. Similarly, he prepares the priming ground himself; for prime

coating, paint mixture and varnish he has developed various recipes of his own,

all of which are designed to guarantee a long life for his pictures.

In many of his pictures he uses oil, tempera and watercolour techniques in one

picture to achieve a contrasting effect between the matte and radiant parts of

the picture.

Hundertwasser's colour! There is no limit to its sensuality; it grows richer and

richer, in a triumphant, exuberant warmth; greens, blues, and luminous violets

exalting the shrill carmines, vermilions, and yellows; and still more sumptuous

when the vividness is heightened by applying genuine gold and silver foils. Be-

fore such a feast for the eyes one forgets that up until 1957 he had been living on

the edge of survival, virtually deprived of everything, for all his meagre require-

ments and legendary sobriety. One forgets, too, that he had unfolded treasures of

ingenuity in the recovery of scraps and trash-can rakings and by painting on an-

ything, with anything, provided it would last – which indeed it has done, as well

as if not better than the newest and most costly materials.

Hundertwasser's Graphic Work

Hundertwasser mastered and innovated many graphic techniques, among

them lithograph, silk screen, etching, colour woodcut and many others. He was

one of the first to demand and practice complete transparency in terms of tech-

nique, dates of creation and editions for each sheet.

Hundertwasser never really created large editions of one and the same

graphic work. His graphic editions comprise several colour versions and vari-

ants, which are not numbered separately, but instead numbered throughout the

entire edition. It was his aim to make many different unique pieces within the

art of the graphic, thereby going beyond machine production.

Hundertwasser always took great care to provide exact information about

the work on each graphic sheet, in order to arrive at as complete a disclosure of

a work's techniques and creation dates as possible.

Hundertwasser's Tapestries

Hundertwasser's first tapestry 133 Pissing Boy with Sky-Scraper, was

created in 1952 as a result of a bet. Hundertwasser had asserted that it was pos-

sible to weave a tapestry without a template, i. e. a cardboard model of the im-

age in the size of the planned tapestry.

All Hundertwasser tapestries that have been executed afterwards by weav-

ers of Hundertwasser's choice have been created without cardboard templates.

When transforming his works into a tapestry, Hundertwasser's main con-

cern was to have this done freehand – a transmission of one of his works into a

different medium and the quality of the artistic interpretation by the weaver

without pattern or cardboard template. In Hundertwasser's opinion, only this

procedure, without a cardboard template, could breathe life into the work, thus

an authentic work of art could evolve and not just a soulless copy of the model.

This is the reason why all Hundertwasser's tapestries are unique works.

Hudertwasser’s Architecture

As early as 1958, Hundertwasser formulated in his „Mouldiness Manifes-

to Against Rationalism in Architecture" his denouncement of rationalism, the

straight line and functional architecture.

In 1968 Hundertwasser presented his manifesto „Los von Loos (Loose

from Loos) – A Law Permitting Individual Building Alterations or Architec-

ture-Boycott Manifesto". For Hundertwasser the tradition of rational, sterile

architecture with its deadly monotony begun by the Austrian architect Adolf

Loos was responsible for people's misery. He called for a boycott of this archi-

tecture and promoted creative freedom to build and the right to individualise

buildings.

In his architectural models from the 1970s he demonstrated the afforestation of

roofs, the tree tenant and the window right and created new architectonic forms

such as the spiral house, the eye-slit house, the pit-house or the terrace house.

As an architectural doctor he took on the responsibility of transforming ugly,

monotonous and sterile buildings.

In numerous exemplary architectural projects that Hundertwasser was able to

realise from the 1980s onwards, he drove a path out of the cul-de-sac of modern

architecture. His buildings are witness to his encouragement of diversity over

monotony, for romanticism, for the organic and for unregimented irregularity,

for spontaneous vegetation and for a life in harmony with nature.

Earth

Hour

Earth Hour is the single, largest, symbolic mass participation event in

the world. Born out of a hope that we could mobilize people to take action on

climate change, Earth Hour now inspires a global community of millions of

people in 7,001 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories to switch

lights off for an hour as a massive show of concern for the environment.

***********

Earth Hour is about collective impact, beyond the hour.

Earth Hour has now become much more than a symbolic action. It has

evolved into a continuous movement driving real actions, big and small, that

are changing the world we live in.

Now is the time for our interconnected global community to mobilize oth-

ers through each of our actions for change and build momentum and motiva-

tion for the next person. Sign up now to find out how you can become the inspi-

ration for the change you want to see in the world.

Earth Hour happens because of the committed teams around the world

that work tirelessly to get lights switched off. Coordinating their tremendous

efforts is a small team of people based in Singapore – the Earth Hour Global

Team.

www.earthhour.org

UN

Alliance

of

Civilizations

Forum

Promoting Responsible Leadership

in Diversity and Dialogue

Inspired by the vision that respect and tolerance among human beings

in all their diversity of belief, culture and language are fundamental values

for building inclusive societies as well as boosting peace and sustainable de-

velopment, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations operates in a field in

which choices and attitudes of a wide range of actors from all walks of life

matter to turn its goals into achievements.

Politics, business, civil society, religious communities as well as

academic circles, professional organizations, youth, and the media are all

jointly in a position to shape a new agenda for living together in a diversity

and dialogue. At a time of global changes when our world is more interde-

pendent than ever, it is crucial that such actors become further aware of

their shared responsibility in forging consensus in an environment where

economies are interconnected, power is diffuse, politics diversifying and var-

ious worldviews and conceptions of domestic and international order com-

pete.

Therefore, responsible leadership in all spheres and at all levels is

needed. A leadership that understands the complexity of the world we live in

and integrates value-based and ethical decision-making as well as the

cross-cultural bridge-building is imperative in a medium/longterm perspec-

tive. This is the specific angle or perspective that the Vienna Forum will

take.

More specifically, the Vienna Forum will focus on how responsible

leadership can make a difference in the following three major issues:

→ promotion, protection and full enjoyment of the right to religious freedom

in a context of religious pluralism which consists not only of greater diversi-

ty, but also of perceptions of that diversity and new patterns of interaction

among religious groups;

→ media pluralism and diversity of media content and their contribution to

fostering public debate, democracy and awareness of diverse opinions;

→ shaping a new narrative for migration, integration and mobility in the

global economy

In addition, the Vienna Forum will focus on the regional dimension of the

Alliance of Civilizations as integral to its mission since it has to translate

general prescriptions into local, regional settings and different cultures in

order to deliver action on the ground. Apart from looking at existing regional

initiatives within the UNAOC , the Vienna Forum will further explore the

possibilities of enhanced cross-cultural cooperation in the Danube and Black

Sea region, the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia.

Whenever appropriate, panel discussions will be supplemented with

small group discussions, offering participants an opportunity to focus on

more specific topics or to work together to take action on specific challenges.

Regional Perspectives

The Vienna Forum will dedicate two special sessions to regional per-

spectives.

One session will look at the regional developments of the work carried out

by the UNAOC over the past year. This session will bring together represent-

atives from a wide range of stakeholders engaged in regional action promot-

ed by the UNAOC in order to achieve its goals. Participants will address

some cross-cutting issues - such as education, youth, media, and migration

and/or minorities - and will discuss them from a regional perspective. They

will share best practices and discuss further possibilities of cooperation.

Some of the projects developed in South-East Europe, the Euro-

Mediterranean Region, Latin America, Asia and the South Pacific will be

presented and new commitments to action announced.

Another special session will be devoted to the Danube and Black Sea region,

the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia. For centuries, peoples in these

neighbouring regions have witnessed growing cultural diversity. Building

upon existing regional strategies the following questions will be discussed:

Where are the needs for more intercultural and interreligious dialogue in

these regions? Which existing cross-cultural projects in these regions dealing

with the themes of the Vienna Forum can be shared as best practice exam-

ples? Where are possibilities for new cross-cultural initiatives bringing the

citizens and peoples of the regions closer to each other?

World Nature

Heritage Site:

The Danube

Delta

The waters of the Danube, which flow into the Black Sea, form the largest and

best preserved of Europe's deltas. The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of

birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in its numerous lakes and marshes.

The waters of the Danube, which flow into the Black Sea, form the larg-

est and best preserved of Europe's deltas. The Danube delta hosts over 300 spe-

cies of birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in its numerous lakes and

marshes. The reserve is vast in European terms with numerous freshwater

Lakes interconnected by narrow channels featuring huge expanses of aquatic

vegetation. This is the largest continuous marshland on Europe and the sec-

ond-largest delta (the Volga being the largest), which includes the greatest

stretch of reedbeds in the world. The marsh vegetation is dominated by reeds

which form floating or fixed islands of decaying vegetation Reeds cover some

1,700 km2 and the floating reed islands (plaur ) 1,000 km2 , whereas the total

area not inundated is only 148 km2 . The Razelm-Sinoie complex to the south

comprises several large brackish lagoons separated from the sea by a sandbar.

The overall basic hydrological and ecological system of the delta, although

strongly degraded, is intact.

The higher ground supports stands of willow, popular, alder and oak.

There are also sandy areas covered with feather grass and other steppe species.

Forest elements are best observed in Letea Forest where a series of bands occur

along dunes up to 250 m long and 10 m wide. The delta has been classified into

12 habitat types as follows: aquatic, lakes covered with flooded reedbeds;

'plaur', flooded islets; flooded reeds and willows; riverine forest of willows and

poplars; cane-fields; sandy and muddy beaches; wet meadows; dry meadows

(arid); human settlements; sandy and rocky areas; steep banks; and forests on

high ground.

Over 300 species of bird have been recorded, of which over 176 species

breed, the most important being cormorant, pygmy cormorant, white pelican

and Dalmatian pelican. There are numerous multi-species heron colonies and

raptor species including white-tailed eagle. The marsh tern colonies are espe-

cially notable. The delta holds huge numbers of geese in the winter white-

fronted geese, red-breasted geese (a globally threatened species with almost all

the world wintering population present), teal, mallard and pochard. The delta

is very important for fish, with 45 fresh water species present. Otter and weasel

are to be found on the floating islands.

The Danube Delta is a remarkable alluvial feature constituting critical

habitat for migratory birds and other animals. It is the major remaining wet-

land on the flyway between central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean

and Middle East and Africa. It is exceptional for its contiguity of wetland eco-

system and currently supports endangered flora and fauna. The threats remain

numerous and include intensive fish farming, shooting, canal and dyke con-

struction and pollution and eutrophication.

The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of

birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in

its numerous lakes and marshes.

Historical Description

In 1938 the Council of Ministers passed Decision No 645 declaring

'Letea Forest' as a nature reserve. In 1961 it passed Decision No 891 declaring

Rosca-Buhaiova (14,60Oha), St George-Perisor -Zatoane (16,40Oha), Periteas-

ca-Gura Portitei (3,900ha) and Popina Island (98ha) as nature reserves. In

1971 the Management of Forestry declared the Caraorman Forest (840ha) and

Erenciuc Forest (41ha). In 1975 the Council of Ministers passed the Decision

No. 524 extending the Danube Delta protected areas to cover 41,500ha. In 1979

an area of 18,145ha combining Rosca-Buhaiova Reserve and Letea Forest was

designated as Rosca-Letea Biosphere Reserve.

An area of 500,000ha including all previous designations was declared a

biosphere reserve under National Decree No. 983 with supporting Articles 5,

and 6 on 27 August 1990. Further legislation is under preparation. This area

was further enlarged in early 1991 to cover 547,000ha. International recogni-

tion is imminent with submissions in May 1991 to Unesco for biosphere

reserve nomination and to the Ramsar Bureau for nomination as a Ramsar

site.

The latest legislation gives patrimony of the biosphere reserve to the Del-

ta Authority. Decree 264/91 passed on 12 April 1991 places all institute, agency

and inspectorate staff under the administration of the biosphere reserve. The

environment agency for Tulcea Judet is also subordinate. All public domain

and aquatic and natural resources generated are the ownership of the bio-

sphere reserve authority. Further legislation will significantly strengthen the

administration of the site.

World

Water

Day:

Water

Cooperation

World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing

attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable

management of freshwater resources. An international day to celebrate fresh-

water was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environ-

ment and Development (UNCED). Each year, World Water Day highlights a

specific aspect of freshwater. In 2013, in reflection of the International Year

of Water Cooperation. The fullfilment of basic human needs, our environ-

ment, socio-economic development and poverty reduction are all heavily de-

pendent on water.

Good management of water is especially challenging due to some of its

unique characteristics: it is unevenly distributed in time and space, the hydro-

logical cycle is highly complex and perturbations have multiple effects. Rapid

urbanization, pollution and climate change threaten the resource while de-

mands for water are increasing in order to satisfy the needs of a growing world

population, now at over seven billion people, for food production, energy, in-

dustrial and domestic uses. Water is a shared resource and its management

needs to take into account a wide variety of conflicting interests. This provides

opportunities for cooperation among users. In designating 2013 as the UN In-

ternational Year of Water Cooperation, the UNGA recognizes that cooperation

is essential to strike a balance between the different needs and priorities and

share this precious resource equitably, using water as an instrument of peace.

Promoting water cooperation implies an interdisciplinary approach bringing

in cultural, educational and scientific factors, as well as religious, ethical, so-

cial, political, legal, institutional and economic dimensions.

At the following address you can find out very useful facts and tips on resource

efficiency, including water saving advice: http://www.generationawake.eu/en

International

Day

Of Forests

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 21 March the In-

ternational Day of Forests. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the im-

portance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries

are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organ-

ize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.

In this inspirational 1 minute clip the Food and Agriculture Organisa-

tion (FAO) invites people all over the planet to consider the extraourdinary

gift that represent our forests and to participate in their well being by planting

trees: http://www.fao.org/news/audio-video/detail-video/en/?uid=9697.

On the first International Day of Forests, celebrated by the United Na-

tions today, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva proposed that coun-

tries support a Zero Illegal Deforestation target in the context of the post-2015

debate. “In many countries, illegal deforestation is degrading ecosystems, di-

minishing water availability and limiting the supply of fuelwood – all of

which reduce food security, especially for the poor,” Graziano da Silva said at a

ceremony marking the International Day of Forests. “Stopping illegal defor-

estation and forest degradation would do much to end hunger, extreme poverty

and bring about sustainability.”

“This is why, I would like to encourage countries to promote tree planting and

to consider a Zero Illegal Deforestation target in the context of the post-2015

debate. These two goals should be closely linked. We can achieve positive re-

sults if countries, the international financial institutions, the UN, civil society

and the private sector join forces to tackle these issues.”

Mediterranean countries respond to forest threats

In parallel, the countries of the Mediterranean are meeting today at the Third

Mediterranean Forest Week, taking place in Tlemcen, Algeria (17-21 March),

to discuss the state of Mediterranean forests and adopt a Strategic Framework

on Mediterranean Forests.

The Mediterranean forests are expected to be hard hit by climate change and

are under severe pressure from population growth, according to the first FAO

report on The State of Mediterranean Forests, also published today. This re-

sults in ever-increasing competition for already scarce food and water resources

in the region.

Climate change and population growth

Temperatures in the Mediterranean increased by one degree during the twenti-

eth century while rainfall decreased by 20 percent in certain Mediterranean ar-

eas. By the end of this century, it is expected that temperatures will have risen

by a further two degrees, which is likely to put some forest species at risk of ex-

tinction and result in loss of biodiversity. Population growth is expected to rise

from around 500 million people currently living in the Mediterranean to 625

million by 2050. This will put additional pressure on forests as sources of food

and water.

“The Mediterranean region is undergoing many changes in their societies, life-

styles and climate”, said FAO Assistant Director-General for Forests Eduardo

Rojas-Briales. “If unmanaged, such changes could lead to negative impacts on

livelihoods, biodiversity, wildfire risks, watersheds or desertification. There is

an urgent need to regularly assess the state of Mediterranean forests using ob-

jective and reliable data and to manage endangered forest resources more sus-

tainably.”

New strategies to ensure environmental services

Mediterranean forests are a significant carbon sink. In 2010 they stocked al-

most 5 billion tons of carbon, which represent 1.6 percent of the global forest

carbon stock. They also provide valuable ecosystem services such as water and

climate regulation, the provision of wood and non-wood products, and biodiver-

sity conservation. The Mediterranean region is one of the world’s biodiversity

hotspots. There are more than 25,000 plant species in the Mediterranean re-

gion, compared with about 6,000 in central and northern Europe. The report

stresses that the value of Mediterranean forests and their vital role in climate

change adaptation and mitigation should be recognized at local, regional and

national levels. It calls upon governments and foresters to promote the use of

wood and non-wood forest products such as cork for long-term carbon storage,

and to reinforce the investment potential of smallholders working in wood and

non-wood, forest-based industries (pine nuts, esparto grass, mushrooms, honey,

etc.). The report urges foresters to use the variety of forest genetic resources in

their silvicultural practices and promote forest species best able to adapt to

changing climate conditions. On a local scale, foresters should also improve

forest planning to manage forest ecosystems with the optimal density of trees

and to deal with water scarcity, whereas the large scale activities should in-

clude systematic forest fire prevention.

Forest fire prevention

Climate change could lead to more frequent and more severe fires, the report

warned. Between 2006 and 2010, around two million hectares of forests were af-

fected by fires in the Mediterranean region. Without adequate fire prevention

measures, including fire hazard reduction and prescribed fires to burn biomass

during the winter season to reduce fuel levels, extreme weather conditions could

cause catastrophic forest fire events.

The report was developed by more than 20 scientific and technical institutions

and non-governmental organizations and nearly 50 authors and other contribu-

tors coordinated by FAO and Plan Bleu, the main support centre of the Medi-

terranean Commission on Sustainable Development. FAO intends to publish

The State of Mediterranean Forests every five years, providing further opportu-

nities to unify and mobilize partners in the management of Mediterranean for-

ests and other wooded lands.

Based on the key recommendations adopted in the Tlemcen Declaration during

its high-level segment, the future implementation of the Strategic Framework

on Mediterranean Forests could be a useful regional tool to adapt national for-

est policies in the face of ongoing global changes which are affecting the Medi-

terranean region.

Forests

and

Water

Photo

Essay

Changing

Of

Season:

Spring

Finally, after months of waiting and enduring the cold, the moment we

were all waiting for has come: spring is here at last. That is at least what the

calendar says, anyway. Even though in some places the winter is still trying to

impose its will, there is no turning back now. The sun will shine longer and

cast a warmer light upon us, the trees will blossom and the numb world will

come back to life.

This is what makes spring the most loved season of all: it is the symbol

of a new beginning, a new cycle of life that is starting, a new world full of

possibilities. Since ancient times, people have created special celebrations to

greet the arrival of spring. And even if many of them are lost today or have

been replaced by others, the joy of spring coming cannot be hidden and it is

still warming up our hearts just like every other year.

The equinox

This year, on March 20 at 11:02 a.m. Universal Time, the March Equinox

(also known as the Spring Equinox or Vernal Equinox) occured, meaning that

the sun was directly overhead the equator. On this day, there were twelve hours

of daylight and twelve hours of darkness at all points on the earth’s surface.

The sun rises at the North Pole to the horizon on the March Equinox and the

North Pole remains lit until the September Equinox. At the same time, at the

South Pole, the sun sets after the South Pole having been lit for the previous

six months (since the September Equinox).

It has been a tradition that spring “officially begins” on March 20, and

the three other seasons begin on their solstices or equinox. However, there is no

set scientific standard for the beginning of the seasons. March, April, and May

are most commonly thought to be the spring months. On March 20, most con-

sider that spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn begins in the

Southern Hemisphere.

The beginning of spring often represents a mild transitional climate be-

tween the extremes of winter and summer. Seasonal changes primarily impact

the higher latitudes (those above 23.5 degrees). The areas between the Tropic of

Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south effectively do not

have seasons because the sun is always high in the sky.

And now that the spring is here, the sun is shining and the birds are sing-

ing, what to do with all the energy that we have stored during the winter? We

think this is the best time to be outside, enjoy and connect to the nature. Here

are a few suggestions for you.

Planting a tree

After the autumn planting round, the next best period to plant a tree is in

early spring. At this point, trees are still dormant and the chances of their sur-

vival are better than when the weather turns warm. If you do decide to try tree

planting this spring, either with your school or in your own garden, here are

some steps that you should follow:

1. Choose location and tree species. Do some research to find out what trees are

best suited for your soil and moisture conditions. Don’t forget the tree’s eventu-

al height and spread, and plan for its size at maturity. If you have a restricted

planting area or overhead power lines or buried pipes, this will limit the size of

the tree you plant. Before getting started, give entire planting area a soaking

(the day before so you don’t work in muck) or plant after rain has moistened

the soil.

2. Dig the hole. Be careful at its size: too deep and the roots don’t have access to

sufficient oxygen to ensure proper growth; too narrow and the root structure

can’t expand sufficiently to nourish and properly anchor the tree. As a general

rule, trees should be transplanted no deeper than the soil in which they were

originally grown. The width of the hole should be at least 3 times the diameter

of the root ball or container or the spread of the roots in the case of bare root

trees. This will provide the tree with enough worked earth for its root struc-

ture to establish itself.

3. Place the tree in the hole. Balled and burlapped trees should always be lifted

by the ball, never by the trunk. The burlap surrounding the ball of earth and

roots should either be cut away completely (mandatory, in the case of synthetic

or plastic burlap) or at least pulled back from the top third of the ball (in the

case of natural burlap). Any string or twine should also be removed. In the

case of container trees, once carefully removed from the container, check the

roots. If they are tightly compressed or ‘pot bound’, use your fingers or a blunt

instrument to carefully tease the fine roots away from the tight mass and then

spread the roots prior to planting. For extremely woody compacted roots, it may

be necessary to use a spade to open up the bottom half of the root system. The

root system is then pulled apart or ‘butterflied’ prior to planting.

Loosening the root structure in this way is extremely important in the case of

container plants. Failure to do so may result in the roots ‘girdling’ and killing

the tree. Bare-rooted trees should be planted as soon as possible after purchas-

ing. Care should be taken to ensure that the roots are kept moist in the period

between purchase and planting. To plant, first build a cone of earth in the cen-

tre of the hole around which to splay the roots. Make sure that when properly

seated on this cone the tree is planted so that the ‘trunk flare’ is clearly visible

and the ‘crown’, where the roots and top meet, is about two inches above the soil

level. This is to allow for natural settling.

4. Fill the hole. Backfill soil (combinations of peat moss, composted manure,

topsoil, etc.) is then placed in the hole surrounding the tree just to the height of

the ball or the former container level to allow for some settling. Be careful not

to over-compress the backfill soil as this may prevent water from reaching the

roots and the roots from expanding inside the soil. Compress gently using your

hands instead of your feet.

5. Water well after planting, but don’t apply fertilizer until second growing sea-

son. If you don’t get regular rainfall, continue to water newly planted trees thor-

oughly (an inch of water once a week), in the first season. If you have the possi-

bility, apply a two- to four-inch layer of mulch to soil at tree base in a 3-foot

circle. This helps conserve moisture, reduces competition from grass and weeds

and encourages you to keep string trimmers away from trunk. Don’t heap mulch

up against trunk, as this can promote decay.

Riding the bike

The longer, sunny days and the warmer temperatures are certainly inviting

for a trip outdoors. Just hop on your bike (or roller-blades, skateboard or any

other un-motorised device that you know how to ride) and take it to the roads.

If your local conditions allow, you can expand from just an occasional ride

for fun to start riding your bike to work, to the shop, to meet your friends, in-

stead of using a car or a bus. This will keep your tonus high and your carbon

footprint low.

Spring Cleaning

Since it is spring again, the Spring Cleaning concept should not come as a sur-

prise for anyone. Whether we use it for cleaning our houses from top to bot-

tom or for tidying up our gardens in preparation for the summer, one thing

it’s for sure: it does take a lot of energy. So if you feel like putting those mus-

cles to work, this is the activity for you.

While you get busy, keep in mind the environment. Try to use environmental-

ly friendly detergents and cleaning products and use water efficiently. Don’t

just let that tap running; remember, we just celebrated World Water Day.

And if you find things that need to be disposed of, try to see if they match any

recycling options.

Positive

Examples:

Austria

ECOLOG, a key action programme and network on the ecologisation of

schools and education for sustainability, was developed by an Austrian team

of teachers working on the international project “Environment and School

Initiatives” (ENSI) in the 1990s as a national support system with the aim of

promoting and integrating the development of individual schools, and at-

tempts are being made to embed the programme in Austria’s federal states

through regional networks. Overall coordination is ensured by the Forum

Umweltbildung, which operates as a contractor with the Federal Ministry of

Education, Sciences and Culture and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and

Environment. In this setting, the ECOLOG programme may itself become

sustainable and be seen as an interface between environmental education and

school development.

The Austrian programme

“Ecologisation of Schools

Education for Sustainability”

(ECOLOG)

ECOLOG is based upon an ENSI approach: Schools – so called ESDSchools –

define the ecological, technical and social conditions of their environment

and, on the basis of these results, define objectives, targets and/or concrete ac-

tivities and quality criteria, to be implemented and evaluated. Students as

well as all the other actors at school should be involved in a participatory way

and collaboration with authorities, business and other interested parties is

encouraged. The measures concern, among others, areas like saving of re-

sources (energy, water etc.), reduction of the emissions (i.e. waste, traffic),

spatial arrangement (from the classroom to the campus), learning culture

(communication culture, organisational structure) and health promotion as

well as opening of the school to the community. All in all, over 300 schools

with about 70,000 students are currently in the network. Many others are

reached by the web site, teacher inservice-training seminars and newsletters.

What has been achieved in relation to the goals and objectives of the

ECOLOG network:

→ The pilot phase of the network (1996–1998) successfully achieved its main

goals of supporting ecological awareness and fostering school development

through environmental projects.

→ The nationwide contest (Phase II, 1997–1999) called “The Slightly Differ-

ent Contest—Ecologising Schools”, with 200 participating schools, was a

striking success. What made the contest innovative was that it was not the

product that was examined but the growth in experience and change achieved

in the schools.

→ In Phase III (since 1999), which focused on the development of regional

support networks, the cooperation with school authorities and environmental

departments of the regional governments has been successfully established

and has been working well in most Austrian provinces.

→ Some federal states—such as Upper Austria and Styria—are repeatedly

mentioned in the interviews as good practice models for this cooperation.

→ Beside these forms of knowledge management there are also opportunities

of gaining new knowledge: regular training workshops (e.g. team formation,

curriculum, environmental topics) are offered to network members.

→ A considerable number of school-development consultants showed a lively

interest in participating in the network. These consultants are supposed to

provide valuable knowledge and support concerning the further development

of the network.

Problems were identified in relation to cooperation and the flow of infor-

mation within the network, time pressures, tight deadlines and excessive

workloads as a result, varying levels of commitment by staff in the coordi-

nation groups, and a lack of material and other resources for coordinators

and schools. In the immediate future, keeping a balance between bottom-up

and top-down developments, together with the introduction of some new or-

ganisational features (i.e. more team-oriented work and more horizontal

connections between the network partners), will be the key challenges of the

network Ecologising Schools—Education for Sustainable Development.

Crucial questions for a sustainable development of the network include how

to keep up funding, how to develop local advisory support further, and how

to find structural links and cooperation to quality assessment and educa-

tional standards development.

Good practice Example of an ECOLOG School

Sustainable development is an important part of the school culture at the

Upper secondary technical School (HTL) Donaustadt in Vienna. Aspects

of sustainability are reflected in numerous projects, diploma thesis and by

the certification through environment management systems (Eco-

Management and Audit Scheme - EMAS). In addition to high quality

technical training, students acquire specialised knowledge in the area of

company environment protection by getting qualified as waste-, environ-

ment- and sustainability agents as well as by acquiring social competencies.

Through this practice relevant and modern training, alumni are sought as

valuable employees in companies.

Throughout the year the school organises film and discussion days focusing on

sustainability themes. These events have been well attended by students. The

selection of topics for diploma theses and projects ranges from optimising

waste management to the development of a “reminder-calendar” for vaccination

shots in companies. The “HTL Donaustadt” and its highly motivated students

also support regional nature protection projects like the resettling of tawny

owls with helpful technical solutions.

Modern company culture also needs to take into account the satisfaction of its

staff and of the students. For this the HTL Donaustadt has a communication

platform “we for us”. In a technical school with a high percentage of male staff

members and students an active approach to gender mainstreaming is a logic

consequence; for this the network called “women-technology-future” has been

developed.

The “HTL Donaustadt“ sees itself also as a cultural impulse transmitter in the

region and organises events to which people of the surrounding district are in-

vited. Highlights of this impulse activity are the “long night of sustainability”

and the cooperation with a local business Agenda 21 initiative. Since 2005 this

variety of projects and activities has been documented in “sustainability re-

ports“. This documentation allows to analyse strengths and to give room for im-

provement and helps to act accordingly. The continued improvement has led to

numerous awards like the “Environment Award of the City of Vienna”, the

Austrian Sustainability Reporting Award, the Mobility Award and the Eco

Profit Award.

Seminars for heads and coordinators to enhance quality of ESD schools

In November 2007 and April 2008 a two-part seminar was offered to heads of

Austrian ECOLOG schools. In May 2009 a further seminar was held for co-

ordinators at the ECOLOG schools. The seminars aimed to spread innovative

ideas to the ECOLOG schools through an organised framework in which

school representatives could discuss their work and which facilitated a system-

atic confrontation with the “Quality Criteria for ESD-Schools”.

The intention of the seminar was to enhance innovative potentials at the

schools and it was the aspect of ESD being “part of everyday school life” or

part of the mission statement for the schools that led the Austrian ENSI Team

to think of innovative approaches. The task was to keep what was there alive,

leading on to intrinsically motivated further development through the genera-

tion of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the creative mind between

existing ideas or concepts. When school initiatives are recognised as positive

and have become institutionalised, there is simply a danger that they may be-

come purely an “institution”, suffer from a loss of impetus and also become the

task or even burden of a small group – or at worst, one person – rather than a

living part of everyday school life.

All in all the feedback from the seminars was very good. An interesting aspect

was that the participants were not daunted but inspired by excellent school

examples. It was clear that it takes time to reach such a level, that it can only

be achieved in a team and step-by-step. A further aspect was that it was the

practical examples that clarified the quality criteria. Beyond seminar pro-

grammes, the aim is the integration of the quality criteria as a framework for

ESD within regular teacher education.

The

Bookshelf:

The

Happiness

Project

Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books, including the #1 New

York Times and international bestseller, The Happiness Project—an account

of the year she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific

studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. On her

popular blog, The Happiness Project, she reports on her daily adventures in

the pursuit of happiness.

In her next book, Happier at Home, Rubin embarks on a new project to

explore how to make home a happier place. Starting in September (the new

January), Gretchen dedicates a school year—from September through May—

to concentrating on the factors that matter most for home, such as possessions,

marriage, time, parenthood, body, neighborhood. The book’s title was inspired

by a line from Samuel Johnson: “To be happy at home is the ultimate result of

all ambition.”

Rubin has emerged as one of the most thought-provoking and influential

writers on happiness to have emerged from the recent explosion of interest in

the subject. Though her conclusions are sometimes counter-intuitive—for ex-

ample, she finds that true simplicity is far from simple to attain, and that used

rightly, money can do a lot to buy happiness—her insights resonate with read-

ers of all backgrounds.

http://www.happiness-project.com

Response to Rubin’s writing on happiness has been overwhelming. The

Happiness Project is more than books and a blog, it’s a movement. Happiness

Project groups have sprung up across the country—and across the world. Rights

to The Happiness Project have been sold for more than 35 territories. Dozens of

blogs have been launched by people following Gretchen’s example. Psychiatrists

tell their patients to read it, professors assign it to their students, book groups

discuss it it, families pass it around, and people do Happiness Projects together.

Exhausted parents and college students, senior citizens and professionals, clergy

and social workers, people facing divorce, illness, and drift have written to tell

her how she’s influenced them. The Happiness Project was even an answer on

the game-show Jeopardy!

Rubin, an enthusiastic proponent of using technology to engage with read-

ers about ideas, has a wide, active following on Twitter, on Facebook, and on

her YouTube channel—not to mention her monthly newsletter and her daily

email of happiness quotations. Rubin is a notable example of a traditional au-

thor using a blog and social media to create discussion around a subject and a

book, even before publication. Rubin’s online presence set the stage for The

Happiness Project to rocket to the top of the bestseller list, and to stay there for

months. In traditional media, Rubin has a monthly column in Good House-

keeping.

A graduate of Yale and Yale Law School, where she was Editor-in-Chief

of the Yale Law Journal and winner of the Edgar M. Cullen Prize, Rubin start-

ed her career in law, and she was clerking for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

when she realized she really wanted to be a writer.

Her bestselling Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill and Forty Ways to

Look at JFK are succinct, provocative biographies. Power Money Fame Sex: A

User’s Guide is biting social criticism in the form of a user’s manual. Profane

Waste, a collaboration with artist Dana Hoey, examines the question of why

owners choose to destroy their own possessions. She also has three terrible nov-

els safely locked in a desk drawer.

Raised in Kansas City, she lives in New York City with her husband and two

daughters.

Notes and Acknowledgments

Content /

Positive Examples / The Netherlands (we omitted these

links in our February Issue, and we apologize for any

inconvenience caused)

http://www.lerenvoorduurzameontwikkeling.nl/sites/default/

files/downloads/

lvdo_programmabrochure_engelstalig_tcm24-290166.pdf

http://www.lerenvoorduurzameontwikkeling.nl/sites/default/

files/downloads/learning_sstnbl_dvlpm_tcm24-298876_0.pdf

http://www.slo.nl/downloads/2008/sustainable_development-

def.pdf/

Positive Examples / Austria

http://seri.at/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/

CEER_A_152761.pdf

http://seri.at/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/ESD-in-

Austria_proofed.pdf

Connect Through Art / KunstHaus Wien

www.kunsthauswien.com

Earth Hour

www.earthhour.org

UN Alliance of Civilizations

www.vienna5unaoc.org

World Nature Heritage Site / The Danube Delta

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/588

World Water Day

http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/home/en/

Changing of Season / Spring

http://geography.about.com/od/timeandtimezones/a/marchequinox.htm

http://www.tree-planting.com/tree-planting-4.htm

http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/how-to-plant-a-

tree.html

Notes and Acknowledgments

Content /

The Happiness Project

www.happiness-project.com

Notes and Acknowledgments

Photos /

The Happiness Project

http://gurpreetlife.blogspot.com

www.katiecouric.com

World Nature Heritage Site / The Danube Delta

www.trekking-tours.ro

http://danubedelta.wordpress.com

birdlife.org

www.transilvaniatours.ro

www.theeposhtimes.com

Positive Examples / Austria

www.dyndy.net

danosky.wikispaces.com

Pi Day

www.edison.k12.nj.us

Missed an issue? Nektarina (S)pace January Issue Nektarina (S)pace February Issue

Missed an issue? Nektarina (S)pace January Issue Nektarina (S)pace February Issue

Coming up

in April

World Nature Heritage Site:

The Plitvice Lakes

Liveable Cities:

Belgrade, Serbia

Earth Day

The Balkans:

Connecting Point

Sustainable Agriculture

The pains and laughs of fundraising

SuperNatural Festival

Positive Examples:

Montenegro

The Bookshelf

Our Blockbuster

Delish!

Recipe of the Month

and much more

Nektarina (S)pace is a web magazine published monthly

by Nektarina Non Profit, a non governmental,

non profit organization registred in Croatia.

ISSN 1847-6694

www.nektarinanonprofit.com

www.education4sustainability.org