International Federation of Park and Recreation Administration
Contents
- PLA/IFPRA ASIA-PACIFIC CONGRESS, 2011
- BRITISH SCHOOL, ROME – RESIDENCY (January-March 2012)
- FRANCE – World Heritage Trees Felled.
- NEW ZEALAND – Plans to rebuild Christchurch as a Garden City
- ITALY - Venice Tourist Tax to save City
- GLOBAL – International Authors on Climate Change
- USA – Material Landscapes
- GLOBAL –Secret Life of Mammals
- UK – Launch of Biodiversity Seed Hub
- BELGIUM – Threatened Species Born at Zoo
- AUSTRALIA – Pesticide Threat to Great Barrier Reef
- CHINA – Country Music Festival at Heritage Site
- EVENTS DIARY
PLA/IFPRA ASIA-PACIFIC CONGRESS, 2011
www.parksleisure.com.au.
The Joint IFPRA Asia-Pacific Congress and PLA National Conference will be held in at Fremantle, Western Australia from 18-21 September, 2011. The overall theme of the conference is Partnering and the keynote speakers are internationally renowned experts in their respective fields. There will also be over seventy industry presentations. The conference also gives ample opportunities to explore the beautiful scenery of Western Australia and enjoy the vibrant life of Fremantle.
Detailed information is now available on the website, including: new group discount rates, speakers’ abstracts, free cardio-tennis fitness sessions from Tennis Australia (conference national sponsor), social events and tour programmes (including technical tours and pre/post conference tours of the Fremantle area).
To register, go to: http://www.parksleisure.com.au/conference-information/registration
There is still time to showcase your organization at the Trade Show. The Sponsorship and Exhibition Proposal on the website gives prices and conditions. Enquiries should be sent to conference@parksleisure.com.au
BRITISH SCHOOL, ROME – RESIDENCY (January-March 2012)
www.bsr.ac.uk
The Rome Fellowship in Landscape Architecture is offered by the International Federation of Landscape Architects to a recent graduate or individual in mid-career for a period of thought/research within the context of Rome and Italy. The applicant should propose a contemporary response to an aspect of Italian landscape and pursue a selected topic with direct bearing on modern design in the landscape.
The three-month Residency will include full board/lodging at BSR, a grant of 750 Euros per month, travel to and from Rome (economy) and health insurance. Technical support/facilities are limited but BSR staff will advise and assist with access to sites not normally open to the public.
For further information, contact: Christine Bavassa, Communication & Executive Secretary, International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA), Avenue d'Auderghem-Oudergemselaan 63 - B-1040 Brussels, Tel/Fax: +32 2 230 37 57
admin@iflaonline.org
http://www.iflaonline.org Return to Contents
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/27/french-axe-thousands-plane-trees
Thousands of plane trees bordering the Canal du Midi in France have been struck by a deadly fungus and are being felled. The Canal, which leads from Toulouse to the Mediterranean and dates back to the reign of the Sun King, is classified as World Heritage Site by Unesco and the felling of the trees, many over 200 years old is regarded as a tragedy for France. Both contaminated trees and the surrounding healthy ones must be felled. Replanting is scheduled for the end of 2011 with a variety of trees more resistant to the fungus but replanting will take approximately 40 years.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14487723
The earthquake in Christchurch last February killed 181 people and destroyed the city centre. The city Council is proposing to rebuild the centre of Christchurch as a “ safe, sustainable, high-tech, low-rise “ garden city, limiting the height of buildings and using more space for parkland. The public was invited to submit proposals for the generation of the city and over 100,000 suggestions were received, many of which have been incorporated into the draft proposals. The plan is open for public consultation until September.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/Venice-to-introduce-tourist-tax-to-save-the-city
Visitors to Venice this summer will have to pay a new hotel tax. It will apply to hotels in Venice, the islands in its lagoons and the camp sites on the mainland. The charge will vary according to season and is calculated on a sliding scale, based on the price of the accommodation. The aim of the tax is to raise money for the urgent maintenance of the city which is slowly sinking into the mud and is further threatened by rising sea levels and more frequent winter storms. Critics of the tax fear it will increase the numbers of day-trippers. “Italia Nostra”, a heritage organization has proposed capping the number of visitors and restricting large cruise ships to avoid environmental catastrophe and prevent Venice “losing its soul”.Return to Contents
http://www.versobooks.com/books/1019-im-with-the-bears
“I’m with the Bears” is a new collection of ten short stories, envisaging the dangers of climate change. The contributors are an impressive range of international authors, including Margaret Atwood, T. C. Boyle, Paolo Bacigalupi and Wu Ming.
The anthology is a response to the absence of creative fiction about climate change and, according to the publisher, aims to bring “the incomprehensible within our grasp”. Royalties from the sale of the book will go to 350.org, an international organisation aiming to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/197074/20110812/material-landscapes-liane-hancock.htm
http://www.sheldonconcerthall.org/galleries_current.asp
Material Landscapes is an exhibition at the Sheldon Art Gallery, St Louis, Missouri highlighting the work of eight contemporary landscape architects. The focus is the use of materials in design and the projects are presented through photographs and drawings. While the designs range in location and scale, they all use materials in an innovative manner. Highlights include a vertical container garden in Hong Kong, an asphalt garden in Quebec and the Pentagon Memorial.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-secret-life-of-mammals-captured-on-film-2339045.html
http://blog.conservation.org/2011/08/the-secret-lives-of-mammals/
A unique archive of 52,000 photographs of some of the world’s rarest animals can now be accessed. The global study was led by the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring Network of Conservation International. It documents 105 species from Africa, America and Asia, including elephants, gorillas and giant anteaters, photographed by hidden cameras. The photos also highlight the impact of habitat destruction on the animal population. The project is ongoing and cameras have been installed in 17 new locations since 2010, including Peru, Panama, Madagascar, Malaysia and India.
http://www.kew.org/news/uk-seed-hub.htm
The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew has launched the UK Native Seed Hub, an initiative drawing on the Millennium Seed Bank’s extensive collection of native British seeds, as well as its horticultural/scientific expertise and partnerships with other conservation organisation. Initially, the project will support restoration of lowland meadows or semi-natural grassland. Once this model is established, it will provide a blueprint for supporting restoration in another forty priority habitats listed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.
http://digitaljournal.com/article/309692
Antwerp Zoo has a new addition to its small herd of Okapi. Her first public appearance was recorded and released on video. Okapi are native to Central Africa and are found in the Ituri Forest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are not officially listed as an endangered species but are threatened by deforestation and poaching in their native habitat. Antwerp Zoo is the leader of a worldwide breeding programme that co-ordinates herd books and advises other zoos on care and breeding.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14516253
A report on water quality from the Australian Government indicates that agricultural pesticides are causing significant damage to the Great Barrier Reef. Pesticides at toxic concentrations harmful to coral were found up to 60 km (38 miles) inside the reef. Many horticulture producers, particularly the sugar cane industry of Northern Queensland, are still using unacceptable methods. The Government acknowledges farmers have been using more environmentally friendly practices but improvements had been undermined by the effects of Cyclone Yasi.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/world-heritage-site-in-china-to-host-country-music-festival-2333651.html
The Second Zhangiiajie International Country Music Week will be held between 10-16 September in this beautiful National Park. The area is a Unesco Heritage site, famed for its towering rock formations and forests. Organisers are planning a line up of over 500 musicians representing country music from around the world, including Nashville, of course! The event, however, has broader aims, to “promote cultural development in all the world’s regions through the medium of country music” and highlights the music of China’s ethnic communities as well as international country artists.
2011
18-21 September
Joint PLA National Conference and IFPRA Asia Pacific Conference
Fremantle, Western Australia
Phone 03 544 1763
Web: http://www.parksleisure.com.au/conference-information/registration
Email conference@parksleisure.com.auor webmaster@parksleisure.com.au
12-15 October
Gwangju Summit of the Urban Environmental Accord Cities
Kimdaejung Convention Centre, Gwangju Metropolitan City,
Republic of Korea.
Contact: Jihee Kim kimjihee@gwangiucvb.or.kr
Soon-Kyeng Jeon icop@korea.kr
27 October 2011
Place As Resource – Heritage Council Resource Conference
Royal College Of Physicians, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/events/heritage-council-corporate-events/view-event/article/place-as-resource/?tx_ttnews[backPid]=78&cHash=39c9727157c89eca65a41e94f8d10478
Bookings Contact: abarcoe@heritagecouncil.ie
27 - 31 October
International Awards for Liveable Communities Finals
Songpa, Seoul, South Korea.
www.livcomawards.com email: info@livcomawards.com or tel +44 (0) 118 946 1680
13-20 November 2011
20th World Orchid Conference
Singapore
www.20woc.com.sg
2012
International Federation of Landscape Architects World Congress
South Africa
Contact Chistine Bavassa on efla.exsec@gmail.com
Apr-Oct 2012
Floriade: Be part of the theatre in nature – get closer to the quality of life
GreenPark Venlo, Netherlands
www.floriade.com/
14-15 June
Ifpra Yardstick Members Meeting 2012
Aalborg City, Denmark
Thursday 14 June (meeting), Friday 15 June (park visits day)
5-7 September
Ifpra Europe Congress, Basel, Switzerland
Contact: Emanuel.trueb@bs.ch
2013
20 April - 20 Oct
International Garden Expo Suncheon
Suncheon City, South Korea
Web: www.2013expo.or.kr
Contact Na Ok Hyeon (The International Cooperation manager of the Garden Expo team) mono1968@korea.kr
2014
17-24 August
29th International Horticultural Congress
Horticulture - Saving Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes
Brisbane, Australia
Contact: russ.stephenson@deedi.qld.gov.au or jstanley@hortresearch.co.nz