Celebrating Forests for People

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests. This effort is intended to raise awareness and to recognize and celebrate people’s efforts to conserve and sustainably manage all types of forests.

Visit the site to read the UN Resolution and to access information regarding news and events. Additionally, consult the FAO Forestry site for links to data, maps and discussion regarding global forestry issues.

For your research needs and local library support, visit the campus libraries’ Research Guide to Forestry.

World Water Day (March 22)

The United Nations, today, dedicates its World Water Day to the theme of water quality--"clean water for a healthy world." In accordance with that theme, its Water Day site supplies links to event calendars, fact-sheets, photos and videos regarding freshwater essentials and efforts by UN organizations to support resource management and sanitation.

Additionally, the UN Water site supplies reports and news regarding water scarcity, water quality, statistics and water policies.

Should you be interested in finding research literature about topics in hydrology, sanitation and water resources, consult with your librarians for assistance and search the following database products:

• Environmental Sciences & Pollution Management

• Geobase

• Water Resources Abstracts

For more suggestions, see the Water Research Guide (Wisconsin’s Water Library).

UNdata

The United Nations Statistics Division offers UNdata, a one-stop access portal to the many UN data products. The page includes links to databases and data sets in such categories as agriculture, population, industry, energy, trade, tourism, and more.

The databases are accessible by browsing, by keyword searching from a simple search page, or by selecting an advanced search from the “More” link in which limits by world region, statistical product and year can be applied. The “More” link also leads the user to the United Nation’s “Country Profiles.”

The UNdata site also supplies links to news regarding its reports and products as well as to country-specific data providers/services (as selected from the right column).

World Food Situation (FAO)

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) offers the latest information (news, reports and statistics) on food commodity prices, supply, demand, and factors—such as climate change—that affect the market and food security.

Visit the World Food Situation portal.

World Water Day, March 20

The United Nations, today, celebrates World Water Day with a focus upon issues of sanitation. In accordance with that focus, the Water Day site supplies links to photos, videos and factsheets regarding sanitation essentials and efforts by UN organizations to supply support and remediation.

Additionally, the UN Water site supplies links to reports and news about water scarcity, water quality, statistics and water policies. According to this site, “it is estimated that 88% of the global burden of disease is attributable to unsafe water supply, lack of sanitation and hygiene and is mostly concentrated on children in developing countries. Every day, this contributes to the deaths of 5,000 children from largely preventable causes, including diarrhoeal diseases and parasites.”

Additional links:

International Year of Sanitation

Water Resources Institute, University of Wisconsin

Databases for finding research literature on hydrology, sanitation and water resources (please consult with your librarian for other recommendations):

Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts

Environmental Sciences & Pollution Management

Geobase

Water Resources Abstracts