Ifpra world e-news
Newsletter Issue 18 – June 2008

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Here is your newsletter for June.  Items for inclusion in the July edition need to be e-mailed to me at ifpraworldnews@aol.com by no later than 23rd June.  Please also use this opportunity to promote events that may be of interest to other members.  As always, I look forward to hearing from you.  
Editor

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Contents

• Ifpra Europe Commission Members meet 9/10 May in Luxembourg
• The Community Garden:  a growing phenomenon ~ Canada
• National park goes on-line ~ U.K.
• More parks and gardens say residents responding to local survey ~ U.S.A.
• Community to benefit from new weather radar ~ Australia
• July is National Recreation and Parks month ~ U.S.A.
• First world-class mountain bike park opens ~ Singapore
• Chelsea goes green ~ U.K.
• National parks rated B-minus for visitors with dogs ~ U.S.A.
• Invitation to experience the Flowers, Gardens and Parks of Siberia ~ Russia
• European Register of Exercise Professionals launched ~ Europe
• £1million lottery grant to preserve Exmoor’s wild ponies ~ U.K.
• Record private donation for greening New York City ~ U.S.A.
• National forests at risk ~ Philippines
• New national park in outer Oslofjord ~ Norway
• Survey into participation patterns in physical activities ~ Hong Kong
• LivCom Awards 2008
• IFLA Congress
• Events diary

Return to contents

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Ifpra

Ifpra Europe Commission Members meet 9/10 May in Luxembourg

A well-attended meeting of the Ifpra Europe Commission, Chaired by Dr. Christy Boylan, the Chair of the Region, took place on 9th and 10th May in Luxembourg. 

Amongst the issues discussed were:-
Whether the full name of the Federation needed to be changed to reflect the developing areas of interest of Ifpra
The potential educational link with the Eppley Institute in the USA
The development of an Ifpra Europe website
A potential change in the title of General Secretary to Chief Executive
Membership generation and retention
The Region’s Financial Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2008
The potential holding of the Ifpra Europe Congress in Switzerland in 2011

Hanno Dirkse, Commissioner for Luxembourg, arranged a number of interesting visits for Commissioners and other Delegates, which included a tour of the new commercial and governmental quarter of the city, which included a number of high quality of gardens and futuristic buildings.  Tours were also arranged of the beautiful city gardens of the City of Luxembourg and of the areas and villages adjacent to the City.

Canada

The Community Garden a growing phenomenon

www.cityfarmer.org
Everywhere you look, there is news of new local Community Garden initiatives.  Sometimes, these are on derelict land or may be the result of a private donation or the allocation of a piece of parkland.  They may be administered by the local Park and Recreation Department or be established on land that is the responsibility of the Department.  The City Farmer, Canada’s office of urban agriculture, which launched a new news website in January, maintains an ever-changing list of allotment gardens, their location, size of plots and rental cost.  However, there is no central government body representing community gardens and each site is unique with its own history and administrative arrangements.   The larger ventures may be registered as non-profit organisations and require plot holders to enter into an agreement, whereas smaller initiatives may operate on a much more informal basis.   

U.K.

National park goes on-line

www.mypeakexperience.org.uk
The Peak District National Park has become the latest authority to offer an interactive website for people to share their favourite places.  At MyPeakExperience, you can upload photos, video clips, audio files or post your comments about any of the Peak places included on the site or even add a new one. Each place has a page in a similar way that a person has a page on Facebook or MySpace or a member of flickr has a photostream.  The following is just one of the mainly anonymous entries.  It relates to Kinder Scout, the biggest area of open moorland in the Peak District.  “There is breath-taking scenery that attracted working-class ramblers from the neighbouring cities to trespass for the right to roam. It's probably thanks to the Kinder Mass Trespass that there is the Peak District National Park.”  The photograph is from the same contributor.  The site was created by the Peak District Interpretation Partnership, which includes local authorities and businesses.

U.S.A.

More parks and gardens say residents responding to local survey

www.sunsetempire.com  
This is the view of residents of the Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District on the Pacific Coast of Oregon in response to a recent survey.  The Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District Foundation was formed in February 1969 with the original purpose of constructing a swimming pool.  It now operates a swimming pool and youth centre and has continued to support the local council to improve the quality of life of residents of all ages through the provision of recreational opportunities.  In particular, it is concerned with encouraging wellness and healthy, active lifestyles.  The District accepts donations and is funded by property taxes, but excludes the cities of Gearhart, Seaside and Cannon Beach. The survey asked residents of each of these municipalities if they would be interested in joining and forty-nine per cent of respondents residing outside the district said they would be interested in joining.  Of these seventy-five per cent said they would be willing to pay additional tax to do so.  Residents were generally satisfied with the recreational services they received, but between seventy and eighty per cent of respondents said they would like to see the district feature more small neighbourhood parks, dog parks and community gardens.  Key findings will be posted on the District’s website in June and will be used to inform the future work of the organisation.

Australia

Community to benefit from new weather radar

www.environment.gov.au
A joint press release from the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Agriculture marked the launch of new state-of-the-art radar in Bairnsdale that will provide improved weather and climate predictions for Gippsland farmers and land managers.  The new information will be fed through the Bureau of Meteorology website.  For the first time, the local radar will be used solely for radar watch, meaning the images will be available 24 hours a day, without interruption.  “Farmers work hard to develop vibrant agricultural industries and agri-businesses,” said the Minister for Agriculture, Tony Burke.  “It is essential for these experts to have access to up-to-date weather and climate information, including the best estimates of rainfall, flood forecasts and thunderstorms.  During the fire season the increased sensitivity will also help forecasters to detect vital wind changes as they move across Gippsland.”   As part of the launch, an Excellence Award was presented to local resident, Neil Nicoll, from Hoddle Range near Fish Creek, five generations of whose family has been recording daily rainfall observations on behalf of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology for a century.  “This is a fantastic contribution to our national climate database,” said the Minister, “and it is fitting to acknowledge them, and the 6,000 voluntary rainfall observers across the nation.” 

U.S.A.

July is National Recreation and Parks Month

www.nrpa.org
Since 1985, the National Recreation and Park Association has designated the month of July as Recreation and Parks Month. Recreation facilities and parks across the country annually use July to celebrate the kick-off of summer programming as well as a time to pull their communities together to volunteer, get involved in great outdoor physical activities and advocate for parks and recreation.  This year, NRPA has developed several resources for local agencies and park and recreation supporters to utilize in proclaiming Recreation and Parks Month in their own communities. An official proclamation, letter and local release are currently available, and can be personalized by each community to encourage local leaders to proclaim July is Recreation and Parks month in their own town—in their own way.  As part of a summer full of nationwide activities and community celebrations, NRPA plans to celebrate this month that highlights the hard work and dedication of public park and recreation supporters across the country.

Singapore

First world-class mountain bike park opens

www.nparks.gov.sg/PressRelease.aspx
The National Parks Board (NParks) has officially opened the Ketam Mountain Bike Park at Pulau Ubin to provide a recreational destination for avid mountain bikers and supporters. Officiating at the launch of the Bike Park was Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education. Joining her were more than 200 mountain biking enthusiasts participating in the first race held at the Bike Park. With its official opening, the 45-hectare Ketam Mountain Bike Park will be the first in Singapore to meet international mountain biking competition standards.
Mountain biking is fast gaining popularity as a recreational activity as well as a competitive sport. It is one of the sports included in the Youth Olympic Games 2010. To support this healthy outdoor pursuit, NParks has over the years provided mountain bike trails at Bukit Timah, Tampines and Kent Ridge. Ketam Mountain Bike Park, however, is the first in Singapore to meet world-class standards.  The construction of Ketam Mountain Bike Park started in November 2006 and took slightly less than a year to complete. The Bike Park was constructed by Chung Architects and Toh Kim Bock CE Contractor based on International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) standards, in consultation with Singapore Amateur Cycling Association (SACA) and DirTraction.
Suitable for leisure as well as competitive mountain bikers, there are three levels of difficulty incorporated in the 10km trails to cater for the different needs of the users. As a safety precaution, prominent signage is also strategically placed in the bike park to alert the mountain bikers.  With the new facility provided for the biking community, NParks hopes to collaborate with the mountain biking fraternity for future activities in the bike park so as to provide a recreational destination for the adventurous and outdoorsy population and make Singapore an ideal place to live, work and play.  

U.K.

Chelsea goes green

www.rhs.org.uk

This year the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show turned green, not just in the sense of recycling and reusing, but also in planting schemes. While blue and purple flowers have dominated the Show Gardens over the past few years, this year the Main Avenue was awash with shades of green.  Designers made lush foliage a feature, with strong lines of hedges, tall palms and sculptured Buxus.  Tom Stuart-Smith’s Laurent-Perrier Garden was dominated by nine 30-year-old hornbeams, under-planted with rodgersias, epimediums, hostas and astrantias. Next door to him was Andy Sturgeon’s Cancer Research UK Garden, again making a feature out of foliage with a woodland themed garden with tree ferns, beech trees, euphorbia and astelias.  Diarmuid Gavin created a green haven for The Oceanico Group with giant white metal and mesh daisies hovering over a mass planting of ferns, sculptured box, bamboos, grasses, rosemary and thyme.  Striking a note of contrast was the colourful George Harrison inspired garden: From Life to Life, A Garden for George. A psychedelic mosaic path led through the colourful herbaceous planting up to a marbled terrace.

          The Best Show Garden award went to Laurent-Perrier UK Ltd, with Dorset Cereals Ltd winning the Best Courtyard Garden and Adam Frost the Best Urban Garden.  Details of all award and medal winners can be found on the RHS website.

North America

National parks rated B-minus for visitors with dogs

www.DogFriendly.com
DogFriendly.com is celebrating its tenth year of researching and publishing dog travel information for the United States and Canada. In 2007 DogFriendly.com introduced a travel report card survey that is intended to chart changes year on year.  The research will not just involve hotels, restaurants and public transport, but the places where people traditionally exercise and enjoy their dogs such as parks and beaches.  National Parks were rated B-minus on a scale of A to F and it was claimed that many parks imposed what seemed unreasonable restrictions.  However, it was noted that a few National Parks have slightly improved pet access and people can still enjoy parks with their dogs if they select the best parks and understand where dogs can and cannot go. It was accepted that if all dog owners cleaned up after their pets and obeyed regulations, it would be easier to press for improved access.  Also noted was the explosive growth of urban off-leash dog parks over the past ten years with DogFriendly.com listing over 800 against only a handful in 1998. The concern here is that parks once open to dogs may impose restrictions when an off-leash park is built nearby.  Some off-leash parks are subject to strict rules and regulations and may require annual permits.  Dog-Friendly.com would like to see more accommodation made for dogs visiting the area with day-use fees as well as annual permits.   It was estimated that only about fifteen per cent of beaches allowed dogs on leashes and only handful would allow off-leash dogs.  However, it had been found that there was a positive move in some areas towards allowing dogs during certain seasons or times or with permits.

Russia

Invitation to experience the Flowers Gardens & Parks of Siberia

www.sibflower.sibfair.ru/eng/
The interest of gardeners both professional and amateur in the Siberian Fair has been growing each year with the opportunity to see and buy flower, vegetable and tree seeds and seedlings.  Trade stands offer specialist consultation and demonstration of equipment and techniques.  There is also the opportunity to take part in seminars, round table discussions and master-classes.  The exhibition attracts both the professional and the amateur gardener as well as landscape architects and features a contest for parks of Novosibirsk and design competitions.  Within the exhibition are sections dedicated to plant material, accessories, soils and fertilizers, plant technology, garden machinery, equipment for water and play parks, paving and lighting systems.

Europe

European Register of Exercise Professionals launched

www.ehfa.eu and www.ereps.eu
The European Health and Fitness Association (EHFA) has announced the launch of a European Register of Exercise Professionals.  Sixty-seven senior health and fitness industry individuals from thirteen countries across Europe and beyond came together for a first North European Fitness Forum organized by (EHFA) in Hilversum, The Netherlands.  The two-day event gathered representatives from major international operators, leading training providers, national associations as well as representatives from the EU Commission and American College of Sports Medicine.  The North European Fitness Forum showcased what is to be a defining initiative for the industry’s drive for professionalism and credibility: the European Register of Exercise Professionals (EREPS).  EREPS mission is to provide an independent process for the registration of all instructors, trainers and teachers working across Europe in the exercise and fitness industry.   EREPS will be regulated by the European Health & Fitness Association Standards Council using an accepted official European qualification framework that describes the knowledge, skills and competencies exercise professionals need to achieve for registration. Operation will start in Brussels in July 2008 with a seven-year roll out plan for Europe.  The first two countries to sign the Memorandum of Understanding were Belgium and the U.K.

U.K.

£1million lottery grant to preserve Exmoor’s wild ponies

www.hlf.org.uk 
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has earmarked just under £1million for a scheme that includes innovative approaches to restoring the condition of moorland habitats in the Exmoor National Park.   Nestling on the West Somerset and North Devon border, the National Park is special because of the undisturbed tranquillity of its heather-clad moorlands, not to mention a breathtaking coastline of plunging cliffs and sheltered bays.   The scheme includes the promotion of the semi-wild Exmoor pony for grazing as an integral part of the management of the moors.  This is one of the world’s oldest and rarest breeds of pony.  The scheme will also help to support and sustain a thriving local economy and restore and conserve the area’s wild and open character.  Kate Mitchell, Moorland Partnership Assistant at Exmoor National Park Authority, said: “The overarching theme for the projects is reconnection.  We want to forge new connections between the moorland and the people who live around and visit it. The projects include: a local schools project to discover how the moorland was used in the Second World War, a volunteer activity programme with ambitious target of involving 250 volunteers over three years and an apprentice scheme to train up our moorland managers of the future.”

U.S.A.

Record private donation for greening New York City

www.nyc.gov
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and philanthropist Shelby White have announced that Ms. White's Leon Levy Foundation is awarding $15 million to The New York Botanical Garden and $10 million to Prospect Park, the largest private donation in City history for the "greening" of New York. The $15 million grant to The New York Botanical Garden will create a new Native Plant Garden for the study and display of indigenous species on 3.5 acres, adjacent to the native Forest and the Rock Garden.  It will serve the growing interest in native flora inspired by concerns about invasive species and climate change and provide the opportunity to educate visitors about the role that native plants and ecosystems play in supporting birds and other wildlife.  Taking advantage of the site's diverse growing conditions, which range from sunny, wet meadow to dry, deep shade, the Native Plant Garden will display a variety of native plants in an integrated and holistic design. The $10 million grant to Prospect Park will help enable the Prospect Park Alliance to restore the Park's historic Music Island, Lakeside Promenade and views from the Concert Grove Terrace to their original design as envisioned by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.

Philippines

National Forests at risk

newsinfo.inquirer.net
Inquirer.Net, Philppine News for Filopinos, carries a special report by Delmar Cariño of the Northern Luzon Bureau warning of bulldozers roaring into the forests in the Cordillera Administrative Region to clear land for planting.  It is claimed that crucial sections of Mt. Data and Mt. Pulag are becoming vegetable gardens with the loss of the mossy forests that provide a habitat for endangered species of plants and animals.  The mossy forests act like a sponge. They hold water and organic matter which are crucial to forest life and biodiversity.  Thirty-three bird species and a number of mammals are believed to be in danger of extinction.  These species are critical to preserving the ecosystems and there are fears that deforestation and expanding vegetable farms will create water scarcity and lead to desertification.

Norway

New national park in outer Oslofjord

The Scarborough Evening News reports that members of a Norwegian charity chose to celebrate the organisation's 75th anniversary by visiting the North York Moors National Park.  Staff from Friluftsliv, an organisation that promotes outdoor activities in natural areas, spent three days visiting different parts of the moors to find out more about the area and the way the National Park operates.  Rune Svensson, chief executive of Friluftsliv, said: “We are about to establish a new national park in the outer Oslofjord area of Norway which will share a border with another national park in Sweden. From the visitor’s point of view, the two national parks will be one area but there will be two different visitor centres.   There is much to learn from the North York Moors about how to organise our visitor centres and educational programme.” 
Jill Renney, the National Park Authority’s information and interpretation manager, said: “Our contact with Friluftsliv goes back several years to co-ordinating the North Sea Trail and we have learnt a lot from each other over the years through sharing ideas about how to make the countryside an exciting place for all to visit and enjoy.   The new national park in Norway will be the first one where people actually live – all the other national parks in the country are wilderness areas – so Friluftsliv has been keen to learn about how we work with the communities within the North York Moors.”

Hong Kong

Survey into participation patterns in physical activities

www.lcsd.gov.hk
A questionnaire survey to be conducted by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will look closely at the participation patterns of Hong Kong people in physical activities.  The LCSD will be collecting data to assess the effectiveness of its Sport for All policy and to facilitate the formulation of long-term strategies to encourage more people to take part in physical activities.   The survey will be conducted in two phases in May and September in the form of face-to-face household interviews. The LCSD and sports sector, local organisations and schools have been committed to providing diversified community sports services for the public to promote the culture of Sport for All since the establishment of the department in 2000.  The main objectives of the survey are to find out the patterns, reasons and obstacles for the public to take part in physical activities and sports, to explore the influence of living habits on participation in physical activities and sports and to review the popularity of the LCSD's sports programmes and facilities in the community. In the survey, "physical activities" include daily physical tasks such as walking, housework and gardening, job-related physical tasks, as well as exercise and sports that require physical exertion and skills, to improve health, fitness, and/or physical performance. "Sports" are defined as highly organised, competitive physical activities governed by rules, such as basketball, volleyball, swimming and dance.  The sample size for the survey is 4,000 households by random sampling. To collect data on the participation patterns in physical activities of different age groups in Hong Kong, the targets for the survey will be divided into three age groups including children (aged 7 to 12), adolescents (aged 13 to 19) and adults (aged 20 or above). Three sets of questions will be designed for respondents in different age groups.

World Registration date for 2008 LivCom Awards extended

2008 LivCom Awards
Due to international commitments of the LivCom Panel of Judges the Interim Judging stage of the 2008 Awards will not now take place until early August.  It has therefore been decided to pass on the additional time to allow communities to prepare for the Awards.
The Closing date for Registration in the Whole City, Sustainable Project and Bursary Awards has been extended to 30th June 2008.
The Written Submissions must reach LivCom by 31st July 2008.
The Finals of the 2008 LivCom Awards will take place in Dongguan, China, from 6th to 10th November.  The 2008 Finals promises to be an exciting event, offering a unique professional and technical opportunity to be involved in the sharing of International Best Practice.  LivCom has been able to negotiate an extremely competitive room rate at the Five Star ‘LivCom Finals’ hotel.  The Hosts, Dongguan City, will be providing complimentary transfers from Hong Kong Airport, through the China/Hong Kong border to the Awards Hotel and return.  Dongguan is also preparing an impressive range of Delegate events.
To date, registrations in the Whole City, Sustainable Project and Bursary Award sections have been received from over twenty countries. 
For further information please contact info@livcomawards.com, telephone: 0044 (0) 118 946 1680, or register on-line at www.livcomawards.com.

IFLA World Congress

Programme information

5 good reasons to attend ‘IFLA 2008’
·         IFLA World Congress is the only world-wide platform of landscape architecture professionals
·         IFLA2008 gathers the world’s leading decision makers in matters of landscape ecology, design, planning and architecture
·         IFLA2008 is an innovative platform where newest developments in the landscape world are discussed and knowledge and ideas are openly exchanged
·         IFLA2008 focus is Transforming with Water and brings together the most recent actuality of designing with water in landscape
·         IFLA2008 gives unmatched networking opportunities to meet world leading professionals in landscape decision making and cross market water knowledge

More details at  http://www.ifla2008.com/

EVENTS DIARY

2008 Aug 13-16

Flowers Gardens and Parks of Siberia Landscape Architecture Exhibition

International Exhibition Centre, Novosibirsk, Russia.
sibflower.sibfair.ru/eng/

2008 Sept. 13-Oct. 12

Floriade:  Australia’s Celebration of Spring

Commonwealth Park, Canberra
www.floriadeaustralia.com

 

2008 Sept. 15-18

Ifpra Asia Pacific Congress

Christchurch, New Zealand

www.ifpra2008.com/
Contact:  Paul Wilson on paulw@qldc.govt.nz or telephone 0064 3 441 0467

2008 Oct 6-10
10th World Leisure Congress
Quebec City, Canada
www.worldleisure.org/events/congresses/10thCongress_2008/congress2008.html

2008 Oct 14-16
IERM Annual Convention:  Making Connections – NOW CALLING FOR PAPERS
Good Hope Centre Cape Town
www.ierm.org.za/nationalevents/upcomingevents/iermconv2008/IERM%20Call%20for%20papers%20-%202008.pdf

2008 Oct 15-17
EMSU 2008 International Conference:  A New Knowledge Culture – Universities facing global changes for sustainability
Technical University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
www.emsu.org

2008 Nov 9-12

Parks and Leisure Australia National Conference

Melbourne, Australia.
www.parks-leisure.com.au

2008 Dec 7-11

Vth International Symposium on Horticultural Research Training and Extension

Pang Suan Kaew Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand
www.ishs.org/wri/pap1.htm

2009, June 15-17

2009 Ifpra European Congress – Modern Society:  Balance with Nature – NOW CALLING FOR PAPERS

Mikkeli, Finland

Contact:  Viljo Muuronen on viljo.muuronen@mikkeli.fi
www.ifpraeuropemikkeli.com/fi/sisalto/

2010, November
Ifpra World Congress:  Quality Services – ‘Parks, Recreation and Tourism'
Hong Kong

2011 July 24-30

XVIII International Botanical Congress

Melbourne Australia
www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/ibc-2011/