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A new and more dangerous phase of impacts on the world's remaining tropical forests is emerging, threatening to simplify the world's most diverse ecosystem including mass species loss, according to new UCL-led research published today in Science.

The impact of humans on these areas has been increasing for millennia and today more than three-quarters of the world's remaining tropical forests have been degraded by human actions.

The scientists identified three prior phases of expanding impacts, the first when hunter-gatherers moved into tropical forests and the second following the emergence of tropical agriculture, some 6,000 years ago. Under both, the overall health of tropical forests was maintained.

Today, we live in the third phase, marked by much greater impacts, with distant decision-makers directing how land is used, including permanent intensive agriculture, often for soybeans or palm oil, frontier industrial logging for timber export, cross-continental species invasions, and early climate change impacts. The scientists term this phase the era of 'Global Integration', affecting even the most remote areas.

Lead author, tropical forest expert Dr Simon Lewis (UCL Geography and University of Leeds) said: "Earth has lost 100 million hectares of tropical forest over the last 30 years, mostly to agricultural developments. Few people think about how intertwined with tropical forests we all are. Many foodstuffs include palm oil which comes from once pristine Asian tropical forest, while remaining intact forests are buffering the rate of climate change by absorbing about a billion tonnes of carbon each year."

Current trends look set to intensify without major policy changes, as global food demand is projected to double, over 25 million kilometres of road are predicted to be built by 2050, and climate change intensifies, ushering in a new phase of human dominance of tropical forests.

Dr Lewis added: "I fear a global simplification of the world's most complex forests. Deforestation, logging and road building all create fragmented patches of forest. However, as the climate rapidly changes the plants and animals living in the rainforest will need to move to continue to live within their ecological tolerances. How will they move? This is a recipe for the mass extinction of tropical forest species this century.

"What is needed are unbroken areas of forest that link today's core tropical regions with forest areas about 4 degrees cooler, so as temperatures rise and rainfall patterns change species have a better chance of surviving rapid 21st century climate change. We need to bring conservation in line with the reality of climate change."

The authors note that while deforestation and degradation continue, more optimistically, logged forest retains many environmental benefits, and marginal agricultural lands are being abandoned, which can return back to forest.

Dr David Edwards (University of Sheffield), co-author of the study, said: "Much biodiversity still remains in selectively logged forests, and can recover in secondary forests that grow on abandoned farmland. There is abundant potential to incorporate these forests into global plans to make tropical biodiversity climate change ready.

"Despite their value for biodiversity, logged-over and old secondary forests are frequently threatened by conversion to species-poor agricultural plantations. We urgently need to protect these human-impacted forests, especially in regions such as Southeast Asia where almost nowhere is left undegraded."

A suite of policy measures can help tropical forests survive, including giving forest dwellers formal collective legal rights over their land, which previous studies have shown is one of the best ways of preserving forests. A study of 292 protected areas in Amazonia showed that indigenous reserves were the most effective at avoiding deforestation in high pressure areas.

Most of the financial benefits of logging and plantation agriculture, such as palm oil, flow out of the forests. Ensuring local people have collective long-term rights over their lands would mean that benefits flowing from forest lands accrue to local people. This can provide the beginnings of programs of 'development without destruction', tackling poverty while maintaining forests. This, the authors argue, provides human rights and conservation win-wins.

Dr Lewis added: "With long-term certainty of tenure people can plan, maintaining forests while investing in improving agricultural productivity without expanding into forested lands. Forest dwellers won't be perfect managers of forests, but they won't look for a quick profit and then move on, as big businesses often do.

"This is a pivotal year for the global environment. There are some good signs for the world's tropical forests, with the UN New York Declaration on Forests agreeing to not only halt deforestation, but also restore 150 million hectares of forest. However, there are ominous signs too, with the palm oil industry having driven the world's highest deforestation rates in South East Asia now gearing up to repeat this process across Africa.

"The Paris climate change talks in December are doubly important for forests and forest communities. The levels of emission cuts will be a critical factor in determining how many tropical forest plants and animals go extinct over the coming decades and centuries. The agreements on reducing deforestation, including durable finance, will be pivotal. The final test will be whether some funds for adaptation will include land-use planning to retain forest connectivity as the climate rapidly changes."

Source: University College London [August 24, 2015]

Some of the UK's leading nature experts have delivered a clarion call for action to help save many of the nation's native wildlife species from extinction.

A critical new report, called >State of Nature 2016 and published, delivered the clearest picture to date of the status of our native species across land and sea. Crucially, the report attributes much of the imposing threat to changing agricultural land management, climate change and sustained urban development. These threaten many of Britain's best loved species including water voles -- the fastest declining mammal.

The startling report reveals that more than half (56%) of UK species studied have declined since 1970, while more than one in ten (1,199 species) of the nearly 8000 species assessed in the UK are under threat of disappearing altogether.

The report, produced by a coalition of more than 50 leading wildlife and research organisations and specialists including Dr Fiona Mathews from the University of Exeter, demands immediate action to stave off the growing threat to Britain's unique wildlife.

Dr Mathews, an Associate Professor in Mammalian Biology at the University of Exeter and Chair of the Mammal Society, who helped write the report, said many British mammals are under pressure from house building and intensification of agriculture.

She said: "The reality is that our human population is expanding and we need urgently to work out how we can live alongside our wildlife. For example, water voles are one of our fastest declining species, and many thousands of kilometres of their habitat are affected by development every year.

"We are therefore researching ways to ensure their survival, supported by our water vole appeal fund. In the summer, we launched best-practice guidance on looking after water voles during development, and these are now being followed by industry, helping to ensure that "Ratty" survives on ponds, rivers and canals throughout the UK."

As the UK Government and devolved administrations move forward in the light of the EU Referendum result, there is an opportunity to secure world leading protection for our species and restoration of our nature. Now is the time to make ambitious decisions and significant investment in nature to ensure year-on-year improvement to the health and protection of the UK's nature and environment for future generations. The Mammal Society is currently drawing up a 'Red List' of the most threated species, to help ensure that scarce funds are directed to the animals most in need.

Dr Mathews added: "The findings emphasise that whole ecosystems, not just one or two species, are under threat.

"We are a nation of nature-lovers -- just look at the success of "Countryfile" and "Springwatch." Every week thousands of volunteers are out recording wildlife and helping with practical habitat management. We also depend on the natural environment for a huge number of goods and services, not to mention our own health and wellbeing.

"Yet successive governments have cut funding for the environment, and conservation concerns are all too often vilified as a barrier to urban development, infrastructure projects or efficient food production. This is a moment to reflect on what sort of country we want for our children -- a sustainable future for them depends on our decisions now."

The State of Nature 2016 UK report will be launched by Sir David Attenborough and UK conservation and research organisations at the Royal Society in London on Wednesday, September 14, while separate events will be held in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast over the next week.

Sir David Attenborough said: "The natural world is in serious trouble and it needs our help as never before. The rallying call issued after the State of Nature report in 2013 has promoted exciting and innovative conservation projects. Landscapes are being restored, special places defended, struggling species being saved and brought back. But we need to build significantly on this progress if we are to provide a bright future for nature and for people.

"The future of nature is under threat and we must work together -- -Governments, conservationists, businesses and individuals -- -to help it. Millions of people in the UK care very passionately about nature and the environment and I believe that we can work together to turn around the fortunes of wildlife."

In order to reduce the impact we are having on our wildlife, and to help struggling species, we needed to understand what's causing these declines. Using evidence from the last 50 years, experts have identified that significant and ongoing changes in agricultural practices are having the single biggest impact on nature.

The widespread decline of nature in the UK remains a serious problem to this day. For the first time scientists have uncovered how wildlife has fared in recent years. The report reveals that since 2002 more than half (53%) of UK species studied have declined and there is little evidence to suggest that the rate of loss is slowing down.

Mark Eaton, lead author on the report, said:"Never before have we known this much about the state of UK nature and the threats it is facing. Since the 2013, the partnership and many landowners have used this knowledge to underpin some amazing scientific and conservation work. But more is needed to put nature back where it belongs -- we must continue to work to help restore our land and sea for wildlife.

"There is a real opportunity for the UK Government and devolved administrations to build on these efforts and deliver the significant investment and ambitious action needed to bring nature back from the brink.

"Of course, this report wouldn't have been possible without the army of dedicated volunteers who brave all conditions to survey the UK's wildlife. Knowledge is the most essential tool that a conservationist can have, and without their efforts, our knowledge would be significantly poorer."

Derek Crawley, Atlas Office for the Mammal Society, said "New technology now enables volunteers to share information more easily than ever before. Our MammalTracker app is freely available from the App Store, or sightings of mammals can be recorded via our website. We will also be sharing information on how to make the most of volunteer programmes at a special meeting in the autumn.

Source: University of Exeter [September 23, 2016]

Throughout the Renaissance, the demand for antiques among the aristocracy burgeoned, with the trend soaring by the late 17th century as members of the upper classes began scouring Europe in search of bronzes, sculptures, prints, lamps and vases. With disposable income then rising among the aspiring middle classes in the latter part of the 19th century, the bourgeoisie took to investing in their homes and in the finer things as well. As antiques went mainstream, the market boomed in the hubs of London and Paris.

However, despite this generally rising appetite, antiques have a tendency to go in and out of fashion, as evidenced by the lulls in between the booms of the 1950s and 1980s. At present, the market is experiencing yet another lull; new tastes and values have sent demand and prices for antiques crashing, leaving armoires, bejewelled knick-knacks and Regency dining chairs unwanted and unsold, and causing many industry players to close down or change course entirely. Yet, in the midst of all the doom and gloom for antiques aficionados, there is some cause for optimism in a few niche areas, especially when it comes to fossils and minerals.

Out with the old

With so many more people living in smaller abodes these days – urban dwellers in particular – there is very little space for antique desks and looming tapestries. Nor, in fact, do such items match contemporary tastes, as interior design trends have changed considerably over the past decade or two. Sleek and modern pieces, airy spaces and overall functionality are the style du jour; cluttered rooms and bulky furniture seem to have little place in 21st century life.

“In general, young people have lost interest, and it is mostly older people who are buying – and obviously this area of the population is one that declines”, said Errol Fuller, a curator at Summers Place Auctions, and a leading expert on fossils and extinct species. “Not all areas of antique collecting are in retreat; it is the more drab brown furniture and traditional items that young people have little interest in. They look old-hat and boring.”

Given the niche knowledge and training required to even begin delving into the subject, Baby Boomers and Millennials are largely uninterested in antiques. Adding further to this growing indifference is the reputation antiques have for popularity among the older generations – a status consolidated by television programmes, such as the US and UK versions of Antiques Roadshow, that depict the field as a hobby for pensioners. The downsizing of former antiques hubs, such as London’s Fulham Road and New York’s Kentshire Gardens, reflects this shift further still, indicating the market in general has indeed reached a precarious state.

In with the even older

Over the past year or so, one big trend that is offering hope to those in the trade is the growing popularity of fossils and minerals.

“Decorative items, or things with intrinsic interest, still have appeal, and fossils and minerals have much of this quality. As do antique stuffed animals and birds. And it is these kind of things that are appealing to the young”, Fuller said. “The general public is becoming increasingly interested in the natural world – perhaps because we realise that much of it is vanishing at an alarming rate. We are becoming more conscious of anything to do with nature and to call a piece of natural history your own and to look after it for a few more years and save it for generations to come, is quite special.”

This interest in the natural can be seen across numerous sectors and industries: food, make-up and alternative therapies, to name but a few. It would seem, as these trends indicate, that people are done with the artificial and are tired of fakery; they yearn for something with authenticity. Items such as fossils and minerals offer a window into the natural world within one’s own home.

“Some are incredibly rare as well. But I think the main point is that most people are in sheer awe when they look at something that was created millions of years ago and which is still appealing to us”, said Fuller. “To imagine that this fossilised dinosaur or crab used to live on this planet such a long time ago, and is now one of the prized possessions in your collection is quite mind-blowing. Antiques and the amazing craftsmanship used to create them will always attract us, but I think it is the fact that fossils are not man-made that makes us look at them in wonder.”

Crucial to this trend is the fact that fossils and minerals complement almost any type of interior design. They offer contrast to a modern room with soft furnishings, yet not in the garish way that a cumbersome 17th century dining table might. Given the variety of sizes, colours and types available, there is something for everyone and every budget. “Fossils are also still reasonably priced, so are more accessible to the general public and not restricted to those with millions in their bank accounts”, Fuller said.

Their backgrounds make talking points like no other; it’s impossible not to be interested in their age, formation and aesthetic value.

“They are not man-made and, in terms of antiquity, they are much older. And, of course, they almost always have a story”, Fuller said. “People tend to buy antiques because they are interested in their history and they look great in their homes. Fossils and minerals tick all those boxes, but as our homes are getting more contemporary, fossils actually fit in better. They look better in a minimalist home than most antiques, while still being quirky enough to be a real focal point.”

When asked if he sees this trend continuing in the coming years, Fuller’s response was clear: “Absolutely, and especially because it is an area in which young people are becoming particularly interested, for all the above reasons. Summers Place Auctions established specific natural history sales with our first Evolution sale in 2013, but we have since gone from one specialist auction a year to including natural history items in all our sales – four in total. There is always a huge interest, but our last sale, which included the natural history collection of the Emmen Zoo, was the best yet – every single lot sold. We offered items at prices as low as £30, up to over £100,000.”

Cyclical nature

As shown throughout history, the trend for antiques in the home comes in waves. Wider phenomena, it would seem, have a large role to play; something may occur in popular culture that can ignite a craze, and a shift within an economy can spur a new trend. Take the hit show Mad Men; watched by millions and considered by many to be one of the greatest dramas of all time, the programme, which depicted life in a New York advertising agency in the 1960s, had a direct impact on the antique market. As the show’s popularity grew, so did that of sleek mid-century furniture, with sales of pieces by Charles and Ray Eames, and Jean-Michel Frank soaring during the show’s run. However, sales of such items have begun to slow once more since the show ended in 2015, demonstrating the fickle nature of tastes and trends when it comes to interior design, popular culture and what’s ‘in’.

The growing demand for Chinese antiquities offers another important lesson for the antiques world. Given the exponential growth in the Chinese economy over the past three decades, a huge social shift has taken place in the country, with a sizeable middle class now present for the first time in the country’s history. This expansion and growth in disposable income has allowed considerably more people in China to own their own homes and, consequently, to invest in them and in objects of aesthetic value. Interestingly, this shift has taken place at the same time as a significant cultural transition within the country, whereby symbols of the past, which were once neglected and even rejected, have regained their prominence. Until recently, all reminders of the China’s imperial past were overlooked by the ruling regime and, as a result, the public. However, a renewed zeal for Chinese history has seen citizens reach out for objects of cultural significance. This trend has led Chinese buyers to scour the globe in search of rare pieces.

The western trend for fossils and minerals may be in line with contemporary tastes, yet this too is likely to pass at some point – it may take several years, but it will pass. Evidently, the appetite for antiques, and for the various individual categories themselves, comes and goes. They are a reflection of society, the state of the economy, and of what was valued at any one time. At present, we are at a stage where the natural is lovingly embraced, which is clearly reflected in what we eat and how we style our homes. But the future may look very different. Perhaps period decor will come back into fashion, perhaps the dining room will have a revival, and maybe even large brown furniture will have its day once more.

Ultimately, the antiques market has a life of its own. It has its own ebb and flow, and is certainly an interesting reflection of society. Although the antique market is shrinking in general, all is not lost for those invested in it; who knows what we’ll once again value in the future?

Author: Elizabeth Matsangou | Source: European CEO [July 19, 2016]

An extraordinary archaeological discovery was revealed in an excavation of the Israel Antiquities Authority prior to the construction of a road being built at the initiative of the Netivei Israel Company. During the excavation, carried out as part of the Jezreel Valley Railway Project between Ha-‘Emekim Junction and Yagur Junction, remains of the oldest kilns in Israel were discovered where commercial quantities of raw glass were produced. These kilns, c. 1,600 years old (dating to the Late Roman period), indicate that the Land of Israel was one of the foremost centers for glass production in the ancient world.

According to Yael Gorin-Rosen, head curator of the Israel Antiquities Authority Glass Department, “This is a very important discovery with implications regarding the history of the glass industry both in Israel and in the entire ancient world. We know from historical sources dating to the Roman period that the Valley of ‘Akko was renowned for the excellent quality sand located there, which was highly suitable for the manufacture of glass. Chemical analyses conducted on glass vessels from this period which were discovered until now at sites in Europe and in shipwrecks in the Mediterranean basin have shown that the source of the glass is from our region. Now, for the first time, the kilns have been found where the raw material was manufactured that was used to produce this glassware”.

The excavation of the kilns has caused great excitement in recent weeks among glass researchers throughout the world, some of whom have come especially to Israel in order to see this discovery first hand. According to Professor Ian Freestone of the University College London, who specializes in identifying the chemical composition of glass, "This is a sensational discovery and it is of great significance for understanding the entire system of the glass trade in antiquity. This is evidence that Israel constituted a production center on an international scale; hence its glassware was widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean and Europe”.

This enormously important site was discovered by chance last summer by archaeologist Abdel Al-Salam Sa‘id, an inspector with the Israel Antiquities Authority. While overseeing infrastructure work being conducted on the new railway line from Haifa to the east, he suddenly observed chunks of glass, a floor and an ash layer inside a trench. He halted construction work at the site and began preparations for an archaeological excavation, the important results of which are now evident.

According to Abdel Al-Salam Sa‘id, the excavation direction, “We exposed fragments of floors, pieces of vitrified bricks from the walls and ceiling of the kilns, and clean raw glass chips. We were absolutely overwhelmed with excitement when we understood the great significance of the finds”.

The kilns that were revealed consisted of two built compartments: a firebox where kindling was burnt to create a very high temperature, and a melting chamber – in which the raw materials for the glass (clean beach sand and salt) were inserted and melted together at a temperature of c. 1,200 C degrees. The glass was thus heated for a week or two until enormous chunks of raw glass were produced, some of which weighed in excess of ten tons. At the end of the manufacturing process the kilns were cooled; the large glass chunks that were manufactured were broken into smaller pieces and were sold to workshops where they were melted again in order to produce glassware.

During the Early Roman period the use of glass greatly expanded due to its characteristics: its transparency, beauty, the delicacy of the vessels and the speed with which they could be produced by blowing – an inexpensive technique adopted at the time that lowered production costs. Glass was used in almost every household from the Roman period onward, and it was also utilized in the construction of public buildings in the form of windows, mosaics and lighting fixtures. Consequently, large quantities of raw glass were required which were prepared on an industrial scale in specialized centers. The installation that was discovered in the excavation is an example of one of these ancient production facilities.

According to a price edict circulated by the Roman emperor Diocletian in the early fourth century CE, there were two kinds of glass: the first was known as Judean glass (from the Land of Israel) and the second – Alexandrian glass (from Alexandria, Egypt). Judean glass was a light green color and less expensive than Egyptian glass. The question was: Where were the centers that manufactured this Judean glass that was a branded product known throughout the Roman Empire and whose price was engraved on stone tablets so as to ensure fair trade. The current discovery completes the missing link in the research and indicates the location where the famous Judean glass was produced.

In a few months time the public will be able to see this discovery first-hand when it will be exhibited at the "Carmel Zvulun" Regional High school, in the Zevulun Regional Council.

Additional Background Information

Glass production kilns that date to the sixth or early seventh century CE were previously found at Apollonia in Herzliya and are c. 200 years later than the current discovery. The largest glass production facility from antiquity that has been found so far was exposed in the Bet Eliezer neighborhood in Hadera where it was dated to the seventh–eighth centuries CE, and the latest evidence we have of glass production in the country was revealed at Bet She‘arim (next to Khirbat ‘Asafna), dated to the late eighth and early ninth centuries CE.

The kilns that were just recently found are the earliest ones to be discovered so far in Israel. Their relatively good state of preservation will make it possible to better understand the production process. Researchers now hope that by means of its chemical composition they will be able to trace the export of the glass throughout the Roman Empire.

The raw glass industry at Khirbat ‘Asafna was part of an extensive industrial zone where there were oil presses, wine presses and a glassware workshop which was excavated in the 1960’s by an American archaeological expedition

Source: Israel Antiquities Authority [April 11, 2016]